Weber State University Alumni Association in EnEngland’sgland’s Cotswolds September 15 to 23, 2012 Featuring LORD CHARLES SPENCER-CHURCHILL Dear Weber State Alumni and Friends: We are pleased to sponsor VILLAGE LIFE™ IN ENGLAND’S COTSWOLDS, where time has passed with an unusually gentle hand over the rolling hills and small limestone villages that have changed little since the 16th century. The tranquil region combines stunning natural beauty and rich cultural traditions with grand historic landmarks and charming villages. This unique travel opportunity captures the essence of this most quintessentially English region, its culture and the way of life of its people. Still defined by its stately Regency houses, immaculate gardens and family-owned shops, the splendid town of Cheltenham, where you will stay for one full week, has been an acclaimed spa destination since the 18th century. From here, you will explore the fabled quads of Oxford and the fairy-tale castle of Broughton, as well as several charming Cotswolds villages in the surrounding area. By special arrangement, Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill’s cousin and brother of the present Duke of Marlborough, hosts an exclusive guided tour and private lunch in Blenheim Palace, Britain’s grandest private residence. During the exclusive VILLAGE FORUM™, local residents share their insights about life in England’s Cotswolds. To further enhance your experience, this carefully designed VILLAGE LIFE™ itinerary encompasses a series of expert-guided excursions and cultural enhancements, including a fascinating lecture by a local historian. Complementing this one-of-a-kind sojourn are accommodations for seven nights in the historic QUEEN’S HOTEL, ideally located directly on Cheltenham’s grand promenade. Built in 1838, the hotel and its exquisitely maintained gardens still attract the area’s finest for traditional afternoon tea. VILLAGE LIFE™ IN ENGLAND’S COTSWOLDS is very popular and an exceptional value including accommodations, excursions, several meals and the convenience of unpacking only once. So don’t delay— space sells out quickly. We encourage you to join fellow alumni and friends and make your reservation today! Welcome aboard! Margie E. Esquibel Associate Director Weber State University Alumni Association Cover: The idyllic cottages and elegant limestone façades of Chipping Campden are typical of the Stroll past quaint row houses in the tranquil Cotswolds’ pleasing aesthetic. Cotswolds village of Burford. in England’s Cotswolds Experience firsthand the true character, traditions and daily rhythms that are a way of life in the quintessentially English villages of the Cotswolds, a region known for centuries as “the heart of England,” where the past blends seamlessly with the present. This popular and innovative program in the VILLAGE LIFE™ travel program series immerses you for one full week in a comprehensive and personal travel experience at the right pace in the historic spa town of Cheltenham. An exceptional value, accommodations, carefully planned excursions and featured CULTURAL ENRICHMENTS are included in this exclusively arranged offering; and reserve by the Early Booking date for special savings! The traditional QUEEN’S HOTEL has been specially selected for its attractive and comfortable accommodations in an ideal location; and you will only need to unpack once! CULTURAL ENRICHMENTS are key educational components of VILLAGE LIFE™ IN ENGLAND’S COTSWOLDS and offer you a travel experience like no other: Hear it from the Experts! N Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill will personally greet you at Blenheim Palace and share personal recollections of his cousin Sir Winston Churchill, who was born there. Also, visit Sir Winston’s modest gravesite in nearby Bladon. N A local expert will lecture on the history of Cheltenham. Prorsum Semper— N A local guide will accompany you throughout the program “Ever Forward”—proclaims the Coat of Arms of the to enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of the Cotswolds city of Gloucester. Cotswolds region and its deep-rooted history and traditions. Meet the locals during the exclusive VILLAGE FORUM™, when local residents will provide a fascinating and candid perspective on daily life in the Cotswolds. Experience the incomparable treasures and timeless traditions of the Cotswolds from the charming countryside and quaint villages to the historic university city of Oxford and Blenheim Palace, the historic home and estate of the Duke of Marlborough. Enjoy time on your own. Have a Pimm’s Cup at a local pub or observe daily life while strolling the streets of Cheltenham. Watch the long twilight glow of a perfect English summer evening creep over Chipping Campden, a serene, quintessential Cotswolds village. UNESCO DAY BY DAY ITINERARY World Heritage Site Day Destination ENGLAND Air Routing 1 DEPART FROM THE U.S. STRATFORD-UPON-AVON 2 LONDON,ENGLAND/CHELTENHAM CHIPPING AMPDEN N C Check into the QUEEN’S HOTEL. BROADWAY STOW-ON-THE-WOLD CHELTENHAM HELTENHAM LOUCESTER Broughton Castle 3 C /G GLOUCESTER N Cheltenham walking tour and Blenheim Palace BLADON visit to Gloucester Cathedral. BURFORD BIBURY OXFORD CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: T N Lecture on the history h LONDON am of Cheltenham. es Riv COTSWOLDS er 4 BLENHEIM /BLADON/OXFORD N Tour of Blenheim Palace . N Visit to Winston Churchill’s grave in Bladon. N Walking tour of Oxford. CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: Cheltenham N Meet Lord Charles With its stately parade of Regency columns Spencer-Churchill. and wrought ironwork, grand houses 5 COTSWOLDS VILLAGES and majestic gardens, Cheltenham evokes N Visits to Hidcote Manor Garden, its heyday when upper-class Victorians Chipping Campden and Broadway. traveled to this spa town located in the 6 COTSWOLDS VILLAGES heart of the Cotswolds. The domed N Tour the villages of Ebrington, Pittville Pump Room houses the original Upper and Lower Brailes and 19th-century marble pump that still taps Shipston-on-Stour. the famous mineral waters that drew N Visit to Broughton Castle. King George III here in 1788. 7 COTSWOLDS VILLAGES CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: Attend the N Visits to the villages of Bibury, exclusive presentation by a local expert Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold. on the history of Cheltenham. CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: N Cheltenham VILLAGE FORUM™. Gloucester Cathedral 8 CHELTENHAM/STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Shrouded in legend and mystique, N Day at leisure in Cheltenham. Gloucester Cathedral stands as a CULTURAL ENRICHMENT OPTION: true architectural jewel and one N Excursion to Stratford-upon-Avon, of the finest examples of Norman hometown of William Shakespeare. and Gothic architecture in Britain. 9 CHELTENHAM/LONDON/U.S. Originally consecrated as an abbey in 1100 by Britain’s Norman conquerors Romantic gardens and classic stone houses are just two English traditions that live on in the Cotswolds, a bastion of beauty, history and culture. Immerse yourself in more than 700 years of history during the visit to the classic English estate of Broughton Castle, currently the residence of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele. and later converted into a cathedral by Cotswolds Villages Henry VIII, this beautiful church has Visit the picturesque Cotswolds been featured in numerous films. villages of Bibury, Burford, Broadway, Stow-on-the-Wold and Blenheim Palace Chipping Campden which embrace Britain’s largest private residence and the time-honored traditions of the the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, English countryside. Blenheim Palace is among the most Bibury was called “the most monumental edifices ever constructed beautiful village in England” by in the British Isles. Built in the the Victorian artist and designer 18th century for John Churchill, William Morris. The hamlet is famed the Duke of Marlborough, as a for Arlington Row, a classic collection reward for military bravery at the of 16th-century weavers’ houses and the Battle of Blenheim, the estate is now Saxon Church of St. Mary’s. home to the 11th and current In Burford, the great Church of Duke of Marlborough. Beyond the St. John the Baptist is a medley of extraordinary labyrinth of opulent architectural styles providing a flourish hallways and chambers, the estate’s to the village’s main passage down to grounds are spread over a bucolic the River Windrush. 2,200-acre park designed by the Simply beautiful, Broadway is legendary English landscape architect, often referred to as the “Jewel of “Capability” Brown. the Cotswolds” and was the home of CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: Meet William Morris. Its main road is lined Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill during a personal greeting at Blenheim Palace. Oxford Affectionately named the “city of dreaming spires,” by adoring poets, Britain’s oldest university counts Margaret Thatcher, Sir Thomas More and J.R.R. Tolkien among its illustrious alumni. Steeped in eight centuries of history and erudition, Oxford still nurtures great scholars while blending its ancient traditions with cutting edge research and instruction provided by many of the world’s brightest minds. Magnificent cobblestoned squares, medieval alleyways and Renaissance quadrangles fill the grounds of the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Experience the medieval grandeur of Gloucester Cathedral, one of Britain’s finest Gothic churches. THE QUEEN’S HOTEL Enjoy seven nights in the stately QUEEN’S HOTEL, built in 1838 with a neoclassical facade modeled after Rome’s Temple of Jupiter. Ideally located at the top of the Cheltenham’s main tree-lined promenade in the heart of town, the hotel overlooks the lovely Imperial Gardens, which were originally used as ornamental leisure grounds for visitors of the spa. Today, the garden abounds with beautiful floral displays that have been nationally recognized as the best in the country and still attract Cheltenham’s finest for traditional afternoon tea. Each of the 79 comfortable guest rooms features a private bathroom, individual climate control, satellite television and hair dryer. The hotel’s restaurant serves regional and continental cuisine, and 24-hour room service is available. The intimate lounge and bar are perfect for relaxation and conversation. with honey-colored limestone buildings CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: Residents of dating back to the 16th century.