WWII CANADIAN BATTLEFIELDS TOUR: ITALY

View of Leonforte
Ruins in Pompeii
Cassino War Cemetery
WWII CANADIAN BATTLEFIELDS TOUR: ITALY
April 16 – 29, 2015
Canada’s role in the Second World War was significant and the sacrifices Canadian soldiers made helped determine the outcome. I am excited
to invite you to join me and military expert and retired Lieutenant Colonel Larry Wong on a World War II tour of Italy.
As you read the itinerary you will see that, after a start in Sicily where Canadian soldiers landed in July 1943, we will follow the footsteps of our
soldiers along coastlines and through mountainous terrain with visits to military sites like Ortona, Monte Cassino, Rimini and Ravenna. We will
also take breaks from a military focus with stops at Mount Etna, Pompeii with extra time for sight-seeing in Rome and Venice.
This tour is an opportunity to experience a fascinating part of Europe and to learn from our military expert about one of the most important
events in history. I hope you can join us in the Spring of 2015.
Vera Pezer, Ph.D.
Chancellor Emerita and Tour Host
PRESENTED BY
WORLDWIDE QUEST INTERNATIONAL | TOLL-FREE 1-800-387-1483 / 416-633-5666 | TRAVEL@WORLDWIDEQUEST.COM
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OUR ITINERARY
Getting There
Most flights from Canada are overnight, arriving in Catania the next
day. You will leave Canada on Wednesday, April 15. Worldwide Quest
would be happy to make your flight arrangements and any pre- and
post-tour hotel stays.
Thursday, Apr. 16: Arrive Catania
Participants will be met on arrival at Catania Airport and transferred
to our hotel in the centre of the city. After freshening up, we’ll enjoy a
welcome dinner at our hotel and meet our Italian expert guide.
Overnight: Hotel Excelsior Palace, Catania
Meals: Dinner
Friday, Apr. 17: Catania excursion to WWII landing sites
Soldiers from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 1st Canadian
Army Tank Brigade joined the first Allied assault on Sicily in the
early morning of July 10, 1943. The British and Canadian troops
came ashore along a 60-kilometre stretch of coastline near Pachino,
at the southern tip of Sicily. Fierce fighting lasted more than four
weeks through kilometres of mountainous terrain. More than 2,300
Canadian soldiers became casualties, 562 of which were fatal. We’ll
visit some of the sites associated with the Sicily campaign including
Pachino Beach to see the monument to Operation Husky in the main
square and the town of Grammichele (site of the first encounter of
the Three Rivers Tank Regiment and the Hastings and Prince Edward
Regiment with the German Army).
Overnight: Hotel Excelsior Palace, Catania
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Saturday, Apr. 18: Catania
Today we continue our exploration of Canadian WWII sites including
Assoro where the “Hasty Pees” carried out one of the most spectacular
exploits of the campaign, scaling the mountain terraces in partial
Mount Etna
moonlight and the villages of Leonforte and Agira where the
Canadians suffered their heaviest loss of the campaign. Agira is now
home to the Canadian War Cemetery. Back in Catania, we’ll visit
the Disembarkation Museum which includes the Operation Husky
2013 Canadian Display, a new permanent exhibit to Canada’s
contributions during the Sicily Campaign. We’ll enjoy some free
time in Catania later this afternoon.
Overnight: Hotel Excelsior Palace, Catania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Sunday, Apr. 19: Drive to Messina
Today our travels take us to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano
in Europe. Encompassing 590 square kilometres, the mountain’s
varied landscapes range from snowcapped summits to lunar deserts
of black lava, to beech forests and lush vineyards. We’ll have lunch
with a local wine producer on Mt. Etna and then continue our route
to World War II sites on our way to Messina.
Overnight: Hotel Parco degli Ulivi, Messina
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Praino
Messina
Catania
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Villa San
Giovanni
Monday, Apr. 20: Transfer to Praiano (Amalfi Coast)
Today we follow the route of the Canadian forces across the Strait
of Messina to the Italian mainland, then travel north paralleling the
Aspromonte mountain range to the Gulf of Taranto. We’ll travel by
coach to the port of Messina, then travel by ferry across the Strait of
Messina to Villa San Giovanni. We’ll board our coach on the mainland
for the drive to Praino, arriving at the end of the day to our beautiful
hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.
Overnight: Hotel Tramonto d’Oro, Praiano
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Tuesday, Apr. 21: Praiano
Today we’ll visit Pompeii, Italy’s most famous archeological site. With
our guide, we’ll explore the site, buried in AD79 when Mount Vesuvius
exploded. The fascination here lies not only in the major public
buildings such as the theatre, temples and the forum but also in the
numerous domestic dwellings, from cramped apartments to luxurious
villas that reveal the everyday life of the ancient world. This afternoon
is at leisure to enjoy our gorgeous seaside resort.
Overnight: Hotel Tramonto d’Oro, Praiano
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Wednesday, Apr. 22: Drive to Rome
Today’s drive to Rome takes us first to Monte Cassino, site of some of
the fiercest fighting of the Italian campaign. We’ll visit the Benedictine
Monastery, entirely rebuilt after 1944, home to a Commonwealth
War Cemetery and, within the cemetery, the Cassino Memorial which
commemorates over 4,000 Commonwealth servicemen who took part
in the Italian campaign whose graves are not known. We continue to
Anzio where Allied forces landed in 1943. The end of the day brings
us to Rome.
Overnight: Hotel Porta Maggiore, Rome
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Thursday, Apr. 23: Rome
We’ll devote the day to visiting the sites associated with World War II
in Rome. We’ll walk in the city centre and we plan to visit one or more
of the major military museums; the Ufficio Storico Stato Maggiore
Esercito, the Museo Storico della Fanteria and the Museo Storico dei
Bersaglieri.
Overnight: Hotel Porta Maggiore, Rome
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Friday, Apr. 24: Rome
Today we’ll concentrate on the historic sites in the city starting with a
tour of the Vatican Museums. The Museums contain one of the world’s
greatest art collections including the spectacular classical statuary
and Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. In the afternoon,
we’ll tour the sites of Ancient Rome including the Forum and the
Colosseum.
Overnight: Hotel Porta Maggiore, Rome
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Saturday, Apr. 25: Drive to Ortona
Today is the 70th anniversary of Liberation Day in Italy. We plan
to attend this morning’s ceremony in Rome, laying wreaths at the
“Altare delle Patria.” Following the events, we drive to Ortona; the
battle for the town of Ortona was one of the best known battles
fought by Canadians in WWII, nicknamed “Little Stalingrad.” We’ll
visit the town and the nearby war cemetery at Moro River.
Overnight: Hotel Mara, Ortona
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Sunday, Apr. 26: Rimini
The Gothic Line, renamed Green Line in Jun 1944, was the final
main German defensive line in northern Italy. The line stretched
from the area south of La Spezia on the west coast of Italy through
the Apennine Mountains to the area between Pesaro and Ravenna
on the east coast. We follow this route this morning as we drive to
Rimini. In the afternoon we visit the sites and enjoy our seaside
resort.
Overnight: Hotel Marina Bay, Rimini
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Monday, Apr. 27: Drive to Venice
Today’s drive takes us north along the Adriatic Coast to Venice. On
our way, we’ll stop to visit Ravenna, the site of the 1st Canadian
Corps’ Operation Chuckle, December 1944. Two battalions of 1st
Brigade, the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Hastings and Prince
Edward Regt., suffered close to 200 casualties in this ill-advised,
chaotic action. We arrive in Venice Mestre in the afternoon where
we stay for two nights.
Overnight: Hotel NH Laguna Palace, Mestre
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Tuesday, Apr. 28: Venice
This morning we travel by vaporetto to the historic city centre for a
guided tour of the area around Saint Marc’s Square. The afternoon
is free to explore independently in this magical place.
Overnight: Hotel NH Laguna Palace, Mestre
Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
Wednesday, Apr. 29: Depart Venice
This morning we will be transferred to the airport for homewardbound flights.
Meals: Breakfast
Note: The itinerary and accommodation is subject to change. Weather changes,
logistical arrangements, or local events may require changes in the published itinerary.
WORLDWIDE QUEST INTERNATIONAL | TOLL-FREE 1-800-387-1483 / 416-633-5666 | TRAVEL@WORLDWIDEQUEST.COM
WWW.WORLDWIDEQUEST.COM | 491 KING ST. E. TORONTO, ON M5A 1L9
Cassino War Cemetery
TOUR DETAILS
Tour Cost* (per person based on double occupancy): C$4995
Taxes and Gratuities: $350
Tour Cost for Guaranteed Single Accommodation*: C$6295
We would be happy to try to match you with a suitable roommate.
*Based on an exchange rate of C$1=Euro 1.5 and a minimum
of 24 paying participants
Group Size:
24 – 30 participants
Cost Includes:
• Airport transfers at destination for passengers arriving and
departing as per the group itinerary
• Accommodation based on double occupancy in hotels
listed or similar
• Meals as listed (breakfast and either lunch or dinner
daily)
• Transportation by private coach throughout
• Expert local guides for sightseeing
• All activities and entrance fees
• Tour accompanied by our English speaking tour manager,
specialized in WWII history
• Gratuities for group activities, including meals, hotels,
guides (as indicated above)
• Taxes (as indicated above)
• Trip hosted by Vera Pezer and Larry Wong
BOOKING
Not Included:
• Roundtrip airfare from your home to join the tour
• Meals other than those mentioned above
• Beverages with meals
• Fuel surcharges, if applicable
• Excess baggage charges
• Items of a personal nature
• Travel insurance
• Additional arrangements required due to any emergency or
other situation
• Any item not mentioned in “tour cost includes” above
Payment Details:
A non-refundable deposit of C$500 per person is required to
reserve a space on this tour. A second payment of C$1000 per
person is due October 30, 2014. Final payment is due 90 days
prior to departure (January 12, 2015.)
WHAT TO EXPECT
Level of Activity: Moderate
A good level of fitness is important for this trip as we will be
exploring the city centres and World War II sites on foot. You
must be comfortable walking for up to two hours at a stretch on
irregular paving and climbing stairs. Please be in touch with us for
any questions.
Accommodation
We are staying in centrally located three star plus and four star
hotels, equipped with all conveniences. Two of our hotels (in
Praiano and in Rimini) are seaside resorts.
Transportation
We will be travelling in a comfortable, air conditioned motor
coach.
Weather
We expect sunny skies with daytime temperatures ranging from
18 to 25 degrees Celsius. Overnight temperatures will be about 10
degrees.
Travel Documents
You will require a passport for this trip. Please ensure it is valid for
at least 6 months beyond your scheduled return home. Currently,
Canadian passport holders do not require a visa to visit Italy.
Questions? Ready to book? Please call Kerry at the Worldwide
Quest office at toll-free 1-800-387-1483.
WORLDWIDE QUEST INTERNATIONAL | TOLL-FREE 1-800-387-1483 / 416-633-5666 | TRAVEL@WORLDWIDEQUEST.COM
WWW.WORLDWIDEQUEST.COM | 491 KING ST. E. TORONTO, ON M5A 1L9
TICO#2667946