M / V Clio , Copenhagen , Denmark
SMALL SHIP ADVENTURES
Eiffel Tower , Paris , France American Cemetery , Normandy , France
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U . S . Depart the U . S . today on your overnight flight to Paris .
DAY 2 • Paris , France Arrive in Paris , where you ’ ll be met at the airport and transfer to your hotel . Get acquainted with the area around your hotel during an orientation walk . This evening , enjoy a Welcome Drink with your fellow travelers , including those who took our London : England ’ s Regal Capital pre-trip extension . Meals : D | Hotel Crowne Plaza Republique or similar
DAY 3 • Paris • Caen • Cider farm • Caen Memorial Museum • Embark ship Visit a local cider farm for a tour and tasting . Then , get an in-depth look into the battle for Normandy at the Caen Memorial Museum , which honors soldiers and civilians who lost their lives during World War II and examines the fragility of 20th-century peace . Afterward , we ’ ll board the M / V Clio . Meals : B , L , D | M / V Clio
DAY 4 • Caen • Omaha Beach & Normandy American Cemetery Today begins on the beaches of Normandy , where we ’ ll reflect on the historic D-Day invasion . We ’ ll see the cliffs of La Pointe du Hoc and learn about the daring Army Ranger raid that took place here before visiting Omaha Beach , where some of D-Day ’ s most brutal fighting took place .
Our day concludes at the American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer . Meals : B , L , D | M / V Clio
DAY 5 • Dunkirk Beach With the help of a local guide , we ’ ll set out to explore Dunkirk Beach , site of the Battle of Dunkirk . We ’ ll then visit the Dunkirk 1940 Museum to learn about the evacuation that took place here . Meals : B , L , D | M / V Clio
DAY 6 • Bruges , Belgium Visit Bruges , Europe ’ s best-preserved medieval city . We ’ ll embark on a walking tour that takes us from the Church of Our Lady , which houses Michelangelo ’ s “ Madonna and Child ” sculpture ; past the Basilica of the Holy Blood , where a scrap of cloth believed to be stained with the blood of Jesus Christ is displayed ; and finally , to the Market Square , whose distinctive belfry was featured prominently in Martin McDonough ’ s 2008 film In Bruges . Later , we ’ ll sample a regional delicacy : Belgian waffles . Meals : B , L , D | M / V Clio
DAY 7 • Antwerp • Chocolate tasting • Conversation about Belgian colonialism Explore Antwerp , beginning with a stroll through its Old Town . We ’ ll also taste one of its sweetest exports — chocolate — at a local shop . This evening , we ’ ll learn about King Leopold II ’ s brutal administration of his Congo Free State colony in Africa . In the late 19th century , Belgian King Leopold II took control of the Congo Free State ( today known as the Democratic Republic of Congo ) as his personal colonial asset . The territory was rich in natural resources — including rubber and ivory — which Leopold exploited for his own financial enrichment at an enormous human cost . In recent years , Leopold ’ s brutal legacy has been scrutinized , and activists have taken it upon themselves to remove him from public view — defacing and toppling statues in a half-dozen cities , including Antwerp . Meals : B , L , D | M / V Clio
DAY 8 • The Hague & Mauritshuis Museum • Optional Keukenhof Flower Park tour Discover The Hague this morning , including a guided tour of the Mauritshuis Museum , known as one of the best museums in Europe to view the works of Dutch and Flemish Old Masters . Later , you may join an optional tour to Keukenhof
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Day 9 , join a Dutch family for a Home- Hosted Visit , enjoying lively cultural conversation as you savor homemade cake and coffee .
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