My oldest daughter Raleigh and her husband Sterling, have been married for nearly 5 years! It seems like their wedding just barely happened! Time is going by so quickly—it just amazes me how fast the years fly by! Sterling recently contacted me about putting together a fun anniversary itinerary for them. Among other ideas they’re exploring, he’s looking at surprising Raleigh with a trip to England.
Since this is a really fun itinerary, I thought I’d share it with you! It’s perfect because it includes a small group (max 18 people, just 8 other couples) and a guide, with vetted accommodations and activities. I love that it combines the comfort of traveling with a small group, being able to explore on your own, and having someone right there to recommend experiences and restaurants. Some of the meals are included so you’re not completely on your own.
I’m calling this the Exquisite England Escape:
Day 1 – Board your flight
Day 2 – Arrive in London: the adventure begins.
Check in at the Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid London, where you’ll stay for 1 night. The hotel is close to Big Ben and the London Eye, and includes an on-site Italian restaurant, free WiFi, and even a little convenience store.
This afternoon you’ll be free to explore your surroundings until dinner time. At dinner, you’ll meet your fellow travelers and get ready to embark on your adventure!
Day 3 – Oxford & the English countryside.
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll head to charming Oxford. Here on a guided walking tour, you’ll learn about the poets, professors, scientists and sports heroes that have graced the city’s streets over the years.
Then, head through the quintessential English countryside to see the Cotswolds. This charming area is a patchwork of green hills and farmland, dotted with centuries-old villages and caramel-hued cottages. Enjoy some free time to stroll the elegant terraced High Street of Chipping Campden – before “tucking into” another delicious group dinner at your hotel.
Stay for two nights at the Swan’s Nest Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. This beautiful property has a terrace, a garden, and an on-site French cuisine restaurant.
Day 4 – Shakespeare & the Cotswolds.
After breakfast, visit William Shakespeare’s half-timbered childhood home, and also the pretty thatched cottage belonging to his wife Anne Hathaway. The blooming gardens are a must-see attraction.
Enjoy lunch on your own, and then you’ll have free time this afternoon to explore some picturesque Cotswolds hamlets. Dinner on your own.
Day 5 – High tea & famous films.
This morning after breakfast, enjoy some time on your own. Then, you’ll have an afternoon of high tea, followed by heading to the village of Lacock. You may not have heard of Lacock before, but you may recognize this picturesque town from “Pride and Prejudice” or “The Other Boleyn Girl.” The cloisters from the abbey at Lacock starred as Hogwarts hallways from the Harry Potter films.
After Lacock, head to Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city with true "wow" factor. You’ll stay at the Abbey Hotel Bath for 2 nights. The Abbey Hotel Bath is in a beautiful setting, and includes a terrace, an on-site British cuisine restaurant, and only 62 rooms.
Day 6 – Roman baths & No. 1 Royal Crescent.
After eating breakfast at the hotel, spend the morning learning about the Roman Baths. You can come back in the afternoon to the Thermae Bath Spa (Britain’s only thermal spa), or spend time shopping. But before the morning is over, visit the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum. This charming museum is a townhouse museum which has been decorated and furnished just as it might have been during the period 1776-1796, with historic furniture, pictures, and objects, that give you an idea of what Bath was like during the late 18th century.
Explore on your own this afternoon, and have dinner wherever you wish.
Day 7 – Longleat House & Avebury Standing Stones.
After breakfast this morning, check out of the hotel. This is the final day of the guided portion of your trip. This morning, visit Longleat House, home of the current Marquess of Bath. This awe-inspiring stately home is both a private home as well as a showpiece, and where one of the finest private collections of rarely seen objects resides. Go on a guided tour and enjoy the home and its beautiful artifacts and furnishings.
This afternoon, visit Avebury, an immense stone circle set within an ancient landscape of monuments, tombs, and roads. Stonehenge is similar, but doesn’t permit close access. Avebury, on the other hand, gives the opportunity to walk freely among the standing stones and marvel at the fascinating sights.
Following these visits, your tour ends back in London. Check into the Wellington Hotel again, where you will stay for the final two nights of your trip.
Day 8 – The Making of Harry Potter.
You’ll spend your day in the world of Harry Potter. Take the only fully-guided Warner Bros Studio Tour, and immerse yourself in the world of wizardry. You’ll have a VIP experience, getting to know set secrets and behind-the-scenes facts from all eight Harry Potter movies, not heard anywhere else. See the Great Hall, Platform 9 ¾, Hagrid’s Hut, Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express, the Gryffindor common room, and so much more. And once your 6-hour guided tour is over, you can stay as long as you want and soak up anything you may have missed: ride a broomstick over London in the green screen experience, enjoy a treat at the Studio Tours Café, or look for HP merchandise in the Studio Shop. When you’re ready to leave, you’ll receive train tickets back to central London.
This evening, enjoy your final dinner in England.
Day 9 – Goodbye to England and fly home.
Isn’t this a great itinerary? It’s a fun combination of city and country, historical and modern, guided and independent. My son-in-law is still considering his options, but let me know if you’re interested in something like this. I’d be happy to get you all the details—or even use this as a jumping-off idea and creating your own version of the Exquisite England escape!
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