Day 1 Arrival in London, England
Check into your hotel where your tour director will be waiting to welcome you. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or start exploring the lively British capital. At 6 p.m. meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink and dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 2 London
After a hearty English breakfast, morning sightseeing with a professional London guide includes all the famous landmarks: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace and the area’s splendid museums, Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, and Westminster Abbey. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, if held. Free time in the afternoon for independent activities or to join an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its fabulous Crown Jewels. Tonight maybe an optional dinner followed by a cruise on the River Thames? (FB)

Day 3 At Leisure in London
A free day for independent activities. Your tour director will help you make the most of your stay. (FB)

Day 4 London-Stratford
Board your motorcoach and head westward to Oxford, the country’s oldest seat of learning and “City of the Dreaming Spires.” An orientation drive acquaints you with the city before a local expert conducts you on a private visit to an internationally famous COLLEGE. After lunch visit magnificent BLENHEIM PALACE, home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Built between 1705 and 1722 and set in 2000 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland, the palace was a gift from a grateful crown in recognition of the great victory of the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Arrive late afternoon in the picturesque Elizabethan town of Stratford-upon-Avon, your home base for the next three nights. (FB,D)

Day 5 Stratford
A full day to indulge in the Bard’s compact hometown. Your included pass allows entrance to all four historic town sites: ANNE HATHAWAY’S COTTAGE, Shakespeare’s BIRTHPLACE, the residence of his surgeon son-in-law HALL’S CROFT, and NEW PLACE. Explore this quaint town and all it has to offer at your own pace. Later, plan your own dining arrangements after which you might consider a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company, regarded as one of the finest English-speaking theater companies in the world; your tour director will let you know about ticket availability. (FB)

Day 6 Stratford. Cotswolds Excursion
A leisurely morning’s drive through gently undulating hills to Broadway, the quiet, quintessential Cotswold town built in mellow honey-colored limestone and regarded as “England’s prettiest village.” Then visit HIDCOTE MANOR GARDEN, lovingly tended by the National Trust and renowned for its herbaceous borders, rare plants and shrubs, and “old” roses. Back at Stratford choose whether to further unravel the charms of the town or simply relax by the River Avon. This evening why not join your tour director for an optional visit to spectacular Warwick Castle followed by dinner? (FB)

Day 7 Stratford-Brighton
Southwards this morning through England’s ancient heart, crossing the prehistoric Ridgeway and Roman roads, for photos in the charming former Wessex capital of Winchester, much loved by novelist Jane Austen. At Portsmouth a fascinating visit to the Naval Dockyard where a Royal Navy expert will show you around HMS VICTORY, Lord Nelson’s flagship at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Continue eastward in the lee of the South Downs to the Regency seaside resort of Brighton on the English Channel coast. (FB, D)

Day 8 Brighton
A leisurely breakfast prepares you for your visit to the exotic ROYAL PAVILION, the lavish oriental palace built for the Prince Regent in the early 1800’s. Beautifully furnished and decorated, this extraordinary royal residence will enchant you as your local guide recounts fact and stories. Spend the rest of the day relaxing by the sea, browsing the fashionable shops, or exploring the Lanes area famous for its bargains in antiques. Your tour director will have dining suggestions for this evening. (FB)

Day 9 Brighton-London
This morning a fascinating visit to the ROYAL OBSERVATORY at Greenwich in the company of a specialist guide. Stand astride the Greenwich MERIDIAN LINE to be in the world’s two hemispheres at the same time; then explore FLAMSTEED HOUSE, built in 1675 and named after the first Astronomer Royal, as you travel through a history of stars, space and time. Enjoy the views over the city of London and the Thames before lunchtime arrival back at your London hotel. The afternoon is free and for that last-minute shopping Harrods is an absolute must! Then at famous SIMPSON’S-IN-THE-STRAND, enjoy dinner in the Grand Divan Restaurant where your entrée is served by tradition from a silver trolley. To round out a memorable evening, top price tickets have been reserved at Her Majesty’s Theatre for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spectacular original London production of the highly acclaimed musical The Phantom of the Opera. (FB,D)

Day 10  
Your homebound flight arrives the same day.

Price Per Person - Call for current rates.