Day 1
Fly to London, England

Tour members check in for their flights to London  in the late afternoon and evening .

Departures are from about 20 US and Canadian cities and are included in your tour package. These are overnight flights that arrive at London’s Heathrow Airport the following morning.

Day 2
London

Participants arrive  at Heathrow Airport from the United States and Canada

After clearing customs the tour members will be met by Gina Perkes and transfer together to the city of London.

Check in to the Park Plaza County Hotel.  The Park Plaza  is surrounded by the best that London has to offer. Set in the heart of London, the hotel is a few minutes walk to  Big Ben, the National Theatre, the London Aquarium and Westminster and Waterloo Stations.

You will be staying 4 nights at this hotel.  

Day 3
London - City Tour

Breakfast is served in your hotel. 

Today‘s excursion takes you to The Tower of London, a UNESCO listed attraction. You will travel in the company of an expert tour guide and explore highlights like the White Tower, The Tower Green (sight of royal executions), the crown jewels and more.

Lunch is included at a typical London Pub.

The afternoon excursion takes you to London’s famous Victoria & Albert Museum will be one of the highlights of your tour. The V&A is the world‘s leading museum of Art and Design. It houses an amazing collection of antique quilts, including some of the earliest examples of European quilting, dating back to the late 14th century. From luxurious courtly robes to a quilt stitched by 21st-century prison inmates, the V&A holds a rich variety of objects created through quilting and patchwork.

There will be time for lunch during the day and a visit to Liberty of London, one of the capital‘s iconic stores. In a beautiful Tudor-revival building you‘ll find high-end fashion, luxury home ware and Liberty‘s own fabric line.

Day 4
London - Windsor

Breakfast is served in your hotel.

Check out of the hotel and head for Windsor, a drive of about 1 hour (24 m).

Arrive at Windsor Castle, one of the oldest and largest occupied castles in the world. Since it was founded in the 11th century it has been home to 39 monarchs. Queen Elizabeth II spent most of her private weekends at the Castle.

Here a multi-media tour will take you through the State Apartments and Semi-State rooms, sharing the history and highlights of Windsor Castle.
A visit to the fabulous Windsor Castle is a royal treat! Since William the Conqueror built a wooden fortress here over 900 years ago, this has been a royal palace and residence.

There will be time for lunch during the day and a visit to Liberty of London, one of the capital‘s iconic stores. In a beautiful Tudor-revival building you‘ll find high-end fashion, luxury home ware and Liberty‘s own fabric line.

Day 5
Free Day in London or Optional Downton Abbey tour

Breakfast is served in your hotel. The day is free without a program.

For those who wish, we offer a day tour to the famous Downton Abbey TV locations.

Program as follows:

Visit Cogges Farm, the location of Yew Tree Farm in the Downton Abbey series. You will feel like you are stepping back in time to a farm from the 19th century.  Visit the manor house kitchen, farm buildings, the orchard and farm animals.

Pass through Shilton and Swinbrook, two delightful villages featured in the show.  The region is known as the Cotswold’s, a protected area of outstanding beauty.

Enjoy a cup of tea, scones or homemade pastries in Bampton where Mrs. Crawley’s house is located. Continue on thru the countryside to Highclere Castle, the real life Downton Abbey. Visit the magnificent aristocratic rooms (state rooms, dining room and grand staircase) and beautiful gardens that make up the estate.

Day 6
London - Birmingham- Festival of Quilts Show

Breakfast is served in your hotel.

Transfer from your hotel to the Marylebone Railway Station and board the West Midland Railway train to Birmingham.

Arrive at New Street Station in the center of Birmingham. Transfer to the Radisson Blu Hotel your home for the next two nights.  After check in at the hotel transfer to the Festival of Quilts Show and spend the remainder of the day.

You’ll have a two day ticket for the show, which you can enjoy at your leisure.

Day 7
Birmingham - The Festival of Quilts Show

The Festival of Quilts is Europe‘s leading patchwork and quilting event attracting over 25,000 visitors annually from around the world. The show is a celebration of quilting in all its forms, with over 300 exhibitors offering essential suppliers, galleries of quilts from leading international makers, workshops, talks and demos, plus a magnificent display of over 800 competition quilts.

Day 8
Birmingham - Nottingham - Bradford - Leeds

Breakfast at Radisson Blu Hotel then check out and depart for Nottingham.  Visit Nottingham Castle for a good measure of history and tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

Continue  on through the East Midlands (lunch en-route) to Bradford. Today’s highlight is a visit to the Bradford Industrial Museum featuring permanent displays of textile machinery, steam power and engineering.

Leave Bradford for the short drive to Leeds. Check in to the Park Plaza Leeds located in the city center within walking distance to shops, restaurants and entertainment.  Remainder of day to spend as you wish. Dinner at Town Hall Tavern.

Day 9
Leeds - Newcastle -Galashiels - Edinburgh

Breakfast is served at your hotels then check out  of the hotel.

Today’s tour will include a visit to Leeds Kirkgate Market, Newcastle and Galashiels. The highlight is visiting The Great Tapestry of Scotland located in Galashiels. The tapestry was created by a 1,000 people across Scotland  a visual account of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture from its formation to the present day.

Continue on to Edinburgh and check in to the Apex City Edinburgh Hotel located at the foot of Edinburgh Castle. This will be your home for the next two nights. (B)

Day 10
Edinburgh - City Tour

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel then depart for a city tour of Edinburgh.  Visit Edinburgh Castle. The castle is sitting 443 feet above sea level on a volcanic crag  the  view will take your breath away.

Next is a visit  to Duvcot Studios, the world re-known tapestry studio. Lunch in the cafe followed by a tour of the studio.

Your tour today ends on The Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s old town, where the afternoon is free without a program. Dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants and pubs. (B)