Tour of England - itinerary

This tour of England for independent travellers can start at any time, can be shortened, extended or combined with any of our other tours to create a unique and personalised itinerary.

(Inclusions in italics)

Day 1 - London: Your chauffeur awaits you at the airport and will drive you to your centrally located hotel, close to Hyde Park.

Day 2 - London: Watch the ‘Changing of the Guard’ at Buckingham Palace during a guided walking tour. Then see the city and its many famous sites, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral from the comfort of a red double-decker bus. Take a stroll through Soho, Notting Hill, Piccadilly Circus or along the Thames River.

Enjoy a relaxing river boat cruise and see some of London’s attractions, including the London Eye and Big Ben from a different vantage point. Take High Tea at Claridge’s or a drink in one of London’s many historic pubs.

See London Options for further sightseeing and extensions.

Day 3 - London. Excursion to Dover and Canterbury Cathedral: This all day guided coach tour takes you to the picturesque, historic sites of Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and Dover, passing through Greenwich, where the world’s time is set. Leeds Castle is a picturesque 12th Century castle. You will be able to visit the castle before the doors open to the general public, allowing you to experience the full grandeur of the castle and the famous lake that surrounds it.

Before you reach Dover you will stop at Canterbury to admire the breath-taking Gothic-style architecture of Canterbury Cathedral. Afterwards you will be driven through the picture-perfect Kent countryside - known as the Garden of England, with its quaint villages and pretty landscapes - and reach the coast at Dover with its famous white cliffs and imposing Dover Castle.

Day 4 - London. Excursion to Windsor castle: Visit the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world: Windsor Castle.

Start your exploration of this historic place with a guided tour, led by the Wardens, dressed in their striking red and black livery. The tour explains the castle’s 900-year history as a fortress and palace, and its role today as an official residence of the queen of England.

During this independent excursion to Windsor Castle visit the State Apartments, St. George's Chapel, Queen Mary's dolls' house and take a tour of the castle precinct, the royal kitchens and the tower. Watch the changing of the guard which usually takes place at 11am within the castle grounds.

Day 5 - London to Penzance: A train journey through very picturesque countryside takes you to Penzance in Cornwall, which was famous for its pirates in days of yore.  When ships were wrecked on the rugged Cornish coast boats would set off from the villages to plunder. Cornwall used to be separate from England, had its own language and felt more akin to Wales and the Welsh. 

On arrival in Penzance walk to St. Michael's Mount across the causeway at low tide or else take the boat to this iconic rocky island, crowned by a medieval church and 12th Century castle. The views of the spectacular Mount's Bay and the subtropical terraced gardens are breathtaking.

Visit other fishing villages like quaint Porthleven and walk to the nearby market town of Helston. Pass Loe Bar, a large shingle bank separating the sea from the largest freshwater lake in Cornwall. Local legend has it that this is the lake into which Sir Bedevere cast King Arthur's sword Excalibur, following King Arthur’s death after the fateful battle of Camlann.

Day 6 - Penzance: Explore the ‘Lands End’ Peninsula on a half day guided small group tour. Visit prehistoric monuments, fishing villages, stone circles and stunning countryside.

Day 7 - Penzance: Hikers might want to tackle the 5.5km walk from Penzance to Mousehole, one of the most picturesque sections of England’s famous 630 miles South West Coast Path. In Mousehole, which Dylan Thomas referred to as ‘The prettiest village in England’, take a stroll through the narrow, granite streets and enjoy a ‘starry gazy pie’ (fish pie), the local specialty. Then catch the bus back to Penzance. In the afternoon visit nearby St Ives, a 'must visit' during your stay in Cornwall. St Ives arcs around a picturesque fishing harbour – the heart of an historic fishing community. You can spend many hours exploring the cobble-stoned, meandering alleyways, vising galleries and small eateries or hunting for treasures in the local shops or artisan studios. 

Extend your stay in Cornwall and take a boat ride to the Scilly Isles or venture as far as Port Isaac of ‘Doc Martin’ fame.

Day 8 - Bath: This UNESCO World Heritage listed city is a must-see in any tour of England. Enjoy a coach sightseeing tour of the main attractions, the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge being the most well-known landmarks. In Bath you will find Britain's only hot spring. The Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that today still flows with natural hot water. Walk on the ancient stone pavements around the steaming pool where once the Romans once walked.

Day 9 - Bath. Cruise the River Avon: Take a tranquil cruise along the River Avon between Pulteney Bridge and the charming village of Bathampton. See the old toll bridge and Bathampton weir during this leisurely cruise through the Avon Valley. Enjoy traditional English fare at a local pub in a quaint riverside village.

A visit to the Jane Austen Centre will provide you with an insight into life during Regency England and how living in this magnificent city is reflected in Jane Austen’s life and writing. Enjoy a scrumptious cream tea on the rooftop tea room of the Jane Austen Centre.

Day 10 - Bath. Excursion to Stonehenge and Cotswolds village: On this full-day coach excursion see two of the most impressive megalithic monuments in Europe. Then visit the Cotswold village that was voted the prettiest village in England and the traditional Wiltshire woollen village used in the filming of Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter movies.

A drive through the beautiful Wiltshire countryside takes you to Stonehenge and on to the Avebury Stone circle. This lesser known megalithic monument is 16 times larger in area than Stonehenge and nearly 1000 years older. Stop for lunch at Lacock National Trust Village. This wonderful village consists of properties which date from the 13th and 18th Centuries. There has been no major building in Lacock in the last 200 years and you will feel as if you're stepping back into England's past.

If you have a few extra days on hand then add a side excursion to Llandudno in Wales to your itinerary (read more about Llandudno in our United Kingdom tour).

Day 11 - Lake District: The Lake District must be one of the most beautiful regions of England. Hire bicycles and explore the country lanes around the lakes. Visit the Steam Boat museums or the Watermill Brewing Company. Holehird Gardens will delight lovers of traditional English country gardens.

Day 12 - Lake District: During a half-day guided coach tour you will travel alongside Lake Windermere to Waterhead and explore some of the favourite places associated with Beatrix Potter. The journey will take you through the beautiful Yewdale Valley to Coniston Water for the start of a short lake cruise. Then on to visit Beatrix Potter's stone house on Hill Top Farm. The tour will take you back to Windermere via the medieval village of Hawkshead and the beautiful Tarn Hows, one of the highlights of your tour of England.

Day 13 - Lake District: The full-day coach excursion will take you to the most beautiful spots of the Lake District covering many lakes, mountain passes, a beautiful waterfall, Castlerigg Stone Circle and stop at the ancient township of Keswick for lunch.

Day 14 - York: On arrival in York, England’s most beautiful city, explore the tangle of quaint cobbled streets and stroll along ‘The Shambles’ considered to be the most beautiful street in the United Kingdom. The city is surrounded by 4km of ancient city walls, punctuated by magnificent gate houses that provide you with fantastic views of York. After your walk you might be ready for some sustenance and where better than at ‘Betty’s Tea Shop', renowned for its tea and beautiful cream cakes.

The iconic York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, will be another highlight of your tour. The medieval stained glass of the  East Window has been described as the English equivalent of the Sistine Chapel. Climb the 275 steps up the Central Tower leading you to the highest point in the city.

Take a leisurely cruise on the river Ouse and see the historic sites and bridges of York. See for yourself where Saxons fought Vikings in 1066, where monks entertained their guests and where witches were ducked in the Middle Ages.

Day 15 & 16 - York: Discover York’s hidden treasures. Visit Barley Hall, a stunning medieval house, Fairfax House, one of the finest Georgian townhouses in England and an old guild meeting place, the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall. Take a trip through ‘Heartbeat’ country aboard a steam train and enjoy the majestic North York Moors and the seaside town of Whitby. Visit Clifford's Tower which stands as a proud symbol of the power of England's medieval kings.

At the JORVIK Viking Centre discover the sights, sounds and smells of an authentically recreated Viking city as it stood over 1,000 years ago. Even if you are not a ‘Trainspotter’ you will enjoy a visit to the National Railway Museum. Get on board awe inspiring locomotives, opulent Royal Trains and see Queen Victoria’s favourite carriage.

Day 17 - Return journey to London