Day One ~ Arrival at London

We arrive at Heathrow airport and transfer to our London hotel. Balance of the day at leisure.
Dinner an overnight stay in London.

Day Two ~ Full day in London

This morning a private coach and professional English speaking guide are waiting to take the students to the Globe Theatre to attend morning lecture and Theatre Workshop with actors on ‘The Winter’s Tale’. The children are introduced to the atmosphere and playing conditions of the Shakespeare’s Globe, which has been reconstructed using materials and techniques of 400 years ago. After a very English “fish and chips” lunch, group proceeds to enjoy an afternoon city sightseeing tour including a guided tour to the world famous collection of wax figures at Madame Tussaud and St Paul’s Cathedral and an evening performance of ‘The Winters Tale’ at Globe Theatre.Dinner an overnight stay in London.

Depart London for the small village of Chawton.   Morning visit to Jane Austin’s House in Chawton where she lived for eight years. Lunch stop in Winchester and see the outside of the house where she died. Group will spend the afternoon marvelling at the Georgian splendour of Bath with its famous Royal Crescent terrace  which has inspired two of Jane Austin books while  she  stayed there. A visit to the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms and other Jane Austin related sites will end our first day of the tour.

Dinner and overnight stay in Bristol  

Day Four ~ Bristol ~ Stratford-upon-Avon

We proceed to spend the day in Stratford-upon-Avon “in the footsteps” of Shakespeare”. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and peer back into the life and times of the Bard. We will also see the Old Grammar School, walk along the River Avon to the church where he is buried. After lunch we will take a short drive out to visit Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage in Shottery. English Cream Tea before the Hamlet performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Dinner and overnight stay in Stratford-upon-Avon

Day Five ~ Stratford-upon-Avon – Alton – Chester

First fun break this morning with our journey to Alton Towers Amusement Park followed by afternoon drive to the historic city of Chester. Its Roman heritage is evident in the walls that surround the city and the antiquities housed in Grosvenor Museum.

Dinner and overnight stay in Chester

Day Six ~ Chester - Grasmere - Keswick - Cockermouth - Carlisle

We depart toward the Lake District. A short walk will be taken around Grasmere situated at the heart of the Lake District, before we drive to Rydal Mount, home of William Wardsworth from 1831 until his death in 1850, and afterwards to Dove Cottage (The Wardsworth Museum) which remains almost as it was in his time.  After lunch in Grasmere we continue over the spectacular Winlatter Pass to Cockermouth, the birthplace of William Wardsworth in 1770. Group will take a walk at riverside meadows with views over the river and castle with time for creative painting or writing.

Dinner and overnight stay in Carlisle.
 

Day Seven ~ Keswick - Sawrey - Hawkshead - Windermere - Haworth - York

We  remain in Lakeland and today we  will focus on Beatrix Pottery world. Students will visit first of all,  Hilltop Farm and then the Beatrix Pottery Gallery in Hawkshead. A fascinating exhibition depicting her life and works.  Stop en-route for lunch before we cruise on Lake Windermere and then proceed to Bronte Country in Yorkshire. Students will visit the painteresque village of Haworth and the Bronte Parsonage in which the family lived in Haworth. Continue day with drive to York.

Dinner and overnight stay in York.

Day Eight ~ Full day in York

Group will spend the whole day on walking tour exploring the historic city of York. Visit the Shambles and the Minster before lunch and then take a time journey back to 1,000 years to an accurate reconstruction of a Viking city at Jorvik Viking Centre. Group will finish exploring the city of York may be haunting a Ghost accompanied by a local guide.

Dinner and overnight stay in York

Second fun break of the tour. This time group will travel to the famous Cambridge to try to master the tricky punting on the River Cam.

Dinner and overnight stay in Cambridge.

Day Ten ~ Full day in Cambridge

 Morning free at leisure for shopping at the excellent area in the middle of the town or stroll around the delightful old streets and colleges, peaceful lawns and meadows that slope down the waters edge.

 In the afternoon, group will visit Kings College founded in 1441 and setting for the film “Chariots of Fire” as well as the Kings College Chapel.

Dinner and overnight stay in Cambridge.

Day Eleven ~ Cambridge - London

We return to London, and we will have the balance of the day at leisure. None the less, we will gather again in the evening for an evening theatre  performance .

Dinner and overnight stay in London.

Day Twelve ~ Full day in London

Morning tour of London including entrance to Westminster Abbey, site of royal coronations, tombs of great poets, scientists and monarchs.  Visit to Dickens house museum possible.

Afternoon visit to the British Library for a viewing  with expert guide of this huge collection of literature held there. 15 million books and periodicals- too numerous to mention!   290,000 manuscripts - from medieval to 20th century, from literature to science!   1.5 million music scores - from Bach to the Beatles!  2.3 million maps - of every country in the world!  40 million patents for inventions- from vacuum cleaners to jet engines!  8 million philatelic items - mostly - but not just - stamps!  600,000 volumes of newspapers - which means many many more actual issues of daily and weekly papers

After a local dinner, group will take a trip to murder; visiting scenes of Jack the Ripper’s crimes and haunted houses.

Overnight stay in London.
 

Day Thirteen ~ Full day excursion to Rochester and Canterbury

Full day tour to Rochester and Canterbury including visits to the Dickens Centre, which depicts his life and works, 

 Then travel on across the Garden of England, the county of Kent to Canterbury, home to the famous Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Canterbury Cathedral where Thomas Beckett was murdered in 1170.

Overnight stay in London.

 
Day Twelve ~ Departure day

Morning coach transfer with assistance to London Heathrow airport for departure flight.