2020 Italian Campaign Canadian Battlefield & Remembrance Tour

The WWII Battlefields & the Famous Culture of Italy

75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Italy

At a glance                                                                                                
October 17-31, 2020 • Sicily - Italy • 15 days

Overnight destinations                                                                   _     
Syracuse • Catania • Salerno • Cassino • Rome • Ortona • Ravenna •​ Venice

Highlights _______________                                                                  _     
Bark West Beach • Monte Assoro • Liri Valley • Montecassino • Melfa River • Ortona • Casa Berardi • Moro River Valley • Coriano Ridge • Savio River • Commonweath War Cemeteries at Agira, Cassino and Moro River • scroll down to see complete details

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Follow in the footsteps of the Canadian Army as we retrace the 1943-1945 Italian campaign, the fierce battles that set the Canadians apart as the superior fighting force even in the most difficult conditions of war. It was here, long before the Normandy campaign, where our Canadian soldiers - affectionately called the 'D-Day Dodgers' - left their mark of sacrifice in legendary battles at such places as Monte Assoro, the Liri Valley, Ortona, Coriano Ridge and so many more. 

Your pilgrimage begins with the landings in Sicily and extends all the way through the Gothic Line at Ravenna, and onward to Venice. Battle sites include:

• Bark West Beach, ​Pachino, Grammichele, Staziano Dettaino, Monte Assoro & Agira
• The Liri Valley, Pontecorvo, Melfa River, Kingsmill Bridge & Cassino
• Moro River Valley, Sterlin's Castle, Casa Berardi & Ortona
• The Gothic Line, Coriano Ridge, Savio River & Ravenna
• ... and more

Our Italian battlefield tour is the most comprehensive tour of its kind. We bring you the experience of a true pilgrimage to the Canadian battlefields of World War Two ... and ... we ensure that you will see some of the most famous cultural locations in the world ... Rome, Syracuse, Ravenna, Venice. You will visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites too numerous to count, all the while paying homage to the young men who sacrificed their youth in the mountains and valleys of this beautiful Mediterranean country. If you were to make only one battlefield tour to Italy this is it. On this 2020 edition of our tour we mark the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Italy.

You will stay at quality hotels throughout, selected for their great location and service. And you’ll be part of a typically all-Canadian group. Note: this tour will occasionally feature a walk of some short distance, ascending some stairs, or walking up some minor hills or slopes of varying degree in order to reach some of the amazing locations on the tour - good personal mobility is key to a positive experience. Read what past travelers have said about our trips.

Mark your calendar for departure in the fall of 2020 and join us as we set out upon an emotional, inspiring journey - Canada's premier battlefield and cultural trip to Italy.

Your guide for this amazing tour is Mark Zuehlke, one of Canada's best-known historians and author of the award-winning Canadian Battle Series, each volume of which focuses on a battle or campaign fought by the Canadian Army in World War II.

Mark has written extensively on the Canadian contribution to the Italian Campaign including the volumes you see here ... with a new book in the works!

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ITINERARY

Day 1
Friday October 17
We depart from Canada for our overnight transatlantic flight to Italy, except for those who choose to leave sooner to extend their trip. Where available, guests will enjoy the luxury of a premium airport departure lounge.

Day 2
Saturday October 18
Upon arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport we transfer to our domestic flight to Sicily, then travel south to the ancient city of Syracuse for our first evening and our Welcome Dinner. Overnight Syracuse. [D]

Day 3
Sunday October 19
This morning we begin our tour of the battlefields where it all started, at the landing site code named 'Bark West Beach' at Pachino. In the early morning hours of July 10, 1943 the amphibious assault went in. For the 1st Canadian Division the invasion of Sicily was the first major campaign of WWII - Operation Husky. After landing against Italian coastal units the Canadian troops moved inland through the dusty summer heat. We follow their route to Grammichele, where on July 15 they came up against the elite Hermann Göring Division who put up a strong defense before relinquishing the town. After a lunch stop we continue inland revisiting the efforts of our troops as they engaged the increasingly determined German units, who fought tough delaying actions from vantage points of towering villages and almost impregnable hill positions. Overnight Catania. [B,L]

Day 4
Monday October 20
Today we look ahead to an ascent of Monte Assoro to visit the spot where the Canadians made their celebrated night assault and where you will take in the commanding view of the German defensive lines in the battlefields below. After lunch we make our way to Agira, where after five days of hard fighting, at heavy cost, enemy resistance was overcome and a route opened to Adrano, and with it, the closing of the Sicilian campaign. We end this portion of our tour with a visit at a solemn location, the Agira Canadian War Cemetery and the final resting place of 489 young Canadians. Overnight Catania. [B,L]

Day 5
Tuesday October 21
We set out again on the path following the Canadian Army, crossing the Strait of Messina to recount the first battles on mainland Italy as we make our way ‘up the boot.’ Overnight Salerno region. [B,L]

Day 6
Wednesday October 22
On Day Six we approach our destination of Cassino from the south, passing in the shadow of the famous Monte La Difensa and recalling the legendary achievements of the First Special Service Force. From a little mountain village we hold a breathtaking view across the floor of the Liri Valley, the scene of heavy fighting for Canada in 1944. Overnight Cassino. [B,L]

Day 7
Thursday October 23
Our focus today is the Liri Valley and Canada’s attack upon the formidable Hitler Line. We stop at the monument at Kingsmill Bridge and also at the Rapido River outlook. Then it’s down to the valley floor and the battleground at Forme d’Aquino. The morning concludes with the 25-lbr. monument atop the village of Pontecorvo. In the afternoon we pay our respects at Melfa River, the site where Canada was awarded the second of three Victoria Crosses during the Italian campaign. Overnight Cassino. [B,L]

Day 8
Friday October  24
We make a couple of short stops at points of interest at the exit of the Liri Valley, then it’s onward to the historic city of Rome for two nights. Overnight Rome. [B,L]

Day 9
Saturday October 25
Enjoy a full free day at your leisure in Rome. Overnight Rome. Buffet breakfast.

Day 10
Sunday October 26
We depart Rome for an spellbinding trip through the Apennine Mountains to the small town of Ortona on the east coast. Overlooking the beautiful Adriatic Sea the medieval town is now a pleasant place to visit, but in 1944 it was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Here Canadian troops inched forward along the Moro River against repeated German counter-attacks. Finally entering the town, our soldiers encountered fanatical resistance in a battle that would come to be known as Little Stalingrad. We stop at The Gully, one of Canada's most famous battlefields, and also visit Sterlin's Castle and Casa Berardi where Capt. Paul Triquet earned his Victoria Cross, before concluding the day at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery, our largest cemetery in Italy where 1376 young men await our visit. Overnight Ortona. [B,L]

Day 11
Monday October 27
After breakfast we continue our journey north along the Adriatic coast and visit the recently erected monument at Point 204. Following lunch we stop at Coriano Ridge to remember the twenty-eight day clash that took place in August and September 1944. Here the Germans had constructed the formidable Gothic Line, the most powerful series of heavily fortified positions that had been thrown in the path of the Canadian army. Months of hard fighting took place before the Germans finally relinquished their hold. Your tour guide Mark Zuehlke, in his renowned history The Gothic Line, refers to this fierce battle as Canada's "month of hell." We continue the day with a visit to the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, from where we can take in a wide view of the battlefields, and conclude our day in beautiful and historic Ravenna, last capital city of the Roman Empire. Overnight Ravenna. [B,L]

Day 12
Tuesday October 28
This morning we gather near the place where the third and final VC was earned in Italy, awarded to Smokey Smith for his exploits at the Savio River. Later we pay a visit to the Villanova War Cemetery to discuss the overall importance and costs of Canada’s almost two years of campaigning in Italy before returning to Ravenna, the seat of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Italy from 5 CE to the 8th century. Ravenna boasts a series of superb Byzantine mosaics which are generally recognized as the best to be seen outside of Istanbul. The afternoon is free to visit the UNESCO World Heritage mosaics, including an optional (no extra charge) private tour with our local expert guide. Overnight Ravenna. [B,L]

Day 13
Wednesday October 29
The coach departs early morning and takes us to our final destination and yet another world famous cultural centre - Venice. We arrive mid-day so you will have the afternoon to discover this amazing city on the lagoon. Venice in its entirety is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overnight Venice (Lido). [B]

Day 14
Thursday October 30
Your final day of this grand tour of Italy is yours to discover Venice at your leisure and our guides are ready to share their knowledge of a host of fascinating sites to see and places to eat. In the evening we gather to raise a toast to those brave soldiers who fought for Canada as we come together for our Farewell Dinner. Overnight Venice (Lido). [B,D]

Day 15
Friday October 31
It's time to say goodbye to Italy, departing for Canada via Venice Airport Marco Polo (VCE) - except for those who may wish extend their stay at their option or carry on to other destinations. Buffet or box breakfast depending on departure time.
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Note:  This itinerary is tentative, with a final edition to be published in the summer of 2019. Clients should also keep in mind that minor variances are always possible during the actual tour based on the need to adapt to circumstances we encounter during our travels.

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PRICING COMING SOON!

PRICING WILL INCLUDE:

• 13 nights accommodation in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities
• Guests on the group flight will enjoy gathering at a premium departure lounge on departure from Canada (where available and schedules permitting) ... an exclusive benefit not offered by other battlefield tours
• Travel by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, facilities and free on-board Wi-Fi
• Domestic one-way flight from Rome to Catania (airline and schedule tbc)
• Buffet breakfast (cold and/or hot) at the hotel each morning, plus select lunches/dinners as outlined in the itinerary
• All hotel service charges, local taxes, baggage handling (one bag per person) are included
• Gratuities to Coach Driver, On-Board Agent and Local Guides are included! ... these costs are extra on most other tours and can add up to $150 CAD or more per person at the end of your trip, requiring an awkward search for a bank machine in the final days of your vacation ... we eliminate this. Be sure to compare!
• Group pick-up from Catania Airport on October 18, 2020 and return group transfer to Venice Marco Polo Airport on October 31, 2020; individual transfers are the responsibility of the client

PRICING WILL NOT INCLUDE:

• International flights to/from Italy; optional group airfare to be posted ~Nov 2019
• Meals other than stated on the itinerary
• Travel / Cancellation / Medical Insurance, Passport & related fees
• Any optional excursion not specifically stated
• Items of a personal nature
  
  

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• ​Prices will be subject to change based on currency fluctuations, to be confirmed at time of final payment 
• Hotels will be pre-booked but are subject to change
• This tour will require a minimum of 25 passengers to operate
• $500 deposit per person due with booking. 
• Balance of Payment will be due on or before July 17, 2020. All deposits and payments are non-refundable.
• Download and read our Terms & Conditions ​prior to making your booking.

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