Historical England

Upon arrival in Southampton, you’ll be escorted to the railway station where you’ll board the train to Bath. Upon arrival, you’ll be shown to your hotel and, after checking in, enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure to relax or begin exploring Bath on your own. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Today, embark on a half-day tour of Bath, once home to Jane Austen, and whose name derives from the city’s natural hot springs. Admire the beautiful city abounding with grand architecture, and pay a visit to the Roman Baths, some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. Built in 70 AD over hot springs, the Great Bath still receives over one million liters of hot water daily from the 12,000-year-old Kings Spring below. The water, rich with 42 minerals, is one of the City of Bath’s main attractions thanks to its purported healing powers. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before proceeding back to your hotel. Dinner will be on your own 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. After, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before proceeding to your Stratford-upon-Avon hotel. After checking in, the remainder of the day is at your leisure. Dinner will be served in your hotel.

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.

Begin your day with a photo stop at Highclere Castle, made famous by TV’s recent “upstairs/downstairs” series that received international acclaim and fandom. The home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon reflects typical 19th-century taste, and the Egyptian exhibition is the 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s legacy—he helped discover the tomb of Tutankhamun. Meanwhile, the 18th-century landscape was designed in part by Capability Brown. Leaving Highclere, head into Bampton, the setting for many of the show’s village scenes with spots you’re sure to recognize if an enthusiast of the show. After lunch at a local restaurant, head to your London hotel. This evening, dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Depending on your flight departure time, enjoy a half-day panoramic drive of London, taking in all the main sites, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Afterwards, you’ll be escorted to the airport in time for your departing flight.