Essential England
Day 1:
On arrival at the airport you will be met by your driver guide who will
take you to your hotel. If your arrival time permits you will then enjoy
a short orientation sightseeing tour with your driver guide, taking in
the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster
Abbey, final resting place of seventeen monarchs, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar
Square, Nelson’s Column, and Piccadilly
Circus. If time is short you’ll see them tomorrow instead. Enjoy
the evening in the city’s Soho area,
famous for cinemas, theatres, clubs and restaurants.
Overnight in central London.
Day 2:
Today
is dedicated to taking in more of London’s great monuments including
the Tower of London, the medieval castle which served
as a fortress, a royal palace, a prison, a place of execution and torture,
an armoury, treasury, and since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of
the United Kingdom. Other ‘musts’ included in your visit are a walk
over the iconic Tower Bridge to Butler’s Wharf, and
on past City Hall, the HMS Belfast museum
ship, The Globe – the replica of Shakespeare’s Theatre
and the Tate Modern gallery and via the Millennium
Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral designed by Sir
Christopher Wren, where Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, the
late Princess of Wales. For a bird’s eye view if it all why not enjoy
an unforgettable ride on the London Eye.
Overnight in Central London.
Enjoy a refreshing morning walk in Hyde Park, then
visit elegant Knightsbridge to see the most famous of
all English department stores, Harrods, and Kensington
Palace which has been a royal residence for over 300 years.
It was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria and the residence
for Lady Diana. Today it houses a stunning collection of royal court
and ceremonial dress, including dresses worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
In the afternoon visit The British Museum and/or Madame
Tussaud’s waxworks museum.
Overnight in central London.
Day 4:
Today we travel west to Windsor to visit the town and Windsor
Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world,
one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's
dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers
an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a
magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of
people. Afterwards travel to Oxford, home of
one of the world’s oldest universities with a visit to one of the prestigious Oxford Colleges.
Overnight in the Midlands area.
Day 5:
After
breakfast step back in time and visit England's greatest Medieval Experience,
the wonderfully preserved Warwick Castle. The
Kingmaker's House, the dungeon, the gardens and the fascinating display
of weaponry are just some of the highlights. Travel the short distance
to Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace
and home of William Shakespeare. Whilst here you can
enjoy a visit to Shakespeare’s house, the local church
which contains his grave and the house of Mary Arden,
Shakespeare’s mother. Next we travel south through the amazingly picturesque
villages of the Cotswold Hills. Overnight in the Bath area.
This morning explore the Regency city of Bath, prized
by the Romans for its hot springs, and you can see why in the amazingly
well preserved Roman Baths and Pump Room. From
Bath we journey east to see the mystic circle of Stonehenge, a
major gathering place for the ancient Druids. Continue to Brighton via Winchester, a
historic city and the ancient capital of southern England. Here is the
world famous Mediaeval Round Table which some say is
the legendary King Arthur’s original.
Overnight in the Brighton area.
Day 7:
Today relax in the Regency seaside resort of Brighton -
a popular destination for summer holidays. A visit to the Royal
Pavilion and a walk along the famous pier are
included. On the way back to London this afternoon visit beautiful Borde Hill
Garden, Park & Woodland to take a good
breath of English fresh air perfumed with azaleas, magnolias, rhododendrons
or roses, depending in the time of year.
Overnight in central London.
Day 8:
Free time in London before transfer to London Heathrow.
