Heart of Wales & England

8 days
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4.5/5 Excellent
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USTOA

Group Tour
Start in London to visit St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Discover historic Stonehenge and the Roman spa in Bath. Feast at Cardiff Castle’s Welsh banquet and travel north to Caernarfon, with its dramatic castle and stunning scenery. Stay in Stratford-upon-Avon and explore Oxford on foot before ending in royal Windsor, close to London.
From$1,692
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Explore Cardiff Castle Welsh Banquet, spend an unforgettable evening of Welsh hospitality in the historic surroundings of Cardiff Castle, which dates back centuries.
    • Enjoy the very best of Welsh food, with complimentary wine, entertainment and the warmest of welcomes from your hosts.
    • Visit St.Pauls Cathedral, London With its world-famous dome, this building by Sir Christopher Wren is an iconic feature of the London skyline.
    • Visit Stonehenge is probably the most important prehistoric monument in the whole of Britain.
    • See the Roman Baths & Pump Room Around Britain’s only hot springs, the Romans built the finest religious spa in northern Europe.
    • Opportunity to see Shakespeare’s Birthplace this carefully restored 16th century half-timbered house in Stratford-upon-Avon is where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and spent his childhood years.
    • Visit Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world.
    • Explore Snowdonia is the mountainous region in North Wales with Mount Snowdon being the highest peak.

What's this trip about?

    Start in London to visit St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Discover historic Stonehenge and the Roman spa in Bath. Feast at Cardiff Castle’s Welsh banquet and travel north to Caernarfon, with its dramatic castle and stunning scenery. Stay in Stratford-upon-Avon and explore Oxford on foot before ending in royal Windsor, close to London.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityLondon
End CityWindsor

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Train & Rail Journeys
  • Transformative

Destinations

Attractions

  • Caernarfon Castle
  • Cardiff
  • London
  • Snowdonia National Park
  • Stonehenge

Activities

  • Culture
  • History
  • Homestays & Cultural Immersion
  • Nature
  • Trains & Rail

Trip includes

    • Sightseeing by luxury coach
    • Professional tour director
    • 7 nights in hotels listed
    • Full breakfast daily (B) except on day 1: 6 dinners (D) including, Welcome dinner in London, Cardiff Castle Welsh Banquet, 4 table d'hote dinners
    • Welcome get-together drink
    • Tours of London, Cardiff and Stratford-upon-Avon
    • Walking tours of Conwy, Oxford and Windsor
    • London open-top bus tour with Tower of London or Kensington Palace visit
    • Visits and admissions to St Paul’s Cathedral, Stonehenge, Roman Baths & Pump Room, Cardiff Castle, National Slate Museum, Caernarfon Castle, Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Windsor Castle
    • Audio headsets and group photo
    • Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
    • All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
    • Free Wi-Fi on coaches and in hotel lobbies

View Similar Trips

Itinerary

Day 1: London Arrival & St Paul’s Cathedral

Meals: Dinner

Your vacation starts at your London hotel at 2:00 pm when you meet your tour director. Head out on a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks. Stop at St Paul’s Cathedral to tour the awe-inspiring interior. In the evening discuss your trip with your tour director over a welcome drink and dine in your hotel.

Day 2: Tower of London & City Sights

Meals: Breakfast

Today explore London at your own pace on an open-top bus tour to see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and more. You may also take a walking tour and a cruise on the River Thames. Visit the Tower of London to view th...

Day 3: Stonehenge, Bath & Cardiff Castle Banquet

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Drive to Salisbury Plain to view the huge monoliths of Stonehenge and, in the interpretive visitor center, learn about how they were built over 4,500 years ago and how people moved huge blocks of stone with primitive tools. Next head...

Day 4: Train Ride & Welsh Scenery

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff, Wales’ proud capital, to view the principal features. Then drive north through the lovely scenery of the Brecon Beacons National Park and continue north through rural Wales, which is mainly pict...

Day 5: Castles of North Wales, Slate Museum & Snowdonia

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Today tour North Wales, starting with a visit to the National Slate Museum, which tells about the region’s former slate industry. This industry developed in Victorian times when most houses in Britain had slate roofs. Pause for photo...

Day 6: Llangollen & Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Drive to the charming village of Llangollen and take a look around this typical Welsh settlement with many quaint tearooms and shops. Then head across the English border for a look around the picturesque town of Bridgnorth, with attr...

Day 7: Cotswolds & Windsor Castle

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Drive through the gentle hills of the Cotswolds, renowned for its pretty cottages and colorful gardens. Stop in Broadway, typical of the lovely old villages in the region where the houses are built of local honey-colored stone. Take ...

Day 8: Tour Ends in Windsor

Meals: Breakfast

Your tour ends after breakfast.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,692
Price per day$212
Single supplement (single occupancy)$589
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with CIE Tours.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

CIE Tours Reviews & Ratings

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Jun 2024

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Sickness

We used CIE for an amazing tour of Ireland. The food and the locals were amazing. Here is my issue: we were told that another CIE tour from Scotland would be joinin...

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Exasperated

Dec 2023

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Terrible Company

I waited 20 years for my dream trip to Scotland and Ireland and splurged $7000 on this tour. The second half of touring Ireland was great, the first portion in Scotl...

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Pam H

Apr 2022

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DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME/MONEY WITH CIE!

I gave this return 1 star only because that’s the lowest possible option, otherwise they would receive 0 stars!!! I had a trip planned for September of 2021 to Icela...

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Tour Operator

CIE Tours

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For the 2015 season we will celebrate 83 years of travel excellence! During this time CIE Tours International has provided travellers with the highest quality holidays to Ireland and Britain and we continue to improve our tours and our services.

Over the years we have built up an enviable reputation for security and reliability with satisfied clients throughout the world. We set our own high standards for delivering excellent holidays with state-of-the-art luxury coaches; prompt and pleasant customer service; the best hotels; and carefully chosen visits and entertainment.

Our coach tours are fully inclusive with no optional extras to purchase at your destination. You pay one price and we insist that our tour directors focus solely on your enjoyment. Once you pay the deposit, we guarantee our land tour prices.

If you prefer to travel independently, we offer self-drive and chauffeur-drive programs for Ireland with a wide range of hotel accommodation, which can be booked in advance, as well as popular B & Bs. Whichever way you like to travel, choose one of our fine holidays from our website and enjoy the greatest travel experience ever!

What makes CIE Tours unique?

Sightseeing Visits: CIE Tours includes a variety of attractions on every tour for an interesting travel experience. Check each tour itinerary to see exactly which places are featured. Admission costs are included in the tour price so that you don't waste time paying as you enter each attraction.

Guaranteed Departures & Prices: We guarantee most of our land tour departures which are updated daily on our website. We guarantee land tour costs will not increase, once you have paid your tour deposit, to protect you against international currency fluctuations.

Group Airport Transfers: As a newcomer to an airport, it's great to have someone meet you. We include complimentary group transfers on the starting and ending date of tours at times specified on each itinerary. If you arrive or depart later than our tour dates, you may purchase a transfer from us.

Travel Documents: On arrival CIE Tours will supply coach tour clients with tour vouchers, maps, ticket wallets, destination information, rain poncho, carry-on backpack, phone cards, VAT tax card, luggage tags and a strap. Self-drive clients receive accommodation vouchers and listings, ticket wallets, luggage tags and a strap. Use the tags and strap on your baggage for easy identification throughout your holiday. All you need to supply is a valid passport and, if driving, a current drivers license.

Leisure & Spa Facilities: Most of the hotels we use offer wonderful leisure facilities and spas. When you travel on a coach tour, you will have some free time most days and may like to enjoy some relaxation and spa serenity! So be sure to pack a swimsuit and workout clothes.

History & Geography: People who choose to travel in Ireland and Britain usually have an interest in the long history of the region and, as you tour around, you will visit a lot of ancient cities, churches and castles. All of our tour directors are well trained in the background information of the places and incorporate this history into their narratives in a manner that is fun and easy to digest. Similarly they are able to give you facts on the geography of the regions you travel through, giving you an insight into climate, farming, weather and other topics.

Coach Touring & Sightseeing: Some people think that on a coach tour, all you do is sit on the coach all day. Not true with CIE Tours! We have created balanced and varied days of sightseeing with plenty of stops for taking photos, shopping, lunch, snacks and bathrooms. You never travel for longer than two hours without getting off the coach.

Fully Escorted Coach Tours:

See what you get on a CIE coach tour

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain Luxury coach travel, daily sightseeing and a professional tour director

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain Speedy group check-in at hotels

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain All breakfasts and most dinners including special dinner/shows

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain Airport transfers and baggage handling

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain Prepaid hotels, meals and admissions help you control holiday costs

--CIE Tours to Ireland, Scotland and Britain Comprehensive tour documents

Selection Of Itineraries: Touring by coach is a holiday with a capital H! CIE Tours International offers the widest range of itineraries. Depending on your available time and budget, you can choose an ideal tour. All of our programs are carefully planned to permit full enjoyment of your holiday.

Luxury Touring Coaches: Travel in the height of comfort with CIE Tours and sit back and let an expert do the driving! Our state-of-the-art coaches feature panoramic windows for optimum viewing while reclining seats, individual climate controls and a public address system ensure your well-being.

Your Tour Director: CIE Tours could not exist without our great locally employed tour directors they are the envy of the travel industry. From the moment you land in Ireland or Britain, your tour director is there to welcome you, handle your luggage, drive you from place to place and give you a daily commentary. Tour directors make history and culture come alive and create a superb experience with daily doses of humour, information and assistance.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Park Plaza London Waterloo

London (2 nights)

4 star hotel

Opened in 2016, this hotel is the newest of the four-star Park Plaza hotels and includes the quality services and facilities travelers appreciate most. Dine at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, café or bar, or stay in your comfortable room or suite and order room service. Relax in the on-site spa, sauna or heated indoor pool, and stay connected with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. It is located within walking distance of top London attractions, including the London Eye and close to London Waterloo railway and underground station, as well as Lambeth North underground station.

 

Radisson Blu Hotel - Cardiff

Cardiff (1 night)

4 star hotel

Enjoy a stay at this impressive 21-story city center hotel with stunning views of the city. Guests appreciate convenient access to cultural attractions and shopping in Cardiff. Choose one of 215 cosy rooms, each with free Wi-Fi access and coffee/tea provisions. Savor flavorful Italian cuisine at the chic Filini Restaurant and enjoy a nightcap or appetizers at the Filini Bar & Lounge

 

Celtic Royal Hotel

Caernarfon (2 nights)

3 star hotel

This Georgian-style property is comfortable and tastefully-decorated with all modern conveniences. 110 comfortable bedrooms bright and airy bedrooms each have a cozy seating area, tea/coffee facilities, TV and a private bathroom with a hairdryer. Brasserie Draco serves Mediterranean-style cuisine using fresh, local produce and traditional breakfasts. Summit/Y Copa Bar and Bistro offers light snacks. The hotel features an indoor heated swimming pool and a fully equipped fitness suite. Located just outside the city walls, you can walk to Caernarfon Castle and through the charming old streets of the town.

 

The Stratford Hotel

Stratford-upon-Avon (1 night)

4 star hotel

The hotel offers a range of beautiful bedrooms and fabulous suites all elegantly decorated in subtle tones with LCD televisions and free internet access for all guests. There are 2 dining experiences on offer including Quills restaurant with a mouth watering menu and extensive wine list.

 

Macdonald Windsor Hotel

Windsor (1 night)

4 star hotel

The classic interiors of this former townhouse property combined with a contemporary edge offer guests every comfort amidst rich and plush surroundings, perfect for relaxing. The classic interiors of the 120 modern guest rooms fit perfectly with the Georgian elegance. Enjoy breakfast and dinner in the relaxing atmosphere Caleys Restaurant, which is always very warm and welcoming. The new and inspired menu showcases the freshest ingredients. The hotel is located on High Street, the bustling heart of this Royal Borough and is just two minutes’ walk from Windsor Castle.

Travel Insurance
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Visa requirements
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Meals Included

7 Breakfasts and 6 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
cie-HeaWalCie

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