At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War
12 days from £1,919pp
About the tour: At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War
Tour Introduction
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.
Tour Includes
- 10 nights hotel accommodation with continental breakfast and 8 evening meals
- Overnight ferry crossing with Brittany Ferries from Plymouth to Santander in an en suite inside cabin (meals at extra cost).
- Convenient local joining points
(Deposits from £150pp)
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they 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.
Day 1
We take the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Santander in Spain.
Day 2 - Tordesillas 1812
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Key Visits
- Tordesillas Battlefield
Day 3 - Salamanca 1812
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Salamanca (2)
Key Visits
- Salamanca
Day 4 - Fuentes de Onoro and Ciudad Rodrigo
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Ciudad Rodrigo (2)
Key Visits
- Fuentes de Onoro
- Ciudad Rodrigo
Day 5 - Badajoz 1812
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Defences of Badajoz (2)
Key Visits
- Defences of Badajoz
Day 6 - Albuera and British Cemetery, Elvas
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Key Visits
- Albuera Battlefields
- British Cemetery, Elvas
Day 7 - Talavera 1809
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, before travelling to our hotel near Madrid, where we stay for two nights.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Key Visits
- Talavera
Day 8 - Toledo Museum
We visit the temporary exhibition at the museum of the Spanish Army in Toledo.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Toledo (2)
Key Visits
- Toledo
Day 9 - Burgos and Vittoria
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.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Burgos (2)
Key Visits
- Burgos
- Vittoria
Day 10 - Orthez and Toulouse
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.
Included meals: Breakfast
Toulouse (2)
Key Visits
- Toulouse
- Orthez
Day 11
We travel from Toulouse to the Paris area for an overnight stay.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 12
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Brittany Ferries
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About the hotel
Sail on Brittany Ferries’ cruise ferry, the Pont-Aven, enjoying the stunning features this wonderful ship has to offer. There’s a pool and leisure area, cinema, wrap-around promenade for scenic, leisurely strolls around the deck – and even an impressive five-deck high atrium, complete with panoramic views from the lifts.
Hotel Features
Room Features
Noain Pamplona
+ View moreHotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Ac Hotel Badajoz
+ View moreAbout the hotel
The Ac Hotel Badajoz is located near the IFEBA Exhibition centre and University. This urban hotels location is great as it has good links to local transport and is only 20minutes walk away from attractions such as Arabian Fortress with La Plaza Alta, the Old Town, the cathedral and museums. You can also visit local restaurants, pubs and entertainment places like the cinema. The hotels facilities include safety deposit box at reception, air conditioning, lounge, terrace, restaurants, fitness room and bar. All bedrooms feature hairdryer, T.V, mini bar (beverages/snacks for a fee), telephone and en-suite bathroom.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay, a Door-to-Door pick up or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
Door-to-Door service
+ Find out moreOn Battlefield tours of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. Our Door-to-Door Service collects you from your home and takes you to meet your transfer vehicile, then brings you back at the end of the holiday. Door-to-Door Service is available within a 20-mile radius of one of our free joining points and is from £90 per car, return (up to 4 passengers per vehicle).
If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.
