Belgium Beer & Battlefields 2

Brett is excited to offer you this culturally rich and history-packed boutique tour package that is the best of Belgium beer & battlefields

On this matchless land-based package we visit 3 countries, 4 military cemeteries (incl. General Patton’s grave in Luxembourg), 4 breweries (+ 2 additional tastings from award-winning breweries), 3 museums, multiple battlefields from both world wars (WW1 & WW2), and much more.

Piggybacking: This package has been designed so you can either sign up for it exclusively or piggyback it with one of Brett’s other tour programs to extend the cultural experience and enlightenment. But, be quick, the tour will sell out as there are only a handful of seats available. (Piggyback this package with another and deduct 20% from the advance payment of that tour, deduct 25% from the advance payment of a third package and 30% for a fourth package.)

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Scotland Highlights & Whisky Tasting tour August 17-23, 2024
England Highlights & World War II tour August 24 — September 1, 2024
D-Day Beaches & Beyond tour September 3-6, 2024
Germany & Austria Highlights tour  September 14-20, 2024
Oktoberfest in Munich tour packages  September 20 — October 6, 2024

Money, details are listed below the package itinerary.

Bruges to Luxembourg via the Western Front, Bastogne & Battle of the Bulge

September 7-13, 2024 — 6 nights, 7 days

2-3 places available on this tour

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Max capacity for this one-time tour is 7 persons.

Reserve your spot now before this package is sold out!

Suggested viewing for this tour: “Above & Beyond” (must-see) — “Beneath Hill 60” (must-see) — “The Monuments Men” (excellent) — “Darkest Hour” (excellent) — “Dunkirk” (excellent) — “Band of Brothers” (especially episodes 6 & 7: “Bastogne” & “The Breaking Point”) — “Battle of the Bulge” (classic) — “In Bruges” (R rated: wowing scenery throughout but vulgar and violent).

Package itinerary:

BRUGES (2 nights):

DAY 1 (Saturday), September 7 — Introductions, steamed mussels & chocolate nirvana

Brett Harriman, your guide, will meet you in Bruges and facilitate hotel check-in. At 2 p.m. the group will meet for orientation and introductions followed by a heavy dose of sightseeing and beer brewing.

Today, we set off on a walking tour of Old Town, see the chocolate-making process at one of the city’s top chocolatiers, then tour the local brewery Halve Maan and blow the froth off a couple. The perfect evening to indulge in a traditional pot of steamed mussels in white wine sauce with parsley, butter, and shallots. Mmm.

DAY 2 (Sunday), September 8 — canal cruise, Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child

After breakfast, we hop on a boat and cruise the quaint canals of Bruges. The rest of the day is free time. Brett will offer general information and sightseeing suggestions, such as to climb the 366 dizzying steps of the town’s 13th-century bell tower (Belfort) for Bruges’ best view, or visit the Church of Our Lady to see Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, featured in George Clooney’s 2014 film: “The Monuments Men.”

YPRES (2 nights):

DAY 3 (Monday), September 9 — Damn Yankee, Westvleteren & Menin Gate

Another exciting yet powerful day on our itinerary, we wend west of Bruges to visit the crash site of the Damn Yankee featured in the must-see documentary “Above & Beyond” and pay our respects to the downed B-17 air crew while remembering their sacrifices. From the Damn Yankee crash site and memorial we jump south to Ypres, a.k.a. Ieper, formerly a hellish World War I battlefield on the Western Front and locale of the famous poem “In Flanders Fields,” penned by Lt. Col. John McCrae with the Canadian army. After checking into our pastoral digs, we’ll take in more historic sites and beer tasting. At 8 p.m. we view the traditional and touching Last Post ceremony (British salute to the fallen soldier) at the Menin Gate followed by dinner.

DAY 4 (Tuesday), September 10 — Hill 60, St. Bernardus & Hellfire Corner

Today we visit multiple battlefield sites, including the famed Hill 60 and the memorial site where John McCrae authored “In Flanders Fields” in 1915. Continuing our bucket-list odyssey, we trot over to the village of Watou on the French border and discover a new religion at the heavenly St. Bernardus brewery.

BASTOGNE (2 nights):

DAY 5 (Wednesday), September 11 — Lambic, Easy Company & Battle of the Bulge

From West Flanders we boogie across Belgium to the province of Luxembourg and overnight in bucolic Bastogne, epicenter of the storied Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle fought by U.S. soldiers in World War II and the 2nd largest in American history. Fortunately, there are still a number of existing sites to explore, such as the Patton bunker where his 3rd Army broke through the German line and the foxholed forest (Bois Jacques) formerly occupied by members of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (“Screaming Eagles”), made famous in the television miniseries “Band of Bothers.”

En route, Brett will escort the group via Flanders Field American Cemetery (see cemetery No. 1) to pay respects to the selfless “doughboys” who rest eternal in this beautiful corner of Belgium, then stop near Brussels at the Oud Beersel for lunch and a tasting of their traditional lambic beer.

DAY 6 (Thursday), September 12 — Patton, Luxembourg & heady hops

In addition to Bastogne’s bevy of attractions, on this day we will tour one of the region’s most intoxicating breweries followed by an enjoyable excursion into the Grand Duchy to Luxembourg City and visit the final resting place of one of World War II’s most renowned generals, George S. Patton Jr., at Luxembourg American Cemetery (see cemetery No. 17).

DAY 7 (Friday), September 13, 2024 — Au Revoir

Regrettably, it’s time to bid adieu to the friends we’ve made. Our tour is over, unless you’ve chosen to continue with Brett on the next tour program for more discovery and merriment. (Brett will shuttle guests who require a transfer to Frankfurt, Germany, location of our next tour start for his adventure novel package “Quest for the Bavarian Cross” that takes in Germany & Austria highlights.)

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Feel free to contact Brett with any questions you may have.

ADVANCE PAYMENT:

Click the ADD TO CART button to pay your advance payment via PayPal or Venmo (for other forms of payment, contact Brett).

In case you do not see the ADD TO CART PayPal button, try on another device, e.g. non-Apple product.

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Money, package details:

• • The land-only price for this exclusive package is 1,495 — 995 euro (payable in Belgium) + US$500 (advance payment) per person (double occupancy) — which includes your accommodations (3/4-star hotels), breakfast, all transportation and attractions we do together as a group, and Brett Harriman as your personal guide. You will be hard-pressed to find a better Belgian bargain, anywhere!
  • The price for this 7-day (6-night) package is approximately US$214 per person per day (995 euro x $US1 = $995 + $500 advance = $1,495 / 7 = $214), which is hard to beat when considering the exclusive hand-held nature of the package, transportation within 3 countries, and the umpteen sites visited, including brew tours and tastings.
  • The price does not cover lunch, dinner, and of course personal expenses, such as whatever you buy and do on your free time.
  • Transportation for this tour will be a 9-seater mini van piloted by Brett Harriman.
  • Walking & picnic lunches: Expect to do a lot of walking. We will explore former battlefields, tour breweries, stroll cobbled streets, and pay our respects to fallen heroes at sprawling cemeteries. On the food front, restaurant prices in Belgium are high compared with other European nations, thus we’ll plan picnic lunches at select sites when possible, which will not only save us money but also time for more sightseeing.
  • Packing & souvenirs: As always, pack light, but do allow a little extra room for souvenirs and whatnot you may pick up along the way.
  • Single supplement: The package price is based on double occupancy — a supplement of US$300 will be added to the price for solo travelers but who are welcome to room together to save the supplement; (notify Brett if this is you and he will do his best to make compatible room assignments).
  • Payment: To reserve your place an advance payment of US$500 per person is required and the remaining 995 euro is due in Belgium upon meeting your group leader. After the advance payment is made Brett will contact you to confirm your reservation. (Note: Since seating is limited to 7 guests per tour, reserve your place soon before the package is sold out!)
  • Cancellation: The advance payment is fully refundable 75 days prior to tour departure. Within 75 days, however, your advance payment will be forfeited (sorry!) unless your spot can be filled or you’d like to transfer the reservation to another Harriman tour package this year or next.
  • Piggyback Brett’s tour with another and deduct 20% from the advance payment of that tour, deduct 25% from the advance payment of a third package and 30% for a fourth package.