A very easy, leisurely tour through some of England’s prettiest countryside. See chocolate-box villages and enjoy visits to the city of Oxford, and the World Heritage Sites of Blenheim Palace and beautiful Bath.
DEPARTURE DATES
19TH APRIL & 9TH AUGUST
TOUR INCLUDES
- Return ferry crossings Dublin-Holyhead
- 4 nights hotel accommodation with dinner, bed and breakfast
- Luxury coach with fully qualified Driver/Escort
- Entrance to Blenheim Palace
- Cotswold excursion
- Full day visit to Bath
HOTEL
Ramada Hotel & Resort,
Gloucester
COST
€495 per person sharing
€89 single supplement
Group Rate Special Available On This Tour
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ITINERARY
DAY 1 (MONDAY)
After a pick up from your local area we drive to Dublin for the midday ferry to Holyhead then travel south to our hotel in Gloucester where we stay for the next four nights. (Dinner, B&B)
DAY 2 (TUESDAY)
Enjoy a full English breakfast then it’s a short drive to the Regency spa town of Cheltenham. Cheltenham’s squares and terraces are characterised by Regency town houses with intricate ironwork balconies. We stop to browse the fine array of stylish shops and to admire the town’s lovely gardens. Our route then takes us to Broadway, one of the Cotswolds’ most famous villages with Elizabethan houses surrounding the village green. We continue to picturesque Chipping Campden with its honey-coloured Cotswold stone buildings dating from the 14th century. Next stop is Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the area, nowadays known for its antique trade, and our final visit is to Bourton-on-the-Water. The village sits astride the River Windrush with small bridges linking tree-lined greens. There are many traditional Cotswold houses in this wonderful setting. We return to the hotel in time to relax before dinner. (Dinner, B&B)
DAY 3 (WEDNESDAY)
Today’s full day excursion is to Bath, one of England’s finest cities. With its Roman Baths, built around Britain’s only hot spring, the Georgian Royal Crescent, famous Pulteney Bridge and the 15th century Abbey, there is so much to see and do here. Spend the day at your leisure visiting some or all of the well-known sights before we return to the hotel. (Dinner, B&B)
DAY 4 (THURSDAY)
We set off this morning for Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Set in over 2000 acres of parkland, in the village of Woodstock near Oxford, the palace is a fine example of Baroque architecture and contains amazing collections of porcelain, paintings and tapestries. The grounds were landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown and contain wide lawns, formal gardens and a lake. After a relaxed visit, we return via the ‘city of dreaming spires’, Oxford. We have free time to wander amongst the University colleges and perhaps visit one of the world-renowned attractions - the Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean Museum, the Botanic Gardens or Christ Church Cathedral. Return to the hotel for dinner. (Dinner, B&B)
DAY 5 (FRIDAY)
We leave the Cotswolds this morning and return to Holyhead and across the Irish Sea to Dublin. After disembarking, we transfer you to your pick up point. |