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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 - CAMBRIDGE AREA (2 NIGHTS)
You will be met at the airport by your tour manager/guide
board your own private coach and be transferred to our hotel
in the Cambridge area. 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 in 1546. 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 and took over 70 years to complete. We will stroll
along the beautiful gardens of the college "Backs", and ,
if feasible, try our hand at Punting on the Cam.
DAY
3 DAY TRIP TO ELY & NORWICH
This morning, we will visit one of England's most
beautiful cathedrals, Ely Cathedral. The Abbey was
founded in the 7th century by Etheldreda, daughter of the
King of the East Angles, and around it grew the town of Ely.
The overwhelming amount of history surrounding the cathedral
will allow you to realize that you are in a land like no other.
We continue to Norwich, shaped by 1000 years of history, it
is a truly English city watched over by the gleaming spire
of its dignified cathedral and wrapped in the thread of the
River Wensum. Our tour of the city will include a visit to
the great Norwich Cathedral, one of the largest in
Britain, and Strangers Hall, a large and rambling city
mansion dedicated to being a museum of domestic life. We will
wander the rooms, which are decorated and furnished in many
styles, from Tudor to Victorian.
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 CAMBRIDGE AREA - LINCOLN AREA (1 NIGHT)
Our journey north takes us to Roman city of Lincoln,
where we will visit the magnificent Cathedral, the third largest
in Britain and whose origins can be traced back to a century
before the Battle of Hastings. The cathedral is a superb exhibit
of excellent medieval craftsmanship. We will also visit Lincoln
Castle, and enjoy some free time to meander through the
cobbled and flagstone streets of antiquity that wind down
from Castle Square.
DAY
5 LINCOLN AREA - NEWSTEAD ABBEY - COVENTRY
-
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON AREA (1 NIGHT)
We leave Lincoln this morning and travel to Shakespeare's
Stratford. En route, we will make a stop at Newstead Abbey.
This medieval priory was converted into a family dwelling
in the 16th century and was the ancestral home of Lord Byron.
His apartments as well as memorabilia of the poet's life can
be seen at the abbey. We will also visit Coventry Cathedral,
bombed by the Luftwaffe in 1941, it is a constant reminder
of the devastation of the Second World War as the ruins of
the medieval cathedral are preserved and connected to its
modern successor. We will continue to Stratford-upon-Avon,
birthplace of William Shakespeare, the world's greatest playwright.
DAY
6 STRATFORD AREA - BRISTOL - BATH AREA
(3 NIGHTS)
This morning we visit the modern Shakespeare
Centre which was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the Bard's birth. We continue on to Shakespeare's Birthplace
and to Holy Trinity Church, the parish church where
Shakespeare is buried all located in an attractive setting
near the River Avon. Our afternoon concludes with a visit
to Anne Hathaway's Cottage, located just outside the
city center. The cottage provides a rare insight into the
life of a family in Shakespearean times, and many of the original
furnishings are preserved inside the house. We then travel
to Bristol to visit the historic Church of St Mary Redcliffe
which is over 1000 years old and one of the finest examples
of Gothic architecture in England. We continue the short drive
to Bath area where we will be spending the next three nights.
DAY
7 DAY TRIP TO GLASTONBURY, WELLS & BATH
This morning we travel to Glastonbury and according to ancient
English legend this area was ruled in the Dark Ages by King
Arthur. we begin with a climb up Glastonbury Tor to
search for the Holy Grail before visiting the beautiful ruins
of Glastonbury Abbey, burial place of King Arthur and
site of the first Christian church in England. After lunch
at medieval Wells, we will tour the magnificent Cathedral
itself, highlighted by the 365 medieval statues of kings,
knights and saints on the West Front, and the unique scissor
arches on the interior. We will also stroll along the Vicar's
Close, one of the oldest complete streets in Europe We
return to Bath, a city steeped in history, where we will visit
the Roman Baths, first associated with the Celtic King
Bladud, and later established by the Romans in the 1st century.
We continue with a Walking Tour through historic Bath,
where we will see: the spectacular façade of Bath Abbey;
Pulteney Bridge, featuring quaint shops and wonderful
views of the city; the Circus and the
Royal Crescent, one of Britain's finest streets.
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
8 DAY TRIP TO EXETER
Today we will visit the cathedral city of Exeter in the heart
of Devon. In the 1st century AD the Romans captured the settlements
of the Dumnonii tribe on the western bank of the River Exe,
making it their most westerly strongpoint. The Saxon town
which succeeded it was largely devastated by Danish invaders
from 876 to 1003, but was rebuilt enough for the Bishop's
seat to be transferred from Crediton to Exeter in 1050. Twin
Norman towers rise above the transepts of Exeter Cathedral,
which was rebuilt in its present form between 1270 and 1360.
The west face has the largest surviving array of 14th century
sculpture anywhere in Britain. Inside, the longest stretch
of 13th century Gothic vaulting in the world decorates the
ceiling. The 59 ft high oak Bishop's Throne in the cathedral
dates from 1313. We will have time to immerse ourselves in
the splendor of this great cathedral before we are introduced
to some of Exeter's more well-known sights on a Walking
Tour as well as enjoying some free time for shopping.
DAY
9 BATH AREA - SALISBURY - WINCHESTER
- LONDON
(3 NIGHTS)
This morning we make our way to Salisbury, visiting what is
considered by many people to be England's most beautiful cathedral.
We will view the Magna Carta before continuing
to King Alfred the Great's capital of Wessex, Winchester to
visit the great Cathedral, which is the perfect place
to appreciate the differences between Gothic and Norman/Romanesque
architecture. We will make our way to the nation's capital,
London. Upon our arrival, we can take a leisurely Walking
Tour of Westminster and Whitehall, including: Trafalgar
Square, Whitehall, Horseguards Parade, Parliament Square,
Downing Street, St. James's Park and Buckingham Palace.
DAY
10 CANTERBURY & LONDON
We will make a day trip to the ecclesiastical center
of England - Canterbury. Before touring the cathedral we will
begin with a visit to St. Martin's Church in Canterbury.
This church is the oldest parish church in England that has
been in continuous use and there is a strong possibility that
the church or the site of the church was used as far back
as the 5th Century, towards the end of the Roman occupation
of England. We will tell our own "Canterbury Tales" as we
repeat Chaucer's famous pilgrimage to famous Canterbury
Cathedral, seat of the primate of the Church of England
since the late 6th century and a place of pilgrimage for over
300 years. On our tour we will see the spot where Thomas Beckett,
the archbishop of Canterbury was brutally murdered in 1170.
There will be time to explore the medieval streets and other
sights of interest, which include St. Augustine's Abbey,
founded in 597 AD and West Gate, once one of the main portals
in the medieval city walls. Later this afternoon we return
to London for 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.
DAY
11 LONDON
We begin with a visit to Westminster Abbey
where English kings and queens have been crowned since 1066.
We will take a guided tour which 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.
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY
12 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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