Overview

4 Day Coach Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

• Transportation throughout by modern touring coach
• Services of an experienced driver/guide
• 3 nights accommodation in Three or Four Star hotels
• All rooms ensuite
• Full English breakfast daily
• 2 table d'hote evening meals in hotels
• Admissions to:

• Blenheim Palace
• Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Warwick Castle
• Worcester Cathedral
• Hidcote Manor & Gardens
• Cotswolds Cream Tea
• Sudeley Castle
• Waddesdon Manor

Itinerary

Day 1 - Monday
Oxford
Depart London for William Shakespeare's former home town of Stratford-upon-Avon through the pretty Chiltern Hills, pausing on the way for a walking tour of Oxford's famous colleges, in particular Christ Church college where you will discover locations for the films Chariots of Fire and Harry Potter's Hogwarts. After lunch, we will travel on to the treasure filled Blenheim Palace, home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birth place of Sir Winston Churchill.
Dinner/Overnight - Mercure Shakespeare Hotel (or similar)

Day 2 - Tuesday
Stratford-upon-Avon
This morning we immerse ourselves in the culture and history of William Shakespeare with a tour of the Bard's birthplace and a visit to Mary Arden's House, home of Shakespeare's mother, where we can experience farm life as it was in William Shakespeare's time and may also see a falconry display. Our journey continues as we drive by Anne Hathaway' house, the home of William Shakespeare's wife as we make our way to Warwick Castle. This is probably the finest castle in England and dates back over 1000 years. There is so much to see and do here - history, displays of medieval jousting and archery and art treasures - that we have devoted the afternoon to Warwick so you will have ample time to explore both the castle and the medieval town overlooking the river Avon. Optional evening excursion to a Royal Shakespeare Company performance.
Overnight - Mercure Shakespeare Hotel (or similar)

Day 3 - Wednesday
Worcester
This morning we will head onto the "faithful" city of Worcester which played a pivotal role in the English civil wars of the 1642-51. The Civil War led to the beheading of King Charles I and the exile of his son Charles II. We will visit Worcester Cathedral which dates back over 1000 years and has been a place of prayer and worship since 680 AD. We have arranged a private viewing of the Cathedral library with its wonderful illuminated medieval manuscripts created by the Benedictine monks over 800 years ago and manuscript musical scores by local composer Sir Edward Elgar. In the afternoon we tour through pretty Cotswold's villages such as Broadway to Hidcote Manor Gardens, one of the most delightful in England. Then we drive to the nearby picture book village of Chipping Campden for an afternoon cream tea and some free time for shopping in the many craft and boutique shops.
Dinner/Overnight - Mercure Shakespeare Hotel (or similar)

Day 4 - Thursday
Cotswolds
Today we will drive through the beautiful Cotswolds countryside to Sudeley Castle, the former home of one of King Henry VIII wives, to explore the award winning gardens. Then it's a leisurely drive through picturesque honey stone coloured villages with names such as the Slaughters and the Swells to Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water for some free time. The final highlight of your tour is the treasure house of Waddesdon Manor, a 16th century style French chateau. We then head back to London.

Accomodation Prices