As the nation falls silent this Remembrance Sunday (8 November) and on Armistice Day (11 November), Tripsmiths is inviting travellers to go beyond the wreath and the two minutes’ silence and stand on the ground where history was made.
The expert-led travel company has launched two new five-day tours of the Western Front, to the Ypres Salient and the Arras battlefields. Both will travel in a significant year: 2027 marks 110 years since the Battle of Arras in April 1917 and the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele, which began that July. 2027 dates have also just been released for their best-selling Second World War tour with historian Guy Walters, with 2027 dates for Gallipoli and Troy to follow.
NEW: Ypres Battlefields, 5 days, from £1,799pp
Military historian Julian Whippy traces the Third Battle of Ypres from Messines and Pilckem Ridge to Polygon Wood, Passchendaele and Tyne Cot, with time to attend the Last Post at the Menin Gate. This no-fly tour departs 23 August 2027, with four nights at the four-star Hotel Ariane in Ypres.
Ypres, 110 years on
NEW: Arras Battlefields, 5 days, from £1,749pp
Descend 20 metres into the Wellington Quarry, where 24,000 troops waited unseen before the assault of 9 April 1917, then stand on Vimy Ridge with military historian Clive Harris. Departing 10 May 2027, the tour ends with a behind-the-scenes visit to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s French headquarters.
The Battle of Arras, 110 years on
BACK FOR 2027: Colditz and The Great Escape with Guy Walters, 6 days, from £2,129pp
Our best-selling Second World War tour returns, as historian and broadcaster Guy Walters leads guests through Stalag Luft III, scene of The Great Escape, and inside Colditz Castle, including its theatre, not usually open to the public. The journey ends in Berlin, with flights from Heathrow.
Colditz with Guy Walters
COMING SOON: Gallipoli and Troy with Clive Harris
Clive Harris leads guests from the Helles landings to Anzac Cove, reached by boat, and Suvla Bay, alongside ancient Troy, from a four-star hotel overlooking the Dardanelles. 2027 dates will be announced shortly; register interest now.
“Reading letters and diaries at the gravesides brought history to life.”
Gallipoli and Troy with Clive Harris
Vicky Wilkinson, Head of Product, Tripsmiths, said: “Remembrance is about more than looking back. Standing at the Menin Gate as the Last Post sounds, or walking the beaches at Gallipoli with a historian who knows every yard, turns names on a memorial into people. That is what these tours are for.”
Explore the full collection at tripsmiths.com/collection/history-tours. Every Tripsmiths tour is ATOL-protected and financially bonded through the Travel Trust Association, so guests can plan with complete peace of mind. Solo travellers are warmly welcomed.
About Tripsmiths
Tripsmiths Travel Limited offers one-of-a-kind handcrafted travel experiences for like-minded groups, with exclusive access to exceptional destinations and unique events with experts.
We pride ourselves on creating holidays that you’ll be telling friends and family about for years to come. Travelling with Tripsmiths means experiencing iconic, unique destinations, in the company of your favourite writers, historians, actors, artists, and award-winning chefs. Whether you want to explore far-flung places or celebrate the beautiful scenery right here in the UK, our trips will leave you with memories you’ll treasure forever.
Following recent sold out tours with Lucy Worsley, Dickie Arbiter, Carol Kirkwood and many more, upcoming departures in 2027 include trips accompanied by James Martin, Russell Watson, Sophie Hay, Adam Frost, and Sarah Raven.
For more information and bookings, please visit www.tripsmiths.com
