The WWII Trip you've been
dreaming of, and...
The one you'll remember
for the rest of your life.
A twelve-night, curated journey across the sites that shaped history.
Come explore Normandy, Bastogne and Bavaria without rush or compromise. Follow the path of Easy Company.
Your expert American guide turns WWII history into an intimate, unforgettable experience.
View the 12-Night Tour.
Comfort by design. Your accommodations are storied, and the mornings are yours. A first-class coach offers a smooth ride with time to explore. There's no crowded, big-bus energy here. You will feel the difference of a Hoadley & Blake tour by the end of day one.
Scholarship, not a script. Decades of WWII and European study, fluency, and time on the ground comes with every trip. It's history, told the way you wished your favorite teacher had introduced it. Human stories that bring the war to life.
Signature experience. Quiet moments reflecting on beaches and in forests. Long lunches in old towns. Enjoying wine on a stone patio, above terraced ponds. It is the kind of trip you will spend the rest of your life telling stories about.
Pull up a chair. Our travelers have a lot to say about the pace, the hotels, the food, and the guiding.
Debra Pitts, Idaho
"The Band of Brothers tour is fantastic. Mickey, the tour company owner, is the consummate “tour guide”. His temperament is perfect. He gets people engaged. He puts people in positions to succeed. He sets the tone for fun experiences. His knowledge of World War II is vast. He anticipates most needs of the traveler (bathrooms, etc). The accommodations are outstanding. The dining is local and scrumptious. The experiences and sites include World War II sites as well as history, culture and fun.
Thank you for a wonderful experience."
Kim Kroesche, Texas
"This was a bucket list trip for my husband and ended up being the trip of a lifetime for both of us. It was more than either of us could imagine, each time we thought this can’t get any better, it did. Mickey‘s passion and attention to detail cannot be matched. The group was small and personal. We made new friends and shared experiences and lots of laughs. Would we go again, no hesitation."
Carl Brewer, Kentucky
"All I can say about our Band of Brothers tour with Mickey is amazing, amazing, amazing! Every step of the way is meticulously planned by Mickey, yet we were able to step off the beaten path and explore areas that other tours never do. I love the way Mickey wove stories into the narrative instead of just reciting facts. The small group size, the five star accommodations, the wonderful restaurant and luncheon choices, the free time to walk around, shop, etc., made this an unforgettable experience for both World War II buffs and for our wives.
Thank you, Mickey!"
Craig Guyer, Seattle
"Trip was fantastic. we saw all I wanted and so much more. The logistics were well thought out but a key thing is adjustments were well made as conditions or needs changed which always happens. Nice accommodations, incredible food, and the story telling as we travelled was off the charts. In addition to details of the big events we know of, so many little stories about smaller, important events, that came from research and passion. I am going to be sorting through my pictures
for a long time."
Janet Walker, New York
"Before this tour, it all was a 'dream', a story from history class. After this tour it has become part of my soul. The sites, the sounds, the smells, the views and some new friends. I will NEVER forget this experience or what those boys did for freedom. Mickey, our guide, knew exactly where to stop , stay, and eat. Every day was a new experience that is deeply embedded in my memory.
Thank you Mickey."
Dave Peyrucain, N. Carolina
"Mickey, our tour through Europe with Hoadley & Blake was outstanding. The destinations, the accomodations, the food, were nothing short of amazing. For the most intimate, immersive and hauntingly beautiful experience following the American soldier, this tour is a must. Perfect for history buffs and those who are just learning, your blend of knowledge and comraderie is PERFECT! Thanks for the experience of a lifetime."
Mark Moorhead, Florida
"An Experience Beyond Expectations. My son Michael and I recently completed the Band of Brothers Tour with Hoadley & Blake, led by Mickey, and it exceeded every expectation we had. Like many people who sign up for this trip, I thought I already knew a great deal about World War II, Easy Company, and the story told in Band of Brothers. After two weeks with Mickey, I realized how much I didn't know.
The depth of historical knowledge, context, and storytelling he brings to every battlefield, museum, village, and memorial is remarkable. What makes this tour special is that it is not simply a sightseeing trip. It is an immersive educational experience that places you where history happened. Standing on the beaches of Normandy, walking through the forests around Bastogne, visiting Hitler's Berghof and Eagle's Nest, touring Dachau, and tracing the path of the 101st Airborne created a level of understanding that books and documentaries simply cannot provide.
Mickey's greatest gift is his ability to present facts, context, and perspectives while allowing participants to draw their own conclusions. His passion for the subject is obvious, but so is his commitment to historical accuracy and intellectual honesty. Every day was filled with stories, details, and insights that brought history to life.
Hoadley & Blake's planning and execution were exceptional. The itinerary flowed seamlessly from location to location, the accommodations were excellent, transportation was comfortable, and every detail seemed thoughtfully considered. The balance between education, reflection, camaraderie, and enjoyment was exactly right.
What surprised me most was the friendships that developed throughout the trip. We arrived as strangers and left with friends from across the country whom I expect we will stay connected with for years to come.
As a father, sharing this experience with my 31-year-old son made it even more meaningful. We learned together, reflected together, and created memories that will stay with us forever.
If you have any interest in World War II history, leadership, sacrifice, courage, or simply understanding the events that shaped our world, I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. It is one of the most educational, moving, and rewarding travel experiences I have ever had.
Thank you, Mickey, and everyone at Hoadley & Blake, for creating an experience that neither Michael nor I will ever forget."
Original reviews are available on our Facebook profile page under 'Details'.
View tour photos in our Facebook 'Alumni Travelers' album: the album is pinned to the top of the Facebook page.
Bill Lanier, TX
"I can't thank you enough for making our trip such a special experience. My grandfather rarely spoke about his time in World War II, so we knew very little about what he went through. Through your incredible research, knowledge, and personal attention, you brought his journey through France and Germany to life in a way I never imagined possible.
To actually walk in some of his footsteps and better understand what he experienced is something I will never forget.
You helped fill in a missing chapter of our family history, and for that I will always be grateful.
Thank you for making it all so real and meaningful!"
John Hagerty, AZ
"If you're reading this you are already interested. We just finished a 2 week trip with Mickey. He is the best. Very knowledgeable and he will take care of you. You never have a shortage of food and you will always stay at the best hotels and lodging facilities.
Now on to the real reason you are reading this, Mickey does a deep dive into your ancestors that may have been involved in action. You will see places most 'tourists' will not. And by the way you will never ever feel like a tourist. You will be with a 'band of brothers'.
If you don't like making friends, this is not the trip for you. Not only is Mickey highly educated and knowledgeable, you will join people you have never met, but who will have the same passion as you do and share many stories you would be interested in. You will be friends for a lifetime."
Andy Iverson, TX
"Best trip ever, from beginning to end. The perfect blend of history, humor, unexpected learning, fine dining and fellowship! Mickey starts out as a guide but ends as a friend for life!"
Lindalee Walters, GA
"We have talked about going to Europe to see the places where history was made during WWII. We are so glad we chose this particular tour. I cannot express how gratifying it was to have Mickey's expertise in conducting the tour. From the progression of the battles from D-Day until May 1945, the cemeteries, memorials, and off-the-path adventures, the trip was beyond excellent.
Accommodations, restaurants, and attention to every detail of our comfort was exceptional."
Paul & Lynn Mackin, MN
"Once-In-A-Lifetime: Yes, an overused cliché to start our review. Yet, we have no better way to describe our two weeks in Europe as part of the Hoadley & Blake (“H&B”) “Band of Brothers”. Let us explain why.
My wife and I recently returned and took a some time to reflect on the trip and the memories we had an opportunity to create. There are many, too many to recount here. Still, we didn’t want too many more days to pass before we summarized our feelings and what the tour did to form them.
The H&B website states, “The WWII Trip you've been dreaming of, and the one you'll remember for the rest of your life.” This is quite a promise. What’s more impressive? It’s a promise kept. Here’s why, at least why we share this view.
The Curator. Matthew “Mickey” Marquardt is a uniquely qualified, exceptionally skilled, passionately interested, and impressively informed guide. He’s like having a resident historian sitting with you as each important war site is visited. He answers every question and appreciates everyone’s varying perspective. He deeply cares about those he guides and their individual connections to the war. Mickey is hardly “stuffy,” and instead is very approachable and interested in those who travel with him. He made our travels much more meaningful.
The Sites. Twelve days is insufficient to visit every significant European World War II site. Nonetheless, H&B curates the tour to both see those Band of Brothers sites we’ve come to appreciate and take the time to visit some that were of personal interest to the group, including battlefields where some of our relatives’ war experiences took them. Each location we visited built on the others. It’s a master class on how this is accomplished.
The Accommodations. The word 'bougie' might best describe the accommodations. However, we don’t think this goes far enough. Indeed, hotels like the Waldorf Astoria and the Kempinski provide 5-star luxury experiences. Beyond luxurious, the opportunity to stay 2 nights at the Chateau Rolley near the center of Bastogne and the numerous battlefields where the Battle of the Bulge was waged is once-in-a-lifetime. The host, Pat, is a 101st Airborne alum, and ….
The Travel. Our driver and his luxury executive coach bus added a lot to our experience. The bus was comfortable, with plenty of room for the passengers, with extra space if anyone wanted to sleep during the longer journeys.
Unique and special. The tour was an absolutely unforgettable experience—one that was both extraordinary and deeply personal.
Traveling through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria was an incredible journey through some of the most important locations of World War II. Seeing the historic sites, battlefields, villages, and landscapes where so much history unfolded brought the stories of the Band of Brothers to life in a way that I could never have experienced from a book or documentary.
For us, however, the most meaningful part of the journey was following in Paul’s father's footsteps. We visited locations where he fought, including the place where he was wounded and earned his Purple Heart. Standing in those places was incredibly emotional and gave us a much deeper understanding and appreciation of what my father and so many other young men experienced and sacrificed during the war.
The trip was exceptionally well-organized, informative, and filled with memorable experiences. Every location seemed to offer another connection to history, and the knowledge and passion behind the journey made it all the more special.
This was far more than a vacation—it was a journey through history and, for me, a very personal journey into my father's past. I returned home with memories I will treasure for the rest of my life and an even greater appreciation for the courage and sacrifice of those who served.
I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to walk where my father once walked and to see, firsthand, the places that were such an important part of his story.
We cannot thank our host/guide/resident historian, and now friend, Mickey, enough.
Yes, once in a lifetime. Yes, unforgettable."
Why Hoadley & Blake
At Hoadley & Blake, we believe history should move you. And a great tour should feel like a vacation. We created this one journey because we couldn't find it ourselves: one that honors the depth of what happened during WWII, while letting you actually enjoy Europe in comfort, with an American guide who, like you, grew up with the men who fought this war.
We run every departure ourselves. We do one tour, a few times a year. We design it for couples who want both the meaning and the escape. Our focus on one journey, done right, is what makes it unforgettable.
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A uniquely curated tour.
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Not a mass produced travel company.
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Owner-led from arrival to departure.
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Hotels chosen for the way we choose hotels for ourselves.
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Fully transparent pricing. No tipping, no commissions, no shopping kickbacks.
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American-owned, bonded, and insured.
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Designed to give you both the experience of a lifetime.
Why We Love This Tour.
You are the reason we do this. For many of you, these places have been on your mind for years, whether because of a book, a series, or a family story. We don't take that lightly. It is a privilege to help you get there and to make the days worth the wait.
We meet the most interesting people on these trips. We learn from your lives, your families, and everything you already know about Europe, food, travel, the war, your fathers, and your grandfathers.
In the last few weeks before a tour begins, we're nearly as excited as you are. It is a joy to share in your discovery as you experience these fascinating places.
Every traveler who has joined us stays with us long after the tour ends.
If there is a better way, as Americans, to spend a few weeks together in Europe, we haven't found it.
A partnership we are proud of
Hoadley & Blake partners with the European Region of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).
When you are with us in Bastogne, we frequently host active duty American soldiers at the castle for two nights of dining and tours.
In addition to giving the soldiers a break, with our thanks, they provide us all with a tremendous perspective and example of the young men and women serving their country today. And we remember just how young those boys of Easy Company were when they were out there risking it all for our freedom.