About 8 miles downstream—which means seaward, to the east—from central London, Greenwich is a small borough that looms large across the world. Once the seat of British naval power, it is not only home to the Old Royal Observatory, which measures time for our entire planet, but also the Greenwich Meridian, which divides the world into two—you can stand astride it with one foot in either hemisphere. Bear in mind that the journey to Greenwich is an event in itself. In a rush, you can take the driverless DLR train—but many opt for arriving by boat along the Thames. This way, you glide past famous sights on the London skyline (there’s a guaranteed spine chill on passing the Tower) and ever-changing docklands, and there’s usually a chirpy Cock-er-ney navigator enlivening the journey with his fun commentary. A visit to Greenwich feels like a trip to a rather elegant seaside town—albeit one with more than its fair share of historic sites. The grandiose Old Royal Naval Hospital, designed by Christopher Wren, was originally a home for veteran sailors. Today it’s a popular visitor attraction, with a more glamorous second life as one of the most widely used movie locations in Britain. Greenwich was originally home to one of England's finest Tudor palaces, and the birthplace of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and Mary I. Inigo Jones built what is considered the first "classical" building in England in 1616—the Queen's House, which now houses a collection of fine art. Britain was the world’s preeminent naval power for over 500 years, and the excellent National Maritime Museum> details that history in an engaging way. Its prize exhibits include the coat worn by Admiral Lord Nelson (1758–1805) in his final battle—bullet hole and all. The 19th-century tea clipper Cutty Sark was nearly destroyed by fire in 2007, but reopened in 2012 after a painstaking restoration. Now it’s more pristine than ever, complete with an impressive new visitor center. Greenwich Park, London's oldest royal park, is still home to fallow red deer, just as it has been since they were first introduced here for hunting by Henry VIII. The Ranger's House now houses a private art collection, next door to a beautifully manicured rose garden. Above it all is the Royal Observatory, where you can be in two hemispheres at once by standing along the Greenwich Meridian Line, before seeing a high-tech planetarium show. Toward north Greenwich, the hopelessly ambitious Millennium Dome has been successfully reborn as the O2 and now hosts major concerts and stand-up comedy gigs. More adventurous visitors can also go Up the O2 on a climbing expedition across the massive domed surface. Meanwhile, those who prefer excursions of a gentler kind may prefer to journey a couple of miles south of the borough, farther out into London’s southern suburbs, to the shamefully underappreciated Eltham Palace. Once a favorite of Henry VIII, parts of the mansion were transformed into an art deco masterpiece during the 1930s.

London is an ancient city whose history greets you at every turn. If the city contained only its famous landmarks—the Tower of London or Big Ben—it would still rank as one of the world's top cities. But London is so much more. The foundations of London's character and tradition endure. The British bobby is alive and well. The tall, red, double-decker buses (in an updated model) still lumber from stop to stop. Then there's that greatest living link with the past—the Royal Family with all its attendant pageantry. To ice the cake, swinging-again London is today one of the coolest cities on the planet. The city's art, style, and fashion make headlines around the world, and London's chefs have become superstars.

Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated cities in Southern England, and is unusual as most of its built-up area occupies Portsea Island, linked to the mainland by road and rail bridges. Although there is a Roman fort at nearby Portchester, occupied later by the Saxons and Normans, there was no settlement on the site of Portsmouth at the time of the 1086 Domesday Book. The town developed in medieval times and received its first charter in 1194 from King Richard I; soon afterwards it became a major naval base. It has the world’s oldest dry dock, and is home to several famous ships, including HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, raised from the Solent in 1982. Portsmouth remains an important naval base and is home to a large proportion of the British service fleet. The waterfront area is now dominated by the Spinnaker Tower, 560 feet high, the United Kingdom’s tallest building outside London. Other things to see in the city include the house where Charles Dickens was born, and the City Museum, which contains a permanent exhibition devoted to another famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived in the town.

Sailing up the Orne River in the early hours of 5 June, we dock at the port of Caen, where we remain for two days, giving us time to explore the region’s D-Day sites and memorials. 

It is well documented that the taking of Caen played a pivotal role in the World War II D-Day campaign. On 6 June 1944, as the Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the aim was to secure a foothold on the Normandy coast, but Caen, situated strategically inland, became a crucial objective due to its location and extensive infrastructure.   

The Battle of Caen, which unfolded between June and August 1944, was one of the longest and most intense battles of the Normandy campaign. The city was a primary target for the British and Canadian forces, who aimed to capture it quickly. However, German forces, well-entrenched and heavily fortified, put-up fierce resistance, resulting in prolonged and brutal fighting. Caen endured extensive bombing and artillery shelling, leading to significant destruction and civilian casualties, with the city almost entirely reduced to rubble by the battle’s end. Despite these challenges, the Allies persisted, gradually encircling and breaking through the German defences. The eventual liberation of Caen on 20 July 1944, was a turning point in the Normandy campaign, allowing the Allies to push further into occupied France. 

Day 5

Today, we plan to spend our morning at the commemoration ceremony for the 82nd anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, along with its poignant visitor centre in Colleville-sur-Mer. 

Visiting the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial on the anniversary is a deeply moving experience. Established on 8 June 1944, it became the first American cemetery on European soil during World War II. Spanning 172 acres, the cemetery is the final resting place for 9,389 military personnel, many of whom lost their lives during the D-Day landings and subsequent operations. The site includes the Walls of the Missing, where 1,557 names are inscribed, with rosettes marking those who have been identified since.  

Our time includes time spent at the visitor centre. One-third of the 30,000-square-foot building is dedicated to exhibits featuring personal stories, narrative text, photos, films, interactive displays and artefacts that highlight the courage and sacrifice of the US forces in the Battle of Normandy. The visitor centre pays tribute to the values and sacrifices of the World War II generation, making a visit to this museum a profoundly moving experience. 

Thrust out into the sea and bound to the mainland only by tenuous man-made causeways, romantic St-Malo has built a reputation as a breeding ground for phenomenal sailors. Many were fishermen, but others—most notably Jacques Cartier, who claimed Canada for Francis I in 1534—were New World explorers. Still others were corsairs, "sea dogs" paid by the French crown to harass the Limeys across the Channel: legendary ones like Robert Surcouf and Duguay-Trouin helped make St-Malo rich through their pillaging, in the process earning it the nickname "the pirates' city." The St-Malo you see today isn’t quite the one they called home because a weeklong fire in 1944, kindled by retreating Nazis, wiped out nearly all of the old buildings. Restoration work was more painstaking than brilliant, but the narrow streets and granite houses of the Vieille Ville were satisfactorily recreated, enabling St-Malo to regain its role as a busy fishing port, seaside resort, and tourist destination. The ramparts that help define this city figuratively and literally are authentic, and the flames also spared houses along Rue de Pelicot in the Vieille Ville. Battalions of tourists invade this quaint part of town in summer, so arrive off-season if you want to avoid crowds.

Cobblestone streets, blooming floral displays, and tiny churches welcome you to this wonderfully pretty harbour. The town of St Peter Port is as pretty as they come, with glowing flower displays painting practically every street corner and window-ledge with colour. As the capital, and main port of Guernsey, St Peter Port puts all of the island’s gorgeous beaches, wonderful history and inspiring stories at your fingertips. Feel the gut punch of the midday gun firing at Castle Cornet, which stands guard over one of the world's prettiest ports. This 800-year-old, Medieval castle offers staggering views of the harbour from its imposing, craggy island location, and you can look out across to the looming shorelines of the other Channel Islands from its weathered battlements. With four well-tended gardens, and five museums offering a rich overview of Guernsey's history, you’ll want to leave a few hours aside to explore the many treasures that lie within the castle’s walls.

We disembark at the riverside town of Honfleur and make our way to Paris in the wake of the Normandy freedom fighters, Free French and Allied forces. 

In the unyielding summer of 1944 in Normandy, the devastation was immense. Around two million soldiers, twice the area’s peacetime population, clashed in brutal combat. Civilians suffered greatly, with over 60,000 casualties and 500,000 buildings obliterated. The local inhabitants of Normandy had few choices: remain at home and hope for the best, try to escape if they could, or hide in quarries and makeshift shelters. In the Calvados département, the final village to be liberated was Honfleur, miraculously undamaged, achieving freedom on 25 August - the same day as Paris. 

Heading to Paris we hear tales of the French who fought for their country’s liberation. A two-hour drive brings us to Mont-Valérien, a poignant memorial site that served as the main execution location for the Nazi authorities in France during World War II. Mont-Valérien was designated in 1941 as the site for executing hostages, and Resistance fighters condemned by Nazi military tribunals as retaliation for attacks on soldiers. Between March 1941 and August 1944, over a thousand people were executed here. From September 1941, reprisals included executing hostages from the same social or political circles as those who committed attacks, often in the areas where the attacks occurred. 

Hailed as the ‘Saviour of Paris’, General der Infanterie, Dietrich von Choltitz, will forever be remembered for his decision to allegedly defy Hitler’s order to destroy the city. Surrendering to the Free French forces on 25 August 1944, he found that the French Resistance had already taken control of much of the city and he would not have been able to carry out his Fuhrer’s orders anyway.  During the Allied invasion of Normandy, Parisians, led by Resistance fighters and supported by the French Forces of the Interior (FFI), began a courageous revolt against their occupiers. Street battles erupted across the city as Resistance fighters and citizens fought to reclaim their freedom, with General Patton ultimately leading the US Third Army to victory.  

Entering Paris, we visit a vivid reminder that many Parisians never gave up on their beloved city. Situated in the pavilions at Place Denfert-Rochereau, the Musée de la Libération de Paris reveals the previously unknown Liberation of Paris command headquarters hidden beneath the West Pavilion. This site served as Colonel Rol’s (French Forces of the Interior) command post during the uprising on 19 August 1944. We explore a rich collection of artefacts, photographs and personal stories from the Liberation of Paris, showcasing the bravery and resilience of Parisians during World War II.  

This evening, we gather to honour and remember those who fought bravely, those who resisted oppression, and those who were innocently caught up in the chaos of war. We take a moment to reflect on their sacrifices and contributions, while also celebrating the freedom they bestowed upon us in this vibrant, liberated city. 

Accommodation: Paris Hotel

Meals: Breakfast onboard, Farewell Event

Farewell your fellow travellers this morning, and transfer to the aptly named Charles de Gaulle Airport for your onward journey. 

For those eager to explore more of Paris, we offer an extension package designed to showcase the highlights of this stunning city. Please ask your consultant for more details. 

Meals: Breakfast