​DAY ONE/TWO (MAY 9 AND 10): Overnight Flights to London from St. Louis.  We will arrive in London early afternoon and check into our comfortable accommodations for the next two nights.  Upon arrival - relax, refresh and enjoy dinner at the hotel or at restaurant within walking distance at your leisure. 

Accommodations for two nights: Wellington by Blue Orchid (or similar).

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DAY THREE (MAY 11): Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning prior to discovering one of the world’s greatest cities - London! We will board London's iconic double-decker bus tour to take in all the most iconic London landmarks, including Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Our tours pass all the major landmarks in London – making it the best way to see the city.  After a lunch stop along the way (on own), you will have the afternoon free to relax, stroll, or shop the boutiques near our hotel. This evening we will gather for a delicious welcome dinner at the hotel and meet our local English guide for our travels.

DAY FOUR (MAY 12): After breakfast, we’ll set our sights on our first stop: charming Oxford. Here, we’ll learn about the poets, professors, scientists and sporting heroes that have graced the city’s streets over the years with a locally guided walking tour. Then: we’ll venture through quintessential English countryside to meet with the Cotswolds. This charming area is a patchwork of green hills and farmland, peppered with centuries-old villages and caramel-hued cottages. We’ll enjoy some free time to stroll the elegant terraced High Street of Chipping Campden – before tucking into another delicious group dinner at our hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. Accommodations for two nights: Swan’s Nest Hotel (or similar).

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DAY FIVE (MAY 13): Enjoy your English breakfast at the hotel.  The life and times of William Shakespeare will take center stage today when we pay a visit to the playwright’s timbered childhood home and his wife Anne Hathaway’s pretty thatched cottage. A stroll through the blooming gardens here is a must! We’ll have some time to enjoy lunch at our leisure – before we explore some picturesque Cotswolds hamlets this afternoon. This evening will be ours to spend at your leisure.

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DAY SIX (MAY 14): After breakfast, today promises to be an indulgent one, with an afternoon of high tea on the agenda before we move on to Lacock. This showstopper of a village often doubles as a film set, and you may recognize it from Pride and Prejudice or The Other Boleyn Girl. After imagining ourselves as costume drama heroes and heroines, we’ll step inside the magnificent abbey – whose peaceful cloisters took a starring turn as the Hogwarts hallways in the Harry Potter series. Then: onwards to Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city with true ‘wow’ factor, where we’ll make ourselves at home for our final two nights. This evening, we’ll spend exploring Bath at our own pace.

Accommodations: for two nights The Abbey Hotel (or similar)

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DAY SEVEN (MAY 15): Breakfast at hotel. After receiving a fascinating insight into Roman life on a morning visit to the Roman Baths, we’ll visit the museum at No. 1 Royal Crescent. The afternoon will then be yours to explore the city for yourself. You could enjoy a bit of ‘me time’ at Thermae Bath Spa (Britain’s only thermal spa), and bathe in mineral-rich waters while scanning the skyline from the rooftop pool – or, if you’d prefer to explore on foot, you could discover Bath’s proud independent side as you wander past stylish boutiques and celebrated coffee shops. Enjoy a delicious included dinner together.

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Start your day always with a fresh English breakfast.  The current seat of the Marquess of Bath, the impressive Longleat House blends classic architecture with creative interiors – and it’s here that we’ll start the day. We’ll have plenty of time to explore before we move on to Avebury, an immense stone circle set within an ancient landscape of enigmatic monuments, tombs and roads. While Stonehenge attracts tourists from around the world and does not permit close access, at Avebury we’ll have the opportunity to walk freely among the standing stones. Steeped in mystery, this prehistoric stone circle is a fascinating sight – and makes for a tremendous final stop. Later this afternoon, our trip will return back to London.  We will check into our comfortable airport accommodations for the evening.

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Breakfast at leisure this morning prior to our flights back to the USA from London.  We depart on May 17 from England and return the same day (May 17) in the USA. 

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Our small group journey to the 'Heart of England' is limited to only 15 guests providing meaningful travel going deeper along the way! It’s about taking time to explore. It’s about meeting the locals and tasting traditional cuisine. It’s about discovering the beauty that lies off the beaten track.  We hope you can join us at Cornerstone Journeys!