2022 English Odyssey - 14 Days/13 Nights

Duration: 14 Days

Price: Starts from $0 USD

Itineraries

Day 1: Arrival | Windsor Castle
Meet your guide at 2:00 PM in your Windsor hotel. Venture to see the splendors of Windsor Castle, a residence of the Queen, and the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group, and dine and explore this intriguing medieval town as you wish this evening.

Day 2: Blenheim Palace | Cotswolds | Bath
Travel to Blenheim Palace, the magnificent country house once home to Winston Churchill and often seen as the setting for popular TV shows and movies; tour the house and explore the gardens. Set off on a drive through the rolling hills of the quintessentially English Cotswolds; with charming villages and colorful gardens. Arrive in Bath, a striking city of honey-colored Georgian buildings with an ancient heritage. Take a walking tour of the city before visiting the famed Roman Baths. Dine at your hotel this evening.
(B,D)


Day 3: Stonehenge | Salisbury
Visit prehistoric Stonehenge and marvel at the vast monoliths mysteriously erected 5,000 years ago. Head to the medieval city of Salisbury, with free time for lunch and sightseeing. Along with charming local shops, Salisbury boasts a splendid 13th-century cathedral housing the world’s oldest working clock. Head back to Bath, where your evening is free to explore and dine as you wish.
(B)


Day 4: Winchester | Portsmouth
Visit Winchester, in medieval times the most important city in England; some believe this is where the legendary King Arthur had his Round Table. Enjoy some free time to explore. Next, delve into nautical life in Portsmouth, where you’ll visit the historic dockyards. Head on to dinner at your hotel in the countryside.
(B,D)


Day 5: Birling Gap | Royal Tunbridge Wells | Sissinghurst
Visit Birling Gap for a gentle cliff walk. Head to Royal Tunbridge Wells, a delightful old spa town, for some free time to discover its exquisite Georgian and Victorian architecture and charming shops and pubs. Next take a stroll to explore Sissinghurst Castle Garden, one of the finest gardens in England. Head to your hotel for dinner.
(B, D)


Day 6: Leeds Castle | Canterbury Cathedral
Journey to romantic Leeds Castle in Kent, once called “the loveliest castle in the world”. Tour this storybook structure, complete with a moat, and discover its colorful gardens. Proceed to the beautiful city of Canterbury. Take time to explore its medieval center before visiting its imposing cathedral and hearing some of its enthralling tales. Head to London where you’ll dine with your group.
(B, D)


Day 7: Kensington Palace | Afternoon Tea | London Exploring
Visit Kensington Palace, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate. Next, savor afternoon tea, a classic English experience, before spending the rest of the day at leisure, exploring London.
(B, L)


Day 8: Cambridge American Cemetery | Punting
Depart London and head to the university city of Cambridge. Visit the Cambridge American Cemetery, memorializing thousands of World War II soldiers, including bandleader Glenn Miller and Joseph Kennedy, JFK’s brother. Finish the day’s activities by punting down the River Cam, taking in the sights of this university city on a traditional flat-bottomed boat. Your evening is free to explore.
(B)


Day 9: Lincoln | York
Head to Lincoln, with its towering cathedral and castle overlooking the city. Stop in a pub for a traditional Sunday roast lunch. Arrive in York, an ancient city of narrow cobbled streets, charming tearooms, quaint old pubs, and intriguing medieval churches. Your tour director will bring you on a walking tour, then enjoy the rest of the day free for exploring.
(B, L)


Day 10: Vintage Train Ride | Whitby | York Minster
Journey back in time on a vintage train ride: go from the Goathland Station that portrayed Hogsmeade Station in the first “Harry Potter” film to the old whaling town of Whitby, the setting for Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. Tour Whitby’s pretty harbor and cobbled streets with your tour director, then enjoy free time for lunch. Head back to York and visit York Minster, a Gothic cathedral resplendent with medieval stained glass.
(B,D)


Day 11: Yorkshire Drive | Lakes Distillery
Take a scenic drive through the lush green splendor of the Yorkshire Dales, pausing in the romantic market town of Richmond. Head on to Keswick, in the famously beautiful Lake District, where you’ll have some free time for lunch. Visit the Lakes Distillery, dating back to the Victorian era, and enjoy a tour with a tasting.
(B, D)


Day 12: Cruise on Lake Windermere | Liverpool
Take a short scenic cruise on England’s largest lake, Windermere, seeing mountain vistas, wooded isles, and lakeside villages. Head on to Liverpool, birthplace of the Beatles. Tour this fun, friendly city on foot with your tour director – and you are free to explore for the rest of the day. You might check out the many attractions around the Albert Dock, including the Beatles Story, the Tate Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
(B)


Day 13: Stratford-upon-Avon | Anne Hathaway’s Cottage | Oxford
Head to Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare’s hometown. Visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the 500-year-old thatched house, surrounded by gardens, where The Bard’s wife was born. Drive to Oxford to discover this storied university city on a walking tour with your tour director. Enjoy a farewell dinner with your group.
(B, D)


Day 14: Tour Ends In Oxford
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)


B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Highlights

Authentic Local Experiences:

  • Enjoy a vintage train ride through rolling hills and charming countryside departing from the real Hogsmeade Station of the Harry Potter films.
  • Tour Stonehenge, the famous mysterious stone monoliths built in prehistoric times.
  • Savor a taste of whisky at the Lakes Distillery, in majestic surroundings on Bassenthwaite Lake.

Trip Highlights:

  • Stonehenge
  • York Minster
  • Windsor Castle
  • Blenheim Palace
  • Roman Baths
  • Punting on the River Cam
  • Canterbury Cathedral
  • Cruise on Windermere
  • Lakes Distillery

Dining Experiences:

  • 13 Breakfasts (B), 2 Lunches (L) and 7 Dinners (D)

Hotels:

  • MGallery Castle Hotel | Windsor (1)
  • DoubleTree by Hilton Bath | Bath (2)
  • Hilton Avisford Park | Arundel (1)
  • Chilston Park Hotel | Maidstone (1)
  • Hilton London Kensington | London (2)
  • Hilton Cambridge City Centre | Cambridge (1)
  • Malmaison York | York (2)
  • Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa | Windermere (1)
  • Hilton Hotel Liverpool | Liverpool (1)
  • Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City Centre | Oxford (1)

English Odyssey - 14 days/13 nights

Not included

Hotels

English Odyssey - 14 day/13 night land tour
SupplierNameSupplierRating DescriptionImage
SupplierName Castle Hotel WindsorSupplierRating **** Castle Hotel is a characterful and harmonious building, with a unifying palette and design features. The concept of how history and people have made their mark permeates the entirety of the property's new creative interior design. Immerse yourself in history in a unique location. Castle Hotel Windsor is an elegant Georgian building with a rich past and an enviable address: directly opposite Windsor Castle. Walk through the doors and walk back in time, as you discover fascinating authentic features and lovingly restored décor, before you retire to your gloriously relaxing room. The town's cobbled streets offer much to explore, and you'll have the best view possible for the pomp and grandeur of the Changing of the Guard.
SupplierName DoubleTree by Hilton BathSupplierRating ****
SupplierName DoubleTree by Hilton BathSupplierRating ****
SupplierName Avisford Park HotelSupplierRating ****
SupplierName Chilston Park HotelSupplierRating **** Set back from tree-lined lanes, the manor house at Chilston Park Hotel in Lenham, Kent sits in 22 acres of parkland, featuring a two AA Rosette restaurant. The Grade I listed hotel offers a wide variety of unique feature bedrooms, from mews Classic double rooms to the Manor House master suite. You are more than a number when you stay at Chilston Park – each of the 53 bedrooms is known by a name, not a digit, and has its own unique history and feel. There are romantic four posters, large family bedrooms, a range of superior bedrooms and many feature stunning views across the gardens and lake. The period charm of this traditional Kentish country housel sets the tone for an authentic and memorable dining experience in the heart of the county. For formal yet relaxed evening dining, Culpeper’s award-winning restaurant near Maidstone offers a menu of seasonal modern British dishes. The elegant Marble Lounge offers an idyllic setting for traditional Afternoon Tea, with plenty of contemporary touches, and in the summer enjoy a light bite out on the terraces.
SupplierName Hilton London KensingtonSupplierRating
SupplierName Hilton Cambridge City CentreSupplierRating **** Located in the heart of the city, within walking distance to attractions and nightlife, Hilton Cambridge City Centre is the perfect base for exploring the university town. As the largest central hotel in Cambridge, the hotel includes a fitness room and a relaxed restaurant and lounge. All air-conditioned guest rooms and suites feature refurbished bathrooms and spacious desks. This pet-friendly hotel, close to colleges, museums, shopping, theatre and punting, offers Free WiFi in guest rooms and public areas, LivingWell fitness gym, Executive Lounge and valet parking
SupplierName Malmaison YorkSupplierRating ****
SupplierName Malmaison YorkSupplierRating ****
SupplierName Low Wood Bay Resort & SpaSupplierRating **** Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is one of the top-ranked Lake District hotels with its stunning lakeside location on the shores of Windermere. Guests can dine at the upscale Windemere Restaruant or at the more casual Blue Smoke on the Bay Grill. All guests have complimentary use of the Health Club, indoor/outdoor pools, state of the art gym and classes. The hotel features 131 new and enhanced bedrooms with en-suite & daily housekeeping and free Wifi.
SupplierName Malmaison LiverpoolSupplierRating **** Situated in Princes Dock, this dazzling boutique hotel offers a modern, stylish ambience with a special twist of Mal. We have a brilliant brasserie, fabulous bar, and genuine passion and flair. And that's before you've sampled our trademark stylish rooms. This is a truly stunning hotel which offers all the luxury you'd expect from Malmaison.
SupplierName Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City CentreSupplierRating ****