Escorted Tours
Get your sunglasses and sun cream ready as we depart London, heading to the sunny, Southern Isle of Wight. First, we travel to the Ancient Port City of Portsmouth. This bustling spot blends modern marvels with centuries of seafaring stories. Here, you can grab a bite to eat before your guide picks you up and takes you to the Ferry at Gunwharf Terminal. Even if you're not a sea loving, fish catching, ocean dweller, you will still find this ferry enjoyable. It takes less than an hour and there is plenty of onboard refreshments. Your first stop on the Isle of Wight is the important religious site of Quarr Abbey. The building here is beautiful and combines French, Byzantine and Moorish designs. In the evening, you arrive at the unforgettably quaint village of Shanklin in time for an early dinner on your own. Perhaps it's time to try the seafood?
Today, we discover the unmissable highlights of the Isle of Wight as you venture to the Yarborough Monument after breakfast. This is the tallest monument on the island and celebrates the life of a wealthy earl from the 19th Century. Continue for a photo stop at the beautiful views of endless green fields at Brading Downs and then head to Osborne House. Queen Victoria said, 'It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot' and we agree. Osborne House was Queen Victoria's holiday home and as you explore the Italian style building, you discover pristine green gardens, ornate golden rooms and historically fascinating artefacts. After that magnificent manmade marvel, it's time to see the Isle of Wight's most beautiful natural wonder, the Needles. These sharp white stacks that stick out of the ocean are beautiful to behold. You can hop on a boat to get close to them and venture to an old defensive battery that’s nearby. Our last stop today is at the cliffs of St. Catherine's Down and as the sun starts to set, these epic cliffs and green valleys look stunning. We then travel back to Shanklin for your overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast
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In the morning, you say goodbye to Shanklin and head on the ferry back to Portsmouth. Now that you've reacquainted yourself with the mainland, we take you to one of England's most history soaked cities, Winchester. Visiting Winchester isn't easy because there is almost too much to do. There's a glorious Cathedral, an Ancient Mill, cute cafés and more than enough Museums. In this bustling city, you join a new coach and driver-guide and head to a quieter but equally profound place, the standing stone circles of Stonehenge. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Stonehenge site has been skilfully preserved. At the award-winning visitor centre, you can view the exhibition of hundreds of prehistoric items from the Stonehenge collection. By joining the land train shuttle, you make your way to the world famous stone circles. We then continue to Exeter, an important fortified settlement in Roman times and your base for the next two nights. Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast this morning, we explore the remote windswept magnificence of Dartmoor, where you can see strings of native ponies grazing close to the striking rock formations. Dartmoor is also home to an immense diversity of flora and fauna, so enjoy the sites, sounds and smells of the moor's isolated beauty. You cross the ancient Clapper Bridge at Postbridge before heading to Tavistock, the historic market town and the birthplace of Sir Francis Drake. Arriving back in Exeter in the early afternoon gives you a chance to explore the city's Ancient Riches at a leisurely pace. The City Walls, the Norman Cathedral, the Royal Albert Memorial and the Quayside all await you. Meals: Breakfast
Arthurian legend mixes with genuine Celtic history in Cornwall, England's most western county. Today, we head west to the North Cornish Coast and the Elizabethan fishing Village of Boscastle. Indulge in a cream tea, take a stroll out to the dramatic headland or learn a spell or two in the Museum of Witchcraft. We travel to the village of Tintagel and the ruins of its headland Castle, whose romantic cliff top setting is purportedly the birthplace of King Arthur. After lunch, we travel to Port Isaac where you can get your Doc Martin's fix and fall in love with this picturesque fishing village. Afterwards, we travel south to the bustling Port Town of Falmouth for the next two nights. Meals: Breakfast
Today, we explore the most westerly tip of England. We take a brief stop to look at the island community of St. Michael's Mount before continuing onwards to the unique setting of the Minack Theatre perched above a thundering ocean and the beautiful National Trust beach at Porthcurno. We will also visit Land's End before following a landscape dotted with the relics of the Cornish Tin Mining Heritage and now a filming location for the Poldark series. St. Ives is the final stop of the day with its plethora of artists' galleries in the maze of narrow, harbour side streets. We then return back to Falmouth for our overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast
This morning, say farewell to Cornwall and travel across Bodmin Moor, a wild moorland that's designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. We will take a break before leaving Cornwall and continuing to Glastonbury. Here you can visit the ruins of 7th Century Abbey, relax over some lunch or scale Glastonbury Tor for the views across five counties. Afterwards, we travel back to London, a busy city far removed from the experiences you've enjoyed in the magical counties of Devon and Cornwall. This is sadly, where our tour concludes. Meals: Breakfast
Tour Prices are per person twin share in Australian Dollars. Conditions apply and group tours are subject to change and availability. Prices are subject to currency fluctuations. (ra)
