Itinerary
- Day 1
London
After landing at London Heathrow between 10:00 and 13:00, you'll make your way to Hampton Court Palace, the grand Tudor home where King Henry VIII once held court. Inside, you'll walk through the Great Hall and check out the Tudor kitchen, then move through the state rooms before heading outside to stroll the extensive gardens and see the famous Great Vine that's been growing there for centuries.
Included Activities
- Visit Hampton Court Palace
- Explore Great Hall and Tudor kitchen
- Tour state rooms
- Stroll through gardens to Great Vine
Landmarks Hampton Court Palace - Day 2
Oxford
This morning you'll head to Oxford to see Christ Church, the largest college in the university. From there, you'll travel north to Blenheim Palace where you can wander around the landscape gardens designed by Capability Brown, one of England's most important garden architects from that era.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Visit Christ Church College
- Guided tour of Blenheim Palace
- Explore Blenheim Palace landscape gardens
Landmarks Christ Church College Blenheim Palace - Day 3
Stratford-upon-Avon
Today focuses on Shakespeare Country with several stops. You'll see Hidcote Manor Garden with its intimate landscaped spaces, then visit Anne Hathaway Cottage and its charming cottage garden. After that, you'll get to Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and finish with Kenilworth Castle, where the gardens were specifically designed to impress Queen Elizabeth I during her visit.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Visit Hidcote Manor Garden
- Tour Anne Hathaway Cottage
- Visit Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon
- Explore Kenilworth Castle and gardens
Landmarks Hidcote Manor Garden Anne Hathaway Cottage Kenilworth Castle - Day 4
Milton Common - Chester
You'll start at Hanbury Hall, a Georgian estate with landscaped gardens that feature geometric paths and colorful flower beds, plus an impressive mural created by Sir James Thornhill. In the afternoon, you'll check out Biddulph Grange, a Victorian garden that's considered a masterpiece of its kind, then head to Chester for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Tour Hanbury Hall and gardens
- View mural by Sir James Thornhill
- Visit Biddulph Grange gardens
Landmarks Hanbury Hall Biddulph Grange - Day 5
Chester - Llangollen, Wales
Begin with Chirk Castle, a 14th-century fortress built by Edward I that people still live in today, and learn about its role during the Wars of the Roses. Later, you'll go to the town of Llangollen where you can take a leisurely narrowboat journey along the canal, or if you prefer, ride vintage steam trains at the local railway station instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Tour Chirk Castle
- Narrowboat journey along Llangollen Canal
Optional Activities
- Ride on vintage steam trains at Llangollen Railway Station
Landmarks Chirk Castle Llangollen Canal - Day 6
Chester - Lincoln
You'll spend time at Chatsworth House, a 450-year-old aristocratic residence with state rooms containing paintings by Tintoretto, Rembrandt, and van Dyck, plus gardens showing different architectural styles from Baroque to modern times. From there, you'll continue to Renishaw Hall and its Italian gardens, which were used as a location for the Pride and Prejudice film adaptation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Tour Chatsworth House and state rooms
- Explore Chatsworth House gardens and grounds
- Visit Renishaw Hall Italian gardens
Landmarks Chatsworth House Renishaw Hall - Day 7
Lincoln - Cambridge
Start with Lincoln Cathedral, one of England's finest Gothic buildings and the tallest structure in the world after it was completed in the 14th century. Then you'll travel to Cambridge to explore the university city and visit one of its famous colleges, where you might hear about the upcoming rowing competition against Oxford.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in a typical pub)
Included Activities
- Visit Lincoln Cathedral
- Explore Cambridge
- Visit King's College Cambridge
Landmarks Lincoln Cathedral King's College Cambridge - Day 8
London
Make your way to London Heathrow Airport for your return flight, which departs between 15:30 and 19:30.
- Meals
- Breakfast
