At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War
At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War
At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War
12 Days Starting in Plymouth, UK and ending in Paris, France
Visiting: Plymouth, Santander, Tordesillas, Salamanca, Ciudad Rodrigo, Fuentes de Oñoro, Badajoz, British Cemetery, Elvas, La Albuera, Toledo, Talavera de la Reina, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Burgos, Orthez, Toulouse, Paris
Tour operator:
Tour code:
12epw
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
0-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
In a new version of this popular tour, we travel to Spain and follow the battles and engagements of the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley, Lord Wellington, in the Peninsular War, battles popularised in the Bernard Cornwall’s ‘Sharpe’ novels.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Travel To Santander
Location: Plymouth, Santander
Accommodation: Overnight Ferry
We take the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Santander in Spain.
Day 2 : Tordesillas 1812
Location: Tordesillas, Salamanca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
On arrival in Spain we travel down to our hotel in Salamanca for three nights, stopping at the Tordesillas battlefield from October 1812. On the first evening, we have a briefing from the Battlefield Guide on the history of the Peninsular War, along with an overview of the battlefields that will be visited on the tour.
Day 3 : Salamanca 1812
Location: Salamanca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, we visit the Salamanca Battlefield. Here, in July 1812, Wellington’s Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated the French in a battle that cemented his reputation as a skilful commander. We have a full day exploring this important battlefield, offering a fascinating insight into the fighting which led to more than 13,000 French casualties. We also visit the Battle of Salamanca Museum.
Day 4 : Fuentes De Onoro And Ciudad Rodrigo
Location: Ciudad Rodrigo, Fuentes de Oñoro
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, we visit the Battlefield of Fuentes de Onoro, one of Wellington’s closest run and finest victories in May 1811. After lunch, we will walk the defences used in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, when Wellington’s men besieged the French garrison here. Walking the ramparts, our journey will end at the castle to get an impression of how formidable the defences were.
Day 5 : Badajoz 1812
Location: Badajoz
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Departing Salamanca, we go to Badajoz for a look at the costly siege of this walled city. We see where the fighting took place in 1812, at the infamous Breach involving the men of the Forlorn Hope. Once the position was taken, Wellington stood on the walls and looked down at the losses and visibly wept. We continue to our hotel in Badajoz for two nights.
Day 6 : Albuera And British Cemetery, Elvas
Location: British Cemetery, Elvas, La Albuera
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Our destination is Albuera, where one of the bloodiest battles of the Peninsular War took place in May 1811. We walk the battlefield and see the ‘Fatal Hill’ as well as the monuments in the nearby town, and visit the Battle of Albuera Museum. We also travel to Elvas, to view the burials made in the British cemetery after the Battle of Albuera.
Day 7 : Toledo Museum
Location: Toledo
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We visit the temporary exhibition at the museum of the Spanish Army in Toledo, before travelling to our hotel near Madrid, where we stay for two nights.
Day 8 : Talavera 1809
Location: Talavera de la Reina
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We spend the day on the battlefield at Talavera, where the battle took place in July 1809. It was here that Richard Sharpe took an Eagle from the French while serving in the Light Company of the fictional South Essex. We examine the real events of the engagement and tour the battlefield – visit the memorial sited on the slopes of the Cerro de Medellin Hill and study the landscape on which the principal fighting occurred.
Day 9 : Burgos And Vittoria
Location: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Burgos
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Leaving Madrid, we head to northern Spain, looking at the British retreat from Burgos and then the Battle at Vittoria in June 1813. From here, we continue to Pamploma for our last night in Spain.
Day 10 : Orthez And Toulouse
Location: Orthez, Toulouse
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
Departing Spain, we head into France, just as Wellington’s Army did in 1814. We visit the battlefield of Orthez where the fighting took place in February 1814, and then continue to the ground near Toulouse, where the city was captured by Wellington in April 1814. We stay overnight in Toulouse.
Day 11 : Travel To Paris Area
Location: Paris
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3 or 4-star city-style hotels
Meals Included: Breakfast
We travel from Toulouse to the Paris area for an overnight stay.
Day 12 : Return Home
Location: Paris
Meals Included: Breakfast
Return home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
As detailed in the itinerary
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Additional Services
Travel from a wide range of convenient joining points across the UK is included within your coach holiday price; some carry a supplement. Please contact us for our full list of joining points.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
This trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point
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Fully Guided
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International Travel
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Meals
As detailed in the itinerary
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Transport
Comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach
What's Not Included
Accommodation
Throughout your tour you will stay in 3 or 4-star city-style hotels.
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
On Leger Coach Holidays, your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full.
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
Low
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Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes
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What type of coach will be used?
You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Fully escorted by our experienced drivers/crews. And in most towns and cities we either include or offer optional sightseeing tours with expert local guides to help you get the most from your visits.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
Reviews of this operator
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.