South East England & South Wales Encompassed

Hello London! After collecting your luggage and meeting your guide in arrivals hall, you will enjoy a half day panoramic tour of London. You will get to admire the most famous historical buildings this city has to offer starting with the Royal residence - Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square, Trafalgar square is also where you will find the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Both museums are free of charge. Your coach and guide will then take you to the heart of West end - Piccadilly Circus. Here you can see some of the most popular theatres where world famous performances take place. You will then be driven to your accommodation where the guide will leave you.

The rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Bloomsbury (or similar)

Today, you depart on a full day tour, which will include the White Cliffs of Dover, Canterbury & the Historic Dockyard Chatham Tour as we discover the beauty of Kent, known as the garden of England, on this day trip from London.

We will make a stop close to the White Cliffs of Dover, with time to enjoy a coastal breathtaking walk or simply take in the coastal views. On a clear day, see magnificent views of the English Channel and even France.

From there you will continue to the city of Canterbury, where your guide will introduce you to the city with an informative walking tour. Wander among the ancient buildings and charming streets of this picturesque city.  Take some free time to visit Canterbury Cathedral if you wish, or enjoy lunch in one of many quirky cafes (not included)

Next, we continue our journey for a visit to The Historic Dockyard Chatham, a guaranteed adventure. Return to the ‘Age of Sail’, when the Dockyard built mighty ships that reigned over the world’s oceans within their award-winning Command of the Oceans Gallery. Test your sea legs on board three historic warships, and discover how steam and steel evolved from wooden hulls and iron frames. Imagine the crash of waves as you explore the UK’s largest collection of historic lifeboats, and delve into a treasure house of incredible collections from the Imperial War Museum and the Royal Museums Greenwich.

Bring the story of Sir Winston Churchill to life by walking in his footsteps at Chartwell House and Gardens. Explore the Churchill family’s former home, now expertly and lovingly managed by the National Trust. You will see the desk where Churchill wrote many of his famous speeches and Nobel-prize-winning books, along with viewing the many awards and personal artifacts which help provide a special insight into Churchill and his family. Get up close to the treasured family photographs and discover the iconic wartime leader’s paintings in the very studio where many were produced – Chartwell proudly houses the largest collection of Churchill’s paintings found anywhere in the world. With its glorious gardens, enjoy the same beautiful scenery that inspired much of the great man’s paintings, including a view of The Weald of Kent

In the afternoon, we will stop in one of the English vineyards, for example, Denbies Wine Estate (subject to change), for a tour and tasting. English wines are growing in popularity, from crisp whites to velvety reds, hundreds of vineyards up and down England are producing award-winning wines. During Denbies Outdoor Vineyard Sparking Wine Tour you can enjoy a glass of Denbies Sparking Whitedowns Cuvee as you are taken through the vineyard to the highest viewpoint on this informative tour. 

This morning you depart on a Half Day Tour to Windsor Castle with your guide and driver. Explore more than 900 years of royal history at the ancestral home of the British monarchy and the largest occupied castle in the world. See where HRH Prince Harry married Ms Meghan Markle and discover the lavishly decorated State Apartments, the finest in all of Britain imposing fortress and the royal palace, the castle towers over the medieval town below it.

After returning to London the rest of the day is at leisure

It is time to leave London and head for South Wales, we transfer to the station in time for a morning Train journey to Newport.

You will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to the train station. Sit back and enjoy the short train journey (approx 2 hours), through the picturesque scenery of the British countryside and towns, before arriving in Newport. On arrival, you will be met by a local guide and taken by coach to Tradegar House and Park.

Tredegar House is one of the architectural wonders of Wales and one of the more significant late 17th-century houses in the whole of the British Isles. Located within 90 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland, this delightful red brick house provides an ideal setting for a fantastic visit. For more than 500 years the house was home to one of the greatest Welsh families, the Morgans, later Lords Tredegar. Their lives impacted the population of south-east Wales socially, economically and politically and influenced the heritage of the area.

At Newport we will see the imposing Transporter Bridge (visitor centre scheduled to open in Summer 2024). The River Usk has the highest tidal range of any city in the world, and, in 1906, a crossing was needed that wouldn't hamper the huge amount of shipping using the river. The French designer, Ferdinand Arnodin, came up with the solution of the Transporter Bridge.

Accommodation: Mercure Newport Hotel (or similar) 

Our day begins as we head to Caerphilly Castle, the largest in Wales, and only smaller than Windsor Castle in the whole UK, which sits at the heart of this Valley’s town. Massive walls, towers and gatehouses were combined with sprawling water defences to cover a total of 30 acres. The castle is currently undergoing a £10 million investment bringing updated facilities to the mighty medieval site, which will include improved access and a new visitor centre. The renovations are scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2024. The castle is open during the renovation period.

Next stop is, St Fagan’s National Museum of History. This museum has been one of Wales’s most popular heritage attractions for many years. It holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Wales. St Fagans is a people’s museum, where we explore history together through people’s everyday lives. Since 1948 over forty original buildings from different historical periods have been re-erected in the 100-acre parkland, among them houses, a farm, a school, a chapel and a splendid Workmen's Institute. Traditional crafts and activities bring St Fagans alive, in workshops where craftsmen still demonstrate their traditional skills. Their produce is usually on sale. Native breeds of livestock can be seen in the fields and farmyards, and demonstrations of farming tasks take place daily.

At the end of the day we will stop at Cardiff Bay for a short walking tour. Formerly a busy port shipping port built around the coal industry. Cardiff Bay is now Europe’s Largest Waterfront Development and a great destination to spend some time.

Accommodation: The Leonardo Cardiff Hotel (or similar) 

No tour of Wales would be complete without spending sometime getting to know about the Welsh Mining history,

We Start with A Welsh Coal Mining Experience - Rhondda Heritage Park, hear tales of how Rhondda coal powered the world and journey deep underground to experience life on the coalface. Learn about Lewis Merthys, the owner who wrote the first one million pound cheque, and of the mine’s links with the RMS Titanic. Ex-coal miners guide visitors on the Block Gold Experience underground tour, a 90-minute journey around the colliery site. Nobody knows the coal industry better than these guides, and visitors will marvel at their tales of life underground.

Afterwards, another highlight, at the Royal Mint, where we go behind the scenes and discover how the money in people's pockets is made and the Mint's long history. Dating back to around 886AD, The royal Mint is one of the oldest manufacturers in the World. The original home was at The Tower of London, further relocation to Tower Hill in the City of London and in 1968 the Royal Mint began to move its operations to Llantrisant, and has operated on a single site in South Wales since 1980. Starting with award-winning guided tour, you will visit the factory where you will experience the process that does into making the very coins in your pocket, along with up to 60 countries worldwide. Following your tour, take time to explore the exhibition housing a collection of coins with unrivaled importance spanning from ancient time to modern day.

We will round off the day by discovering the history of gin and sampling the award-winning spirit created in the cellars of the 17^th century Hansol Castle.

Today is at leisure to explore a little on your own and do some last-minute shopping. 

This morning, meet your coach outside your accommodation and head back towards London, and Heathrow airport for your flight home.