I have just returned from a two-week trip to Europe, the focus of which was World War 2 history. Many organized trips are available for those interested in World War 2 history. I could not find a trip that matched my interests, so I planned my own. After seeing the itinerary, my son agreed to accompany me on this adventure. My initial intent was to visit some places where my father was stationed at the war’s end. After some research, I found most of these bases were now housing developments. After making this discovery, I focused on places of interest.

Shown below is a list of the sites I visited.

  1. Normandy France
  2. Bastogne Belgium
  3. Berlin Germany
  4. Warsaw Poland
  5. Krakow Poland
  6. Bratislava Slovakia

The transportation for this trip included trains, airplanes, and buses. Some of the connections were tight, but I thought it was achievable.

Our journey began with a hiccup-our flight to Frankfurt was delayed, causing us to miss our connection to Paris. It was a moment of chaos, with no more flights available that day. Our tour was scheduled for the next day, and we were determined to reach Normandy. After a fruitless train search, we decided to rent a car and embarked on an 8-hour drive to Bayeux, France. This drive, mind you, was immediately after a 9-hour flight. To say we were exhausted would be an understatement, but our determination kept us going. United canceled our return reservations after we missed the connection. This was not United finest hour, but they have since compensated me for my pain and suffering.

The weather in Normandy was cool and rainy, matching the feeling of this place. We used Overlord Tours for our tour of the sights. They did a great job with the logistics and narration. Visiting Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and Point Du Hoc was inspiring. The highlight for me was the American Cemetery. The cemetery is well-designed and maintained, offering a stirring tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Our next stop was Bastogne, but first, we had to return the dreaded rental car. The car was fine; it was a typical European small sedan with a manual transmission. I have probably mentioned this before: I don’t like driving on trips, especially in a foreign country. I spent hours planning this trip so I did not have to drive, yet I found myself in Paris on the Arc de Triomphe roundabout trying to find the rental car office. Did you know the Arc de Triomphe is the 3rd largest roundabout in the world? Eventually, we returned the car and caught a train to Thionville, France.  There is no train station in Bastogne, so we had to take a bus from Thionville. This was my first time on a FlixBus, and the trip went well.

Bastogne is the sight of the Battle of the Bulge. Bastogne is a quaint Belgian town with deep ties to World War 2 history. Our guide for the day was Roby Clam. Roby is an excellent guide. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the battle. He also knew many of the veterans who returned to the battlefield. If you are a fan of the “Band of Brothers” series, visiting Bastogne is a must.

Next, we flew from Luxembourg to Berlin on Ryan Air. This was my first time flying on Ryan Air. The value and experience were great. I wish Ryan Air were in the USA. We spent three days in Berlin. We went on a “Third Reich” walking tour with Hannah from Insider Tours. This tour was excellent; Hannah knew about the city’s history. Berlin is a modern city; you must dig a bit to find out much of World War 2 history. Hannah also recommended an outstanding Chinese restaurant called. LIU Chendu Weidao. It may seem strange to recommend a Chinese noodle restaurant in Berlin, but this place was fantastic.

We also took a day trip to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Again, we used Insider Tours for this excursion. Our guide was Xavier, a history expert on this camp. Our train was late, making this a very long tour. Xavier did a great job keeping things interesting. This was a solemn but inspiring visit. Sachsenhausen was used as a test bed for many of the horrible atrocities the Nazis implemented in other camps. This tour was an excellent introduction to my upcoming visit to Auschwitz.

Our next stop was Warsaw, and we traveled there by train. I was a bit apprehensive about Polish trains; however, I found them to be very modern and punctual. Polish people were very friendly and seemed to like Americans. Our itinerary in Warsaw included a walking tour and a visit to the Uprising Museum. The walking tour was with Orange Umbrella and was just ok. It was a private tour. In retrospect, I recommend joining one of the free walking tours of Warsaw. The Uprising Museum was very well done, and I highly recommend visiting this place to learn more about the history of these brave people who fought back against the Nazis.

We tried some pierogis in Warsaw. They were very good. As you might expect, the ones with bacon and butter were the best.

My son flew back to the USA from Warsaw, leaving me to finish this expedition alone. I took a train from Warsaw to Krakow. I stayed at the Hotel Senacki, which was in the heart of the old town. Krakow was spared most of the devastating bombing raids of World War 2. The city square retains much of its historical charm. There are plenty of historical sites around Krakow, and I spent half a day exploring these treasures. One of my favorite attractions in Krakow was the plethora of ice cream shops.

My visit to Krakow was tied to touring Auschwitz. While on the train to Krakow, I received a message from Discover Cracow, the tour operator I selected for my visit to Auschwitz. They told me the time for my tour had moved from 10 am to 4 am. Some Jewish groups wanted to visit on the same day as my tour. Jewish visitors have priority at Auschwitz. I debated canceling the tour but eventually decided to go as Auschwitz was one of my “must-visit” locations for this trip. I managed to catch the bus to Auschwitz at 4 am, and upon arrival, I had to stand in line for 2 hours to secure my ticket. While all this logistical flailing was exhausting, it was worth it in the end. Visiting Auschwitz was a life-changing event, and I suggest everyone with even the most remote opportunity take the tour. While I plan to write an entire blog entry on visiting Auschwitz, I came away with a deeper understanding of how evil and dark humans can be blinded by racism, extremism, and hatred.

My last stop on this trip was Bratislava, Slovakia. I visited a friend and Missionary in Bratislava, a beautiful town on the Danube River only an hour away from Vienna, Austria. Bratislava is a stop on many European River Cruises. My friends took me sightseeing, and I had some local cuisine. Bratislava is a charming eastern European city, and I recommend adding it to your itinerary.

After two weeks, my World War Tour was over, and I flew home from Vienna. If you are interested in my photos, this is the link: Alan’s Photos

Key things I learned on this trip.

  1. One hour is not enough time to connect in Frankfurt. I recommend 1.5 hours as the minimum time to connect.
  2. Get a European SIM card with plenty of data. You will need this connection for navigation. I purchased an eSIM from Orange.
  3. I had to plan and manage all the logistics for this trip, and at times, it was a pain, especially when we missed a connection. You can avoid this with a Tour Group but will pay for it in dollars and a lack of flexibility.
  4. Traveling with carry-on luggage and washing clothes is the way to go. It is great to have your luggage in hand when things go wrong.
  5. German trains do not always run on time.
  6. It is rainy and cold in Normandy.
  7. France has way too many toll roads.
  8. I am glad I did not buy a Eurail pass.
  9. Traveling with a foodie is awesome.
  10. Ryan Air rocks.

Make the most of this day.