Escorted London Tour Packages
The London Explorer
The culture of England's capital comes alive in one of the best available escorted London tour packages, the epic 8-day London Explorer by Trafalgar holiday company. Visit the Royal residences of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Kensington Palace, cruise on The River Thames and pass under the iconic Tower Bridge and wonder at the achievement of pre-historic Stonehenge. These are just some of the highlights of this exciting holiday.
The “London Explorer” from Trafalgar is one of the highest rated escorted London tour packages and tailored to explore one of the greatest cities in the world. Not only that, but this tour package rounds out the time exploring London with trips to popular destinations outside the capital - which makes it an ideal holiday for first time travellers to England or for friends who fancy a quick week in London.
One big advantage of this tour is that you stay in the same hotel each night, which saves you the daily packing and unpacking and makes your holiday that much more relaxing!
Big Ben and Westminster Palace © essentially-england.comLondon Tour Packages - The London Explorer Itinerary
Day 1
Check into your hotel and explore locally in your free time. In the evening, meet the tour director and your fellow travellers for a welcome reception at your hotel.
Day 2
The morning's sightseeing features Buckingham Palace, the pomp of the Changing of the Guard, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. In the afternoon there is free time to explore at your leisure or an option to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Personally, I would take the option just to learn of the horrors of The Tower, meet Beefeaters and ravens, and see the Crown Jewels!
Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial © essentially-england.comDay 3
Embark on a day out from London and visit the world-famous pre-historic monument, Stonehenge. Learn about the landscape, the geology of the stones, where they came from, and how they were transported and put into position. It’s a fascinating story. On the return to London, the tour stops at Windsor Castle. This is the largest inhabited castle in England and is the Royal Family's preferred London residence.
In the evening, there is the option to see a show at a West End theatre. I think this would be a great addition to your holiday as you get top-notch performances in some stunning theatres. If you prefer a play to a musical, why not check out the world's longest running stage production, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. Just remember not to tell anyone who did it!
Stonehenge © essentially-england.com
Windsor Castle © essentially-england.comDay 4
There is an important decision to be made today. A day out to do as you please, or the optional extra, of an excursion to tour the Cotswolds area and visit the towns of Oxford and William Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon.
This day allows you the option to discover something in, or outside of London, that is on your must-do list.
You could visit Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, or even the Harry Potter Studios, which are all within easy reach. Thinking a little further afield, you could experience fish and chips at the seaside in Brighton, Southend, or Bournemouth. And for a very long day out, I have heard of Beatles fans visiting Liverpool for the day!
However, if there is no must-do on your list, I would take the optional trip even if you’re not a Shakespeare fan or keen on students. Both Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon are beautiful towns with lovely architecture and great histories. Top it off with pretty Cotswolds scenery, and you get a very English day out!
Christchurch College in Oxford © essentially-england.com
Shakespeare's Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon © essentially-england.com
Day 5
It’s museum day! London has some of the best museums around including The British Museum, The Science Museum, The V&A, The Imperial War Museum, and the wonderful National History Museum. And if museums aren’t your thing, you could explore the art galleries around Trafalgar Square.
An optional extra walking tour “Soho Food and Culture” is on offer today, and in the evening you’ll enjoy dinner at an exclusive Trafalgar Holidays “Be My Guest Experience” where you'll meet some true Londoners.
The Science Museum © essentially-england.comDay 6
Discover over one thousand years of history around the royal church, Westminster Abbey, and marvel at its architecture. Just imagine all the coronations and royal weddings that have taken place here. Visit the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, the royal tombs, Poets Corner, and the Lady Chapel.
Afterwards, learn about the lives of the Royal Family with a tour of Kensington Palace, which was once home to Princess Diana and now contains the private apartments of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Westminster Abbey © essentially-england.comDay 7
The morning is free to explore at your leisure. Perhaps take a stroll in Hyde Park, or my favourite London Park, St. James’. You could check if Tower Bridge is planning to open that morning, or take in the atmosphere of Trafalgar Square. How about experiencing the London Eye or taking the views from Europe’s tallest building, The Shard?
In the afternoon, you'll cruise down The River Thames to the maritime centre of Greenwich and home to the Greenwich Meridian - the point where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is measured - followed by a Farewell Dinner in one of London’s historic pubs.
Tower Bridge © essentially-england.com
The Greenwich Observatory © essentially-england.comDay 8
Sadly, after breakfast it’s time to say goodbye to London unless you have extended your stay to explore more at your leisure.
The itinerary makes it sound like one of the best escorted London tour packages available and the reviews back this up. Please be aware that the details in this blog were correct at the time of publication and may change. For full up-to-date details…
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