Tours : Sicily
Five days, four nights
£1075
About this tour
After the military victories in North Africa and the routing of Rommel's North Afrika Corps, the Allies were faced with a dilemma. The Americans favoured an invasion in North West Europe, but Churchill and others felt this was premature and unachievable. On the other hand it was important to maintain the momentum and especially to convince the Russians that they were not the only ones fighting. As a result the Italian Campaign was conceived, not so much the result of a strategy, but rather force majeure - it was the only place on mainland Europe that could be invaded!
July 10th 1943 Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily was launched. It was the first amphibious operation and it was larger than Normandy. Many mistakes were made and many valuable lessons learned, but by September the Allies were poised to invade Italy and knock Mussolini's forces out of the war.
On this Reveille tour we fly to Catania and from our delightful base at Lentini, we shall trace the Allies advance from the Bay of Noto, through Syracuse and Ortygia, over the Primasole Bridge to Catania and upwards to Messina. We shall visit ancient sites and scenes of battles; we shall pause at cemeteries and become engrossed in a spectacular museum of the invasion in Catania. We shall pay our respects to a German and a Canadian cemetery as well as spending time in what has been described as the most spectacular Roman Villa in Europe, in Piazza Armesnia.
This tour will not only introduce you to the wonders of Sicily, but also further your understanding of the steps that led to final Allied victory.
