8 Day Heart of
Wales & England Tour Itinerary
Day 1 : London & Welcome
Dinner
Your trip
starts at Heathrow Airport with a pre-booked independent transfer to your hotel.
A transfer from Gatwick Airport can be arranged at an additional cost. At 2:30
pm take an orientation tour around central London to see famous landmarks
including Piccadilly Circus, Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Big
Ben and the Houses of Parliament. In the evening meet your tour director over a
welcome drink to discuss your itinerary before dining in the hotel. (D)
Day 2 : Tower of London & City
Sights
Today you may
schedule your London sightseeing as you wish using your included vouchers. Take
an open-top bus tour around the many famous landmarks and you may get on and off
as you wish. There are a number of different bus routes as well as a walking
tour and a cruise on the River Thames. Also included is a visit
to the Tower of London to view the magnificent Crown Jewels, guarded by
Beefeaters in distinctive Tudor uniforms. See the White Tower, completed in
1097, and many other fortresses. You are free to choose a restaurant to dine
independently. (B)
Day 3 : Jane Austen's Bath &
Cardiff Castle Banquet
Drive west to
the town of Bath, popular for its natural hot springs with the Romans 2,000
years ago and again in the Regency period. Bath was home to Jane Austen from
1801 to 1806 when the city was a popular spa resort and provided the setting for
two of her novels, “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion.” Take a walking tour to
view Regency houses, the Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey. Visit the Roman Baths
and Pump Room to see many sections still preserved after two millennia. View the
elegant Royal Crescent and other fine streets before heading into Wales for a
look at the regenerated Cardiff Bay and Wales' proud capital. Head to Cardiff
Castle, developed in Roman times and transformed into an elaborate Gothic-style
castle in the 19th century. A tour of the castle is followed by a fun Welsh
banquet in the undercroft. (B, D)
Day 4 : Brecon Beacons &
Portmeirion Village Afternoon Tea
Drive past
the coal producing region of South Wales and through the lovely expanses of
Brecon Beacons National Park, a region of gentle hills. Drive north through the
lovely Welsh farming lands to visit the Italianate village of Portmeirion. This
elaborate resort with winding streets, towers and woodland gardens was founded
in the 1920's to show how a naturally beautiful place could be developed without
spoiling it. Take a guided walking tour around the grounds and enjoy tea and
some traditional Welsh baked goods. A short drive will take you to Caernarfon,
best known for its great stone castle, built in 1283 by Edward I, where Charles,
the Prince of Wales, was invested in 1969. Browse around the town on your own
before dinner. (B, D)
Day 5 : North Wales, Snowdonia
& Caernarfon Castle
Today tour
scenic North Wales starting at the National Slate Museum which relates the
hardships of this region's slate industry, developed in Victorian times. As you
drive through the countryside view Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Pause in
the village of Betws-y-Coed before heading to Conwy, a walled town with a huge
castle, centuries-old buildings and the smallest house in Britain. Back in
Caernarfon, tour Caernarfon Castle, once a vast military stronghold and a royal
palace. Explore walkways around the massive walls and battlements that dominate
the town. After dinner you may like to check out some of the old pubs around the
town. (B, D)
Day 6 : Llangollen &
Stratford-upon-Avon
Drive through
the gentle scenery of North Wales and take a break in the charming village of
Llangollen before heading across the English border into Shropshire. Explore the
picturesque town of Bridgnorth to see fine gabled and half-timbered houses.
Drive to Stratford-upon-Avon for a panoramic tour around the lovely old town
with distinctive black-and-white houses and shops. Visit Shakespeare's
Birthplace to see an exhibition about his life and work. Then enter the house
where he was born to see rooms furnished as they would have been in his
day. Check in to your nearby Tudor-style hotel and enjoy free time before
dinner. (B, D)
Day 7 : Cotswolds & Windsor
Castle
Drive through
part of the Cotswolds and stop in the village of Broadway to look at quaint old
houses built of honey-hued stone. Drive south to Oxford for a walking tour
through the historic city to learn about the most famous colleges, including
Christ Church College, founded in 1524, and the many prominent graduates. After
free time head to Windsor to visit Windsor Castle, one of The Queen's official
residences and the largest occupied castle in the world. Marvel at the size of
the castle and walk through the lavishly decorated State Apartments. Check in to
your hotel, close to the Castle, for a farewell dinner with your travel group.
(B, D)
Day 8 : Tour Ends Heathrow Airport
Travel by group coach transfer to arrive at Heathrow
Airport at either 7:00 am or 10:00 am to allow plenty of time for check in
formalities. (B)
B: Breakfast; D:
Dinner