London & River Thames by Barge Cruise

Experience the city in all its beauty on a comprehensive half day (4hr) private city tour with a Professional Guide, vehicle and driver and be shown all the major sights this world metropolis has to offer. A visit of the colourful "West End" with its well-known shopping streets and elegant parks is up first. Then travel on through both the City of Westminster and the City of London, the oldest part of the capital and home to the financial district. During the course of the tour, you will see all the highlights of the city: Royal Albert Hall, Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Harrods in Knightsbridge, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square with Nelson's Column. The tour ends either in the city centre or back at your accommodation.

Spend a full day tour on a shared tour visiting Windsor, with a chance to see Windsor Castle, Stonehenge to see the mysterious stone circle and Oxford for a fascinating walking tour of this University City as you enjoy a shared tour today. Enjoy an orientation tour of Windsor - home to the royal family for 900 years and an official residence of Her majesty the Queen. The castle is also the oldest inhabited castle in the world. The great and ancient stone circle of Stonehenge is one of the wonders of the world, cloaked forever in intense debate over its purpose. It is the focal point in a landscape filled with prehistoric ceremonial structures, now a World Heritage Site. Oxford is the city of Dreaming Spires and home to the world's most famous university. Its colleges date back to the 13th century, an inspiration to generations of scholars including President Bill Clinton, and the authors J R R Tolkien, Lewis Carroll and C S Lewis. Your guide will take you on a walking tour to see Christ Church college, the Bodleian Library and the Sheldonian Theatre before being returned to London.

Meet the Captain or a crewmember at the hotel for afternoon English Cream Tea, before being transferred to the Magna Carta.

Upon embarking the Magna Carta, you'll be provided with a Champagne Welcome aboard the barge, moored outside Hampton Court, former Tudor Palace of Henry VII, where you'll remain overnight.

This morning you'll have ample time to really explore Hampton Court Palace, the most fabulous Tudor home of Henry VIII! Though used as a Royal home until Victorian times. You'll walk through Henry’s great hall and haunted gallery and see his chapel, still used for worship today and with the finest Tudor ceiling in existence. There is much more to see including the stunning privy gardens, the world’s oldest growing grape vine and the famous maze! After lunch you enjoy your first cruise, up through Molesey Lock and following the meandering path of the river through Sunbury, Chertsey, and Shepperton to your overnight mooring on Bell Weir Lock at Runnymede.

After breakfast you have the option to use the spa facilities of the newly refurbished Runnymede on Thames hotel including pool, sauna and steam room. Beauty therapies, massages and other treatments are available but are best booked in advance. This morning you'll cruise to Windsor before enjoying lunch on board. Your river journey takes you through Runnymede where King John faced the barons in 1215 and was forced to put his seal on the Magna Carta, the document which was the very first Bill of Rights and from which your vessel takes its name. From the boat you'll see the Magna Carta memorial and Magna Carta Island where the sealing took place. Your afternoon excursion is to Windsor Castle. Built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and lived in for over 900 years by the Royal Family. This is the largest inhabited castle in the world. Explore the State Apartments, see Queen Mary's Dolls House and St George's Chapel and enjoy the far-reaching views from its elevated fortress position.

Windsor to Cliveden leaving Royal Windsor behind, you cruise up to Boveney Lock and take a walk to Dorney Court. This very special home has been owned by the Palmer family for more than 450 years passing from father to son through 13 generations. King Henry VIII has stayed here and you'll be treated to a private tour of the house. Your cruise continues past the fabulous waterside homes of Bray and Maidenhead, Boulters Lock (made famous in Victorian times) and into the spectacular Clivedon reach where you have special permission to moor at the house itself. Cliveden was once owned by the Astor family, though the original house dates back to 1666. The gardens are simply amazing and include a Parterre, Chinese water garden and topiary. You'll discuss the political intrigue and scandal for which Cliveden is famous!!. A late afternoon cruise takes you to a stunning mooring at Cookham Lock. Artist Sir Stanley Spencer, one of England’s greatest and most eccentric painters, once described Cookham as ‘Heaven on Earth’. Much of his work was painted in and around Cookham.

After breakfast you'll visit Stanley Spencer’s gallery and take a walk around the village before cruising through Bourne End and Marlow to Hurley. You'll tour Peter Freebody’s boatyard and watch in wonder at the traditional craftsman at work, building and restoring wooden boats as they have done for generations. There will be time to explore the ancient 11th century village including Ye Olde Belle, reputed to be the oldest inn in the country, before returning to the barge.

A morning cruise to Henley-on-Thames through fabulous countryside to your final mooring situated along the famous Henley Regatta Rowing Course. There will be an earlier lunch followed by a 40 minute drive to Oxford. A fascinating tour of Christ Church, Oxford’s grandest college, founded twice, once by Cardinal Wolsey and then by King Henry VIII. The magnificent surroundings were where Lewis Carrol wrote Alice in Wonderland. For your final night, you'll enjoy the Captains’ Farewell Dinner on board.

Following breakfast, disembark the barge for your transfer to the designated drop off point.

Meet your driver at your hotel and be taken to Heathrow Airport by a private transfer.