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History comes alive on this most epic of London trips. You’re in for a royal time at Windsor Castle and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. See life unfold from the water as you cruise to Greenwich and feel the buzz and spirit of one of London's oldest markets - Borough Market.
History comes alive on this most epic of London trips. You’re in for a royal time at Windsor Castle and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. See life unfold from the water as you cruise to Greenwich and feel the buzz and spirit of one of London's oldest markets - Borough Market.
Embrace the pomp and pageantry of a city that marches to its very own vibrant tune – yours to explore before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers later this evening for a Welcome Reception to kick-start your grand exploration of London.
Ease into London's energetic pace before embarking on an included sightseeing tour with your Travel Director, which features Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. See the stately Changing of the Guard before your sightseeing tour finishes in central London. Spend the rest of the day enjoying a slice of London culture, or join an Optional Experience to the St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower of London to see the magnificent Crown Jewels and meet the Yeoman Wardens of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Optional Experience
St Paul's and The Tower of London
At St Paul's, we'll visit the iconic cathedral in Central London whose origins go back 1,400 years. Then, at the Tower of London, you’ll hear the legend of the Tower and the ravens from your Local Specialist and discover the story of the kings and queens who've died here. You'll also see the world-famous Crown Jewels, still in use by the monarchy today.
Adult Price: £61.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 3
Journey to Prehistoric Stonehenge and Windsor
Regal traditions and ancient monuments take centre stage today as we embark on a full-day excursion from London. Our first stop sees us delve into the history of the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe – the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge. Then enjoy some free time for lunch before visiting Windsor Castle, one of the Queen's elegant homes, including the superb Georgian State Apartments and St. George's Chapel.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Optional Experience
West End Theatre Show
Take the chance to see a West End theatre show, a must do while in London! For more details, please speak to your Travel Director at the start of your trip. Please note: at certain times of the year ticket prices may increase due to public holidays.
Adult Price: £50.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 4
London Your Way
Armed with your travel pass, London truly is your oyster. Your Travel Director will give you suggestions on how to make the most of your full day at leisure. Walk through 'The City' exploring the oldest part of London – the imposing dome of Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral, Leadenhall Market's ornate façades and the Tower of London, with its grim history and extraordinary royal heritage. Pay tribute to Admiral Nelson in Trafalgar Square and wander down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the UK's sovereigns since 1837. Alternatively, consider a full-day Optional Experience to the enchanting Cotswolds, visiting Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, with a stop in the university town of Oxford to admire the towering spires of cathedrals, churches and colleges.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Optional Experience
Oxford & The Cotswolds
Join us for a full-day tour of the Cotswolds. First, we'll visit Stratford-upon-Avon for an unforgettable visit to William Shakespeare's house. Then, we'll head to Oxford, where we will discover the delights of the city with a Local Specialist, before enjoying a tour of one of Oxford's famous colleges.
Adult Price: £45.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 5
Experience London’s Markets and Museums
Saunter past the buzzing stalls of Borough Market, London's most renowned food market which has been feeding locals for centuries. Dive Into Culture and rub shoulders with the locals who buy the best of British produce here. Spend the rest of the day visiting London's extraordinary museums, many of which are free to visit. Use your London travel pass to traverse the length and breadth of the city. Perhaps visit the British Museum, whose global treasures are symbolic of the extent of the Empire in centuries past, or the Imperial War Museum, sharing the story of modern warfare from World War I to today. This evening you'll enjoy a dinner and Connect With Locals at an exclusive Be My Guest experience.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest
Optional Experience
Soho Food and Cultural Walking Tour
Come on a unique gastronomic adventure through Soho, one of London's most colourful and interesting boroughs. Get a taste of culture, history and London’s incredible cosmopolitan flavours - including a stroll through Chinatown.
Adult Price: £60.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 6
Explore Westminster Abbey and Kensington Palace
Imagine the kings and queens who have glided gracefully up the 13th-century mosaic floor of Westminster Abbey. We’ll have an opportunity to explore this architectural wonder on a guided visit with a Local Specialist. Find out why this church lost its cathedral status and pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Later, visit Kensington Palace and Dive Into Culture, gaining insights into the lives of the Royal Family. Tour the Royal Palace, which was once home to Diana, Princess of Wales, and now houses the private apartments of her son Prince William and his wife Kate. Indulge in a delicious English cream tea in The Pavillion surrounded by beautiful formal gardens before returning to your hotel.
Enjoy one last full day in the lively city streets of London. Consider taking a trip up the Shard – Europe's tallest building, admire England's proud history reflected in its monuments to great men and victories, or see the treasures of the British Library. This afternoon meet with your Travel Director and travel companions for a leisurely cruise down the Thames to Greenwich. Sail under the famous Tower Bridge before enjoying a Farewell Dinner at a historic pub and toast to your unforgettable week.
After breakfast, say a fond farewell to London and newfound friends as you prepare to return home after a memorable holiday in one of the world's greatest cities. Airport Transfers to London Airports are available to purchase.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
All optional experiences for this trip
Book with your travel director when you travel
Available on day 2
St Paul's and The Tower of London
At St Paul's, we'll visit the iconic cathedral in Central London whose origins go back 1,400 years. Then, at the Tower of London, you’ll hear the legend of the Tower and the ravens from your Local Specialist and discover the story of the kings and queens who've died here. You'll also see the world-famous Crown Jewels, still in use by the monarchy today.
Adult Price: £61.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 3
West End Theatre Show
Take the chance to see a West End theatre show, a must do while in London! For more details, please speak to your Travel Director at the start of your trip. Please note: at certain times of the year ticket prices may increase due to public holidays.
Adult Price: £50.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 4
Oxford & The Cotswolds
Join us for a full-day tour of the Cotswolds. First, we'll visit Stratford-upon-Avon for an unforgettable visit to William Shakespeare's house. Then, we'll head to Oxford, where we will discover the delights of the city with a Local Specialist, before enjoying a tour of one of Oxford's famous colleges.
Adult Price: £45.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 5
Soho Food and Cultural Walking Tour
Come on a unique gastronomic adventure through Soho, one of London's most colourful and interesting boroughs. Get a taste of culture, history and London’s incredible cosmopolitan flavours - including a stroll through Chinatown.
Adult Price: £60.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
All Optional Experiences
The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Notepad Icon You must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel
Trip details
Trip details
What's included
Trip Summary Accomodation Icon
7 nights
Accommodation
Trip Summary Meals Icon
11 Meals
1 Be My Guest, 1 Farewell Dinner, 1 Lunch, 1 Welcome Reception, 7 Breakfasts
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On-trip Transport
All transport shown
The Trafalgar difference
Connect With Locals
Enjoy a traditional British Be My Guest dinner with locals.
Dive into Culture
Visit Kensington Palace gaining insights into the lives of the Royal Family.
Dive into Culture
Forage for the freshest food buys at Britain's most renowned food market - Borough Market.
Sightseeing highlights
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Explore London with a Local Specialist
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Discover Borough Market and Greenwich
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Visit Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey and Kensington Palace. You will also have a choice of fantastic free museums to visit, including the Imperial War Museum and the British Museum.
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View Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace
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Scenic Cruise on the Thames from the London Eye to Greenwich
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Tickets London Oyster Card (Public Transport) pass
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
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Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
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Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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Optional Experiences and free time
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The services of a Trafalgar Local Host when you stay at Trafalgar's recommended London hotel.
Live, unedited & independent traveler reviews
London Explorer trip reviews
Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, their feedback fuels our innovation, inspiring us to improve continuously and craft Simply The Best vacations. That's why we ask each of our guests to leave a third-party verified, independent review after every trip. As testament to our commitment we have been given the Trusted Service Award from Feefo, recognising we deliver exceptional experiences as rated by real guests.
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5
We saw locations that we would not have found on our own.
We have had 3 Trafalgar tours & all were excellent. Only problem with London Explorer tour is that we were left waiting at the airport upon arrival, after a 14 plus hours flight as transport company !forgot’ to pick us up. We were eventually picked up & transported to our hotel by a very helpful driver after numerous phone calls.
Our group was guided through several high points of London - St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster, changing of the Guard, Kensington Palace, Afternoon Tea, a cruise on the Thames to Greenwich. All top on the list of must sees. Stonehenge - Incredible!!!!
Our Tour Director, Kevin, was organized, helpful and friendly. My daughter and I did some exploring of London on our own and Kevin was most helpful with ideas and directions. Our driver, Jeff, was phenomenal coaxing the coach through tiny spaces and driving safely. Nikki, our Tour Guide, was full of information and stories and good humor. This was my fourth Trafalgar trip and I highly recommend this company. No worries....ever!
Gratuities: You have the option to pre-pay the gratuities for your Travel Director and Driver. Please speak with your travel agent.
Shared Rooming: Room Share and Triple Rooms are not available on this trip.
Festive Meals: The 19 December 2022 departure will celebrate Christmas in London and the 26 December 2022 departure will celebrate toast New Year's Eve in London. We have arranged festive meals for these departures that may replace one of the included meals featured in the itinerary.
Drinking Water: Tap water is safe to drink in all of the destinations on this trip. Please remember to bring a water bottle.
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA). Does not apply to trips operated by Inspiring Journeys & our Mini-stays.
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless traveling as part of a family group.
Travel to Europe often requires an overnight flight. Please arrange your flights to arrive on or before day 1.
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Your selected departure date will feature some seasonal itinerary changes to what is displayed. Click 'VIEW ITINERARY' below to see full details.
Active Trip Details
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What is an Active Trip? This is an "Active" lifestyle itinerary, with walks and hikes most days. Hikes will range from easy/moderate to strenuous. No technical climbing skills are required but a reasonable level of fitness is required to make the trip more enjoyable. Understanding that not all people want to hike at the same pace or even on the same trail we will, where possible, host map orientation and then let everyone disperse to enjoy the trails best suited to them. What to Pack Guests should bring lightweight hiking shoes or boots, broad brimmed sun hats, sunglasses, layered clothing, reusable water bottle(s), a hiking day pack and hiking poles (optional)
Weather & Altitude While the itinerary is laid out below, we are at the mercy of the weather and so reserve the right to adjust the program as necessary. Please keep in mind that the higher elevations and possible variations in weather and temperature can increase the perceived level of difficulty of our activities. Elevation ranges up to 9,000 feet for Utah’s Mighty Five and up to 11,000 feet for California High Country Adventure.
Everyone reacts differently to altitude and so if you do have any health issues you should check with your doctor that this trip is suitable for you.