Our Battlefield Tours Are Just Right For You
When it comes to Peninsular War tours, there is no typical battlefield tourist. Our guests are of all ages and from different backgrounds. Some are more knowledgeable than others. Some are hoping to visit particularly battlefields, while others are looking for suggestions on how best to use their time on tour.
Because of this, all of our tours are customized to your interests and needs. The first step is to contact the Chairman by email or call his mobile at +34 601 14 3203 to let him know your interests and what date(s) you want to tour After that, he will provide a draft itinerary for you to review and modify as necessary. Once the details are set, you will be asked for a deposit to secure your tour.
Then it is just a matter of patiently waiting for the start of what is sure to be a memorable time.
About Our Battlefield Tours
Wellington Society battlefield tours make history come alive! Understanding all the dates and details is so much easier when you go where it happened with noted Peninsular War historian and witty raconteur, Stephen Drake-Jones.
Because of his many years of experience and countless contacts throughout Spain, Portugal, England, France and Belgium, you will be able to
- Walk the same battlefield routes on as Wellington’s army while you hear readings from primary sources, interesting anecdotes and local legends.
- Visit private residences where Wellington lived planned his campaigns.
- Gaze across the important battlefields, just as Wellington’s officers did, using authentic telescopes.
- View private collections of artifacts unearthed from the battle sites.
- You receive a `Campaign Folder’ of maps, profiles and anecdotes of the relevant sites.
With the Wellington Society you get a customized experience, carefully tailored to meet your needs, whether you are a group of 6th formers, a university group, study abroad students, a society, an interested group, or a private party
Chronology For Reference
- 1808 – Retreat To Corunna
- 1808 – Battle of Vimiero
- 1809 – Talavera Campaign
- 1810 – French Invade Portugal
- 1810 – Action on the Coa
- 1810 -Battle of Busaco
- 1810 – Lines of Torres Vedras
- 1811 – Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
- 1811 – Battle of Albuera
- 1812 – Storming the Ciudad Rodrigo
- 1812 – Siege of Badajoz
- 1812 – Battle of Salamanca
- 1812 – Siege of Burgos
- 1813 – Battle of Vitoria
- 1813 – Storming of San Sebastian
- 1813 – Pamplona Surrenders
- 1813 – The Pyrenees Campaigns
- 1814 – Battle of Orthez
- 1814 – Battle of Toulouse
- 1814 – Bayonne Surrenders
- 1815 – The Waterloo Campaign
Peninsular War Battlefield Trips
Below, for your review, is and example of a possible itinerary, but we’ll customize any tour to meet your personal requirements.
3 Days + Optional add on
Day 1 – Madrid to Salamanca (approximately 2hrs)
- Drive directly to the battlefield 7 kms south of the city- coffee break in Calvarrasa de Arriba visit
- Private visit to the Battle Museum in Arapiles – panoramic views from Grande and San Miguel heights Duration 3/4 hrs
- Check in our hotel
- Lunch off Plaza Mayor
- Evening explore the city
Day 2
- Optional visit to the Cathedral
- Drive to Ciudad Rodrigo
- Check into our hotel within the walls
- Menu of the day lunch at local restaurant
- Visit the greater & lesser breaches
- Walk along the walls
- Evening drinks at the castle cum Parador
Day 3
- Morning visit to Fuentes de Oñoro ( 20 minutes drive)
- Walk the British side
- Refreshments in the village
- Drive to the walled city of Avila for lunch
- Time to visit the cathedral/walls
- Return Madrid early evening
OPTIONAL
- Extra night and visit:
- Lunch over the border at Almeida
- Explore the massive fortifications
- Short drive to bridge over the Coa, site of Light Division’s action
- Optional detour on return to our hotel to visit Freneda, Wellington’s house
- Free evening
- Lay flowers near Gen. Craufurd’s grave
- Drive to the walled city of Avila for lunch
- Return to Madrid.
Sites The Society Visits
For your reference, we list below places we can visit. If you want to go somewhere that is not on the list, please let us know and we’ll see if we can make happen.
Spain
1808 – Corunna
1809 – Talavera
1811 – Fuentes de Oñoro
1811 – Albuera
1812 – Ciudad Rodrigo
1812 – Badajoz
1812 – Salamanca
1812 – Burgos
1813 – Vitoria
1813 – San Sebastian
1813 – Pamplona
1813 – Pyrenees Campaigns
Portugal
1808 – Vimiero
1809 – Oporto
1810 – Almeida
1810 – River Coa
1810 – Busaco
1810 – Lines of Torres Vedras
France
1814 – Orthez
1814 – Toulouse
1814 – Bayonne
Belgium
1815 – Waterloo
“The Wellington Society helped us to organise a truly inspirational historical tour of the Peninsular War battlefields. Stephen Drake-Jones was most helpful during the planning stage, giving excellent advice on timings and destinations. When we arrived in Madrid, Stephen’s charismatic approach captured the attention and imagination of the students and helped to set a good-humoured but purposeful atmosphere for the study visit. His expert knowledge of the battlefields, combined with local contacts and his ability to pitch the delivery of the subject matter at the right level meant the students were engaged throughout. The daily quiz that he ran resulted in a frighteningly high level of accuracy in the student responses as they attempted to win one of his prizes. As a group of 25 sixth form students, they learnt a lot about the Peninsular War and they greatly appreciated the culture of central Spain which none of them had visited before.” Rob Williams, Temple Moor High School, Leeds