Description

Day 1 – Welcome to London
Arrive into your London airport and pick up your hire car. Leave the big city behind and drive to the Cotswolds area of England. This beautiful region is quintessentially English, with its picture postcard scenery and chocolate box cottages, many of them thatched. Check in to your hotel or B&B.

Overnight: Cotswolds village (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 2 – Exploring Cotswolds
Spend the day exploring the beautiful villages in the Cotswolds. The most famous villages include Broadway, Chipping Campden and Bourton-onthe-Water, but you may also choose to explore some of the following: Bibury was once described as “the most beautiful village in England”, and the cottages of Arlington Row are often referred to as the most photographed cottages in the country. Further north, the village of Blockley is a unique collection of golden stone cottages, reflecting its past glory.

Overnight: Cotswolds village (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 3 – Cotswolds to Bath
Drive through the southern parts of the Cotswolds to your next overnight location, near Bath. Along the way you may want to stop to explore Bradford-on-Avon, with its ancient bridge and picturesque old weavers’ cottages, it’s easy to understand why it’s known as Beautiful Bradford. Castle Combe is an English village often named as the ‘prettiest village in England.’ Castle Combe has featured regularly as a film location, for example in Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse. Lacock village is also a firm favourite for film and TV producer The village’s most famous appearances include ‘Downton Abbey’, the BBC’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’, and the film ‘Harry Potter and theHalf-Blood Prince’. Continue to the Bath area to check into your next overnight hotel or B&B.
Spend a little bit of time in Bath, one of England’s most beautiful cities, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overnight: Bath area (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 4 – Bath to Cornwall
Today it’s time to head south to Cornwall. On your way you will drive through Somerset and Devon, and we would recommend driving along the north coast and across Exmoor National Park where you can choose to explore some villages along your way: Dunster is one of the most popular places on Exmoor for visitors. It is a medieval village with an ancient castle, priory, dovecote, and a mill. Close by you will find Bossington, a peaceful coastal hamlet. Cross the border into Cornwall and check in to your next hotel or B&B, located in one of Cornwall’s many pretty villages or towns. Cornwall is an ancient Celtic Kingdom, with sandy beaches, picturesque fishing villages and stunning castles for you to explore.

Overnight: Cornwall area (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 5 – Exploring Cornwall
Spend the full day exploring Cornwall. Head to Mousehole, a tiny fishing village retaining its original character, charm and beauty. Fowey is a beautiful small town on the west side of the river Fowey, with narrow medieval streets and Georgian buildings also known for its seafood. Polperro is a largely unspoilt fishing village with beautiful cottages clinging to steep hillsides around a small harbour with spectacular views of land and sea, making it an artist’s paradise. Maybe include a visit to St Michael’s Mount – walk across the granite causeway to an island with its own tiny village, a close-knit community, a medieval castle and a sub-tropical garden.

Overnight: Cornwall area (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 6 – Cornwall to Dorset
Your journey takes you along the south coast of England, from Cornwall, through south Devon to Dorset. Along the way, you can explore the Jurassic Coast and stop in villages such as Salcombe in Devon, a beautiful coastal town. Abbotsbury in Dorset is a pretty, picture-postcard village steeped in history and surrounded by spectacular scenery. As you wander down its narrow streets, you’ll be surrounded by delightful cottage architecture (with many buildings dating back to the 16th century), traditional country tea rooms and olde worlde pubs. Check into your hotel or B&B in one of the many villages or towns in the area.

Overnight: Dorset area – near Weymouth (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 7 – Dorset to Kent
Drive from Dorset to Kent, along the Sussex coast. You may choose to stop to explore the many villages, castles and vineyards along your route. Why not stop in Shaftesbury in Dorset, a quintessential Dorset village, with thatched cottages, quaint tea rooms and small shops. It’s also one of the oldest and highest towns in England, with the famous Gold Hill being one of the most photographed streets in England. Historic, thatched buildings line the streets of Battle, named after the famous battle in 1066 when the Normans conquered England. Rye is a mediaeval gem, perched on a hill, with narrow cobbled streets and medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings. The sort of place you thought existed only in your imagination! Check into your hotel or B&B in the Kent area.

Overnight: Kent area (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 8 – Exploring Kent
Today you have a full day to explore Kent, also known as the Garden of England. Visit one of the many castles or world famous gardens, or maybe you would like to stop in Canterbury to see the magnificent cathedral. There is also time to discover the many pretty villages in the region: Chilham’s historic square, and the small lanes leading to it, are lined with Tudor and Jacobean half-timbered houses. Sandwich is one of the best preserved medieval towns in England, dating back to the 7th century.
Overnight: Kent area (Bed & Full English Breakfast)

Day 9 – Departure
Today your holiday has come to an end, and it is time to return the hire car and depart from your London airport.

DEPARTURE DATES 2019 – 2020

GROUP DEPARTURE CALENDAR 2020