Itinerary

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Day 1
Depart for London at 8:35 PM on your overnight British Airways flight from Baltimore Washington International Airport. Dinner and breakfast will be served during your flight.

Day 2
Arrive at Heathrow at 9:00 AM. After gathering luggage and going through customs, meet your coach driver for the beginning of your journey. Travel nearby to Windsor. Home to one of the Royal Residences, Windsor Castle, you'll find this is only a short drive from Heathrow. The stop will give you a chance to stretch your legs after your long flight. The Crooked House of Windsor Cafcafé and Tea Room is the first stop. Here enjoy a 'cuppa' tea and crumpet or scone. From here it is a short walk to Windsor Castle, a royal residence for over 900 years. Providing the Queen is not in residence, which we won't know until closer to the time of visiting, you'll have an opportunity to visit the castle and explore the State Apartments. If the Queen is in Residence, the State Apartments will not be open to the public. However, there is still much to see and enjoy. Queen Mary's Doll House, the Queens Gallery, and St. George's Chapel, are in themselves worth the visit. Perhaps changing of the guard will also occur. Seeing this ceremony here offers you a much better view than what you would see at Buckingham Palace. And, as you will find in many of the visits you make on this journey, there are several lovely gift shops on the grounds. Time permitting, you can also stroll Windsor proper.

Then depart for a short visit to one of the most famous sites in England - Stonehenge. You will have time to walk the path around the ancient site. Although to this date these stones continue to raise questions and speculation on how they got there, we do know that its history goes back as far as 1600 BC with the circular structure aligned with the rising of the sun at the midsummer solstice.

Depart next for Bath, your home for the first three nights of this journey. After depositing luggage at the Abbey Hotel, built in the 1740s but with all the modern conveniences of today, you will make the very short walk to the famous Pump Room, located next to the historic Roman Baths. You'll find that the hotel is within easy walking distance for visiting the heart of Bath and its many treasures, shops and restaurants. After a lovely day in exploration, it's now time for your first relaxing afternoon tea. And it will be the traditional Pump Room Tea that you'll enjoy in the Georgian Pump Room, made famous in many of Jane Austen's writings. A selection of tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, fruit preserves, Pump Room cakes and pastries will accompany your afternoon tea. Afterwards you can take some time to stroll around the square in front of the Baths before you head back to the hotel to check into your room. Dinner (included) will be in your hotel this evening.

Day 3
After a full English breakfast in your hotel, meet your Blue Badge Guide for a morning walking and coach orientation tour of Bath. Not only will you be seeing this charming city through the eyes of Jane Austen, you'll also understand what being a spa town has meant throughout history, including going back to the Roman times. You'll visit the Roman Baths themselves, and explore the many rooms and features of this ancient site. And if you're inquisitive enough, you can taste the special 'restorative' waters.

Then enjoy some free time before you get back with your fellow travelers to head to the Jane Austen Center for a private talk and entrance to the house museum. End the visit with a 'Tea with Mr. Darcy,' a lovely afternoon tea in the new Jane Austen Center Regency Tea Rooms. Of course it would be lovely if Mr. Darcy did show up to enjoy along with you the two kinds of cake, assortment of sandwiches, scone, cream and jam with a pot of tea.

The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore and take advantage of the wonderful stores and shopping Bath has to offer. There are many places you may want to explore - from the Costume Museum, to the Building of Bath Museum, to the Bath Postal Museum. Or your interest may be in antiques and unique shops since Bath abounds in many of these.

The evening is on your own, and consider taking in a performance at the Theatre Royal Bath, a historic theater in its own right with intriguing performances throughout the year. There are a variety of lovely restaurants to choose from as well. If you're brave enough there is always the Bath Ghost Walk. Perhaps you'll be lucky this weekend and have an opportunity to attend a concert in the Bath Abbey. Closer to the time of this tour, further information will be shared with you as to what entertainment is available in the city.

Day 4
Enjoy a full English breakfast in your hotel with the rest of the morning free to go for a leisurely stroll, attend church services, or just relax at the hotel. In the early afternoon, travel to No.1 Royal Crescent, and explore this exquisite and grand town house which gives you a glimpse of what it would have been like in the late 18th Century. The Duke of York, son of George III was one of the earlier residents of this home.

Return to the center of Bath and walk to Sally Lunn's, for tea and a famous Sally Lunn Bun, a very popular delicacy in the Georgian era. It would be a shame to come to Bath without enjoying one of these famous buns. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to get that last minute souvenir or visit some of the many sites available in this charming city. Dinner (included) is in your hotel this evening.

Day 5
After a full English breakfast in your hotel, prepare for a mid-morning departure from Bath as you now travel to the Heart of England and go deeper into the Cotswolds, an area of England that offers strikingly beautiful countryside dotted with enchanting villages. These are often the places people think about when they think 'English' countryside scenery. The limestone buildings that you saw in Bath are carried on throughout this region and you'll see dry stone walls in the many fields. In the medieval period this was a major wool producing area with many of the market towns formed for the weekly sheep and woolen sales. And you can be sure that even though wool is not the major industry today as it once was, you'll definitely be seeing sheep in the hillsides - or on the roadways - during your next three days in the Cotswolds.

Travel to your first stop, Lacock - used as the Bennett family village Meryton in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. Visit the Abbey - also used in the filming of Harry Potter. This interesting country house was formed in 1542 out of a Medieval Cloistered Abbey for Augustinian Canonesses that was founded in 1232. It was once lived in by William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-77), inventor of the negative/positive photographic process, whose descendants gave the Abbey to the Trust in 1944. A museum on site gives more of his history.

Then take a leisurely stroll through the village to the charming King John's Hunting Lodge, where owner and your hostess, Margaret Vaughan will serve a Royal Tea -- a full cream tea. As the oldest building in the village, this really was a hunting lodge for King John (1167 - 1216). Margaret is also the author of Tea with the Bennets. Perhaps you'll get to sit in the same seat enjoyed by Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) when he had tea with Margaret during the BBC filming. If she has time, we're sure she'll be willing to share stories and history of her tea room and B&B.

After departing Lacock, continue on through various villages such as Northleach and head towards Burford - another town that gained it's wealth from the woolen industry. Here you'll have a chance to walk around the village and explore the variety of shops including antiques, gifts, tea, and clothing - it has it all. Before leaving, stop at Huffkins, a well known bakery, for an afternoon cup of tea and cake. End the day by checking into the Wroxton House Hotel, your home for the next three nights. This former manor house hotel with its thatched cottages dates back to 1654 and is ideally situated in the village of Wroxton St. Mary for your exploration of the Cotswolds. Dinner (included) is in your hotel this evening.

Day 6
Enjoy a full English breakfast in the hotel. Then be met by a Blue Badge Guide for the day who will join the group on the coach as you explore the villages of the Cotswolds. The history and stories of this area are many and you'll get a much fuller appreciation of the Cotswolds. Although you won't be able to stop at all the villages, you will have the opportunity throughout the day to enjoy a few. A tea is planned for the afternoon, but throughout the day you'll see a variety of tea shops, which you can explore on your own.

Bourton-on-the-Water, often voted one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds, will enchant you. Many of the cottages and homes date back 300 years. As a matter of fact, one of the major attractions is a miniature reproduction of the village. Stow-on-the-Wold, another village with a long history going back to Queen Elizabeth I, has a huge market square and has become famous as a center for antiques.

In the early afternoon, visit Hidcote Manor Gardens, one of England's greatest gardens, now operated by the National Trust. Here you'll learn more about the creation of this 'arts and crafts' masterpiece. But it is interesting to note that it has Baltimore connections. Lawrence Johnston was born in Paris into a wealthy Baltimore stock broking family. After graduation he traveled to England to study at Cambridge. He later became a naturalized Englishman. His mother, Gertrude Winthrop, acquired the estate in 1907 and he soon became interested in turning the farmland into a garden. In 1910 he began to lay out the features of the garden and by 1920 he had twelve full-time gardeners working for him. The garden consists of a series of outdoor rooms, each with its own unique character.

Then depart for more Cotswolds explorations. At the time of writing this brochure, an afternoon cream tea is planned in one of the villages - Chipping-Campden or Moreton-in-the-Marsh, both busy wooltraders towns in the 14th Century. Closer to the time of the tour, you'll be told where you'll be enjoying tea. Perhaps it will be Badgers Hall which offers a traditional English Tearoom experience in a setting that goes back to the 15th Century. Or you may be partaking tea in the Bantam Hall Tearooms, in a 300 year old building that was at one time known as the Guild House when it was built in 1693. It later became a dairy and eventually a butcher shop. But today it is a lovely B&B and tea room. The Marshmallow Tea Room, a traditional tea room in Moreton-in-the-Marsh, is another possibility. And time permitting; you'll have a chance to explore some of the lovely shops on High Street in either of the towns. Return to Wroxton House Hotel for a leisurely evening. Dinner (included) is in your hotel.

Day 7
Following a full English breakfast in your hotel, travel to Worcester, the capital city of the County of Worcestershire that lies beside the River Severn. The city's fortunes were based on glove making, pottery manufacture (Royal Worcester Porcelain), salmon fisheries (long gone), and the famous Worcestershire sauce. Upon arriving you'll visit the Worcester Cathedral, started in 1084. Its many attractions include: King John's Tomb, Prince Arthur's (eldest son of Henry VII) Chantry, the early 12th century Chapter House, and St Wulstan's Crypt.

Enjoy some free time exploring the city and join the group again at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory - certainly a mecca for any tea lover. In 1751 Dr. John Wall founded a porcelain factory and was later granted the Royal Warrant by King George III. In 2001 the factory celebrated its 250th anniversary. This date, you'll learn about the history and the making of the famous porcelain as well as having an opportunity to visit the museum. The collection of porcelains here is grand. End your visit with a lovely afternoon tea in the factory's café.

After departing Worcester, travel back through the Cotswolds and its charming villages. There should be time to stop at Broadway, once a major coaching stop from Worcester to London. With only three remaining coaching inns today, at one time the broad way (High Street) boasted up to 33. There are a lot of literary and artist connections as well. Henry James, John Singer Sargent, Elgar, J.M Barrie, and William Morris are just some of the ones with ties to this lovely village. Return to your hotel. Dinner (included) is in your hotel.

Day 8
Take in a full English breakfast before departing your hotel. You're now heading to London. However, you first visit Blenheim Palace. Home to the Churchill's, and where Winston Churchill was born, the palace was named from a decisive battle that took place in 1704 in a small village along the river Danube called Blindheim or Blenheim. John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, won the battle over the forces of Louis XIV, thus saving Europe from French domination. In reward for his services in defending Holland and Austria from invasion by the French, a grateful Queen Anne granted to Marlborough the Royal Manor of Woodstock and signified that she would build him, at her own expense, a house to be called Blenheim. Thus you have the Palace you see today that was built between 1705 and 1722. Explore the house at your leisure and then join the group in the Terrace Restaurant for a light lunch of soup, bread, dessert, and tea.

Following your visit to Blenheim Palace, head into London. Upon arriving you'll be met by a Blue Badge guide who will board the coach and provide an orientation tour of London. This is a perfect start to better understand the wealth of history, shopping and excitement this magnificent city has for you. Check into your hotel, the Thistle Victoria. Again, this hotel offers an ideal location for exploration. Located at Victoria Station, a variety of shopping, transportation, and restaurants is at your doorstep. It's also within easy walking distance of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and other attractions. This evening is free and dinner is on your own.

During one of your evenings in London, please consider a show in the West End. The Thistle Victoria has two theatres just across the road from it, one of which has Billy Elliott which won the Olivier Award this past year for best musical. Novel Explorations will be glad to help you get tickets prior to your arrival in London. Also, prior to departing for England, you'll have a list of suggestions for wonderful and interesting places for dining.

Day 9
Start the morning out leisurely. Full English breakfast is in your hotel. The coach will pick you up for a late morning visit to Fortnum and Mason. Founded in 1707, William Fortnum joined Mr. Mason in the establishment of a new grocer's shop. Today the store continues to carry on the very essence of Englishness and provides some of the greatest goods to be found. Meet with a member of the tea department as they explain the variety of teas held in the store. You'll leave with a better understanding of why the store today still carries the Royal Warrant. You'll have extra time to explore the store and purchase those food items and gifts that you just can't get back home. And if time permits, you can explore some of the other Georgian and Regency era stores that are just down the street from Fortnum and Masons.

Travel next to Twinings, a company with over 300 years of history. The store is small. The group will take turns as they meet with the Curator in the orientation room to learn of this tea industry giant's past and the role that Mrs. Twining played in making the name as well known as it is today. And of course you'll have time to purchase some special products to take back home.

End the afternoon with afternoon tea at The Tea Palace in the Notting Hill area. The tea room, recommended by tea expert and author Jane Pettigrew is the perfect place to have a wonderful afternoon tea. The Palace Tea consists of assorted finger sandwiches, scones, organic clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of cakes. This establishment is very proud of the 150 quality teas and infusions that it carries and loves to educate patrons about the fine art of drinking tea. A tea shop is also on the premises.

Return to the hotel via your coach. The rest of the evening is free to enjoy one of London's fine restaurants, see some sites, or attend a West End Show. Perhaps you'd like to take an evening cruise on the Thames or view London at night from the London Eye. This British Airways Ferris wheel like ride carries 32 giant enclosed capsules that provide a marvelous view of London.

Day 10
Full English breakfast is in your hotel. The morning is free for you to relax or do some sightseeing on your own. However, you'll also have time to take a taxi or the underground to one of London's most famous street markets - the Portobello Road Market. Here you can explore the many antique stalls and shops. Return to the hotel in time to drop off packages and meet your coach for the afternoon visits.

At 1:00 PM meet your coach and travel to the Linley Sambourne House, a unique example of a late Victorian townhouse. Home to the cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne and his family from 1874, it survives with almost all of its furniture and fittings intact. Put your imagination to work and think of what it would have been like preparing afternoon tea. Then journey to the Victoria & Albert Museum where you'll have a couple of hours to explore the varied and rich collections the museum has to offer. Return to the hotel via coach or stay in the area and visit Harrods, the famous department store, which is just a few blocks from the museum. The rest of the evening is at your leisure for further explorations, dinner, theatre or an early nights rest.

Day 11
Full English breakfast is in your hotel. Morning is at your leisure and offers an opportunity to attend church services or do some other sight seeing. Meet at hotel mid-day for the ultimate afternoon and end to your stay in London. Begin the afternoon at the hotel with a lecture and discussion with famed tea expert and author, Jane Pettigrew. Commissioned by the National Trust for several tea related books, she is also a frequent speaker at the World Tea Expo held in the USA each year. Today Ms Pettigrew will be speaking on the social history of tea and tea wares. There will also be time for a question and answer session.

At the end of the session, she'll join you on the coach as you travel to visit Spencer House. This elegant town house is London's only 18th century private palace to survive intact. It was built in 1756-66 for John, the first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales. Situated in the heart of St. James, it has a splendid terrace and garden with magnificent views of Green Park.

Then journey by coach to the Ritz Hotel for the farewell afternoon tea in the famous Palm Court. Jane Pettigrew will be joining you for this sumptuous tea. An assortment of sandwiches, freshly baked raisin and apple scones with Devonshire clotted cream and organic strawberry preserve, an assortment of afternoon tea pastries and cakes, and fruits of The Forest Compote with English cream, will accompany a selection of teas. What a delightful way to end your stay in London. After saying goodbye to Jane Pettigrew, return to the hotel. The evening is at your leisure and offers you an opportunity to begin packing for your return trip back to the USA.

Day 12
Full English breakfast is in your hotel. Depart in early morning for Heathrow airport and your mid-day flight back to the Baltimore Washington International Airport. Arrive in Baltimore in the late afternoon.

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