BOOK BLENHEIM PALACE AND THE COTSWOLDS

DESCRIPTION

This wonderful tour incorporates various stunning villages in The Cotswolds aswell as entry to Blenheim Palace, Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace.

After departing from London around 8.45am in one of our air conditioned coaches, we journey to The Cotswolds, definitely one of the most picturesque places in England. First stop is Burford which is known as the Southern Gateway to The Cotswolds. With stunning views, it has a high street that slopes gently down the River Windrush where a Medieval Bridges is a great photo opportunity. Go back in time as you stroll down this high street where many of the shops and cottages remain unchanged since Tudor times.

On to Bourton on the Water, which is possibly even more pretty and idyllic. This little village straddles the River Windrush and you get to cross the river via one of many archaic low bridges. Standing back from the river are a series of traditional Cotswold buildings. Bourton on the Water has been labelled as ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ and is a truly lovely little village.

Then we go to Stow-On-The-Wold which is a delightful and ancient wool town. The vast market square there is testimony to how important this market town used to be many years ago. At the height of the Wool Industry, as many as 20,000 sheep were sold at its’ huge annual fairs. At one end of the square there stands an ancient cross which originally dates back to the 15th Century. At the other end and equally as old, are  the town stocks which were used to punish petty criminals up to sometime during the 19th Century. There are antique shops, art gallerys and gifts and craft shops available here, as well as the usual fine Cotswold buildings.

Lunch will be at a traditional English pub. You can book Tour 16B with lunch, Tour 16BL.

The last part of this great tour is entry to Blenheim Palace which was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, the enigmatic Prime Minister of England. Set in 2100 acres of beautiful gardens and a magnificent lake. Inside you can stroll through buildings with hand painted ceilings and some fabulous tapestries and paintings, as well as a unique porcelain collection. Blenheim palace was created as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

AVAILABLE DAYS: WED, FRI AND SUN

DURATION: DEPARTURE FROM VICTORIA AT 8.45AM AND RETURN LONDON 6.00PM (APROXIMATE TIMES)

BOOK BLENHEIM PALACE AND THE COTSWOLDS

BOOK FIRST CLASS FOR PARIS AT LEISURE – £4.00 PP REDUCTION ON RRP!

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Tour Description

For the romantic, nothing is better than the magnificence of Paris. Situated on the River Seine it is France’s largest city and has everything to offer, including of course some fabulous, ancient architecture.

If you find the timings and schedule of escorted tours too restrictive, this is the tour for you. And to make it that little bit special, we can offer you the opportunity of travelling First Class which means you will receive breakfast at your seat on the outward journey and dinner on the return journey. Refreshments too, will be supplied.

This tour begins at 6.30am from St Pancreas station (6.27 on Saturdays) with your First Class seat on Eurostar already booked. You can sit back and enjoy the trip, arriving at the Gare du Nord station just 2hrs and 15 mins later.

Included for the price is your Eurostar return journey, one day travel card which is valid for zones 1-3 and a free map of Paris. The travel card allows you to explore this wonderful city by metro, including the magical sights of Eiffel Tower built in 1889 and the Notre Dame. Visit the Arc de Triomphe which stands at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle and is a monument to those who fought for France, especially during the Napoleonic wars. Evidence of the earliest settlement in Paris date back to 4200BC, so if you want to explore, you will find a City rich in History.

The return journey departs Gare due Nord at 8.13pm, arriving in London at 9.40pm so there is plenty of time to explore, to shop or to sit outside a Paris coffee shop and simply relax.

Available Days

Our cheap First Class Paris tours is available from Monday to Saturday

PASSPORTS REQUIRED – please check visa requirement

Child price on our discount first class Paris tour is applicable for children aged 4 – 11 years

BOOK FIRST CLASS FOR PARIS AT LEISURE – SAVE £4.00 PP ON RRP!

BOOK TICKETS FOR PARIS – £4.00 PP OFF RRP!

Save £4.00 per person with our cheap Paris tours!

Tour Description

Discover the romantic city of Paris on this leisurely break. It begins at 6.30am from St Pancreas station (6.27 on Saturdays). Your seat on Eurostar is already booked and you can sit back and enjoy the trip, arriving at the Gare du Nord station just 2hrs and 15 mins later.

Included for the price is your Eurostar return journey, one day travel card which is valid for zones 1-3 and a free map of Paris. The travel card allows you to explore this wonderful city by metro, including the magical sights of Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe which stands at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle and is a monument to those who fought for France, especially during the Napoleonic wars. and the Louvre.

The return journey departs Gare due Nord at 8.13pm, arriving in London at 9.40pm so there is plenty of time to explore, to shop or to sit outside a Paris coffee shop and watch the world go by. If you find the timings and schedule of escorted tours too restrictive, this is the tour for you.

AVAILABLE DAYS

Our discounted Paris tour runs from Monday to Saturday

PASSPORTS REQUIRED – please check visa requirement

Paris Tourss Child price: 4 – 11 years

BOOK TICKETS FOR PARIS

CLICK FOR CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (TOUR 8 – NO LUNCH)
CLICK FOR CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (TOUR 8L - WITH LUNCH)  

Description 

No tour to the UK would be complete without visiting the famous Stonehenge. Standing on Salisbury Hill, their presence is shrouded in mystery and has baffled scientists and scholars for years. Their origin and the reason for their existence is largely unknown although there is much speculation of course. Seeing the stones up close really gives you an insight as to why they provoke such debate. They are truly magnificent to behold and the experience is a magical one and not to be missed. 

Next up is a visit to Salisbury to the see probably the finest medieval cathedral in Britain. The cathedral with its’ magnificent architecture is 800 years old and has an amazing spire of 123m (404ft) high. You will also get to see  the Magna Carta from 1215, which is the famous agreement between King John and his barons at Runnymede and is part of the early process leading to modern constitutional law. The Cathedral is awe inspiring to visit and immense in size, seating 1900 people.

Lunch = Optional (with Tour 8L)
Lunch for a little extra will be at a historic pub in Salisbury

After lunch is a panoramic tour of Bath. This Georgian city stands on the slopes of the River Avon. As a world heritage site, it is a city untouched and unspoilt. With so much history here, there is much to see including Bath Abbey which was the location for the crowning of the first British King in 973AD. You will also see the famous Pulteney Bridge that crosses the River Avon. It was built in 1773 by Robert Adam.

We will be stopping at the famous Roman Baths, one of the finest thermal spas of the ancient world. Below street level, the Baths consist of the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple and the Roman Bath House. Another great opportunity on this tour is the torch lighting ceremony when torches around the Roman Baths are lit ad dusk (except in summer).

Available Days

Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury tour is available Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Tour Duration

The Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury tour is of approximatley 10 Hours duration

CLICK FOR CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (TOUR 8 – NO LUNCH)

CLICK FOR CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (TOUR 8L - WITH LUNCH)

BOOK TICKETS WITH LUNCH

BOOK TICKETS WITHOUT LUNCH

Tour Description

Tour 10 – Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover and Greenwich River Cruise (Tour 10L includes lunch)

This fantastic day long tour will give you a wonderful historical insight into some traditional English landmarks: Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, White Cliffs of Dover and the Naval College and Observatory in Greenwich.

Built in 1119, Leeds Castle is nestled in the heart of Kent. In 1278, it passed into Royal hands and was visited frequently by Henry VIII in Tudor times. Since then it has been privately owned by some prestigious families, the evidence of which is found in the luxurious interiors and family  treasures.  The wonderful architecture of this magnificent castle is offset against fabulous grounds and gardens, all of which can be explored. Enjoy the year long display of flora, from the colourful spring bulbs and wild wood flowers, to the heady scented herbs and roses in the famous Culpeper Garden or the late flowering Mediterranean Lady Baille Garden. You can also marvel at some of the falconry displays or the perfect Englishness of the wandering peacocks or black swans elegantly gliding along the moat or various waterways.

On to Canterbury. Originally a Celtic settlement, this fascinating Medieval City has been the centre of Christianity since 597 when the Kingdom of Kent converted from Catholicism. Since then, it has been home to the Head of the English Church, the Archbishop. In 1170, Thomas Beckett was famously murdered at the Cathedral and it subsequently became the scene for Christian Pilgrimage throughout the world.

Ancient monuments in the city itself include the remains of a City Wall from Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th Century. The ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey and a Norman Castle. And then perhaps the oldest school in England, King’s School. This Medieval school is said to have been founded in 597 by St Augustine and famous scholars include famous poet and dramatist Christopher Marlowe who was a student in 1580.

Lunch if you book Tour 10L will be in Canterbury.

Then the tour will proceed to Dover where you get to see the famous White Cliffs that have become so famous. Part of the British coastline, they face the strait of Dover and France and can actually be seen from the Cap Griz Nez in France. The origins of these cliffs can be traced back to the Cretacious period and behind the cliff face, miles of tunnels played a part in Britain’s defence during the Napoleonic Wars, later expanded to become the famous secret wartime tunnels. In World War II, British pilots saw the wonderful expanse of dramatic cliffs as homecoming and of course Vera Lyn immortalised them in the famous wartime song, ‘(There’ll be Bluebirds over) The White Cliffs of Dover’. Did you know however that Blue Birds are an American species of bird, not to be found in the UK?

A trip to Greenwich will be yet another opportunity to marvel at some fascinating English architecture. The Old Royal Naval College stands on the River Thames in its own landscaped grounds. It was established in 1694 by Royal Charter for the relief and support of Seamen and their dependents. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and a succession of famous architects worked on it until its’ completion in 1751. In 1806 Lord Nelson was laid in State in the Painted Hall. Closure of the Royal Hospital there was in 1869 and in 1873 the Naval College was opened. Thereafter, the College became an important era in the training of Naval Officers and during the second World War, nearly 27,000 recruits passed through the doors.

At Greenwich, you can also visit the Royal Observatory which is home of the Greenwich Mean Time and Prime Meridean Line. It was funded by Charles II in 1675 and by International Decree is the starting point for each new day, year and millenium.

This wonderful historical tour ends with a relaxing Thames Cruise that departs from Greenwich and takes you past some other magnificent historical sights on its’ way to Embankment Pier.

BOOK TICKETS WITH LUNCH

BOOK TICKETS WITHOUT LUNCH

CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (STONEHENGE PLUS BATH & TOWER)

CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (JUST STONEHENGE)

Tour Description

Two options of the Bath and Private Viewing of Stonehenge tour are available, with lunch (Tour 24L) or without lunch (Tour 24).

Book the Bath and Private Viewing of Stonehenge tour and enjoy the unique experience of getting close to the magical Stonehenge. This historical monument has been standing on Salisbury Hill for nearly 5000 years and is one of the most popular attractions for the tourist. Unlike standard visitors to Stonehenge who can only view the structure from the outer perimeter fence, with a private viewing you are allowed entry into the stone circle to really appreciate the mystery of this great monolith.

After this experience, enjoy the Georgian city of Bath which is famous for its’ Roman Baths, the best preserved Spa from the ancient world. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the City to see Bath Abbey and Pulteney Bridge. Jane Austen lived in Bath and much of this city is homage to one of England’s finest writers. Two of Austen’s novels were mainly set in Bath so you can visit the same places that her heroines go to in ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’, including the famous Pump Room. Everything is still very much the same as it would have been then; the wonderful old cobbled streets and magnificent architecture that are protected as a World Heritage site.

This tour returns to London at 9.30pm.

Available Days

Bath and Private Viewing of Stonehenge is available on Tuesdays only.

Tour Duration

The Bath and Private Viewing of Stonehenge tours is approximately 9 hours duration.

Dress Code

There is no strict dress code for the Bath and Private Viewing of Stonehenge tour.

CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (STONEHENGE PLUS BATH & TOWER)

CURRENT PRICES / BOOKING (JUST STONEHENGE)