Village Life® Cotswolds Castles & Countryside of England

9 Days | 8 Nights

Journey through the charming Cotswolds, the Heart of England and home to some of the country’s most scenic landscapes, filled with picturesque villages, rolling green hills and winding country lanes. From your home base in the first-class Queens Hotel in Cheltenham, embark on daily excursions, exploring grand properties and lovely countryside. At prestigious Oxford University, indulge in an exclusive after-hours tour of the Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera. At a local farm, learn about sustainability and foraging, harvest fresh vegetables from the garden and engage in a cooking lesson. Tour majestic Blenheim Palace and Sudeley Castle, stroll through lush gardens, and tread in Shakespeare’s footsteps in Stratford-upon-Avon. Discover the unique heritage of the local folk music scene at a village pub dinner where musicians will talk about music history and perform. Treat yourself to this unforgettable 7-night escape to England’s castles and countryside!

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart Home City

Day 2: London, England | Cheltenham

Day 3: Daylesford Farm

Day 4: Blenheim Palace | Oxford

Day 5: Chavenage House

Day 6: Cheltenham | Hidcote Garden

Day 7: Stratford-upon-Avon

Day 8: Sudeley Castle

Day 9: Cotswolds | London | Return to Home City

Highlights:

• Journey through the charming Cotswolds, home to some of England's most scenic landscapes, with picturesque villages, rolling green hills and winding country lanes.
• Small-group travel, with a maximum of 36 travelers. Stay for 7 nights in the first-class Queens Hotel.
• Featured Guest Speaker Mark Cummings, local expert and author.
• A private after-hours tour of the prestigious Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera at Oxford University.
• Specially arranged private visit to Chavenage House and grounds with a member of the family.
• Tour UNESCO World Heritage-designated Blenheim Palace, including the Palace State Rooms & Churchill exhibition; and the Shakespeare Library and Archive Collections, which is included in the UNESCO Memory of the World register.
• Included meals | 1 reception, 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner.

Program Features:

Your Travel Program

• 7-night stay in the first-class Queens Hotel.
• Well-appointed first-class guest rooms.
• Deluxe motor coach transfers during the Land Program.
• Complimentary house wine and beer at lunch and dinner and nonalcoholic beverages at all meals.
• Included meals | 1 reception, 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner.
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
• Journey through the charming Cotswolds, home to some of England's most scenic landscapes, with picturesque villages, rolling green hills and winding country lanes.

• Enjoy a private sustainability and foraging talk at Daylesford Organic Farm. Experience harvesting from the market garden and make your own lunch in a cooking class.
• Tread the hallowed walkways of Oxford's Tudor-era Tom Quad to see Tom Tower, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Tour Christ Church Cathedral.
• Revel in a private, after-hours tour of Oxford's Radcliffe Camera (dating back to 1488) and the prestigious Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe.
• Take a guided walking tour of Cheltenham, then visit the renowned Arts and Crafts-inspired Hidcote Garden.
• Explore the life of Shakespeare during a tour of Stratford-upon-Avon. Marvel at the treasures held in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trusts’ Shakespeare Library and Archive Collections.
• Stroll through Sudeley Castle and Gardens, a Tudor jewel with a thousand years of history.
• Immerse yourself in the local folk music scene at a village pub dinner where musicians will talk about music history and perform.

UNESCO:

World Heritage site:

• Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.

Memory of the World register:

• Shakespeare Library and Archive Collections, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

always included:

• Transfers and luggage handling abroad for passengers who book their air through Gohagan & Company.
• Experienced, English-speaking local guides for included excursions.
• Gratuities to local guides and drivers on included excursions and transfers.
• Complimentary water in your room and on excursions.
• Hospitality desk.
• Experienced Gohagan & Company Travel Directors at your service.
• Complimentary audio headset during guided excursions.

accommodations:

Queens Hotel  |  Cheltenham

From an 18th-century spa to a modern boutique hotel, the Queens Hotel Cheltenham boasts a long history, a grand exterior and a prime position on one of Cheltenham’s most beautiful Regency streets. The hotel is a stunning example of neo-classical architecture, with its imposing white façade of Roman temple scale, adorned by over 50 Corinthian columns, carved cornices and Georgian windows. Throughout its illustrious history, the hotel has welcomed such eminent figures as General Sir Charles Napier, Edward Elgar and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It also served as a social refuge for women in WWI and as a military hospital. Recently, the hotel has been restored to its former neoclassical glory, and the building’s original comforts have been enhanced with the latest technology.

Contact

To register for this trip, please call 1-800-922-3088.