Northern Wales & England, Featuring
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Tour Code: GVDA16 Northern Wales & England, featuring: SCHEDULED DEPARTURE August 18 - 27, 2016 413 Highland Park Avenue, Clinton WI 53525 Phone: 608-295-2141 • Fax: 608-676-6121 [email protected] • website: gvgtours.com Day 1: Thursday, August 18, 2016 • Depart Our destination today is Stratford-Upon-Avon, home of Our adventure begins as we depart on our international flight, Shakespeare, the great bard himself! Sightseeing highlights and wing our way over the Atlantic to England! today center around the Shakespeare sights in the area, including, of course, the birthplace of the great writer, as well Day 2: Friday, August 19, 2016 • North Wales as the famed "Anne Hathaway Cottage." Later we check in at Today we arrive at the Manchester Airport. We clear customs our lovely manor house hotel and enjoy dinner. B,D and then meet our coach and driver in the international arrivals area. Before departing Manchester, we’ll take a short Day 5: Monday, August 22, 2016 • Oxford area panoramic drive-through of the cultural city center. Noted for its gentle hillsides (“wolds”), and handsome Manchester is a cool mix of trendy, hip museums and buildings constructed with Cotswold stone or thatched roofs, restaurants, unique shopping opportunities, lovely parks and the Cotswolds are indeed a place where time has appeared to gardens, and ornate stained glass and Victorian and neo- stand still. We begin with a visit to Hidcote Manor Garden. Gothic architecture. We drive to ancient Chester. With its Hidcote is one of England’s greatest gardens and includes a handsome, half-timbered buildings and the only complete set series of outdoor rooms, each with their own unique character of medieval walls in Britain, it will be a delight for all! Its – it’s a horticultural delight! We stop for short visits in quaint attractive bridges and parks, gates, cathedrals and river walks, villages like Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford, and Chipping as well as the remarkable Rows, make Chester a must-see, Campden to enjoy the architecture, gardens, scenery and and is one of Olde England's loveliest cities. After ample time leisurely strolls. We also stop in lovely Bampton, where many to explore, we continue a short distance to our Welsh hotel of the outdoor scenes in Downton Abbey were filmed. Late in and check in and enjoy a welcome dinner together. D the afternoon, we arrive in Oxford. B, D Day 3: Saturday, August 20, 2016 • North Wales Days 6 & 7: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 and Today we take an excursion westward to scenic Northern Wednesday, August 24, 2016 • Oxford area Wales. We stop to visit the finest garden in Wales, Bodnant August 23 and August 24 our group is split. On alternate days Garden, which draws horticulturalists from around the part of our group will explore Oxford and the other half will world. The mountains of Snowdonia National Park form a visit Highclere Castle and Stonehenge. fabulous backdrop to the azaleas, rhododendrons, and camellias for which the garden is famous. Nearby we explore Oxford Day - C.S. Lewis is a much loved author and we one of Europe’s best preserved medieval towns, Conwy, with will visit many of his favorite places today. Just outside of its imposing castle. This is one of several built by the English Oxford, we will visit his home, the Kilns. We will have an King Edward I during his campaign to subdue the Celtic inside visit if it’s not being used for a conference. Then we tribes in the 13th Century. A local guide introduces us to the will have lunch in the Eagle and Child pub, where he used to town and its rich Celtic history. Then we stop for lunch at a meet with fellow “Inklings”. In the afternoon we will have a local pub with traditional food. Later we come to the widely walking tour of Oxford, including a visit to Christ Church acclaimed Erddig Hall. We learn of the Yorke family’s 250- College. B, L, D year history and their lively stories. We return for dinner at our hotel. B,D Highclere Castle & Stonehenge Day - A highlight of our trip Day 4: Sunday, August 21, 2016 • Stratford area awaits today! Our first destination is at Highclere Castle the We travel to Stoke-on-Trent to tour the extensive Wedgwood site where Downton Abbey is filmed. We will spend several China Factory. We can compare the process of creating hours touring the castle and the gardens. Later this afternoon ceramics and perhaps even try painting a piece ourselves! we stop at the mysterious "hanging stone" formations at Tour Prices: GVDA16: August 18 - 27, 2016 • $4,440 Prices are per person, land only, double occupancy with a minimum of xx participants Single supplement: $550 Your Tour Includes: Roundtrip Airfare from ORD or MKE and related taxes, fees and fuel charges Land Transportation via private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach Accommodations (double occupancy) in moderate first- class hotels Meals per the itinerary Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary Stonehenge. We return to Oxford for dinner tonight. B, D except those listed as optional Services of professional tour manager Day 8: Thursday, August 25, 2016 • London Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions Today we head for London Towne. Our first stop is Windsor, Luggage handling of one piece per person located on the opposite bank of the river Thames to Eton. It is All taxes and tips for provided services on land tour, except as noted below famous for its centuries old school and antique shops, and of course, the Castle, Britain's oldest royal residence. Originally Your Tour Does Not Include: built of wood, it was built in 1070 by William the Conqueror. Roundtrip Airfare and related taxes, fees and fuel The Round Tower was built in the 11th century when the charges palace guarded the western approaches to London. We will Meals other than indicated above Beverages, except with breakfast visit the State Apartments, The Round Tower and St George's End of tour gratuity for coach driver and tour manager Chapel. Then after checking in at our hotel we head to the Items of a personal nature such as passport fees. (Passport West End for dinner and a musical performance. B/D must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.) Optional insurance for health, baggage and cancellation. Day 9: Friday, August 26, 2016 • London (This insurance is available and recommended.) Our activities in London begin with a locally guided tour of Payment Schedule: the world's most visited city. Highlighting our tour will be Big A deposit of $500 per person is due with reservation. Final Ben and Parliament, Trafalgar Square with the Lord Nelson payment is due 100 days prior to departure date. Invoice will be Column, Westminster Abbey, and of course, Picadilly Circus. sent out prior to final payment. Passengers may add after this We will also drive by Ealing Studios for a glimpse of where date subject to air and land availability. Generally airlines do not increase the price of a ticket after it has been contracted. the downstairs scenes of Downton Abbey are filmed. The However, prior to the issuance of a ticket, airlines may (and remainder of the day is open for options, a time to explore regularly do) impose fuel, tax, or security surcharges. In the event more in-depth on our own with our included Tube Pass. Just a a surcharge is imposed after Ed-Ventures has received a final few of the many possibilities are St Paul’s Cathedral, the payment, Ed-Ventures will send an additional invoice for the British Museum, the Docklands or Greenwich area, the surcharge amount. Early registration is encouraged. British War Museum, and for art lovers, the Tate Gallery. Currency: Why not go to St. James Church to do a brass rubbing, and Currency exchange rates fluctuate constantly. In the event of a bring back one of the nicest souvenirs possible? Certainly of significant drop in the value of the dollar, we reserve the right to interest would be an hour or two at Harrods, one of the finest add a currency surcharge to the price of the tour. department stores in Europe. A ride on the London Eye (ferris Refund/Cancellation Policy: wheel) would be spectacular on a clear day. Tonight we All cancellations must be in writing. The date of postmark will celebrate our final evening in Britain with a glass of wine at determine the amount of refund due. Refunds are based on the our farewell dinner. B,D number of days prior to departure date. From the time of deposit to 99 days before departure a $100 administrative fee plus any airfare penalties will be assessed. From 99-14 days, a $300 Day 10: Saturday, August 27, 2016 • Return to USA cancellation penalty plus lost airfare deposits and any Our travels must come to an end today. After packing our unrecoverable deposits to ground suppliers will be assessed. bags we board our coach and start out to the airport for our Airline tickets once purchased are nonrefundable. Anyone return trip to the USA. We return, however, with memories of canceling less than 14 days prior to departure will receive no refund. lovely landscapes, fabulous architecture and manor homes, Abbreviations for Meals inspiring stories, and most importantly, a wealth of new B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner friends! Welcome home! B Purchase Abbreviations for Meals of B=Breakfast D=Dinner This shell was published by Ed by published was shell This Terms and Conditions - We reserve the right to cancel this trip due to lack of subscription.