Monte Cassino Battlefield Tour

Panoramic View of the Liri Valley

 

  A trip to honour and remember those who have given their lives in the cause of Freedom.  

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana U.S. Philosopher and poet

 

 

 

Memorial Tour To Monte Cassino

  

8.00 am          Departure from Roma Termini Station by Train        9.30 am          Guided tour of the Monastery of Monte Cassino.       11.30 am        Visit the Polish and Commonwealth Cemeteries.       12.30 pm        Lunch Break       1.30 pm         Guided tour of the Rapido River by St. Angelo .       3.00 pm         Guided tour of the desert town of San Pietro Infine                            destroyed during  last war and never rebuilt.       4.30 pm          Return to Rome by train or by minivan.    ***Pick up/drop off at your accommodation also available.

 

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 This sample itinerary is meant to demonstrate the variety of experiences possible. It can be modified to your personal wishes. So, if you would like  to add extra days, make a detour or add new activities to the itinerary, I would be glad to customize it for you. 

 Price & Booking: The cost of the tour depends on  the length of your stay and the number of participants: small group and individual travellers are welcome. Ask for a customized itinerary & quotation.

  

 

 ITINERARY OUTLINE

 

 The Monastery of Monte Cassino 

On the mountain overlooking the city stands the Abbey of Montecassino which symbolizes the endurance and resilience of the Christian faith.  It  was founded in 529 AD by St. Benedict of Nursia and during the Middle Ages became an important centre for the diffusion of Monachism in Europe.  This abbey has been destroyed and rebuilt on four separate occasions, the most recent was in 1944 at the end of W.W.II.  Today the rebuilt abbey looks exactly as before the war. Reconstruction and decoration works took more than a decade and were exclusively financed by the Italian State. The church crypt hosts the mortal remains of St. Benedict and his twin sister Santa Scolastica.

 

 

 The Commonwealth Cemetery of Cassino  is the largest WWII Cemetery in Italy. The cemetery contains 4265 grave markers of soldiers. They died in battles against the German army. In the middle of the cemetery there is a tall white monument. There are fifteen tall granite slabs located on both sides of the monument. On the slabs are the names of over 4000 missing soldiers who died in Italy and Sicily. In the centre of the beautifully landscaped cemetery is a lovely pool surrounded by a mosaic tiled walkway. Between September, 1943 and May, 1944 the town was occupied by the Germans. The Germans had a great strategic position - on the mountain - and were able to see the entire area. The Allied Forces made many unsuccessful attempts to conquer Monte Cassino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Polish Cemetery

Finally after a battle that lasted seven days, the Polish soldiers overtook the German army. 860 Polish soldiers died and 2800 were wounded in that fierce battle. More than a thousand Polish soldiers are buried in the Polish cemetery located on the mountain across from the abbey. There is a very touching phrase written on the stone of this war Cemetery: “We Polish Soldiers have given our lives for our and other’s people freedom; our body to Italy; our Soul to Poland.

  

 

SAN PIETRO INFINE

 The medieval  town of San Pietro Infine was completely destroyed during WWII and the New San Pietro was rebuilt down in the valley. What remains now is a reminder and testimony of the ravages of war. The war museum, inaugurated in December 2008, is located near the ruins of the original town. The great film director John Huston, in 1943 was in the site of the battle to document the Italian campaign. He realized a documentary film about the battle of San Pietro Infine during World War II. The film is unflinching in its realism (showing people dying on the field) and was held up from being shown to the public by the United States Army until the ‘70’s. In 1991, The Battle of San Pietro was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

German Cemetery - Caira

 This sample itinerary can be modified according to your personal wishes including departure date, length and how long you want to spend in each particular site.

  

 

   Please ask for a quotation: info.guidedtour@gmail.com