8-Night London & the Cotswolds Adventure
Discover the perfect blend of London’s iconic sights and the Cotswolds’ countryside charm, from royal landmarks and world-class culture to Shakespearean heritage and ancient Roman history.
Program Summary
Tour Number: 0426-217672
Experience the best of city and countryside as you explore iconic landmarks in London alongside the storybook beauty of the Cotswolds. In London, enjoy highlights such as Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and a scenic River Thames cruise, paired with cultural experiences like a West End show and visits to the British Museum and Shakespeare’s Globe. Venture into the charming villages and rolling hills of the Cotswolds while also discovering the academic beauty of Oxford, the literary legacy of Stratford-upon-Avon at Shakespeare’s Birthplace and his burial site, and the ancient wonders of Roman Baths.
Program Highlights & Inclusions
- Round trip flights to your destination
- Professional tour manager with your group throughout the tour
- Motor coach transportation as indicated
- Five nights Accommodation in the London Area
- Two nights Accommodation in Stratford Upon-Avon
- One night Accommodation in Bath or London near the airport depending on return flight timing
- Thames River Cruise
- City tour of London
- Visit Westminster Abbey
- Visit Buckingham Palace and see the Changing of the Guard
- Visit to Trafalgar Square
- Free time for shopping at Harrods in Knightsbridge
- Admission to the Ghost Bus Tour of London
- Visit the British Museum
- Visit to Covent Garden
- Ticket to a West End Show (Student/Rear Mezz Seating)
- Admission to the Tower of London
- Visit to the Tower Bridge and walk across the Thames
- Tour of the Globe Theatre
- Admission to ride the London Eye
- Free time at Piccadilly Circus
- Admission to Windsor Castle
- Guided tour of Oxford
- Admission to Shakespeare’s Birthplace
- Visit to Shakespeare’s Burial Site
- Ticket to a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company
- Visit to the Roman Baths
Daily Itinerary
When you arrive in London, you will meet your tour manager.
Your bus will pick you up and you’ll continue your trip.
You’ll arrive at your accommodation and store your luggage. If your rooms are ready, you’ll check in.
After lunch, you’ll go on a Thames River Sightseeing Cruise a get a view of London’s most iconic sights from a different perspective. You’ll cruise along the storied river and pass under Tower Bridge, see Westminster Palace, the London Eye, the millennium bridge and more.
After dinner at a local restaurant, you’ll return to your hotel.
After breakfast, you’ll take an unforgettable, professionally guided, panoramic city tour of London including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, London Bridge and more!
You’ll visit Westminster Abbey where kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains have all walked the hallowed church; the Abbey is a must-see living pageant of British history. Every year Westminster Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to explore this wonderful 700-year-old building. The Abbey is located in the heart of London.
You’ll visit St. James’s Park where you’ll see Buckingham Palace, the principal residence and workplace for the monarchy of the United Kingdom. George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837, just three weeks after her accession. During your visit you’ll see the traditional Changing of the Guard Ceremony which happens daily from April through July and several times per week during other months. If you arrive on a day when the change does not take place then you will just see the palace.
You’ll visit Trafalgar Square in the heart of London. It is one of the city’s most vibrant open spaces.
The world famous Harrods department store with its lavish interior and over 300 departments is a must-see! The store occupies a 5-acre site and has over one million square feet of selling space in over 330 departments making it the biggest department store in Europe. In addition to merchandise, the store has 32 restaurants serving everything from high tea to tapas to pub food to haute cuisine.
After diner, you’ll discover the dark side of London, one of the world’s most haunted cities, on a fabulously fun and spooky sightseeing tour aboard a traditional 1960s double decker bus.
After breakfast, you’ll visit the British Museum. Located in London, the British Museum is dedicated to human history and culture. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.
You’ll visit London’s World Famous Covent Garden, a destination brimming with history, high end shops, fabulous restaurants and the arts. London’s Royal Opera House forms one corner of the piazza and the location was once one of London’s biggest slums.
You’ll have free time.
After dinner, you’ll see a show at the West End show in London’s theatre district.
After breakfast, you’ll visit the Tower of London, one of the world’s most famous fortresses. The Tower of London has been a royal palace, a prison, an armory and even a zoo and it is home to Her Majesty’s Crown Jewels. The Tower of London has a vast history that includes the executions of two of Henry the VIII’s wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and Sir Walter Raleigh was a prisoner in the Bloody Tower for a time. The ravens that inhabit the White Tower are a special interest since it was foretold that if they were ever to leave, the great Tower of London would crumble and tragedy would befall England.
You’ll visit the Tower Bridge and cross the Thames River. Constructed in 1894, Tower Bridge is a suspension bridge and a world heritage site measuring 801 feet long and 264 feet high which provides a roadway across the Thames for over 40,000 people both on foot and wheels.
You’ll stop to grab lunch at the vibrant Borough Market. You’ll have time to peruse the fresh produce and unique culinary offerings from British traditional foods to international treats.
You’ll take a tour of the iconic Globe Theatre. The original theater was built in 1599 and burned down in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII. The theatre was rebuilt a few years later, but closed again, seemingly for good, in 1642. Tenements were built on the location of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. In the late 20th century the Globe was resurrected a few hundred yards from where the original structure once stood. The modernized Elizabethan open air theatre that you’ll tour will transport you back in time with the engaging and informative look at the life of William Shakespeare, the London where he lived, and the theatre for which he wrote.
You’ll get a bird’s eye view of London when you take a ride on the London Eye! It’s a breathtaking feat of design and engineering where passengers in this monstrous 443 foot tall Ferris wheel can see up to 25 miles in all directions.
After dinner, you’ll have some free time to explore the area around Piccadilly Circus. This vibrant area is bustling with activity and shopping!
After breakfast, you’ll board your bus and depart the hotel for the day.
You’ll visit Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and an Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Its rich history spans almost 1000 years and dates back to William the Conqueror.
If you prefer to customize your experience, you may choose to visit Stonehenge or enjoy the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour in place of Windsor Castle. Please note that pricing may vary depending on your selected option.
You’ll have free time.
After dinner, you’ll return to the hotel for the evening.
After breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel room and board your bus for Oxford.
You’ll enjoy a guided walk through this fascinating city established in the 9th Century and home for over 800 years to many prestigious universities and colleges. You’ll learn about the history of Oxford and it’s university as you walk through the heart of the historic city center. You’ll also learn about the numerous famous authors that lived in Oxford including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. You’ll also see some of the well know “Harry Potter” sites which some of the movie sets were modeled from.
You’ll have free time to explore Oxford on your own.
After dinner in Oxford, you’ll begin your drive to Stratford-upon-Avon.
You’ll arrive at your accommodation and check in.
After breakfast, you’ll board your bus and depart the hotel for the day.
You’ll visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare in Stratford-Upon-Avon. You’ll see the house where young William grew up to become the most famous playwright in the world.
You’ll visit the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford which is the burial site of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare paid a handsome sum to be interred inside the church. It has been said that he wrote the epitaph that appears on his tombstone which some interpret as a curse for anyone who would dare disturb his final resting place.
You’ll see a show at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
You’ll have dinner at a local restaurant.
After breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel room and board your bus for Bath.
You will visit the site of the Ancient Roman Baths and take a self-guided audio tour. Bath was founded upon natural hot springs with the steaming water playing a key role throughout its history. Lying in the heart of the city the Roman Baths were constructed around 70 AD as a grand bathing and socializing complex. It is now one of the best preserved Roman remains in the world. You’ll tour the remains of the excavated bath houses built thousands ago by the Romans during their occupation of Britain.
You’ll have free time in Bath to shop and explore on your own.
After dinner, you’ll arrive at your accommodation and check in.
After breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel room and board you bus for the drive to the airport
