Where to go in Europe for WW2 history stuff

[PogChamps]

Recently got interested (again) in WW2 and wondering what specific cities and areas within countries would be good for really good WW2 history learning.

I was in Budapest this summer and enjoyed it. I've done Paris already. I want to do Vienna, Prague but then there's so much of Germany to see.

Strasbourg area. The Maginot Line can be visited (guided tours only, helpful if you have reasonable French or German language), the concentration camp at Natzweiler. There is a peace museum which was interesting and the whole area is full of places which transferred between being French and German multiple times.

We took WW2 obsessive DS when he was 17 and it was his favourite holiday. (This was the youngest I would suggest for the concentration camp visit, he was old enough to absorb the enormity of events, which I felt was vital.)

Another vote for Berlin. You can easily take a trip to Sachsenhausen concentration camp, there are also very good museums such as the Berlin story bunker amongst numerous others

Nuremberg is also interesting, and the town has been rebuilt beautifully. Dachau is not too far away.

For a longer trip Italy. Follow the Allies route from the landings in Scicily and north through the country to Rome. You might find the Airfield where the Red Tails were based.
We followed the battle sites of an earlier war, Marlborough's campaign down to Blenheim Austria.

Thank you all for the recommendations!

The Bayeux Tapestry Museum closed in September, due to reopen October 2027. The tapestry will be on display at the British Museum from September 2026.

Dukla Pass, border of Slovakia and Poland - very important battle towards end of WWII, but little known in Western Europe. Look up the history of it - my grandfather fought it in in the Czech Free Army along with the Red Army against the Nazis. It's an attractive and interesting area as well.

Monte Casino in Italy..

In the meantime, for anyone interested, there is a very impressive 1:1 scale Victorian copy of Bayeux textile tapestry (well, embroidery, just like the original) in Reading Museum (free to access). It has all descriptions and explanations too.

Well worth seeing.

The WW2 started in Westerplatte which is easily accessed from Gdansk (Poland), beautiful city.

Came to say this.

I didn't know that about the Reading copy.
Amazing number of places mentioned.

There’s a fantastic museum in Caen, and if you’re doing a driving trip all the beaches and war cemeteries. There’s a stark contrast between the Allied cemeteries and those of the Axis nations - very sobering. Normandy has constant reminders of the Second World War, woven into daily life as well as more formal memorials. Definitely worth a visit if that’s where your interest lies.

Malta. Valletta is a fascinating city, so much to see.

Berlin if you’re interested in 1) rise of the Nazis - how they became so powerful -and 2) post-War Germany and the Berlin Wall. And you can have a great holiday while you’re there.

Came to suggest Malta but I was beaten to it

Wolfsschlucht II just outside Paris. We visited last year.
It's huge and full of WW2 & post war history. You need to do your homework before visiting as a lot is overgrown and not always safe. The little museum is quite sweet but only covers some of the history. The site is currently run by voumenteers, otherwise it would be covered by brambles and obscurity.

www.sightraider.com/wolfsschlucht-ii-hitlers-forgotten-headquarters-in-france/

Berlin! Its the most obvious one. I've been twice and am looking forward to bringing my teen there who is also very interested in history.

Warsaw, especially the Warsaw Rising Museum. The bravery and heroism of ordinary citizens, including children, raising against German army was unbelievable.

I feel like we’re missing the big one… auschwitz.

Lots in Berlin. The Berlin Bunker story, loads of museums, the Wall. So much history and all close together in the city

Rovereto in the Trentino is a great base.

Berlins museums are fantastic. Auschwitz is worth seeing, day trip from krakow.

A bit closer to home but we recently did a city break to Lincoln and there's tons of WW2 RAF things to see around there. Bomber Command Centre, Battle of Britain Memorial, different RAF base museums etc. It was really interesting!

The Museum of resistance and deportation in Lyon is a fascinatiing, if hard visit

www.chrd.lyon.fr/