Itinerary Details
CIE Tours: 2025 - 14 Day English Odyssey
Day 1 Arrival & Windsor Castle
Your tour departs from your hotel at 2:00 PM. Venture to see the splendors of Windsor Castle, a residence of the King, and the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group, then dine and explore this intriguing medieval town as you wish this evening.(D)
Day 2 Blenheim Palace, Cotswolds & Bath
Travel to Blenheim Palace, the magnificent country house once home to Winston Churchill and the setting for popular TV shows and movies; tour the house and explore the gardens. Set off on a drive through the rolling hills of the quintessentially English Cotswolds, with charming villages and colorful gardens. Arrive in Bath, a striking city of honey-colored Georgian buildings with an ancient heritage. Take a walking tour of the city before visiting the famed Roman Baths. Dine at your hotel this evening.(B, D)
Day 3 Stonehenge & Salisbury
Visit prehistoric Stonehenge and marvel at the vast monoliths mysteriously erected 5,000 years ago. Enjoy lunch on your own and then explore the medieval city of Salisbury, with its charming local shops and splendid 13th century cathedral housing the world’s oldest working clock. In Bath, your evening is free to do as you wish.(B)
Day 4 Winchester & Portsmouth
Visit Winchester, where some say the legendary King Arthur had his roundtable. Delve into nautical life at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where you can see the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII’s favorite ship, which sank in 1545. Enjoy dinner at your country house hotel.(B, D)
Day 5 Kent & Canterbury Cathedral
Take a scenic drive through the rural landscapes of Kent, known as “the garden of England”, with views of rolling hills, patchwork fields, and quintessential villages. Arrive in Canterbury to explore its medieval center and visit the imposing Canterbury Cathedral, a magnificent example of English Gothic architecture dating back to the 11th century. Dine in your hotel.(B, D)
Day 6 Leeds Castle & London
At romantic Leeds Castle in Kent, once called “the loveliest castle in the world”, tour the storybook structure complete with a moat and colorful gardens. Travel on to London for a panoramic tour viewing some of London’s highlights: the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben. Back at your hotel, enjoy a drink with your group and then an independent evening.(B, D)
Day 7 Kensington Palace & London Exploring
Visit Kensington Palace, the historic royal residence in the heart of London. Take in its 300 years of history as you tour the State Apartments, hearing how it has been home to Queen Victoria, Princess Diana, and currently, Prince William and Princess Kate. After a light lunch, you are free to explore London as you wish. You might go shopping on Oxford Street, visit a pub, or see a show in London’s West End.(B, L)
Day 8 Cambridge American Cemetery & Punting in Cambridge
Depart London for the Roman city of St Albans or 17th-century Hatfield House, depending on your departure date. Next, visit the Cambridge American Cemetery, honoring the thousands of American soldiers who gave their lives in World War II. Continue on to Cambridge for a sightseeing trip on the River Cam, as you go punting on a traditional flat-bottomed boat. Your evening is free to explore as you wish.(B)
Day 9 Lincoln & York
Explore Lincoln, with its towering cathedral and castle overlooking the city, then enjoy a traditional Sunday roast in a local pub. Take a walking tour in York, a medieval city of narrow cobbled streets, charming tearooms, quaint pubs, and intriguing churches. The rest of the day is free for exploring.(B, L)
Day 10 Whitby & Castle Howard
Visit the enchanting fishing town of Whitby, seeing its postcard-perfect harbor, picturesque beaches, winding cobbled streets, and quaint shops. Depart for Castle Howard, a stately 300-year-old home that has been the setting for film and TV productions including the hit show “Bridgerton”. Return to York for dinner in your hotel.(B, D)
Day 11 Yorkshire Drive & Lake District
Take a scenic drive through the lush green splendor of the Yorkshire Dales, pausing in the romantic market town of Richmond. In the famously beautiful Lake District, enjoy free time for lunch and sightseeing in the charming market town of Keswick. Dine with your group at your hotel near the banks of Lake Windermere.(B, D)
Day 12 Cruise on Lake Windermere & Liverpool
Take a scenic cruise on England’s largest lake, Windermere, seeing mountain vistas, wooded isles, and lakeside villages. Enjoy a walking tour of fun, friendly Liverpool – birthplace of the Beatles – with free time on your own to explore the many attractions around the Albert Dock, including the Beatles Story, the Tate Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.(B)
Day 13 Stratford-upon-Avon, Anne Hathaway's Cottage & Oxford
In Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare’s hometown, visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage where The Bard’s wife was born. The 500-year-old thatched house is surrounded by lovely gardens. Drive to Oxford to discover this storied university city on a walking tour. Enjoy a farewell dinner with your group.(B, D)
Day 14 Tour Ends in Oxford
Your program ends after breakfast.(B)B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner>
