This year marks a number of important historical dates that should not be allowed to pass in to distant memory.
The summer of 2014 will mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, a period that saw a great deal of horrors alongside the birth of modern Europe.
Meanwhile, June 6th will also mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe during the Second World War.
Today, many of the soldiers that fought in the conflicts have since passed on, but remembering their sacrifice goes a lot further than November Remembrance services and history lessons.
Not forgetting the past
Throughout Europe, a number of historical monuments and museums preserve the relics from those conflicts and showcase the struggles of everyday life.
With 2014 providing such a poignant opportunity to remember the past, there are plenty of places to visit and relive these major events.
From the fields of Flanders and the region around the Somme, those with an interest in history are encouraged to imagine the landscapes, changed forever by the battles that were fought there.
Indeed, many relics of war still litter the sand dunes, beaches and fields around Normandy, the site of the largest amphibious invasion in history.
Remembering the true cost of war
Each small village has its own story to tell while the hundreds of war graves dotted throughout France, Belgium and Germany serve as a reminder of the true cost of war.
Visiting these locations and immersing yourself in the past is hugely different to a regular holiday on a beach in some far-flung resort, but it does provide an opportunity to remember events of the past.
Battlefield experiences come in many different forms, from tours of old fields to cruises around the landing beaches, providing an all-encompassing viewpoint of the scale of what occurred.
Operation Overlord saw operations on land, sea and air, with hundreds of thousands of troops, ships, tanks and aircraft all involved.
However people choose to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the conflicts, there has never been a more poignant time to visit the European battlefields.
Budgeting for a remembrance trip
Those considering trips to the battlefields or surrounding areas should also consider how they would finance such trips, as effective money management is essential.
Loading a prepaid card prior to travel can reduce the need to carry lots of travellers’ cheques or foreign currency.
With a prepaid card you can only spend the amount which is on it at any given time, making budget management possible, while it can be topped up if people wish.
Additional security exists on these cards, while the exchange rate seen will be the one when the original transaction took place – providing protection should the exchange rate vary dramatically during a trip.
