Compare The Best of England and Wales: Shakespeare to Snowdonia Castles to Colleges by Road Scholar vs The Gardens of England & Wales with Chelsea Flower Show - 2022 by Insight Vacations
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| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 14 days | 15 days |
| Price From | $ 3,699 | $ 5,559 |
| Price Per Day | $ 264 | $ 371 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included |
12 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 8 Dinners The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Gluten Free, Low Salt, Low Fat, Vegetarian |
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| Description | Enjoy a comprehensive exploration of England and Wales as you discover the spires of Oxford, mountains of Snowdonia, cobbled streets of Windsor, Conwy castle and much, much more. | Take a once in a lifetime trip across Britain, hobnobbing with London’s high society at the Chelsea Flower Show and promenading through the Trentham Gardens of Llandudno Bay, in Celtic Wales. This grand three-week journey showcases the vast Victorian Greenhouses of the Royal Botanical Society at Kew, the magnificent riverside gardens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace and the long-lost grounds of Heligan, on the Cornish Coast. View Wales from up high, as you ascend the country’s tallest peak on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. From the shores of England’s Lake District to Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest stomping grounds in Nottingham, these horticultural highlights are a joy to behold. |
Day 1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
Day 2
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Macdonald Hotel Windsor
Arrival Day
Lunch: In the hotel dining room for those arriving by lunchtime. A light lunch with coffee, tea and water. Other beverages are available for purchase.
Afternoon: Arrivals continue, with free time for those who have already arrived. At 5pm we will have an Orientation in the hotel. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. This program is staffed with both a Group Leader, who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics, and a series of Study Leaders who will lecture, conduct field trips and serve as an information resource on program-related topics. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities and answer any questions you may have. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner: A seated dinner will be taken in the hotel dining room with coffee, tea and water. Other beverages are available for purchase.
Evening: Free time to unpack, relax and prepare for the program ahead. You may also wish to join your Group Leader for an orientation walk.
Day 3
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Macdonald Hotel Windsor
Windsor Castle
Breakfast: In the hotel dining room. A breakfast buffet with a range of hot and cold items, as well as coffee, tea, water and fruit juices.
Morning: Begin your morning with a walk from the hotel to Windsor Castle – a remarkable building that has been shaped by the Kings and Queens of England for over 1,000 years. It remains the weekend residence of Her Majesty the Queen and is still used for ceremonial and state occasions, whilst also being home to some of the greatest paintings and works of art in the world. From within the castle we will be able to watch the famous Changing of the Guard, a procession of active Household Guards and a marching band. Please note, the Changing of the Guard may not be available on every departure as schedules are released at very short notice for security reasons.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.
Afternoon: Free time. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions should you wish to further explore Windsor.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: Free time.
Day 4
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Alveston Manor
Transfer to Stratford-Upon-Avon: The City of Oxford
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: We board the motor coach for our transfer to Stratford-upon-Avon, with a visit en-route to Oxford – the city of “dreaming spires”. Your Oxford expert will meet you in the morning before we set off to explore this fascinating city on foot. Expect to see such sights as the Radcliffe Camera, the Clarendon Building and the Bridge of Sighs, and discover the contrasts of the Classical and Gothic architecture in discussion with your expert as you walk.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: This afternoon we go behind the scenes at Christ Church, one of Oxford’s most famous, and indeed most traditional colleges. Enjoy the secret garden, the famous water meadows and a panoply of buildings from different periods in the city’s history; from Henry VIII and Wolsey’s Tudor Kitchen to the Great Hall and the classical Peckwater Building. From Oxford we will then continue onwards to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Free time.
Day 5
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Alveston Manor
Stratford-Upon-Avon & The Royal Shakespeare Company
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: Enjoy an introduction to Stratford-upon-Avon, before we begin today’s activities with a front of house tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s building and theatres. Your Group Leader will then provide you with a city sightseeing pass, which allows you to visit the famous properties associated with the Great Bard, William Shakespeare. You are then free to explore at your own pace.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Free time, perhaps to continue your independent exploration.
Dinner: Served at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s rooftop restaurant.
Evening: Enjoy a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre. Performance details will be available in your second set of preparatory materials.
Day 6
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Alveston Manor
The Cotswolds
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: Today’s field trip takes us by motor coach into to the picturesque Cotswolds countryside. Board the motor coach and set off to explore the quintessentially English villages of Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway and Chipping Campden. Noted for its elegant High Street dating back to the 14th Century, Chipping Campden is lined with traditional Cotswold honey coloured limestone buildings housing some delightful specialist shops and inns. At its centre stands the 17th Century Market Hall, the grand early wool church St. James and a vast and extravagant monument to local wealthy silk merchant Sir Baptist Hicks.
Lunch: Served in a traditional inn.
Afternoon: We continue our exploration of the Cotswolds before returning to the hotel.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: Free time.
Day 7
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa
Transfer to Deganwy: Chester & Its Grand Cathedral
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: We transfer by motor coach to our next base, Deganwy. Perched at the mouth of the River Conwy, it sits across the bay from Conwy itself - an historic walled market town on the north coast of Wales. On the way we will visit the ancient city of Chester, where we will meet a local expert to take a walk through 2,000 years of history. Originally a Roman fortress and settlement known as Deva Victrix, we’ll see how Chester has grown and evolved from these foundations into a fully walled city before finishing at the spectacular Chester Cathedral.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Our transfer to Conwy continues.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Free time.
Day 8
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa
Conwy Castle & Town
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: This morning your Study Leader will give you a potted history of Wales, telling you everything you’ll need to know about this fascinating and ancient country. We will then board the motor coach to explore Conwy Castle – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the city walls. Conwy Castle sits above the town, and still dominates the skyline with its rugged stone and imposing fortifications. It was originally built by Edward I as part of his “iron ring” of castles in an attempt to contain the rebellious Welsh, and furthermore to provoke a humbling reaction – something it still manages to do to this day. We’ll follow this with a walk of Conwy’s ancient circuit of walls, guarded by no fewer than 22 towers and stretching over three quarters of a mile in length.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Your Study Leader will lead you through some more highlights of this city and orientate you to its many and varied attractions, followed by free time.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Wales is famous for its mellifluous music, and this evening you will be able to experience this with a traditional Welsh musical performance.
Day 9
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa
Snowdonia National Park
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: We board the motor coach for a full day expert-led excursion into Snowdonia National Park. Spanning over 800 square miles, it was the first of three National Parks in Wales, officially inaugurated in 1951. Snowdonia boasts, amongst other things, the largest mountain in Wales, the largest natural lake in Wales and a wealth of charming villages. The area is rich in culture and history and more than half of its participants speak Welsh.
Lunch: Taken out in a village in the Snowdonia National Park.
Afternoon: The field trip continues through landscapes of stunning natural beauty.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: Free time.
Day 10
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel
Transfer to The Lake District: The City of Liverpool
Breakfast: Full Welsh and continental breakfast in the hotel.
Morning: This morning we transfer by motor coach to the Lake District, via the city of Liverpool. Home to the Beatles, the world famous Liverpool Football Club and the bustling Albert Docks, Liverpool was once one of the busiest port cities in the world. Known for its rich architectural heritage, it is home to many buildings regarded as amongst the greatest examples of their respective styles in the world and several areas of the city centre were granted World Heritage Status in 2004. We will stop at Albert Dock, constructed in 1846 and today comprising the single largest collection of Grade I listed building anywhere in Britain. The dock houses restaurants, bars and shops as well as the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and a museum dedicated to The Beatles. Art lovers may wish to visit Tate Liverpool, which houses a large collection of modern and contemporary greats.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: The transfer to the Lake District continues, followed by an illustrated talk and Q&A session with your Study Leader for this section of the programme.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Free time, or join your Study Leader for an optional walk of the local area.
Day 11
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel
Castle Cottage & Beatrix Potter’s Lake District
Keswick B Castle Inn Hotel
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: A unique opportunity to hear and learn about the real Beatrix Potter as we board the motor coach and travel to the village of Sawrey. Here the new tenant of Castle Cottage, Beatrix Potter’s former home and now a National Trust property, will show us around the cottage, the garden and the historic barns before treating us to tea and coffee, served with traditional Lake District treats. Following this we will take a gentle walk through Sawrey and on to Hill Top Garden, a beguiling space full of flowers, fruits and vegetables before exploring the village of Hawkshead – home to a young William Wordsworth during his schooldays.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: Enjoy a different perspective on the Lakes as you take a steamer ride from Lakeside to Ambleside, with an opportunity to visit ancient Castle Rigg stone circle along the way.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: Free time.
Day 12
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel
Bowness-on-Windermere, Coniston & Brantwood
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: Once aboard the motor coach, we’ll take a scenic lakeside drive to Bowness-on-Windermere and the Arts & Crafts style Blackwell House. Here we will receive an introductory talk from a local docent before exploring the many fine pieces on display.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon: This afternoon we travel by launch across the picturesque and serene Coniston Water, to pay a visit to Brantwood House & Gardens. Home to the great Victorian and man of letters John Ruskin, it is one of the most beautifully situated houses in the Lake District. The house itself is both a treasure trove of historical importance and a lively centre of contemporary arts and the environment. Displays and activities in the house, gardens and estate reflect the wealth of cultural associations with Ruskin’s legacy – from the Pre-Raphaelites and Arts & Crafts movement to the founding of the National Trust and the Welfare State. We’ll return to the hotel via the Langdales, a pair of valleys dramatically cut through the very heart of the Lake District.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Free time.
Day 13
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport
Transfer to Manchester: Kirkstone Pass & Holker Hall
Breakfast: In the hotel.
Morning: Today we transfer by motor coach to our final destination, Manchester, via the dramatic Kirkstone Pass – the highest pass open to motor traffic in the Lake Distrct home to some truly spectacular views. As we travel onwards we’ll stop at 16th Century Holker Hall and Gardens, contemporaneously described as “the grandest building of its date in Lancashire, by the best architects living in the country”. We’ll have time to explore the house, as well as the gardens which seem to merge into the very hills themselves.
Lunch: Taken at Holker Hall.
Afternoon: The transfer to Manchester continues.
Dinner: In the hotel.
Evening: Free time to pack and say farewell to your new found friends.
Day 14
Meals: Breakfast
Program Concludes
Breakfast: In the hotel. Some participants may depart prior to breakfast.
Morning: Transfer by Shuttle Bus to Manchester Airport (MAN) for onward flights. Your Group Leader will assist you in making arrangements. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Day 1: Arrive London
On arrival you are transferred from London Heathrow Airport to your hotel, Rubens at the Palace. Your base for the next four nights, this five-star hotel celebrates the very best of British culture, from the red tail-coated doormen to themed bedrooms. Ideally located by Buckingham Palace you have free time to explore, maybe visit the nearby Royal Mews? This evening join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a welcome drink and trip briefing at your hotel.
Day 2: Chelsea Flower Show
A transfer in the morning takes you to the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show. Bringing together the very best show gardens, flowers, and gardening from around the world, lose yourself amongst the magnificent floral displays and model gardens. Enjoy elaborate displays featuring courtyard, city and roof gardens, and hear from the experts. This evening dine on a spectacular Thames River Dinner Cruise, the perfect way to toast your travel companions and complete your memorable journey! (Dress code for the dinner cruise: Smart attire – dinner jacket recommended)
Day 3: London Sightseeing
With a Local Expert, explore the iconic sights and streets of London. See famous landmarks including Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. Admire the Royal residence of Buckingham Palace and savor a taste of British pageantry as you watch the Changing of the Guard (if operating) before lunch in a typical English pub. Later, sip a glass of champagne with a bird’s-eye view of London from the London Eye.
Day 4: Kew Gardens & Hampton Court Palace
This morning visit the famous Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Explore inside the vast Victorian glasshouses and see the indoor galleries. Later, discover the wonders of majestic Hampton Court Palace, home to the Kings and Queens of Britain since the time of Henry VIII. Discover the magnificent State Apartments and explore the riverside gardens.
Day 5: Wisley Gardens to Cornwall
Today travel to the gardens of Wisley, renowned as the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society. The gardens are proud to showcase inspirational gardening throughout their 240 acres. Most famous is the Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden and the naturalistic Rock Garden, one of Wisley’s oldest and most magnificent features. Then continue to the idyllic county of Cornwall.
Day 6: Lost Garden of Heligan & The Cornish Coast
We visit Heligan, one of the most mysterious estates in England. Unveiled in 1992 from under decades of overgrowth, the Lost Gardens were restored on a shoestring budget and hailed by The Times as “the garden restoration of the century”. Today the mysterious gardens and estate offer over 200 acres for exploration! This afternoon is then free for you to relax at our hotel.
Day 7: Cornwall to Cheltenham
Our journey takes us through the English countryside to Bath. Visit the 18th Century Pump Room and the ancient Baths, then enjoy some free time to browse the quaint streets. Then it’s on to the town of Cheltenham where we stay for the next two nights.
Day 8: Cotswolds Excursion
A full day of sightseeing of the Cotswolds begins with a visit to Hidcote Manor Gardens, once of the greatest arts and crafts gardens in England. Our drive through the Cotswolds brings us to Bibury described as the ‘prettiest village in Britain’.Enjoy a delicious included lunch, before returning to our hotel.
Day 9: Cheltenham to Powis Castle & onto North Wales
Explore the magnificent Trentham Gardens. Enjoy glorious ancient woodland, and discover the Italian Gardens, the Rivers of Grass, and the Floral Labyrinth. At its heart is the spectacular, mile long Trentham Lake, a wildlife haven studded with small islands.
Day 10: Bodnant Garden Excursion
The day starts with a visit to the beautiful Bodnant Gardens, world famous for its botanical collections. Later move onto the village of Llanberis which sits at the foot of Mount Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa, which, at 3,560 feet, is the highest peak in Wales. Enjoy a fabulous trip onboard the Snowdon Mountain Railway, for stunning views of the mountain and surrounding vistas.
Day 11: North Wales to English Lake District
We bid farewell to Wales and continue north to the picturesque English Lake District where you see some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. We visit the village of Hawkshead, famous for its whitewashed cottages and cobbled lanes. Continue to our hotel close to Lake Windermere.
Day 12: English Lake District Experience
Today is devoted to this scenic Lake District wonderland, beginning with a visit to Hill Top, the home of author Beatrix Potter, famed for her beloved animal tales. Here she spent much of her life and wrote 13 of her 23 books. Next admire the finest, oldest and most extensive Topiary Gardens in the world at Levens Hall. Later, perhaps take a cruise on Lake Windermere?
Day 13: Lake District to Chatsworth & onto Nottingham
Heading through the rolling Derbyshire countryside we arrive at the Chatsworth Estate, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Visiting the house, we see the elegant interiors and admire the art collection of 16 generations of the Cavendish family. Our guided walking tour of the gardens provides an insight into the principle historic features of the garden before an included lunch. Later continue to the historic city of Nottingham.
Day 14: Blenheim Palace to Bampton Village, then onto London
This morning explore the magnificent house and gardens of Blenheim Palace, home of the Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Continue to the village of Bampton to see the street where many scenes from the “Downton Abbey” TV series* were filmed. Later, return to London to enjoy a delicious dinner at a local restaurant. *Disclaimer: This sightseeing is an unlicensed and unauthorized tour of sites featured in the television series "Downton Abbey" produced by Carnival Film and Television and NBC Universal International Limited. Insight Vacations Limited and this trip do not have association with, connection to, sponsorship by or endorsement of the television series "Downton Abbey", Carnival Film and Television or NBC Universal International Limited.
Day 15: Farewell London
After breakfast bid your Travel Director and fellow travel companions farewell, and transfer to London Heathrow Airport to meet your ongoing flight.
