Expert-led history trips to book for 2026/27
One of the best ways to immerse yourself in a new destination is to understand its past - the events that have shaped its history, culture and people. We offer a whole host of history tours, led by experts and where you'll be surrounded by like-minded people who share similar interests and a passion for the past. From battlefields and fortresses, to ancient history and royal palaces, step back in time with our favourite expert-led history trips.
Join leading historian and archaeologist Sophie Hay on an exclusive tour of Pompeii, while also visiting the Vesuvian archaeological sites, Herculaneum and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. You'll stay in a stylish hotel just moments from the entrance to the Pompeii archeological site.
Meet the expert: You'll be joined by Dr Sophie Hay, a leading archaeologist and an expert on Pompeii. She is currently working at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and is also writing a book about the women who excavated Pompeii. Her PhD was based on the fieldwork she completed for the British School at Rome's Pompeii Project.
Immerse yourself in Second World War history in the company of expert historian, Guy Walters. You will visit some of the war's most iconic locations, including Colditz Castle and the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp which was made famous by the 1963 film, The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen. Guy will accompany you on the trip and share the real-life heroic stories of Allied prisoners of war. You will also visit Dresden and its Museum of Military History.
Meet your expert: You'll be joined by historian, TV presenter, and journalist, Guy Walters. Guy has written around a dozen books that have been published all over the world. These include The Real Great Escape - a definitive account of the legendary breakout - and the novel The Colditz Legacy.
Join military historian Clive Harris and delve into the events of the Gallipoli Campaign, visiting battlefields and memorials. Visit battlefields in Troy, Helles and Suvla, but also enjoy a scenic boat trip from Gaba Tepe to the peaceful Anzac Cove, where you'll visit the Anzac Commemorative site.
Meet the expert: Clive served in the Royal Signals and with Hertfordshire Constabulary before embarking on a career in military history in 1998. He is the holder of badge number 33 within the Guild of Battlefield Guides and was elected onto the prestigious British Commission for Military History in 2010.
Join esteemed military history Mike Peters as you walk in the footsteps of the airborne forces who shaped the course of the Second World War on this immersive week-long tour. You'll discover key locations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany - from the formidable Fortress Eben Emael to Arnhem.
Meet the expert: Mike served in the British Army for more than thirty years. As an Army Air Corps Soldier, and later in his career as an Officer, he served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has maintained a lifelong interest in military history, working as a Battlefield Guide, an author, and recently as a TV Historian.
New for 2027, join historian James Holland on a a unique six-day tour of the battlefields that shaped the War North of Rome in 1944-45. During the trip, you'll visit some of the best-preserved battlefields of the Italian campaign, as well as pass through some of the most beautiful countryside in the Tuscany and Emilia Romagna regions.
Meet the expert: James Holland is an award-winning historian, writer and broadcaster. He has written numerous history books, including Brothers in Arms, which tells the story of the Sherwood Rangers from D-Day to VE Day, and co-hosts the hugely successful podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, with Al Murray.
