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HARRY POTTER Mini-Tour of England & Wales
Three days / Two nights
Whatever your age, it's magic all the way on this activity-based tour for film and book enthusiast alike. We combine visits to film locations with memorable sightseeing of a range of classic UK attractions. You see mediaeval villages and historic cities, a fairy tale castle and a prehistoric stone temple, stunning scenery and wonderful architecture. But it's a 'doing tour' too, designed for a family to have holiday fun together (and take lots of photographs!)
There's a steam train ride, castle exploring, woodland walking and family competitions to enter. Our tour is also designed to introduce youngsters to some other famed children's writers including C.S Lewis, Lewis Carroll and Roald Dahl. All-in-all, it's a perfect voyage of discovery and we hope a great way to build on the Harry Potter experience.
Tour Dates: Your choice! Any day of the week.
This tour begins and finishes in London. You will be picked up from your London hotel at approximately 09:00.
Available at any date for private groups of 2 – 15 people, subject to availability. Rates are based upon vehicle and guide hire per day; groups of 7 - 15 would have a per person rate same/similar to one of our scheduled tours of the same length.
Price: dependent upon how many are in your party; please contact us for a quote. Contact us for availability and rate quote: specialgrouptours@yahoo.com
Please note, this is a suggested itinerary. It may be revised to suit your individual group needs.
What your tour package includes: The private services of your driver/guide for 3 touring days, your accommodation for 2 nights while on the tour including breakfast and dinner daily, all entrance fees to gardens and attractions, transportation, all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.
Airport transfers, accommodation pre and post tour, London city tours, London attraction passes and London transport passes are not included but can be added to your package as you wish. Ask us for details.
Why not Link it? This tour ’links up’ with Jane Austen Country, Literary Heart of England, Literary Lakes and Dylan Thomas Trail tours and more. Create a holiday break to suit your schedule!
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
DAY ONE
We leave the 'Muggles' of London behind and begin our magical journey with a visit to the newly opened Roald Dahl Museum. Here, young and old alike can discover the inspiration behind 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'James and the Giant Peach' and 'The BFG'. It's then a short hop to Oxford, home to Britain's oldest university. Have fun following in Harry, Ron and Hermonie's footsteps as we climb the stairs of 'Hogwarts', see where Harry met Tom Riddle and see the locations of Hogwarts infirmary and library! Let's not forget Christ Church College dining hall, used as the 'model' for Hogwarts Hall and an interesting museum with an eclectic mix of oddities, including the shrunken heads seen on the 'Knight Bus'. Oxford was also the setting for a magical book of another age but still managing to thrill today's generations. You'll see where Alice wondered through the small door into Wonderland, find a dodo, and discover where Lewis Carroll took his inspiration for the white rabbit, elongated necks and Mad Hatter tea parties on our 'Alice in Wonderland' walk. Other children's authors we can find here are C S Lewis ('The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe') and J R Tolkein ('Lord of the Rings').
NIGHTSTOP: Cotswolds
DAY TWO
Another great day. This morning we'll travel through the delightful Cotswolds region of honey-coloured stone villages, Tolkein's inspiration for the 'The Shire' in the Hobbit. We'll see if the locals have hairy feet! It's then on to a magical stone circle where you'll hear about the legend of the Witch, King and Fairies who live underground. It's then time to meet some of Harry's feathered friends - at a flying demonstration of birds of prey including an owl or two. What a hoot! Next, a 'Hogwarts Express' style steam train ride takes us through the countryside to Cheltenham. Perhaps they'll sell Chocolate Frogs on board…. Our last visit of the day is to the old cathedral city of Gloucester, immortalised by Beatrix Potter in her tale 'The Tailor of Gloucester'. We'll visit the cathedral where you can follow a Harry Potter trail around the cathedral cloisters used in the films as the school corridors, location of the girls' bathroom scene and more.
NIGHTSTOP: Near Gloucester
DAY THREE
This morning we venture into the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley. This was an area well-known to J K Rowling, creator of our boy-wizard, and places like the 12th century Chepstow Castle and Forest must have been a source of great inspiration. We'll see her old family home and school. Weather and time permitting, we'll take a stroll in the forest looking for Fairie spirits, Unicorns and perhaps 'Firenze' the Cenatour. We'll then drive into the country of Wales, hearing stories of Dragons and Merlin the Magician before exploring the battlements of the fairytale Chepstow Castle (where you can imagine defending the castle against the forces of darkness alongside Harry and gang, or learning to fly a broomstick).
Next, we'll stop at a fantastic site, the perfectly preserved mediaeval village of Lacock - used extensively as a location in the Harry Potter films, including a house where 'You Know Who' murdered Harry's parents! Our final stop of the day before returning to London is where it all began. We'll visit the real street used as 'Privet Drive' in the movies…maybe we'll see Hagrid flying by on his motorbike!
You're delivered to your central London hotel for approximately 19.00.
NIGHTSTOP: London (own account, not included in tour price. Accommodation is available for a supplemental fee.)
NOTE: Depending on time of year, certain attractions (miniature village and steam train rides) are either unavailable or appear on different days of your itinerary. Also, Christchurch College occasionally is closed without warning for private functions or college events. A substitute attraction will be visited should this occur.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an unofficial tour and is not authorized by Warner Brothers or by JK Rowling.
Please note: All attraction opening dates/times are correct at time of printing this website.
We also offer a one-day Harry Potter tour, departing central London that features film locations in Oxford, a steam train ride (on available weekend dates), and a visit to the miniature village if you don’t have time for a 3-day tour.
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