Itineraries are always flexible to accommodate your specific interests, but tours could consist of:

• A day visit to Oxford including walking tours of the famous colleges and university buildings, city tour, covered market/ shopping and possibly eating out in a traditional pub.
• A day exploring the Cotswolds, visiting picturesque, typically quaint English villages steeped in history. Browse in numerous antique shops and boutiques, and recharge your batteries with a traditional English afternoon tea.
• A day visiting Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, one of the most magnificent buildings in England. Admire the splendour of the exquisite palace interior, and take a stroll in the vast grounds. Enjoy a pub lunch/ afternoon tea in one of the many traditional inns and tearooms in the quaint small town of Woodstock.
• A relaxing half day walking in the Malvern Hills, enjoying the breathtaking views of the 3 surrounding counties, followed by a picnic (weather permitting) or a hearty pub meal.
• A half day tour of the elegant regency spa town of Cheltenham including Pittville Pump Room and park, and the beautiful shops.

The following are places of interest for you to choose from and inspire you for your tailor-made tour:

Cotswold Villages - Where time has stood still

Beautiful, unspoilt, "olde worlde" villages built of honey-coloured stone nestling in breathtaking English countryside. “Chocolate – box” villages with their numerous fine art and antique galleries, tea shops and inns, oozing charm of a bygone era are waiting to be explored – once experienced, never forgotten!

Towns

Cheltenham

Cheltenham Spa, with beautiful regency architecture, elegant parks and fine art galleries and shops, is the centre for the Cotswolds. Discover the Promenade, an elegant avenue lined with trees and regency terraces, exclusive boutiques and cafes, or take a stroll in Pittville Park with its famous Pump Room where you can taste the medicinal waters. Visit the prestigious racecourse for the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup and attend the Literature Festival and meet famous authors.

Sratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace and home of William Shakespeare, is steeped in culture and history. Set in beautiful rural Warwickshire countryside, with black and white timber-framed buildings on the banks of the river Avon, it is one of the most important tourist destinations in the UK. See Shakespeare’s birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s cottage, or take a stroll along the river.

Winchcombe

Winchcombe, a Saxon town, was the provincial capital of the kingdom of Mercia and remained the most important Cotswold town until the early Middle Ages. Along the High Street you find an attractive mix of stone and half-timbered buildings, home to traditional pubs, family run shops and businesses.

Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury is a medieval gem famed for its timber framed buildings. An ancient settlement situated at the meeting of the rivers Avon and Severn, a delight for those seeking 'Olde England'. Tewkesbury is renowned as having one of the best medieval townscapes in England with its fine half- timbered buildings, overhanging upper storeys and elaborately carved doorways. Tewkesbury Abbey has a fine Norman tower which dominates the town and is worth a visit in its own right. Tewkesbury is an excellent base for exploring the area.

Ledbury

A picturesque historic market town set in rural Herefordshire, the "apple orchard of England" is famous for its fruit growing. Ledbury is well known for its covered medieval market, its inns, quaint shops selling local produce and crafts - in short, true Englishness.

Great Malvern

Great Malvern, a deligthful spa town and home to the English Symphony Orchestra, is probably best known for its famous son Sir Edward Elgar - follow the Elgar route and see the hills and places that inspired Elgar. The performing arts are an important part of Malvern life, and the Theatres complex is one of Britain's most popular cultural centres.

Cities

Gloucester

The capital of Gloucestershire is most famous for its beautiful cathedral and the historic docks. Visit the cathedral cloisters and climb the tower for stunning views over Gloucestershire. The cathedral was featured in the popular Harry Potter films.

Oxford

"The city of dreaming spires" and home to one of the world’s most famous universities. Visit one of the many colleges where students live and study in historic surroundings, take a bus tour and take in the architecture and atmosphere of this quintessential English city.

Bath

The Roman city of Bath, a world heritage city, where a Georgian city has been built on top of the ancient Roman spa settlement. is a must for any visitor! Tour the Roman Baths, visit the elegant Pump Room for afternoon tea or relax and be pampered in the recently opened Spa centre. See the splendid Royal Crescent and savour the elegance of this beautiful city.

Bristol

The economic centre of the South West, famous for its historic port and harbour. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the waterside cafes, galleries and museums. Visit the first iron ship, the SS Great Britain and marvel at the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, both designed by Bristol’s famous son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Great Houses and Castles

Blenheim Palace and Woodstock

Blenheim Palace, a world heritage site, home to 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out. Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake. The village of Woodstock is a picturesque English village worth exploring.

Longleat House

This is one of the grand houses of England owned and lived in by the Marquis of Bath. Built in Elizabethan times in Italian Renaissance style, the garden was designed by Capability Brown. The house is elaborately decorated, from gilded and painted Italian ceilings to inlaid marquetry work and sumptuous marble. The rooms are full of treasures from the early 16th century, including tapestries and paintings. Rare books and manuscripts located in the Library include the first folio of Shakespeare and letters of Queen Elizabeth I.

Sudeley Castle and Gardens

Sudeley Castle has a long unrivalled history - it has been a Royal Residence and played host to at least six Kings and Queens of England., among them Katherine Parr, Henry VIII 6th wife. Today Sudeley is the home of Lord and Lady Ashcombe and Henry and Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst and their respective families. Sudeley Castle houses a collection of fine Tudor paintings and artefacts, the Tudor costume collection recreating the elaborately bejewelled robes of Henry VIII and his six wives as well as contemporary art exhibitions. The award-winning gardens are not to be missed.

Berkeley Castle

Built in 1153, Berkeley Castle is one of the oldest inhabited castles in the country – a savage Norman fortress where the savage murder of King Edward II took place. The magnificent courtyards, dark corridors and dungeons, ancient kitchens and brewery give a fascinating insight into castle life over hundreds of years.

Eastnor Castle

Eastnor Castle, a fairy-tale castle in the dramatic setting of the Malvern Hills and surrounded by a beautiful deer park, arboretum and lake, is the home of the Hervey-Bathurst family and has been in the family for 200 years. It has recently undergone refurbishment and has grand state rooms well worth a visit.

Owlpen Manor

Owlpen Manor has long been recognised as one of the most romantic Manor Houses in the West of England. A Tudor Manor which is set in its own remote and picturesque wooded valley under the edge of the Cotswolds.

Snowshill Manor

Snowshill Manor is a Cotswold manor house and Arts & Crafts-style garden located in Snowshill, set on a hillside above the vale of Evesham and is home to one of the most remarkable collections that the National Trust maintains. Run on organic principles, the intimate garden is laid out as a series of outdoor rooms, with terraces and ponds, and wonderful views.

Stanway House

Stanway House is a beautiful Jacobean house built from typical honey-coloured Cotswold stone completed in the decade before the Civil War. Its architecture of Jacobean mullions and gables and Cotswold slates contribute to its great charm. It is set close to the church, Gatehouse, Tithe Barn and cottages and surrounded by an enchanting garden and ancient parkland.

Woodchester Mansion

Woodchester Mansion is a 19th century Victorian gothic masterpiece, mysteriously abandoned mid-construction in 1873. Hidden in a secluded Cotswold valley, it is untouched by time and the modern world. This grade I listed building has been saved from dereliction, but will never be completed.

Hailes Abbey

Built in the 13th century by the Duke of Cornwall, the beautiful ruins of Hailes Abbey are set amid delightful Cotswold countryside.

Goodrich Castle

Once a baronial palace built to defend the English borders with Wales, Goodrich Castle is set dramatically on a rocky outcrop with stunning views over the Wye Valley and gives a fascinating insight into life in a medieval castle.

The Elgar birthplace museum

A fascinating insight into the life and music, family and friends, development and inspirations of Sir Edward Elgar, one of England’s greatest composers whose masterpieces include “Pomp and Circumstance Marches” and “Nimrod”.

Gardens

Hidcote Manor and Garden

One of England's great gardens, Hidcote was designed and created in the Arts & Crafts style by the horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston. It is arranged as a series of outdoor rooms, each with a different character and separated by walls and hedges of many different species. The garden is famous for its rare shrubs and trees, outstanding herbaceous borders and unusual plant species from all over the world. The varied styles of the outdoor rooms peak at different times of year, making for an interesting visit at any time.

Abbey House Gardens

This spectacular 5 acre garden is located in the heart of Malmesbury’s historic town centre, beside the dramatic backdrop of Malmesbury Abbey. This internationally renowned, privately owned garden, home to over 10000 different plants, has been lovingly brought to life by “The Naked Gardeners” Barbara and Ian Pollard.

Sudeley Castle and Gardens

Set in the midst of the Cotswold Hills, the house and gardens have grown for over 300 years around the picturesque ruins of the old castle and walls of an old Tithe barn. Today old roses and clematis festoon these ancient walls and abound in formal gardens studded and framed with voluminous blocks of topiary yews and boxwood.Whether you love the simple beauty of English gardens, the Gloucestershire countryside, places rich in history or even contemporary art, Sudeley exhibits them all in fabulous fashion, making her gardens among the very best in England. The Tudor era is recalled by the soaring ruins of the old castle but also by an elaborate knot garden, The Victorian era by the masses of yew hedges and the present day by sumptuous plantings and wildflowers.

Painswick Rococo Garden

Situated outside the beautiful Cotswold town of Painswick, the Rococo Garden is a fascinating step back to a flamboyant and sensual period of English Garden Design. This gem of a garden, which was originally laid out in the early 18th century, is set in a hidden Cotswold valley with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

Stanway House Gardens

The Stanway Watergarden, one of the finest in England, was created in the 1720s for John Tracy, probably by Charles Bridgeman, Royal Gardener from 1727, who invented the English style of gardening, which superceded the Franco-Dutch style. The glory of the Stanway watergarden is the single-jet fountain in the Canal, opened on 5th June 2004. The fountain rises magnificently to over 300 feet, making it the tallest fountain in Britain and the tallest gravity fountain in the world.

Westonbirt Arboretum

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, is one of the most spectacular tree gardens in the world. An historical collection of over 3,000 different trees and shrub species, many of which are rare or endangered in their native lands. Covering six hundred acres, the arboretum is an inspiring place to relax, get back to nature and indulge your senses.

Ancient Monuments

Odda’s Chapel and Deerhurst Church

Deerhurst boasts Odda's Chapel (English Heritage) and the delightful Saxon church of St Mary's. The church was founded about the year 800, and later became part of a monastic settlement. Odda's Chapel is a simple two cell church composed of a nave and chapel. The Chapel was completed about the year 1056 by Earl Odda, one of the most powerful Saxon nobles during the reign of Edward the Confessor. It is rare to see two historic churches so close together.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is surely Britain's greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and endurance. Its original purpose is unclear to us, but some have speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has been called an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar. Others claim that it was a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from the societies of long ago.

Chedworth Roman Villa

Chedworth Roman Villa is set in a wooded Cotswold combe and the museum houses objects from the villa. Over a mile of walls survives and there are several fine mosaics (all mosaics are under cover to protect them from the elements). There are two bathhouses, hypocausts, a water-shrine and latrine.