DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to London.

DAY    2            ARRIVE LONDON - WINCHESTER - WESSEX (3 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide where we will board our own private bus and transfer into the beautiful English countryside. We will stop to visit Winchester, closely associated with Alfred the Great and once the ancient capital of England. Our sightseeing begins with a visit to the remains of Winchester Castle where a round oak table, King Arthur's Round Table, is attached to the wall. We will also visit Winchester Cathedral, the longest medieval cathedral in Britain and the burial place of Jane Austen. We continue to our hotel in the Wessex region.

DAY    3            DAY TRIP TO STONEHENGE, OLD SARUM & SALISBURY
This morning we visit mysterious Stonehenge, a huge circle of lintels and megalithic pillars and one of the most impressive prehistoric monuments in Britain. We continue to nearby Old Sarum where a Celtic hill fort as well as Roman, Saxon and Norman strongholds once stood. We will spend the afternoon in Salisbury where we will visit Salisbury Cathedral. Our visit will include the cathedral's 13th-century octagonal chapter house which displays one of the four surviving original texts of the Magna Carta.

DAY    4            THOMAS HARDY'S WESSEX, CORFE CASTLE & LULWORTH                           COVE
Our morning is dedicated to exploring Thomas Hardy's Wessex. Hardy was one of Britain's finest writers, known for his spectacular settings which can be seen throughout Dorset County. Our morning commences with a visit to Hardy Cottage in Higher Bockhampton, where he was born and died. Our day continues to nearby Stinsford Church, his local parish church where we will view Hardy's Grave. We continue with a visit to the spectacular fortress ruins of Corfe Castle, romantically crowning a jagged pinnacle of rock above the charming unspoilt village of Corfe. The castle has dominated the landscape since the 11th century and became famous after Sir John Bankes' wife and her retainers, mostly women, courageously held out against 600 Parliamentary troops in a six-week siege during the English Civil War. Time and weather permitting, we will take a scenic Walk along the coastal path from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door Natural Arch.

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DAY    4            GLASTONBURY, WELLS & WOOKEY HOLE
This morning we will journey to Glastonbury, a sight often associated with the legend of King Arthur. We will climb 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. Growing in the abbey grounds is a cutting from the famous Glastonbury thorn, which is said to have miraculously grown from the staff of St. Joseph of Arimathea and continues to astonish by flowering each Christmas. We continue to Wells for a visit to the magnificent Cathedral, 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, before concluding our afternoon with a visit to Wookey Hole, an extensive cave system once inhabited by Iron Age man.

DAY    5            WESSEX - BATH - STRATFORD-UPON-AVON AREA (1 NIGHT)
This morning we explore the ancient Roman city of Bath. We begin with a visit to 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. We continue to Stratford-upon-Avon where we will visit Shakespeare's Birthplace, where the Bard was born on April 23, 1564 and died on the same date 52 years later, as well as 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. This evening we will enjoy a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. (Subject to RSC schedule)

DAY    6            STRATFORD-UPON-AVON AREA - WARWICK - OXFORD -                           LONDON (3 NIGHTS)
We begin with a visit to Anne Hathaway's Cottage which provides a rare insight into the life of a family in Shakespearean times. We continue with a visit to Warwick Castle, surrounded by gardens, lawns, and woodland, where peacocks roam freely. Our visit will include: the State Rooms, the Great Hall, the armory, dungeons, a torture chamber, ramparts and a ghost tower. This afternoon we visit Oxford, England's oldest University City. 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 also visit Christ Church College, Oxford's biggest and grandest Renaissance College, founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey. The college's Christ Church Cathedral is the smallest in England. We continue to London, Britain's historic capital city. 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    7            LONDON (THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF ENGLAND)
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 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.

DAY    8            LONDON (ARTIFACTS & ARCHITECTURE IN LONDON)
Our morning begins with a visit to 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 a bit of free time to shop and explore Carnaby and Regent Streets, 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. This evening, we will dine and explore the area around Covent Garden, before attending a West End Theater Performance.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your guide accompanies you to the airport for the return flight home.