This tour may be combined with:
the Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands 2 tour to United Kingdom (July 11 - 21, 2021)
or the Cool Switzerland 1 tour (August 2 - 12, 2021)

Kings and queens, prehistoric monuments and famous art, forests and mountains, castles and pubs all define the English experience. During the London and the English Countryside tour, we'll experience both London: ancient and modern, funky and elegant, the city of royalty, art, theatre, and hip British style, and the fairytale English countryside with its gardens, castles, prehistoric monuments, grazing sheep, tiny Cotswolds villages and hearty pub food.

We'll get to know and love London, as we visit the Tower of London, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, the National Gallery and the Westminster Abbey, ride the ultra-modern London Eye, enjoy a West End theatre show and a cruise up the Thames River to visit the dreamy Kew Gardens. We'll enjoy atmospheric English pubs and an elegant afternoon tea, shop for flowers and treasures at neighborhood markets and for the latest fashions at London's fables department stores. We'll take a trip outside of the city to visit the prehistoric Stonehenge and Highclere Castle, better known as Downton Abbey.

As we set out to explore the English countryside, we'll tour the university town of Oxford, the Blenheim Palace, and the ancient Roman town of Bath, synonymous with Jane Austen's novels, hike in the Cotswolds by chocolate box perfect villages, streams and open meadows, and admire a multitude of castles, palaces, manor houses and hunting lodges. But mostly, we'll create lifelong memories, as we enjoy international dining, world art and history, and connect with new, like-minded friends.

• We'll spend 6 days at the elegant The Bailey's Hotel London, centrally located in London's upscale Borough of Chelsea and South Kensington, known for its museums, designer shopping and beautifully maintained city parks and gardens.
   
• We'll spend 4 days in the heart of Cotswolds, at the serene Slaughters Country Inn, by the bubbling River Eye and surrounded by manicured gardens and open meadows. The hotel is comprised of former farm cottages and stables, which was first converted into a boys' school and then turned into a luxury country inn.
   
• We'll see London's highlights: the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Buckingham Palace, the National Portrait Gallery and the British Museum.
   
• We'll take a cruise up the Thames River, past the famous landmarks of the city and tour the spectacular botanical displays at Kew Gardens.
   
• We'll wonder at the energy of London from the London Eye, the world's highest Ferris Wheel.
   
• We'll watch a theatre performance in London's West End.
   
• We'll visit Blenheim Palace, the only non-royal country house in England that holds the palace title and connected with Queen Anne, Winston Churchil and Consuelo Vanderbilt. 
   
• We'll take a literary walk through the university town of Oxford.
   
• We'll admire the prehistoric ingenuity and human creativity in Stonehenge.
   
• We'll walk in the steps of Jane Austen as we visit the ancient Roman city of Bath, with its honey-colored buildings and elaborate Regency Era gardens.
   
• We'll stroll among the pastoral scenery of the Cotswolds, stopping in historic market towns and villages frozen in time.
   
• We'll dine in carefully selected gourmet restaurants, allowing for the fullest appreciation of London's international cuisine, including an upscale Indian restaurant, take in the ritual of the afternoon tea and a friendly atmosphere of a traditional English pub.

• 6 nights at the elegant The Bailey's Hotel London in Kensington and Chelsea Borough; 3 nights at the serene Slaughters Country Inn in Lower Slaughter 
   
• 9 hotel breakfasts, 6 dinners, 3 lunches, including drinks - a la carte, traditional or vegetarian menu
   
• All transportation in London, including unlimited use of London tube and a private bus while exploring the English countryside
   
• Introductory London walking tour, Blue Badge professional guides at the Tower of London, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, National Gallery of Art, Kew Gardens, Oxford, Bath, Blenheim Palace and award-winning audio guided tours at the Roman Baths in Bath, and in Stonehenge
   
• An experienced Tour Director, all sightseeing fees and admissions as per itinerary
   
• A West End theatre play
   
• Visits to Buckingham Palace
   
• A champagne experience and a panoramic view from the London Eye
   
• A cruise down the Thames River
   
• Full day hiking in the Cotswolds, including Bibury, Lower and Upper Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Bourton-on-the-Water
   
• A visit to Stonehenge, the world's most renowned prehistoric monument
   
• A private airport transfer on arrival and a group airport transfer on departure
   
• All restaurants', guides' and drivers' gratuities

Additional/optional costs may include: optional single supplement, optional travel insurance, early hotel check-in, meals not included in the itinerary, optional Tour Director gratuities, optional activities not included in the itinerary, telephone charges, room service, mini bar charges, laundry, personal expenses.
The cost does not include airfare.

• Carefully designed itinerary, including signature England experiences
• Exclusive experiences, not available to larger groups
• Knowledgeable private Blue Badge guides and award winning audio tours
• Accommodation in upscale, perfectly located hotels
• Dining at upscale restaurants, including drinks
• A small group of maximum 16 women
• Experienced Tour Director
• Inclusion of all tips and gratuities

London | London - The City of Art | Theatre in London | Cotswolds | Bath | Stonehenge | Gourmet London | Books & Movies 

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