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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to London.
DAY
2 ARRIVE LONDON - OXFORD - STRATFORD
AREA
(2 NIGHTS)
You will be met at the airport by your tour manager/guide
where we will board our own private coach and transferred to
the Stratford Upon Avon area, birthplace of William
Shakespeare, the world's greatest playwright. En route, we
shall stop in Oxford, England’s oldest University City, which
is associated with many notable literary alumni including such
diverse characters as Geoffrey Chaucer, Lewis Carroll, Oscar
Wilde, C.S. Lewis and Evelyn Waugh. We will take a Walking
Tour to view many of the colleges that make up Oxford, as
well as the Sheldonian Theater and the
Bodleian Library. We will visit Christ Church
College, Oxford’s biggest and grandest Renaissance
College, which was founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey. The
college’s Christ Church Cathedral is the
smallest in England. We continue on to our hotel in the
Stratford Upon Avon Area for the night
DAY
3 HALF DAY TRIP TO WARWICK
This morning we will make a visit to Warwick Castle,
the finest medieval fortress in England. Collections of
paintings, furniture, arms and armor are housed in the State
Rooms, Great Hall and Armory. The castle also boasts dungeons,
a torture chamber, rampart walk and a ghost tower. We will
return to Stratford upon-Avon, a city forever associated with
the playwright William Shakespeare. Our next visit will be
to Shakespeare’s Birthplace and the modern
Shakespeare Centre, built next door to commemorate the
400th anniversary of the Bard's birth. We continue with a
brief visit to Holy Trinity Church, the parish church
where Shakespeare is buried, located in an attractive setting
near the River Avon
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 STRATFORD AREA - YORKSHIRE (2 NIGHTS)
We travel to York this morning where our sightseeing begins in
Exhibition Square where we will take a Walking Tour of
the city, a perfect way to learn about the history and lore of
the city through numerous intriguing stories. We continue
with a visit to York Minster, which traces its origins
from the early 7th century and features stunning stained glass
from the Middle Ages. Those who choose to may ascend the
Central Tower for panoramic views of York. We continue to the
Shambles, which is a narrow ancient street filled with
shops and cafes
DAY
5 HALF DAY TRIP TO HAWORTH
We will drive this morning to Haworth, the home of the Bronte
sisters. We will visit the lonely Parsonage where
Emily and Charlotte Bronte lived and St. Michael’s Church
where they are buried. There will, of course, be some free
time today prior to preparing for our second concert
performance
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
6 YORKSHIRE - CAMBRIDGE - LONDON (3 NIGHTS)
En route to the capital, our exploration of Cambridge
will begin with a Walking Tour of several of the ancient
colleges, including the Great St. Mary's Church, St. John's
and Trinity, founded by Henry VIII. At magnificent King's
College we will visit the Chapel, famous
for its glorious fan vaulted ceiling, and considered the most
elegant example of perpendicular architecture in England.
We will also stroll along the beautiful gardens of the college
"Backs."
DAY
7 LONDON
We begin with a visit to Westminster Abbey, where
English kings and queens have been crowned since 1066. We
will take a Blue-Badge guided tour that will include the
Royal Chapels, holding the tombs of the monarchs,
as well as Poets' Corner, featuring memorials to
famous British literary figures. Our morning continues as we
walk past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben before taking a
Thames River Cruise, a relaxing way to view many of
London’s most magnificent sights. This afternoon we will
visit the Tower of London, one of Britain’s most
fascinating and important historical structures, with its
macabre associations with the legendary figures imprisoned
and/or executed here. Our visit will include the
Armories, a display of instruments of torture and
execution and the Crown Jewels Exhibit. This
evening we will spend time around Piccadilly Circus and
Leicester Square, two of London’s most vibrant and
lively areas
DAY
8 LONDON
This morning we visit the British Museum, one of the
most comprehensive collections of art and artifacts in the
world. Highlights of our visit will include: the
Rosetta Stone, whose discovery led to the deciphering
of hieroglyphs; the Elgin Marbles, from the
Parthenon in Athens; and the Sutton Hoo Treasure.
After lunch we continue with a visit to St. Paul’s
Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s Renaissance-style
masterpiece. Our visit will include an ascent to the
Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the
faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side, as
well as the American Memorial Chapel, honoring
the 28,000 U.S. service personnel who lost their lives while
stationed in Britain during World
War II
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY
9 DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your
tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport for the
return flight home.
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