London, United Kingdom

Visit Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and medieval Warwick Castle on this action-packed, full-day trip from London. From the comfort of a first-class, luxury coach, make your way out of the capital to three of England’s most-visited places. Enjoy a walking tour of Oxford, home to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Pass through the idyllic Cotswolds, a region officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visit Stratford-upon-Avon, the charming birthplace of William Shakespeare. Then, travel back to the Middle Ages with a trip to magnificent Warwick Castle.

Start your day with a pickup from your centrally located London hotel, or meet your professional guide at the prearranged meeting point in Victoria Coach Station to begin your tour. Hop aboard your first-class, luxury coach and relax as you travel northwest, away from the hustle and bustle of England’s capital.

Your first stop of the tour is Oxford. Known as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires,’ Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. On arrival, step out of your coach and enjoy a walking tour of the city center with your guide.

Plug into your state-of-the-art headset and listen to your guide talking clearly as you pass by the elegant, timeworn buildings and courtyard that have inspired generation of scholars, including Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea, Hugh Grant and Kate Beckinsale. See the Bodleian Library and Christ Church College, where Harry Potter scenes were filmed and where Albert Einstein studied.

Next, enjoy a brief stop for refreshments (own expense) before hopping back inside your coach and traveling through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, an area steeped in gentle English beauty, history and heritage. Look out the window to admire the thatched-roof cottages and charming inns. On arrival in Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of the famous playwright William Shakespeare, visit Shakespeare’s Tudor-era home, with its typical parlor, bedrooms, kitchen and buttery. After, enjoy some free time for lunch (own expense) at one of the many charming eateries.

Then it’s a short journey to medieval Warwick Castle, whose magnificent towers and ramparts remain mostly intact. Travel back through 1,000 years of history as you cross the footbridge to a bygone world of banquets, battles and ceremony. Climb the winding staircase to the Princess Tower, or, if you’re feeling brave, visit the spine-chilling dungeons where prisoners were tortured. You might wish to take a stroll through the castle’s lovingly tended gardens, where archery, falconry and jousting take place in the summer months.

Your day trip then concludes back at Victoria Coach Station in the evening.