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7 Day Quintessential Southern England
Highlights: London, Bath
Trip start: London
Trip end: London
Price Range from $1,883 to $2,163 *
* USD per person based on 2-4 people, double occupancy. Custom designed personal tour. Prices subject to change.

National Geographic Adventure Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth '98.33 Client Satisfaction Rating'

Winner National Geographic 'Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth'
2008 & 2009

Trip Summary
Map of Itinerary
Expand [+]

Enjoy time exploring the best that England has to offer. Starting in London, you will get to enjoy the highlights of London and a day trip into the countryside. Travel by local train to the City of Bath and the beautiful countryside that surrounds it. Bath is one of England's most beautiful places to visit, situated in south west England. You will be met at your hotel by your private guide who will give you a walking orientation tour of the city. Then venture outside Bath to visit Stonehenge, as well as the villages surrounding it. Spend your last morning exploring this roman city on your own - everything is easily accessible by foot. Visit Prior Park, the Roman Baths, or Bath Abbey. This tour is a great introduction to England, combining the city as well as some time exploring the English countryside.

Day Activities Hotel
Day 1
London
  • London: Transfer - Private - Heathrow Airport (arrival) - Vehicle/Driver
  • Welcome package - Pack
  • Lunch (not included)
  • Dinner (not included)
Astor Court (3*)
(Alt: Holiday Inn Express Limehouse) (B)
Day 2
London
  • Shared - 'Magic of London' - Shared tour
  • Lunch (not included)
  • Self-Guided - Dinner at Leisure (in the West End)
Astor Court (3*)
(Alt: Holiday Inn Express Limehouse) (B)
Day 3
London
  • Shared - Warwick Castle, Oxford, The Cotswolds & Stratford-upon-Avon - Coach/Guide
  • Lunch (not included)
  • Dinner (not included)
Astor Court (3*)
(Alt: Holiday Inn Express Limehouse) (B)
Day 4
Bath
  • Local taxi
  • Train - London - Bath [1.5 hrs] - 2nd class
  • Local taxi
  • Bath: Private - 1/2 d Walking Tour (4 hrs) - Guide
  • Dinner (not included)
Mercure Francis (3*) (B)
Day 5
Bath
  • Shared - Stonehenge & Country Villages - Mini-coach
  • Lunch (not included)
  • Dinner (not included)
Mercure Francis (3*) (B)
Day 6
London
  • Self-Guided - Roman Baths
  • Local taxi
  • Transfer - Train to London - 2nd class
  • Local taxi
  • Dinner (not included)
Astor Court (3*)
(Alt: Holiday Inn Express Limehouse) (B)
Day 7
London
  • London: Self-Guided - London Shopping
  • Transfer - Private - Heathrow Airport (arrival) - Vehicle/Driver
  • Kensington Cares - 2
Depart (B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, 1/2d = Half Day, Al = All Inclusive

Trip Options
All of our itineraries may be customized as you wish, add extra days, change a hotel, see different sights. Contact one of our expert consultants for your free, no-obligation vacation plan.

Itinerary

Day 1 London

London is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. An important settlement for two millennia, London's history goes back to its founding by the Romans. Since its settlement, London has been part of many important movements and phenomena throughout history, such as the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gothic Revival. London is one of the world's leading business, financial and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts contribute to its status as a major global city. The city boasts four World Heritage Sites: The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church; the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Meet your driver at Heathrow airport, and take a private transfer to your hotel.

A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

Astor Court is near BT Tower, Crescent Gardens, and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Another attraction in the area is Trafalgar Square. Guestrooms have cable television, wireless Internet access (surcharge), and direct-dial phones; rooms also include coffee/tea makers, shower/tub combinations, and hair dryers. Astor Court provides complimentary breakfast, wireless Internet access (surcharge), a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual staff.

Overnight at Astor Court (3*).


London
London
Big Ben, London
Big Ben, London
Astor Court Hotel
Astor Court Hotel
Day 2 London

On your tour you will drive past the most famous attractions of London, such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and many others.

Your first stop will be The Tower of London. Built in 1078 by William the Conqueror it used to be a fortress, palace and lastly a prison.

A Beefeater will meet you here and will guide you in the Tower. He will start his tour with telling you the history of The Tower of London and its different buildings and you'll be the first group to see the Crown Jewels.

After the Tower of London you will head to Buckingham Palace where you will see the Changing of the Guards.

The London tour will further take you to the River Thames. Here you will get off the bus and continue your journey by water. Enjoy the view of St.Paul's Cathedral and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

Enjoy lunch in a cosy British pub (lunch not included).

Continue with a visit to St Paul's Cathedral, which is a truly stunning piece of architecture. You will have a chance to visit the Whispering Gallery (not usually visited by tourist groups) and listen to a 300 year old organ.

Your last stop will be Harrods, the luxurious department store in Knightsbridge. In Harrod's restaurant you will savour a traditional English afternoon tea (included).

Pick up at 8am. Tours ends at Harrods at 5.30pm.

Within walking distance to your central London hotel, enjoy a fantastic meal out at one of the best restaurants in the West End. A few suggestions: J Sheekey, an incredibly smart seafood restaurant, Lindsay House, specializing in Irish cuisine, Mildred's, London's best veggie restaurant, Sketch, the trendiest place in London, specializing in some of the best french food you'll ever taste, or for those looking for something simple and cheerful, enjoy a nice meal out at Zipangu.

Overnight at Astor Court (3*).


Tower of London
Tower of London
West End
West End
Day 3 London

A visit to the magnificent medieval Warwick Castle, most of whose amazing towers and ramparts are still intact. Warwick Castle will take you back through its 1,000 year history as you enter over the footbridge to a bygone world of banquets, battles and ceremony. Visit the Tussaud"s waxwork, or if you"re feeling brave visit the spine-chilling dungeons where prisoners were tortured. You might wish to stroll through the Castle"s delightful and lovingly tended gardens set in the peaceful surroundings of England"s finest medieval Castle. During the summer months, archery, falconry and jousting take place.

Steeped in history and heritage the area of England known as The Cotswolds is a charming blend of cottages with honey-coloured walls and thatched roofs, market towns with crooked half-timbered houses lining the High Street, and ancient stone crosses, all set in the gently rolling hills ("wolds") that are so typically English in character.

We then travel through the rolling Warwickshire hills to Stratford-upon-Avon, a market town at the edge of the Forest of Arden made famous for being the birthplace of the world-famous playwright William Shakespeare. We"ll visit the Tudor-style birthplace of William Shakespeare, gaining a fascinating insight into his childhood with its typical parlour, bedrooms, kitchen, buttery and of course the glove-maker"s workshop used by John, Shakespeare"s father.

The colleges in Oxford date back to the 13th century and among its famous students were Bill Clinton, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein and Lewis Carroll. We take you on a fascinating walking tour through the cobbled streets of Oxford to see the Bodleian Library and the picture-perfect college courtyards, for which Oxford is justifiably famous.

Admission to Warwick Castle, Christ Church college and Shakespeare's Birthplace is included in the tour price.

Overnight at Astor Court (3*).


Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle
Day 4 Bath

Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England. It is situated 99 miles (159 km) west of London and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Bristol. The city was founded, among surrounding hills, in the valley of the River Avon around naturally-occurring hot springs where the Romans built baths and a temple, giving it the name Aquae Sulis. The city became a World Heritage Site in 1987, and has a variety of theatres, museums, and other cultural and sporting venues, which have helped to make it a major centre for tourism, with over one million visitors.

Transfer using a local taxi (available and economical).

Enjoy a relaxing train ride from London Paddington Station to Bath.

Transfer using a local taxi (available and economical).

Enjoy a private walking tour of Bath - visit the Royal Crescent, the Circus and the Georgian streets of Bath. Stroll along the river, visit the Abbey and learn the history of the Roman Baths.  The Royal Crescent is a residential road of 30 houses, laid out in a crescent and was built starting 1767 and completed 1774.  With its half Colosseum shape, it has been compared to the beautiful Versailles just outside of Paris.  The Circus is an example of Georgian architecture in the city of Bath, completed in 1768. The name comes from the Latin 'circus', which means a ring, oval or circle. Divided into three segments of equal length, the Circus is a circular space surrounded by large townhouses. Each of the curved segments faces one of the three entrances, ensuring that whichever way a visitor enters there is a classical facade straight ahead.

This historic property is situated in Bath, near Jane Austen Centre, Roman Baths, and Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Additional nearby points of interest include Bath Abbey. Guestrooms have trouser presses, electronic/magnetic keys, and direct-dial phones; rooms also include coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. In addition to a restaurant and a bar/lounge, Mercure Francis Bath features a coffee shop/café, a porter/bellhop, and conference rooms.

Overnight at Mercure Francis (3*).


Bath
Bath
Royal Crescent
Royal Crescent
Mercure Bath Hotel
Mercure Bath Hotel
Day 5 Bath

Meet your mini coach at the Glass House Shop at 8:30am, 1 minute walk from the Abbey. We drive through the beautiful countryside to Stonehenge. This monument has aroused awe and curiousity since the Norman Conquest We stop at the Stonehenge for one hour so you can explore this ancient monument. We travel further along to the Avebury Stone Circles which is a lesser known megalithic monument, and nearly 1000 years older. This monument is a bit more untouched by other tourists, and you are free to take in the magical charm of these stones as you wish. We continue on through Silbury Hill (the largest manmade object in prehistoric Europe); the Cherhill White Horse (nearly 300 years old and among the landscape in this area outside of Bath); Waggon and Horses (traditional thatched inn, frequently visited by Charles Dickens); and finishing up at the Lacock National Trust Village. This wonderful village consists of properties which date from the 13th and 18th centuries. It was once a prosperous woolen town, but now seems like a village trapped in time. We usually make a stop here as there is a wonderful country pub offering good home cooked food and real ale! Harry Potter and Pride and Predjiduce have filmed scenes here. We return back to Central Bath by 430PM.

Overnight at Mercure Francis (3*).


Stonehenge 2
Stonehenge 2
Day 6 London

Just a short walk away from your Central Bath Hotel, the Roman Baths Museum awaits. Enjoy a self guided tour of the ancient Roman Baths from the period when Rome controlled much of England. They are below the modern street level and have four main features, the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman bath house and finds from Roman Bath; the Georgian Pump Room is on the ground level.

Entrance is approximately 12GBP per adult and 7.50GBP per child (6-16yrs). Children 5 years and under are free of charge.

Open daily, the museum is one of England's most popular popular attractions. Spend an hour here to fully appreciate the museum.

Back outside, at the end of Bath Street, stands the Cross Bath where Mary of Modena, wife of James II, erected a cross in gratitude for her pregnancy in 1688. Opposite is the hot bath, the third bath built over Bath's Hot Springs. These two historic sites have been restored, and together with the Hetling Pump room, are now part of the Thermae Bath Spa, a privately run and superbly designed complex where you can relax in the thermal waters of the roof-top spa pool (17GBP pp).

Transfer using a local taxi (available and economical).

Enjoy a relaxing train ride from Bath to London Paddington Station (approximately 2 hours).

Transfer using a local taxi (available and economical).

Astor Court is near BT Tower, Crescent Gardens, and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Another attraction in the area is Trafalgar Square. Guestrooms have cable television, wireless Internet access (surcharge), and direct-dial phones; rooms also include coffee/tea makers, shower/tub combinations, and hair dryers. Astor Court provides complimentary breakfast, wireless Internet access (surcharge), a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual staff.

Overnight at Astor Court (3*).


Roman Bath
Roman Bath
Day 7 London

Here are some ideas for a Self Guided Shopping Tour... Outside of the mainstream shopping street of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Knightsbridge, there are plenty of great areas to check out... The Cabbages & Frocks Market in Marylebone High Street offers the best of global food, together with fashion and lifestyle. Popular with the tourists, St Christopher's Place is one of the most exciting specialist shopping locations in the West End. The area is made up of walkways that include Gees Court, St Christopher's Place, James Street, Barrett Street and parts of Oxford Street and Wigmore Street. Duke of York Square, in Chelsea is the area's newly developed pedestrian precinct. The eateries feature great outdoor spaces. One of the best places for outdoor shopping, Spitalfields is a quirky shoppers' dream. If you're looking for a one-off piece or something truly unique, you'll find it here.

Meet your driver at Heathrow airport, and take a private transfer to your hotel.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Depart from London Heathrow airport - end of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.


Shopping in London
Shopping in London
Kensington Cares
Kensington Cares

Trip Includes
Guaranteed departure – Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

Trip Excludes
Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

Trip Terms & Conditions

  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
  • Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
  • Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
  • Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
  • Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of deposit. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to 100% of program price.
  • Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions
  • Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.