Oxford, Cotswolds & Bath

Upon arrival in London, you’ll be taken to your hotel in Oxford. After checking in, join your local guide for a half-day discovery of the world-famous collegiate city whose alumnae include Bill Clinton, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Lewis Carroll. Embark on a fascinating walking visit, which includes the Great Hall in Christ Church, where many scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel. Continue to the Bodleian Library and the picture-perfect college courtyards for which Oxford is famous. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

This morning, begin your journey to the Cotswolds. En route, stop in Bladon, where Sir Winston Churchill was buried at St. Martin’s Church, then continue to Blenheim Palace—Churchill’s birthplace, one of Britain’s finest stately homes, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After, head to your hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. This evening, dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Today, enjoy a full-day exploration of the Cotswolds, characterized by its picturesque small towns and thatched villages of yellow Cotswold’s stone. Begin your day in Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare’s birthplace, which is steeped in hundreds of years of history. Many of the original houses from Shakespeare’s time are still in excellent condition and are open for visitors, including his birthplace, Mary Arden’s Farm, and Anne Hathaway’s cottage. After lunch, continue through a variety of different villages with something different around every corner—sip pints in ancient pubs and see some of Britain’s most beautifully preserved medieval churches.

After breakfast, meet with your driver-guide and begin your journey to Bath, stopping in Bristol along the way to see some of the city’s main highlights including the HMS Brunel, its avant-garde street-art scene, and the Harbor. After lunch at a local restaurant proceed to Bath. Upon arrival, and embark on a sightseeing visit of this city that was once home to the author Jane Austen. Pay a visit to the Roman Baths, some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world, and take a sip of the healing waters. Dinner will be held at a local restaurant this evening.

After breakfast, begin to head south, visiting one of England’s most iconic monuments, Stonehenge. Built in three stages from approximately 3000 BC, Stonehenge is Europe’s most famous Stone Age monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The alignment of the stones leaves little doubt that the circle is connected with the sun and passing seasons; the mystery, however, is how it was actually built, as it appears that these 40-ton stones were dragged from over 280 miles away in Wales. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Salisbury before continuing on to the cruise terminal in Southampton where you’ll board your Azamara cruise.