South England Sightseeing Tours
Ancient monuments to stunning gardens
Stonehenge, Oxford, Cornwall and Bath are some of the places we explore. A must for anyone who loves England’s history.
Example South of England Tour
CANTERBURY - WHITE CLIFFS - DOVER CASTLE
We start our tour in CANTERBURY, an ancient city with significant architecture from the Romans to the modern day. Best known for the 3 World Heritage Sites, the Cathedral, is the home of the Anglican Church. Driving along the WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER there are a number of memorials to the heroes of WWII. Dominating the coast is DOVER CASTLE, England’s oldest complex of buildings.
SISSINGHURST - BRIGHTON - ROYAL DOCKS
Set around a series of compartments, SISSINGHURST CASTLE is one the great gardens with outstanding colour. BRIGHTON is bright, vibrant place. A magnificent attraction is the ROYAL PAVILION. A former palace it is an opulent combination of an Indian and Chinese royal home. The ROYAL DOCKYARDS have several ships to discover with the most famous, Nelson’s flagship – the HMS VICTORY.
SALISBURY - STONEHENGE - JURASSIC COAST
SALISBURY CATHEDRAL began in 1220 and it’s chapter house has one of only four surviving Magna Cartas. The pre-historic landscapes surrounding STONEHENGE date from 5000 years ago. Close is WOODHENGE, now reconstructed and part of the story. South, is the JURASSIC COAST. A World Heritage Site, the outstanding scenery includes lovely fishing villages and places to find fossils.
PLYMOUTH - EDEN PROJECT - FISHING VILLAGES
PLYMOUTH is rich in maritime history and where the Pilgrim Fathers stopped for the last time before heading to the New Worlds. Cornwall is England’s most southerly county. The EDEN PROJECT was a Millennium project and is now a pioneering charity with many of the World’s plants under protection. CHARLESTOWN, a lovely fishing village, used as the backdrop for TVs Poldark.
ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT - LAND'S END - CORNWALL
ST MICHAEL’S MOUNT rises gracefully from the sea to the church at the summit. The oldest buildings date from the C12th when a Benedictine priory was founded here. Close-by is the lovely fishing village of MOUSHOLE. A memorable journey along the Cornish coast takes us to LAND’S END before arriving at ST IVES, famed for the north light that has attracted artists over the years.
TINTAGEL - GLASTONBURY - WELLS CATHEDRAL
The Cornish Coast is truly spectacular. Resting on a headland is legendary castle of King Arthur, TINTAGEL. Now a ruin, this dramatic site has many stories and mysteries. Also associated with Arthur is GLASTONBURY. The rocky Tor, is possibly the Isle of Avalon. WELLS CATHEDRAL, with its ornate carving and beautiful interior; is one of the finest churches set in ancient houses.
BATH - DYRHAM PARK - LACOCK
BATH is England’s only World Heritage City and a tour will show you the main sites like the ROYAL CRESCENT, the CIRCUS, ROMAN BATHS and ABBEY. DYRHAM PARK, a lovely small stately home is a classic of its period – early C18th. At LACOCK, the whole village preserved as it was over 200 years ago. Lacock Abbey was the birthplace of modern photography and featured in the Harry Potter movies.
AVEBURY LANDSCAPE - OXFORD
The largest pre-historic circle in the UK is AVEBURY. Over 4500 years old, the stones form a ceremonial landscape with avenues and monuments. The landscape includes SILBURY HILL, a man made hill and the LONG BARROW, a prehistoric burial site into which you can walk. OXFORD is England’s premier seat of learning and a fantastic end. We will uncover the men and women who made this city famous.
ADDITIONS TO THE ITINERARY
This tour is an example of what can be seen. There is an abundance of touring options to choose from or themes we can create tours around. One option is a few extra days in the COTSWOLDS, CORNWALL or KENT. The North of England adds a wonderful contrast to this tour with more emphasis on the castles, the National Parks and medieval history.
What People are Saying
“Thank you for arranging a superb vacation for us. Everything was lovely but the best part was our guide. She was so able to identify what we were looking for within the first hour and adapted the itinerary accordingly. "Mr Smith - Cleveland, OH
