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Day 1 Arrival
Arrive in England and collect your hire car, travel from the
airport direct to the historic city of Oxford. Remainder of the
day at leisure to start exploring this timeless city of saints
and scholars. Overnight at Oxford.
Day 2 Oxford - Coventry
Walking around Oxford, you can visit Christ Church college, where
Harry Potter scenes were filmed, see the Bodleian Library and
the picture-perfect college courtyards for which Oxford is justifiably
famous. In the afternoon journey to Coventry to experience a
unique cathedral with a profound message of peace and reconciliation.
The cathedrals of England are a precious and unique part of the
national heritage and Coventry is regarded as one of the finest.
Overnight in the Coventry area.
 Day 3 Oxford to Cambridge via Ely Cathedral
This morning, depart Coventry and proceed to Cambridge with an
en route visit to Ely Cathedral. Its remarkable and wonderful
architecture, the exceptional number of medieval monastic buildings
surrounding it and the quiet and gentle charm of the small city
in which it is set combine to make Ely Cathedral a most glorious
place. Work on the present building commenced in the early 1080s
under Abbot Simeon, and the church became a Cathedral in 1109.
Highlights include the famous Octagon Tower built in 1322.
Continue to Cambridge, a wonderful mixture of the everyday and
the extraordinary, a living city that has shaped history and
today reflects the best of historic and contemporary life. It
was the inspiration for Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and many
of the Monty Python gang. Take a guided tour of the magnificent
chapel of Kings College, founded in 1441, and a fascinating walking
tour of a city filled with beautiful buildings and historical
quirks, including the famous 'Bridge of Sighs'. Overnight in
the Cambridge area.
Day 4 Cambridge via Sudbury
to Canterbury
 Depart after breakfast for Sudbury
and enjoy the beautiful English countryside. Sudbury is the home
of painter Thomas Gainsborough. Visit the fascinating St Gregory's
Church before continuing south to Canterbury.
In the Middle Ages this route between London and Canterbury was
the most heavily travelled road in England as it was the pilgrimage
route to the shrine of the martyr Thomas Becket, most famously
described in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". Nearer Canterbury
you could visit Leeds Castle. Combining 900 years of history
and 500 acres of beautiful parkland, Leeds Castle is the perfect
backdrop to your journey through Kent. The castle is a blend
of heritage and history, glorious gardens and fun-packed programme
of special events. Overnight in the Canterbury area.
Day 5 Canterbury
 Today, you have
all day to explore the Canterbury area.
You could start with a visit to Canterbury Cathedral. For at
least fourteen hundred years the worship of God has been offered
on the site of this Cathedral. King Henry II appointed his friend
Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury, but there were disagreements
between the two, regarding the jurisdictions of church and state.
While the King was at a feast in France he shouted out angrily,
"Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?" Four
of the king's knights heard this and traveled to Canterbury,
where they murdered Becket inside the cathedral. Soon afterwards
the Pope made Becket a saint, and many people started to go to
Canterbury as pilgrims to see Becket's tomb. Spend some time
exploring the cobbled streets of this ancient city before returning
to your hotel. Overnight in Canterbury
Day 6 London & Westminster
 Today,
you travel to Heathrow Airport to return your rental car before
continuing to central London. After checking in to the hotel,
you may decide to visit Westminster Cathedral or Westminster
Abbey. Westminster Cathedral is one of the greatest secrets of
London, No visit to London would be complete without a visit
to Westminster Abbey - the coronation site for the Kings and
Queens of England. Most recently the venue for the wedding of
Prince William and Kate Middleton. The abbey has stood here for
over 1000 years - imagine if these walls could talk! Not far
away are the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben as well as Buckingham
Palace the London home of HM the Queen.
This evening you could take in a West End show or an evening
pub walk. Overnight in London.
Day 7 London
 This
morning, you could visit St Paul's Cathedral. A Cathedral dedicated
to St Paul has overlooked the City of London since 604AD, the
current Cathedral - the fourth to occupy this site - was designed
by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710 after
its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Following
your visit to St Paul's, you might visit the Tower of London
which is nearby. Once inside the Tower Yeoman Warders "Beefeaters"
conduct entertaining free tours. A highlight is the excellent
Crown Jewels. If you've visited the Tower previously you could
cross the river Thames to visit Southwark Cathedral, Shakespeare's
Globe Theatre or the Tate Modern Gallery. Before leaving this
part of London you could take a ride on the "London Eye"
giant observation wheel for spectacular views of London and its
most famous landmarks. Overnight at your hotel in London.
Day 8 Departure
Sadly, it's time to leave the UK, check out of your hotel and
make your way to the airport to join your flight home.
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