Final Information - TCS - The Gialketsis Family explore the Cotswolds

Day 1 - Thursday 16^th May - Welcome to London

On arrival at Heathrow you will be met by the VIP team and whisked seamlessly through arrivals to your awaiting transfer.  From here, you’ll head into the city and check into your hotel ready to meet up with friends and spend a relaxing couple of days in the city.

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Friday 17^th May - Free Day London

Spend time with your friends in London today before you set off on your Cotswold Adventure tomorrow

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Saturday 18^th May - Arrive Bath

A private transfer will collect you from your hotel in London and you’ll set off on your Cotswold adventure.   You will arrive at the mystical site of Avebury, a collection of stone circles and neolithic burial sites, where your host and guide will meet you and you’ll set off to explore this incredible landscape.   Let your expert guide bring this landscape to life as you wander around the neolithic sites and artefacts before heading onto the ancient city of Bath.

Your accommodation is in one of the most iconic streets in Bath and once you have settled in, you can either head out to explore some of the city or simply enjoy dinner in one of the restaurants.

Overnight: Bath | The Royal Crescent
Room Type: 1 x Master Suite and 2 x Deluxe Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Sunday 19^th May - A Canal boat and the Royal Crescent

The ancient city of Bath is well known for its Roman Baths and the stunning architecture, however today you will explore it from a different perspective, enjoy the historic waterways of this region.  Arriving at the canal side you will step aboard a narrow boat and take to the canal for a day of leisure and locks.  Steer the boat through locks and round the gentle bends as the canal twists and turns through the ever-changing countryside.   Stop off at a pub for lunch or perhaps just enjoy a delectable picnic on board as you drift along.

In the late afternoon you will all meet up again and enjoy a private out of hours tour of No 1 Royal Crescent to explore what life was like for the fashionable Bathonian’s in the 18th century.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: Bath | The Royal Crescent
Room Type: 1 x Master Suite and 2 x Deluxe Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Monday 20^th May - Exploring Bath

Spend the day exploring this incredible city with your guide, from the tranquility of Bath Abbey to the iconic Roman Baths.  Take a private tour of the Abbey Clock Tower, climbing the 212 steps to the top to see the city spread out beneath you and be rewarded with a refreshing glass of something cold and bubbly.  Explore the nooks and crannies of the city that are only known to the locals  as well as browsing some of the wonderful book and antique shops that are dotted about the city.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: Bath | The Royal Crescent
Room Type: 1 x Master Suite and 2 x Deluxe Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Tuesday 21^st May - Hiking and Exploring

Today Bill and George can set out to southern Cotswolds for a hike this morning, feeling the earth crunch under your hiking boots as you immerse yourselves in the wonderful scenery with the sounds of nature for company.

For Shelli and Reed, spend the morning exploring more of the city with your city guide, perhaps enjoy some spa treatments or simply enjoying watching the world go by from a local cafe with a coffee and a good book!

After meeting up at lunchtime, you will head to Bristol to explore some of the quirky shops in the suburbs and maybe lunch with a view of the engineering feat that is the Clifton Suspension bridge.  Learn the secrets of this urban city as you wander through the streets and before enjoying some local produce at dinner and then return to your hotel.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Drive time from Bath to Bristol is approximately 45 minutes

Overnight: Bath | The Royal Crescent
Room Type: 1 x Master Suite and 2 x Deluxe Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7 - Wednesday 22^nd May - To the Cotswolds

Leaving Bath behind this morning, you will travel through the heart of the Cotswolds to your next destination.

En route to your accommodation in the pretty town of Broadway, your first stop will be at the charming village of Tetbury which offers a plethora of antique shops to explore and discover some hidden gems before heading onwards to Chedworth – a roman villa that was rediscovered by the Victorians over 150 years ago.  This fascinating place gives a unique insight into Roman life here in Britain.

Your final stop of the day is at Sudeley Castle where you will meet a private guide and take a tour of the family apartments, castle and gardens where over 1000 years of history will be brought to life inside these ancient walls.  Hear stories of Royalty, ruins and everything in between as you explore this ancient building before continuing onto your hotel for the next 4 nights.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Drive time from Bath to Broadway is approximately 1hr 45 minutes without stops

Overnight: Broadway | Dormy House Hotel & Spa
Room Type: 1 x Attic Suite and 2 x Courtyard Suites for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8 - Thursday 23^rd May - The Ancient Malvern Hills

You will all head to the iconic Malvern Hills today, which are formed from some of the most ancient rocks in England.  These hills are well known for their pure spring water – which was the only water her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II used to drink – as well as the breathtaking views from the ridge line.  Enjoy a walk up to St Ann’s well to take in the views before Shelli and Reed head back to the town to enjoy some browsing in the shops while Bill and George take a short hike along the ridgeline.

All meet up in Great Malvern for lunch before heading back towards the Cotswolds where you will discover the unconventional home of Charles Wade – the architect who was famous for building a model Cornish fishing village that attracted visits from Queen Mary and Virginia Woolf!

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: Broadway | Dormy House Hotel & Spa
Room Type: 1 x Attic Suite and 2 x Courtyard Suites for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9 - Friday 24^th May - Hidden gems of Stratford-upon-Avon

Spend the day exploring the home of William Shakespeare today as you head north to the pretty town of Stratford-upon-Avon.  Embark on a private tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre with an expert guide – exploring behind the scenes and seeing how the works of the bard are brought to life here.

Stratford is also home to loads of small, independent antique shops – perfect for browsing and finding some hidden treasures.

Later on visit the place where the bard was born and the church where he is buried as well as enjoying a decadent afternoon tea before ending the day taking to the water where you can put your steering skills to the test as you punt along the river!

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Drive time from Broadway to Stratford is approximately 30 minutes

Overnight: Broadway | Dormy House Hotel & Spa
Room Type: 1 x Attic Suite and 2 x Courtyard Suites for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 10 - Saturday 25^th May - Broadway and Bats

Bill and George will have the opportunity for a quick hike to Broadway Tower this morning for it’s famous view of all 5 counties of the Cotswolds while Shelli and Reed can enjoy a relaxed breakfast or some browsing along the pretty high street with it’s eclectic shops.

Meeting up again in the late morning, you will head to the hallowed grounds of Edgbaston to experience a true English spectacle – England vs Pakistan in the third T20 match.  A fantastic day spent hearing the thud of leather against willow and the roar of the Barmy Army as England storm to victory (we hope!).

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Drive time from Broadway to Edgbaston is approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

Overnight: Broadway | Dormy House Hotel & Spa
Room Type: 1 x Attic Suite and 2 x Courtyard Suites for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 11 - Sunday 26^th May - Return to London

It is time to head back to the city saying farewell to the rolling hills and chocolate box villages of the Cotswolds.

Before you arrive back in the buzzing metropolis, your final stop will be Blenheim Palace where you will take a private tour of this stunning place and enjoy a wander through the immaculate gardens that have been crafted by various designers over the years.  A fabulous way to end your time in the heart of England.

You will be dropped off at your London hotel in the late afternoon ready for more explorations tomorrow.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Drive time from Broadway to Blenheim Palace is approximately 45 minutes

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 12 - Monday 27^th May - Exploring London

You will meet an old friend this morning as Sue Hyde, who guided you on your last trip, will be with you today to take you off the beaten track to discover some more of the hidden gems of London.  Head out to explore Eltham Palace and the Greenwich Royal observatory with her while hearing more stories of life in London.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 13 - Tuesday 28^th May - Soho markets and antiques

Today, you’ll leave central London behind and venture to Walthamstow, northeast London, where very few tourists ever go.  The name comes from Wilcumstow – the place where people are welcome.  It’s a vibrant and multicultural neighbourhood and features food from across the world and London’s longest street market.  Your guide has lived here for 25 years so it’s a real insider tour and he knows everyone.  You might bump into Mick the Butcher, Venessa the priest, Laurence the pub owner or Michael the homeless guy.

A visit to Walthamstow is a study in gentrification.  Pockets of poverty live side by side with homes costing + £1 million.  The Village, which is the original Norman settlement, has experienced turbo-charged gentrification over the last 10 years.  Fancy restaurants and gift shops abound and residents predominantly work in the creative industries.  We will examine the challenges of gentrifications and the housing crisis; who wins and who loses?

The very urban landscape is punctuated with great street art and inspirational community gardening.  Walthamstow Village’s volunteer community gardening group has won many gold medals in Royal Horticultural Society competitions.  You will enjoy their street orchards, meadows, ponds and you’ll see where they keep their bees.  You will be gifted a jar of their delicious honey before we head back to Central London.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 14 - Wednesday 29^th May - Final day of Explorations

You will head East to the City of London where the Romans founded our great city almost 2000 years ago.  Today, the City is our financial centre (The Wall Street of London) and the ruins of Roman London are now surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers by top architects such as Norman Foster and Richard Rogers.  The contrast between the new and the old is fascinating and the street-scape changes every time you turn a corner.  No wonder this part of London has featured in many films, including Harry Potter.

As you cross in to the East End, only yards from the glitz of the city, everything changes dramatically.  High rise gives way to low rise and the smell of curry fills the air in Banglatown, home to London’s Bangladeshi community.  Remnants of previous immigrants remain; the beautiful homes built by Hugonots 300 years ago and beigel shops founded by Jewish immigrants a hundred years ago.  Such a vibrant neighbourhood has attracted celebrities today and your guide will point out the homes and studios of well-known artisits and actors as you meander down the old streets of Spitalfields.  Our next stop will be another neighbourhood undergoing change; Kings Cross.  20 years ago the streets around the train station were rather intimidating with drug dealing and prostitution.  The transformation of Kings Cross kicked off with the arrival of the Eurostar train to Paris and Brussels.  The old industrial railway hinterland has been completely transformed and the result is pretty impressive.  Kings Cross is generally seen as one of the most successful urban transformations in London in recent history.

Your guide will arrange a meeting time with you the night before.

Overnight: London | Mandarin Oriental
Room Type: 1 x Hyde Park Suite and 2 x Superior Rooms for single occupancy
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 15 - Thursday 30^th May - Depart London

A private transfer will collect you from your hotel and take you back to Heathrow in time for your flight home, taking with you happy memories of a wonderful vacation in the heart of England.

A late check out has been arranged with the hotel for this day so the morning is free to enjoy the spa or a later breakfast before checking out.

Meals Included: Breakfast