Small Group Tour: 2013 The Heart of England

Meet up with your Guide and fellow travellers of your small group tour this morning. The rendezvous is at 08.30am (please be here 30 mins before this) at the Royal Garden Hotel, 2-24 Kendington High Street, London, W8 4PT.

After meeting up with your small group who you will be with for the next 5 days, you can relax as you travel through beautiful English countryside to the most famous university city in the world, Oxford, where we join a cruise along the River Thames. We will pass through two traditional English Locks, including Osney Lock, which was built by the inmates of Oxford Prison in 1790 for the mere sum of £750. Upon return to Oxford, enjoy a walk among the golden-stone buildings and ‘dreaming spires’ to Christ Church, one of Oxford’s grandest colleges. Christ Church’s Great Hall and cloisters were also used in the Harry Potter films.

In the afternoon you will traverse the gentle, timeless hills of the Cotswold towards beautiful Chipping Campden with a couple of stops along the way to see some of the gems en route.

This morning is a feast for literary enthusiasts and history buffs as you visit Shakespeare’s Stratford-Upon-Avon to discover Ye Olde England of the Bard’s birth and his final resting place, Holy Trinity Church. A short drive to Shottery, a hamlet within the parish of Stratford-upon-Avon, will take you to a thatched farmhouse where the young William Shakespeare courted his future bride Anne Hathaway. See for yourself many original items dating from Anne’s time before meandering through country lanes and honey coloured hamlets, littered with atmospheric churches. Time allowing, there may be the option to visit a number of quaint villages including Lower Slaughter, known for its unspoilt limestone cottages in the traditional Cotswold style and Broadway, which is often referred to as the ‘Jewel of the Cotswolds’. Late afternoon sees you returning to your delightful Cotswolds base.

This morning you'll get to visit the picture-perfect village of Lacock. Both the timeless village and its abbey have been used in countless television and movie productions including Pride and Prejudice, The Other Boleyn Girl and Harry Potter. You will have time to wander the historic village streets, see the exhibitions in the museum and visit the Abbey, then continue to Dick Willows, a traditional cider maker. Dick himself will show you around his cider pressing and fermenting rooms and share with us his extensive knowledge of all things cider. After the tour Dick will serve some of the ciders from his barrels, accompanied by a selection of delicious locally produced cheese, crusty bread and pickles. For those who would like to indulge in a little bit of British tradition for themselves, a stop will be made where you can enjoy a traditional cream tea, before you continue to tonight’s accommodation in Bath, a vibrant city with a great choice of bars and restaurants.

The evening is yours to enjoy the city as you wish.

Listed as a World Heritage Site, Bath is truly one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with the highest concentration of listed buildings anywhere in the British Isles. This morning you'll get to explore the splendid Georgian city to learn more about Roman life at the restored Roman Baths and see the towering 15th century Abbey and fascinating Pulteney Bridge.

This afternoon is yours to spend at leisure. Literary enthusiasts might choose to visit the Jane Austen Centre, which offers a snapshot of life during Regency times and explores how living in this magnificent city affected her life and writing, whilst others may choose to explore the myriad of small independent shops, stylish boutiques and familiar high street stores.

Enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travellers this evening created from the freshest ingredients in a seasonally changing menu.

Leaving Bath behind, look forward to yet more spectacular sights as you travel across Salisbury Plain to visit the great mystical construction at Stonehenge.

Dating back to 3100 BC there are many lively debates as how this stone circle was built and why. Learn more about these theories and make up your own as you enjoy the walking commentary tour.

From here, continue onwards to the glorious city of Salisbury to admire the tallest cathedral spire in Britain and view the original Magna Carta in its Chapter House.

The final destination for today before returning to London is a regal discovery of the world’s largest occupied and oldest garrisoned fortress, Windsor Castle –official residence of the Queen. Windsor Castle dates back to William the Conqueror and has been expanded and fortified under each successive monarch to the grand construction you see today. Wander through the magnificent State Apartments and St George’s Chapel, the burial place of ten monarchs, and admire the rooms that were recently restored to their former glory.

Your Small Group Tour ends this afternoon upon arrival at The Royal Garden Hotel at approximately 5.30pm. Bid farewell to your Guide and fellow travellers as you close the chapter on this part of your travels.

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