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SHAKESPEARE'S LAND & THE COTSWOLDS
HEART OF ENGLAND
3 days / 2 nights - Wednesday to Friday

Here's what our American cousins call a 'no brainer'! First of all, let's look at what this tour includes - virtually, all of the 'must-see' icons a first time visitor to London and England wants to see. Oxford, Stratford, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock, Blenheim Palace and Warwick Castle. Usually, it takes three separate day tours from London to cover all of these. If you do it this way, however, over the three days you waste at least eight (yes, eight!) hours of your precious holiday time sitting on a coach travelling the freeway and fighting London traffic going out and coming home. People totally underestimate the time it takes getting to and from these sites from London. It doesn't take a math expert to equate this to a day lost.

Now, doing it the Back-Roads way, you see the main icons AND in the time we've saved not travelling freeways and fighting London traffic every day, you also get 'real England' sights others miss - Kenilworth, the Chilterns, Parish churches, Beaconsfield, the Mayflower Barn, the Avon canal, Salisbury Plain, Hungerford and much more. In addition, you also spend two lovely evenings in a charming, edge of the Cotswolds inn with dinner and a local pub atmosphere to enjoy.

And the economics? Three day-tours will normally cost you approximately £180. Two nights in London with quality, three course dinner no less than £140. Plus local transport costs getting to and from the drop-off points. That's £330 per person. So, there you are, combine your three day-tours into a Back-Roads Touring Co. three-day tour and you've basically got four days real time touring for the price of three (and with a lot more style and flexibility that a small group gives)! Yes, it's a 'no brainer'!

2008 dates: every Wednesday, from 16 April through 5 November.

Winter dates available on request, subject to availability.

This GUARANTEED DEPARTURE begins WEDNESDAYS as above from central London hotels below.
It is your responsibility to be there in plenty of time.

The Royal National, Bedford Way The Corus Hotel, Hyde Park The Grosvenor Thistle, Victoria Station The Holiday Inn Forum The Chiswick Hotel, Chiswick

08.00 (underground Russell Square) 08.20 (underground Lancaster Gate) 08.30 (underground Victoria Station) 08.45 (underground Gloucester Road) 09.00 (underground Turnham Green)

NOTE: Clients should wait by the concierge desk. Return drop-offs are to any central London hotel.

Cost: $779 USD per adult sharing a twin/double room; $809 USD single occupancy

What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 2 nights while on the tour including both full breakfasts and dinners. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.

Airport transfers and accommodation pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved at a specially discounted price. Our London tour base is the Chiswick Hotel so you will be picked-up for your tour here at 09.00 if booking pre-tour accommodation with us.

Want to upgrade your tour package to include international airfare? Click here for info.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY

Day One - Wednesday

We leave London, with our first port of call being the ancient town of Beconsfield and see the nearby Mayflower Barn - a Quaker Meeting House built from timbers of this historic ship. Beconsfield is Britain's richest neighbourhood and home to countless celebrities. You'll hardly believe the homes you'll see here! Less then an hour's drive through the picture post card Chiltern Hills lies mediaeval Oxford, 'city of the dreaming spires'. Here you'll enjoy a guided walk through the colleges. Literature fans will delight to see the places associated with C S Lewis, Tolkein, 'Alice in Wonderland', and even Harry Potter's 'Hogwarts'! Next on our perfect day we'll see Winston Churchill's tomb at Bladon and visit his remarkable birthplace Blenheim Palace.

Accommodation: Cotswolds

Day Two - Thursday

Stratford-upon-Avon with its Shakespearean sites is first on today's visits. Stratford can be busy, being England's most popular tourist destination outside of London, but as we're staying close by, we'll arrive early and leave before the large tour coaches arrive! There'll be free time to explore this interesting town before we visit the lesser-known house of Shakespeare's mother and take a most informative tour learning about life in the 1500's. This afternoon sees us at the incredible Warwick Castle where there will be ample time to explore both the castle and the mediaeval town itself. The prehistoric Rollright Stones are also on today's agenda, and we'll use the time we've saved by not having to dash back to London to see the picturesque Kenilworth Castle.

Day Three - Friday

Our morning see us exploring the very best of the Cotswolds. With our small vehicle we'll get where larger coaches can't and avoid the commercialised 'honey-pots'. Naturally we'll not miss seeing the most famed market towns like Chipping Camden, but we think you'll enjoy the hidden, less visited villages somewhat more! Then to the preserved village of Lacock. This lovely place, where TV ariels, telephone wires and advertising are banned, has been used as a film set in everything from 'Pride and Prejudice' to 'Harry Potter'. Fittingly, the local abbey was where George Fox Talbot pioneered photography.

Our final visit of the day, and tour, is at Avebury. This incredible World Heritage prehistoric temple site is more impressive for many than even Stonehenge. You'll also see the mysterious Silbury hill.

We return to London arriving at approximately 18.00. Your accommodation is not included tonight but we are happy to assist with your accommodation arrangements (available for a supplemental fee.)

Note: on special departures between November and March, alternative sites are visited where National Trust properties are closed.

This tour may be combined with our weekly four-day In Search of Arthur, or with select departures of our Stately Homes and Gardens tour of Kent; Literary Southern England or Roman Britain South.

This tour is operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd