2-Centre Tour to Bristol and Oxford
Moderate pace with leisurely intermittent walks up to 2 hours on a variety of terrain, including cobblestones and moderate hills. Must be able to climb at least two flights of stairs, negotiate steps without railings and tolerate periods of standing during guided tours. Some days may include 3–5 km of walking over the course of the day.
We depart for London.
We arrive and transfer to our centrally located hotel in Bristol for a 6-night stay. Tonight is our Welcome Dinner.
Our city tour of Bristol begins at the historic waterfront, where we’ll visit the SS Great Britain. Here we’ll see what life was like on the world’s first great luxury liner (launched in 1843). Then we’ll visit the newly-opened Being Brunel, where we learn about Victorian England’s most ingenious engineer. Brunel changed the face of England with his construction of bridges, tunnels, dockyards,and railways. We finish the day with a wonderful walking tour of Bristol’s historic centre.
Today we meander through the gentle hillsides and sleepy, honey-coloured villages of the Cotswolds - a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Included will be a visit to the magnificent Berkeley Castle. Founded in 1153 by the first Lord Berkeley, it is the UK’s oldest medieval castle occupied by the same family from its inception to this very day.
A day at leisure in this city bursting with activity, stunning architecture, award-winning attractions, great restaurants, stunning cityscapes, and elaborate street art.
We begin in the UNESCO City of Bath, where our guide will show us the stunning honeycoloured Georgian architecture, the iconic Royal Crescent, the majestic Circus, and Pulteney Bridge. Later we visit Bradfordon-Avon. Surrounded by glorious countryside, the ancient bridge in the centre of the town still retains its original 13thcentury arches. There will be free time to explore the historic streets of the town centre. This evening we enjoy a pub dinner.
Lacock Abbey is considered the birthplace of photography, as it was here in the early 1830s that William Fox-Talbot took his first "photograph" of an oriel window. The window looks much the same now as it did 200 years ago. Lacock village has been preserved from the ravages of modern civilization, with no television aerials or other signs of the modern world. After our visit of the Abbey, we’ll visit Tetbury, known for its many antique shops and its proximity to King Charles’s residence at Highgrove. The town has a wonderful variety of individually owned specialty shops, where you may experience a level of service long since vanished from most high streets. Included today will be a traditional Cream Tea.
Today we visit Blenheim Palace - birthplace of Winston Churchill. This National Treasure houses some of Europe’s finest antique collections. We’ll tour the State Rooms, and discover over 300 years of history. There will be time to explore this World Heritage Site and the 2000 acres of landscaped parkland, featuring some of the finest views in England. Later we arrive at our hotel in the countryside of Oxford, for a 6-night stay.
Henley-on-Thames is one of England’s most beautiful towns, and has an international reputation (earned over 175 years) for having the world’s greatest rowing regatta. The town has appeared in many episodes of Midsomer Murders. We begin with a cruise along the regatta route, then tour the Chiltern Hills, dotted with quaint villages and small towns with their typical brick and flint architecture. This evening we enjoy dinner in a local pub.
On our guided walking tour of Oxford - ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’, we’ll see the key university buildings (and hidden alleyways connecting them), visit Radcliffe Square and Bodleian Libraries, and see some of the oldest colleges. We’ll learn about the city’s past and some of the famous characters that studied here, and be enchanted by its fabulous architecture and gardens. There will be free time to explore this beautiful city on our own.
Our hotel is set on 17 landscaped acres, just 10 minutes from the centre of Oxford. You may want to spend the day walking the grounds, enjoying the pool and spa facilities, or play a round of tennis! You may also want to go into Oxford, or take a walk through the market town of Thame.
Our first stop is Aylesbury, known for its vibrant market displaying unique wares in the heart of the historic town. Then we visit Waddesdon Manor, a French Renaissance manor house inspired by the chateaux in the Loire Valley. It was built by the Rothschild family in the 19th century, and boasts a great display of exceptional architecture, art collections, and gardens.
Windsor is steeped in the pageantry and history of the royal family. We’ll enjoy both a walking tour and a visit to Windsor Castle - one of the King’s official residences, and the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. Tonight, we enjoy our Farewell Dinner and lift a glass to cheer this incredible tour!
We fly home from London.
You may cancel your tour up to 60 days prior to departure (90 days prior for tours requiring a visa, cruises or rail journeys) for any reason, and receive a full refund of your deposit / payment (less the $75 administration fee).
Cancellation & trip interruption insurance included!
Included in the cost of your tour is our Cancellation Insurance Policy, which provides coverage in case of emergency injury or illness (including Covid), right up to your date of departure (terms and conditions apply).
Our Manulife Out-of-Country Health Insurance Plan covers expenses related to Trip Interruption in case of emergency injury or illness. For tours within Canada, Senior Discovery Tours will cover such expenses (terms and conditions apply to all policies).
