• England

Overview

England's history is replete with writers whose talent has created incredibly influential literature. Follow the footsteps of visionaries from Shakespeare to the Bronte sisters. Make sure to read through the optional add ons for trips to Stonehenge, Chaucer's Canterbury, Dickens' London and more.

This program is only available for groups of 10 or more at this time.

Highlights

  • Tour London - Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Covent Garden, London Eye & London Tower (where you will Learn about the kings in Shakespeare's histories, hear stories of prisoners and executions, & feast your eyes on the Crown Jewels).
  • London - Enjoy Shakespeare in its original setting by participating in a drama workshop at the Globe Theatre.
  • Stratford - Find out where Shakespeare went to school, how he survived the plague, & why he put a curse on his own grave.
  • The Lake District - Visit Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home, on the shores of Grasmere.

Itinerary

Day 1: London

After arrival in England, you will have a chance to view London's most well known sites, including: Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament. We will also stop in Covent Garden, where Eliza Doolittle first met Henry Higgins. In the evening, enjoy a flight on the London Eye. Visit the Tower of London, & meet Henry VIII & his six wives! Learn about the kings in Shakespeare's histories, hear stories of prisoners and executions, & feast your eyes on the Crown Jewels. Whew! What a day!  

Day 2: London

London is a city with a story to tell. Join us today as we visit the best of London. The tour starts at Westminster Abbey, burial place of Britain's great and good. Then, a visit to Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard (when available). We will also cruise down the river Thames.

Day 3: London

Enjoy Shakespeare in its original setting by participating in a drama workshop at the Globe Theatre. Visit Wren's masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, built after the London fire of 1666. Finally, get your head around some mind-bending art at the Tate Modern.

Day 4: Stratford & Warwick

Love Shakespeare? Want to see Britain's most amazing medieval castle? Then join us at Stratford & Warwick for a day of classic castles & barmy bards. Begin your day at Shakespeare's Stratford to find out where the writer went to school, how he survived the plague, & why he put a curse on his own grave. Then, we visit Warwick Castle. Walk the castle walls, experience medieval warfare, & see the grandeur of Countess Daisy's Royal Weekend Party.

Day 5: Haworth

We then travel through a land of stone walls, waterfalls, & rolling dales toward Haworth, a Victorian town that will take you back 150 years. Home of the Brontes, it's the town perched on the edge of the haunting moors that inspired Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre, & dark characters like Heathcliff.

Day 6: The Lake District

From Haworth, we travel to the Lake District, its mountains & lakes the inspiration for writers, poets & painters, & home of William & Dorothy Wordsworth. Ramble in the romantic landscape, & visit Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home, on the shores of Grasmere.

Day 7: The Lake District

We will enjoy a scenic cruise across Windermere, the area's largest lake, as well as a trip to Langdale, a picturesque valley filled with sheep and idyllic villages.

Day 8: London – USA

Transfer to the airport, & board return flight home. 

Optional Add Ons

You may add or exchange any of the days below as part of your literary tour.
  • Stonehenge & Glastonbury - This tour will lead you straight to the Holy Grail. Stone circles, magic, mysticism, the legend of King Arthur, & miraculous healing waters in a land beyond time. We start our journey at the mysterious Stonehenge. Then it's on to Glastonbury, the Isle of Alvalon. Enjoy a short hike up Glastonbury Tor, & become king (or queen) of all you survey.
  • Bath - Then we head to Bath, the setting of Jane Austen''s Northanger Abbey. See the city & Georgian high society through some of its most famous visitors, including Jane Austen & Charles Dickens.
  • Canterbury - In our literary pilgrimage to this medieval walled city, we will follow the trail of Chaucer & characters of The Canterbury Tales to learn about medieval life. Then we visit Canterbury's awe-inspiring cathedral.
  • Writers at War - This day explores literature in the 20th-century through the eyes of the War Poets and the Bloomsbury Set. Paired with the award-winning Imperial War Museum & the Cabinet War Rooms, this tour places the literature of the time in its unique historical context.
  • Hardy Country, Dorchester & Stonehenge - Start at Stonehenge, setting for the climactic finale of Tess of the d'Ubervilles. Visit Thomas Hardy's Cottage and the real life Casterbridge to appreciate Hardy's life and work.
  • Tintagel & Cornwall - Then travel to the dramatic rocky ruin of Tintagel Castle, legendary birthplace of King Arthur. Become a knight for the day in a location immersed in the power of Arthurian legend & Celtic heritage.
  • Victorian London, Dickens Literary Walk/Tate Britain - Discover the darker side of Victorian times as you take a guided walk through Dickensian London, exploring a time in Britain's history where truly, ''It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.'' In the afternoon, visit the Tate Britain to discover the art of the Pre-Raphaelites & William Blake.

Includes

  • International flights
  • Airport transfers
  • Meeting & assistance upon arrival
  • Meals per itinerary
  • Accommodations per itinerary
  • Sightseeing with licensed tour guides
  • Touring with air conditioned vehicle
  • Entrance fees per itinerary