QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLAND
09 Days / 08 Nights
This Quintessential England luxury vacation is the perfect journey to see the prime destinations of England. We begin with a journey to the rolling hills of The Cotswolds. Here you will encounter cottages and villages almost set in a time warp from hundreds of years ago in a beautiful pastoral countryside. We also head south to the ancient Roman city of Bath. Here can be found towns such as Bradford-on-Avon, Castle Combe and Lacock of Downton Abbey fame.
From here we venture southwest to the picturesque seaside region of Cornwall with villages of narrow medieval streets and Georgian buildings also known for their amazing. Seafood. We also get to visit Dorset where many of the rich and famous of London love to retreat for a city escape. These includes the quaint towns of Shaftesbury and Rye. We conclude in Kent region and get to visit the famed Canterbury Cathedral established in 597 AD. Kent is also home to renowned castles and is the Garden of England.
Your nine-day quintessential England experience will leave you forever changed and with a deep understanding of the history and cultures of this fascinating land of England from eons ago to the present day.
The Itinerary
DAY 1 – WELCOME TO ENGLAND
Leave your arrival port or airport behind and drive to the Cotswolds. This beautiful region is quintessentially English, with its picture postcard scenery and chocolate box cottages. Check in to your hotel.
Overnight: Cotswolds area
DAY 2 – EXPLORING COTSWOLDS
Spend the day exploring the beautiful villages in the Cotswolds. The most famous ones include Broadway, Chipping Campden and Bourton-onthe-Water, but you may also choose to explore Bibury: "the most beautiful village in England", or the cottages of Arlington Row are often referred to as the most photographed cottages in the country. Further north, the village of Blockley is a unique collection of golden stone cottages.
Overnight: Cotswolds area
DAY 3 - COTSWOLDS TO BATH
Drive through the southern parts of the Cotswolds near Bath. Stop to explore Bradford-on-Avon known as Beautiful Bradford. Castle Combe has featured regularly as a film location, such as in Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse. Lacock is also a favourite for film and TV producers. Its most famous appearances include 'Downton Abbey', the BBC’s 'Pride and Prejudice' and the film 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’. Continue to Bath area to spend time in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Overnight: Bath area
DAY 4 – BATH TO CORNWALL
Head south to Cornwall through Somerset and Devon, and we recommend driving along the north coast and across Exmoor National Park where you can choose to explore some villages: Dunster, one of the most popular places on Exmoor for visitors is a medieval village with an ancient castle, priory, dovecote, and a mill. Close by you will find Bossington, a peaceful coastal hamlet. Arrive in Cornwall and check in to your next hotel.
Overnight: Cornwall area
DAY 5 – EXPLORING CORNWALL
Spend the day exploring Cornwall. Head to Fowey is a beautiful small town on the
west side of the river, with narrow medieval streets and Georgian buildings also known for its seafood. Polperro is a largely unspoilt fishing village with cottages clinging to steep hillsides around a small harbour with spectacular views of land and sea, an artist’s paradise. Include a visit to St Michael’s Mount.
Overnight: Cornwall area
DAY 6 – CORNWALL TO DORSET
Drive from Cornwall, through south Devon to Dorset. Along the way, explore the Jurassic
Coast and stop in villages such as Salcombe in Devon. Abbotsbury in Dorset is a pretty, picture postcard village steeped in history and surrounded by spectacular scenery. Here, you’ll be surrounded by delightful cottage architecture, traditional country tea rooms and olde worlde pubs.
Overnight: Dorset area
DAY 7 – DORSET TO KENT
Drive to Kent, along the Sussex coast. Stop to explore the vineyards along your route. See Shaftesbury, a quintessential Dorset village, with thatched cottages, quaint tea rooms and small shops. It’s also one of the oldest and highest towns in England, with Gold Hill being one of the most photographed streets in England. Rye is a mediaeval gem with narrow cobbled streets and medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings. The sort of place you thought existed only in your imagination!
Overnight: Kent area
DAY 8 – EXPLORE KENT
Kent is also known as the Garden of England. Visit one of the castles, world famous gardens, or stop in Canterbury to see the cathedral. Discover the pretty villages in the region: Chilham’s historic square, and the small lanes leading to it, are lined with Tudor and Jacobean half-timbered houses. Sandwich is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in England, dating back to the 7th century.
Overnight: Kent area
DAY 9 – DEPARTURE
Depart from your choice of London airports.