NEW 2024 SMALL GUIDED VACATIONS

A lovely balance of planned sights, highlights, secret spots, and unique lodgings are the heart of this Essential England tour. In London, enjoy tea while on a classic double-decker bus.  We’ve also arranged a special food tour where you'll sample some classic British favorites, as well as an illuminating London by night experience. Pick up your rental car and head to Southampton, stopping at Stonehenge on the way. 

People have lived in Plymouth since the Bronze Age, and it is the ideal place from which to explore the bucolic Devon countryside of grazing ponies—sample Devon cream! Your next stay is Bath, an elegant village where Roman ruins sit comfortably with Georgian shops. Immerse yourself in the thermae springs and visit Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein. Sheer bliss. From Bath, you’re in Stratford-upon-Avon, home of Shakespeare, and doorstep of the Cotswolds. Your lodging is in the Lake District, waterside. Cruise stunning Lake Windermere, largest lake in England!

Magnificent York is enchanting. Take a steam train through the wild moors. Discover the city’s cobbled lanes, gothic buildings, and the Shambles. There are astounding stories around every corner. Spend your last night in Windsor, summer home of the Queen. The castle is filled with timeless treasures and the grounds are sumptuous. This vacation is England at its finest. 

GET A QUOTE

Included Unique Activities

London Bridge Food Tour

London Bridge Food Tour

Black Cab Meet & Greet Transfer - Heathrow Airport to City

Black Cab Meet & Greet Transfer - Heathrow Airport to City

Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

See London by Night Tour

See London by Night Tour

The Roman Baths Admission

The Roman Baths Admission

Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein Multi-Sensory Museum

Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein Multi-Sensory Museum

Shakespeare - The Full Story Admission

Shakespeare - The Full Story Admission

24-Hour Cruise Pass on Windermere Lake

24-Hour Cruise Pass on Windermere Lake

Accommodations

3 Nights

Heart of the City Beautiful Hotel

1 Night

4-Star Countryside Spa Hotel

2 Nights

Boringdon Hall Hotel

2 Nights

The Queensberry Hotel

1 Night

Luxury Heart of Stratford Hotel

2 Nights

Briery Wood Country House Hotel

2 Nights

The Grand Hotel & Spa

1 Night

4-Star Stylish Hotel

Transportation and Guides

  • Authentic London Black Cab Meet & Greet Transfer on Arrival
  • Automatic Rental Car

Meals Included

  • Full English Breakfast Each Morning

Points of Interest

  • Spend Three Nights in Central London
  • Visit Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, and the Tower of London
  • Shop on Famous Oxford Street and Wander through Regents Park
  • Discover Rich Maritime Heritage in the Waterfront City of Plymouth
  • Explore Beautiful Bath Architecture & the Ancient Roman Baths
  • Gaze upon the Beautiful Black & White Tudor Buildings of Stratford
  • Visit the Birthplace of the World's Most Famous Playwright - Shakespeare
  • Take in Jaw-Dropping Scenery in Windermere at The Heart of The Lake District
  • Stroll the Charming Streets of the 2,000-Year Old Walled City of York
  • Visit the Maze of Twisting, Narrow Alleyways in York's 'The Shambles'
  • Be Enthralled by Stunning Warwick & Conisbrough Castles
  • Experience the Evocative Expanse of North York Moors National Park

Oxford Street, Greater London

British Museum, Greater London

Piccadilly Circus, Greater London

Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column, Greater London

Covent Garden, Greater London

Day of Leisure in London, Greater London

Stonehenge, Southwest Region

UNESCO Jurassic Coast, Southwest Region

Included Unique Experiences

  • Afternoon Tea on the Iconic London Red Bus
  • See London by Night Experience
  • London Bridge Food Tour
  • Entrance to the Historic Roman Baths 
  • Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein
  • Shakespeare – The full Story, entrance to all 5 properties
  • 24-Hour Cruise Pass on Windemere Lake
  • Day Trip to Whitby and the North York Moors with Historic Steam train Ride (Seasonal March to October)
  • Entrance to the 11th Century Royal Residence; Windsor Castle

2023

Available Tour Dates

Nov, Dec

From $4,898 per person

2024 LOW SEASON

Available Tour Dates

Jan, Feb, Mar

From $4,998 per person

2024 MID SEASON

Available Tour Dates

Apr, May, Nov, Dec

From $5,178 per person

2024 HIGH SEASON

Available Tour Dates

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

From $5,348 per person

Your Price Includes

ACCOMMODATION

  • 14 Nights 4 and 5 Star Authentic Accommodations

TRANSPORTATION

  • Authentic London Black Cab Meet & Greet Transfer on Arrival
  • Automatic Rental Car

DINING OPTIONS INCLUDED

  • Delectable Full Breakfast Included Each Morning

INCLUDED UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

  • Afternoon Tea on the Iconic London Red Bus
  • See London by Night Experience
  • London Bridge Food Tour
  • Entrance to the Historic Roman Baths
  • Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein Museum
  • Shakespeare – The full Story, entrance to all 5 properties
  • 24-Hour Cruise Pass on Windemere Lake
  • Day Trip to Whitby and the North York Moors with Historic Steam train Ride (Seasonal March to October)
  • Entrance to the 11th Century Royal Residence; Windsor Castle

POINTS OF INTEREST

  • Spend Three Nights in Central London
  • Visit Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, and the Tower of London
  • Shop on Famous Oxford Street and Wander through Regents Park
  • Discover Rich Maritime Heritage in the Waterfront City of Plymouth
  • Explore Beautiful Bath Architecture & the Ancient Roman Baths
  • Gaze upon the Beautiful Black & White Tudor Buildings of Stratford
  • Visit the Birthplace of the World's Most Famous Playwright - Shakespeare
  • Take in Jaw-Dropping Scenery in Windermere at The Heart of The Lake District
  • Stroll the Charming Streets of the 2,000-Year Old Walled City of York
  • Visit the Maze of Twisting, Narrow Alleyways in York's 'The Shambles'
  • Be Enthralled by Stunning Warwick & Conisbrough Castles
  • Experience the Evocative Expanse of North York Moors National Park
  • Meander through the Royal Town of Windsor
Prices Based On
  • All Taxes & Fees Included
  • Prices are Per Person based on 2 people traveling together and sharing a room.
  • Traveling Alone? No Problem. Just Ask Us for a Single Supplement Price.

"Annual Vacation - Self Drive of Ireland and Scotland"

Raymond

Henderson NV

Best two weeks ever! Jennifer at Authentic Vacations planned the most spectacular itinerary for my clients and did it with just a three-week notice. The itinerary, accommodations, experiences were truly spectacular.


Very much look forward to working with Authentic Vacations and Jennifer again on another Ireland/UK/Iceland Trip.

"Family vacation and the ND/Navy Game in Dublin"

William

Deer Park, IL

We worked with Authentic Vacations as we planned a trip in Ireland around the Notre Dame/Navy game in Dublin. Specifically, we worked with Joleen and her team for planning and during our trip. I cannot express enough positive comments about how great this organization is to work with, and I have referred them to many friends that are planning trips to Ireland! The hotels were just amazing and in perfect locations for our travels, can’t say enough good things about the tours booked and choices and recommendations you provided. But what I was most impressed with was the ability to reach out to Joleen during our trip to make last minute changes to our itinerary! It was like I had a full-time person on staff that I could reach out to any time! All of my guest were so impressed and appreciative that we selected Authentic Vacations! Thank you very much!

"Iceland & Ireland - Mother & Son Adventure"

Mary

Washington

Amber, we just returned from our trip to Iceland & Ireland, and we had a wonderful time. I really want to thank you for putting our trip together. Everything went like clockwork! We will definitely be back in touch with you when we plan our next trip. Thank you again!!



"UK Ladies Adventure"

Megan

Tennessee

Ellie, I wanted to share the below with you!  I appreciate all you do to make it possible!!! This feedback is from my clients you helped me with.


Hey Megan- before I get too immersed in catching up at work, I wanted to take a minute and thank you. You knocked it out of the park! The hotels were so amazing and well placed for convenience, can’t say enough good things about the tours you booked and choices and recommendations you provided. It’s hard to imagine how it could have been any better with you in the background thinking everything through from airport transfers to day excursions. You’re my/our travel agent for life and we’re going to keep you really really busy. Thanks for everything- you created an amazing, fun, memorable, once in a lifetime intro to Europe that I’ll never forget.

"Scotland Chauffered"

Lavonne

California

Ellie, Thank you for the best, most beautiful and easiest vacation we have ever been on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jerry, our driver, was so knowledgeable and kind-hearted that I think it wouldn't have been so exciting to be there without him. HE'S THE BEST!!!! And you Ellie, what a God send that you were to our beautiful vacation. The Gordon Castle at the end was something we will never forget. THANK YOU FOR EXPERT KNOWLEDGE AND ALLOWING FOR US TO HAVE AN AMAZING TIME. (Oh, except our luggage got lost and we didn't get it until we got home. Jerry was nice enough to take us places to buy some new clothes !!!!! )

"Small Guided - Devon & Cornwall"

Steve

Ontario

Hi Joleen, thank you! We had a wonderful time - really enjoyed exploring the small coastal villages in Cornwall and the moors in Devon. Fascinating history and folklore - our guide Chris was very knowledgeable and made it very interesting. Some of the highlights for us was a visit to the Tea plantation Tregothnan as well as visiting Doc Martin’s house in Port Isaac! The Wells Cathedral was fascinating with its history and architecture, featuring a novel scissor-arches to sustain the weight of stone.  We enjoyed the small group (17 in total) and mantra - off the main roads and willing to take suggestions from the group - even to visit a small village for an Australian lady with family roots in Cornwall. The itinerary was well planned, without hurrying from point A to B - more like meandering through the countryside and catching some lesser-known sites, like an abandoned tin mine site near the sea, or stopping to mingle with Dartmoor ponies on a hillside in the moors. Having a free day to explore on our own was also great - we walked to a nearby village called Charlestown, which had an interesting museum on shipwrecks and Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica. The harbour is also featured in filming Poldark with a two masted tall ship alongside. All in all, I felt that this was a fantastic vacation for us and I’m very happy that we signed up for it. Thanks for your support in getting us prepared for this adventure- I hope there’ll be more!

"Ireland & Scotland Combo"

Charlene

Ohio

We had such a wonderful, beautiful vacation! Everyone thought the spacing of activities and traveling every few days fit us all perfectly. I loved that we started in the beautiful countryside and then had the city life keep building as we changed locations. Scott’s favorite activity was St. Andrews golf. They loved their car service driver as well! The guys had a rainy day of golf in Dublin, but still enjoyed the course. I think the guys were both sad they couldn't play Lacinth (spelling?), however, they did have lunch there and enjoyed. My favorite activity was the Guinness Connoisseur Experience. Loved the private bar, tasting, and pouring my own draft! Also, I loved the Military Tattoo. Perfect ending to the trip. All activities were spot on and enjoyable! My favorite hotel was Fiddle and Bow, so unique and cute in the country. Excellent breakfast! A nice add on that we didn’t expect was the Fringe Street shows in Scotland. We also visited the Queens Royal yacht. Traveling was easy. The Irish and Scottish people were very friendly and welcoming. We can’t say enough good things about the trip. Thank you for organizing such a wonderful, memorable trip for us Joleen! I love that you are always reachable and go above and beyond to help us when needed. You are truly amazing! Hopefully we can get something on the calendar for next year! Thanks a million! 

"Italian Honeymoon"

Daley

Minnesota

We worked with Mandie at Authentic Vacations to plan our Honeymoon. We picked the "Opulent Italian Lakes and Cities" trip and then worked with Mandie to customize a few pieces that made more sense for our trip. Let me tell you that this was the best trip of our lives! The hotels that we stayed at were beyond incredible, and there were the perfect number of activities planned. Everything went extremely smoothly, and we didn't have to worry about a thing while we were on our trip! We can't wait to book another vacation through Authentic Vacations!

1. Click the “GET QUOTE” Button Above.

Complete our inquiry form by selecting your departure date, and all other relevant fields. Be sure to let us know if you're traveling for a special occasion! We can adjust most of our vacation packages to suit your needs, based on the details you provide.

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Once your quote is 100% to your liking, you can pay for your package with your credit card via your Authentic Vacations online account. We also accept payment by personal check and wire transfer. We only require a 20% deposit to secure your vacation, and our Risk-Free Cancellation Policy provides you with complete peace of mind.

5. Print Your Travel Documents & Go!

Once your vacation has been paid in full, you will be able to print your travel documents directly from your online account. You’re ready to embark on your ideal, authentic vacation!!

Questions?

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