Robert E. Lee's daring invasion of the north came to a stunning end around this small town in central Pennsylvania in early July of 1863. The battlefield cemetery was the place where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. A new $135-million visitor center and museum opened in April 2008. Tour the battlefield a la carte with a Podcast downloaded to your iPod or MP3 player, join a Segway tour, or hire an official Licensed Battlefield Guide.
For more information: National Park Service
William the Bastard and his stormin' Normans defeat Harold Godwinson and his underdog Anglo Saxons in October of 1066, a victory that laid a foundation for everything from the British Empire and the 13 American colonies to a trivial little thing called the English language. Battle Abbey marks the site where Harold was allegedly slain during the battle. A new multimedia visitor center and 60-minute audio tour across the battlefield are the best ways to learn about the conflict that laid the groundwork of modern England.
For more information: English Heritage
The breezy beaches of Normandy are famed for history's great amphibious landing, one of the largest logistical operations ever undertaken and the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. Memories of the June 1944 D-Day live on in the massive American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, as well as the monuments at Utah Beach and the excellent Musée du Débarquement in Arromanches.
For more information: Normandy
December 7th still lives in infamy as the day Americans were drawn into World War Two by a Japanese sneak attack on the Hawaiian Islands. There were far greater battles in the Pacific theater, but none ever matched the lasting cultural and historic impact of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. Navy runs free shuttles to the USS Arizona Memorial. Nearby, other relics of the Pacific war that have been turned into museums: the USS Bowfin submarine and the USS Missouri battleship, where the Japanese surrendered four years after their surprise attack.
For more information: National Park Service
Two of the iconic clashes of the Middle Ages were fought around this tranquil town in central France. The first battle (732 A.D.) thwarted the Islamic threat against Western Europe; the second (1356 A.D.) foreshadowed the decline of chivalry in favor of modern warfare. The modern city of Poitiers boasts many architectural gems from the period between the two battles. Get into the mood even more by sleeping at the 16th century Chateau de la Guillonniere, about 15 minute's drive from both killing fields.
For more information: Poitiers and A Castle for Rent
The movie "Brave Heart" might have been more cinematic, but the real "last stand" of the Highlanders was the Battle of Culloden in 1745 between the Scottish Jacobites under the command of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the invading English. Waged on a wind-swept moor near Inverness, the defeat and its brutal aftermath decimated the clan system for all time. The battlefield is marked by stone monuments erected not long after the conflict and the best battlefield museum in Europe—a brand new, interactive visitor center that opened last December. Visitors can spend the night at Culloden House, the country manse where Bonnie Prince Charlie slept before the battle.
For more information: Culloden House
It wasn't the first, last or most famous clash of the American Revolution, but the 1777 Battles of Saratoga turned the military tide in favor of the rebels, boosted colonial confidence and brought France into the war as an economic and military ally. Saratoga National Military Park boasts a small museum and a self-guided trail to various places where the fighting took place. Nearby Saratoga Springs—with its posh restaurants, shops, spas, racetrack and historic hotels like the Saratoga Arms—is the place to base your battlefield visit.
For more information: National Park Service and Saratoga
The history of North America might have been radically different had Hernan Cortés and the Spanish not captured the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán (Mexico City) in the early 1520s. The series of clashes lasted for nearly two years with much of the action taking place on the causeways that linked the then-island city to the mainland. The ruins of Templo Mayor near the Zócalo plaza mark the spot where a major massacre of Aztec nobility took place, while the Avenidas Tacuba and Hidalgo running west from the temple follows the path of a causeway where major events of the battle played out.
For more information: Archaeology
The legendary siege of Troy may or may not have taken place in northwest Turkey around 1,200 B.C., but that hasn’t prevented local authorities from erecting a reproduction Trojan Horse near the ruins of the ancient city. The most important part of the citadel is now protected beneath a giant sail-like canopy. Although marked by multilingual signs, the ruins and battlefield are best explored with local guides who can separate fact from fiction.
For more information: Troy
Napoleon's swan song came in 1815 against the combined forces of Britain and Prussia. There are several ways to experience the Belgian battlefield today including guided tours, historic reenactments, hiking and mountain biking. Battlefield sights include the famous Lion's Butte with its giant cast-iron monument, the Musée de Cire waxworks, the circular battle diorama, the Wellington Museum and Napoleon's last headquarters.
For more information: Waterloo