London and the Countryside

Join a licensed local guide for an in-depth tour of London. See Buckingham Palace, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard, and stroll through Hyde Park, home to the famous Speakers’ Corner. View Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, then step inside Westminster Abbey, the coronation site of English monarchs. Continue to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, and admire the iconic Tower Bridge spanning the Thames.

See how the King relaxes on this guided tour of the royal weekend estate, originally built as a fortress in the 11th century under William the Conqueror. Visit the East Terrace Gardens, marvel at the Gothic St. George's Chapel, or peek into the rooms of Queen Mary's doll house with its gallery of pint-size perfect furniture.

Step inside the Tower of London, a vast 18-acre fortress of 20 towers, winding staircases, and hidden passages on the Thames. From the 11th to 16th centuries it served as royal palace, treasury, and prison. Learn the fate of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two wives of Henry VIII executed here, see the Crown Jewels with their dazzling 530-carat diamond, and hear stories brought to life by the Beefeaters who still guard its gates.

Explore the backstreets of London’s East End, where the city’s most infamous serial killer preyed on his victims. Jack the Ripper murdered at least five women, possibly more, in foggy Victorian London. His identity remains a mystery, and perhaps you will spot a clue and try to solve it yourself.

Indian food has been part of British life for nearly 400 years, and today curry dishes rival fish and chips in popularity. Sit down to an authentic Indian dinner, sampling a variety of fragrant, spice-filled dishes that show why this cuisine has become one of the nation’s favorites.

Explore the oldest English-speaking university in the world. Founded in 1096, it grew rapidly after English students left Paris in 1167. Oxford has since been home to influential thinkers and writers, including Sir Walter Raleigh, Roger Bacon, and Dr. Seuss.

See William Shakespeare's childhood home, furnished in a style typical to the Elizabethan period. Then tour the thatched cottage where his wife, Anne Hathaway, lived before her marriage. The adjoining Shakespeare Tree Garden is planted with trees and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's plays.

Take a trip to the banks of the River Avon and explore the rich history of this 1,100 year old castle. Wander through its grand interior, meet Henry VIII and his wives, and experience the re-creation of the dark and grisly past of the castle’s dungeons.

Bath is a unique and beautiful city. The Romans turned it into England’s first spa resort and brilliant architects created the Neo-Classical facades that fill the city and recall its Georgian and Victorian golden age. Jane Austen lived here and the peaceful beauty of the city inspired several of her works.

Meet great Britons from history. Debate their merits and contributions to decide who is the greatest of them all!

Discover Bath, England’s elegant Georgian spa city once famed for its healing waters and social life. Explore the remarkably preserved Roman Baths, built around natural hot springs nearly two thousand years ago. Visit Bath Abbey, known for its magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling and intricate stone carvings, and see Pulteney Bridge, lined with shops and admired for its graceful 18th-century design inspired by Florence’s Ponte Vecchio.

London is the largest city in Europe: quite a feat, considering it’s on a relatively small island. Its location is perfect for an administrative, communications, and trade center, as the Romans realized when they founded their city here in AD 43. London is filled with countless historic and cultural treasures that meld seamlessly into an exciting, contemporary city. In London, the cost of public transport is included for all group sightseeing. Escorted by your Tour Director, you’ll be able to experience the city in the same manner as the locals.

Visit prehistoric Stonehenge, built in 3,000 B.C. The mysterious monument of four concentric rings of hefty stones is believed to have been a sacred place of worship or some type of calendar.

Visit Salisbury Cathedral, one of Britain’s finest examples of medieval architecture. Admire its graceful design and the tallest spire in the country. Inside the 13th-century Chapter House, see one of four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta, displayed beneath its elegant octagonal ceiling.