7-Night Highlights of Cornwall & Devon

Day 2

Accommodation

Romantic Dartmoor Retreat - Dartmoor National Park, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double / Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 3.00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out time is before 11.00am.

Daily Itinerary

Wells & Dartmoor National Park

After breakfast, our first stop will be the tiny market city of Wells – known for its Gothic cathedral and peaceful Vicars’ Close. After we’ve spent some time wandering the cobbled streets and medieval buildings with our Tour Leader, we’ll have the opportunity to explore the magnificent Wells Cathedral at our leisure. Later, our path will take us from the quaint country lanes of Somerset to the heather and gorse-clad tors of Dartmoor National Park. Tonight, we’ll enjoy another delicious dinner together. Breakfast and dinner included. 

Overnight Location

Dartmoor National Park, Southwest Region

On The Map: Dartmoor National Park is located in Devon, in the southwest corner of England. Dartmoor National Park boasts a varied and dramatic landscape - from forested river vales to wild, heather dominated moorland. But Dartmoor is perhaps best known for its often striking 'tors' (rocky granite hilltops - pictured). In fact, Dartmoor is the largest area of granite to be found anywhere in the United Kingdom. Dartmoor is hillwalker and hiker heaven. A myriad trails of all levels of difficulty are available to the visitor, and the Park's Visitor Centres are well-stocked with maps and leaflets to help you explore the region. A multitude of prehistoric standing stones and circles are to be found in Dartmoor - Upper Erme Stone Row is the longest of its kind in the world at more than 2 miles. There is a great variety of visitor attractions at the Park, sure to keep the entire family entertained: Buckfast Butterfly Farm and Otter Sanctuary, The South Devon Steam Railway, Buckland Abbey, Miniature Pony Centre and Canonteign Waterfall, to name but a few. Dartmoor is also steeped in myth and legend, reputedly haunted by pixies, a headless horseman, a large black dog and spectral hounds. The latter tale inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to pen one of Sherlock Holmes' most memorable mysteries, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

Day 3

Accommodation

Charming Georgian House in Cornwall - Falmouth, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double/Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 3.00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out time is before 11.00am

Daily Itinerary

Fresh-off-the-boat Cornish Seafood

Today we’ll leave Dartmoor National Park for Cornwall’s northern coast – starting with a stroll around Port Isaac, the fishing village made famous by the Doc Martin television series. Next, we’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at The Seafood Restaurant, Rick Stein’s flagship restaurant in Padstow. Here, you can take your pick from a menu of fresh-off-the-boat Cornish seafood and international favourites. Then: we’ll take it easy as we travel further west to Falmouth. Breakfast and lunch included.

Overnight Location

Falmouth, Southwest Region

On the Map: Falmouth is a town on the coast of Cornwall in the South West region of England.

Home to the world’s third largest natural harbour, Falmouth boasts some of Cornwall’s best views. There are little spots along the high street where you can glimpse the sea just a few feet away, and the town is the ultimate gateway to coastlines, secret coves, and unspoilt creeks along the Fal River.

From attractions like the award-winning Maritime Museum, Falmouth Art Gallery and Cornwall's largest fortress Pendennis Castle, to great waterside activities, there's loads to experience and do in Falmouth!

Day 4

Accommodation

Charming Georgian House in Cornwall - Falmouth, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double/Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 3.00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out time is before 11.00am

Daily Itinerary

Land's End & St Michael's Mount

After a hearty breakfast we’ll pay a visit to Land’s End – England’s most westerly point – before setting our sights on St Ives. One of England’s prettiest towns, take some time to meander the cluster of cobblestoned streets, quaint seaside cottages and picture-perfect bays. Then, it’s back on the mini-coach for a visit to St Michael’s Mount, a tidal island just off the coast of Penzance. Here we’ll explore the village and the medieval castle and gardens – which are full of treasures and stories from the past. Back in Falmouth, we’ll enjoy an evening spent at our leisure. Please note: St Michael’s Mount is closed on Saturdays. In the event day 4 of our tour falls on a Saturday, we will visit St Michael’s Mount on day 5. Breakfast included. 

Overnight Location

Falmouth, Southwest Region

On the Map: Falmouth is a town on the coast of Cornwall in the South West region of England.

Home to the world’s third largest natural harbour, Falmouth boasts some of Cornwall’s best views. There are little spots along the high street where you can glimpse the sea just a few feet away, and the town is the ultimate gateway to coastlines, secret coves, and unspoilt creeks along the Fal River.

From attractions like the award-winning Maritime Museum, Falmouth Art Gallery and Cornwall's largest fortress Pendennis Castle, to great waterside activities, there's loads to experience and do in Falmouth!

Day 5

Accommodation

Clifftop Coastal Hotel - St Austell, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double/Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 3.00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out time is before 11.00am

Daily Itinerary

Tea Plantation Tour

There’s a treat in store for the green-fingered today: we’re off to explore Tregothnan Estate, one of Cornwall’s largest estate and home to the first tea plantation in Britain. A member of the gardening team will give us a private tour of the grounds and the tea plantation, where we’ll learn all about the only tea grown in England – with a chance to sample some of it for ourselves. Afterwards, we’ll make our way to St Austell Bay area where we’ll have the evening to spend at our leisure. Please note: Tregothnan Estate is closed to the public on weekends. In the event day 5 of our tour falls on a Saturday, we will visit Lower Lanner Farm instead – where we’ll enjoy a cream tea and plantation tour. Breakfast included.

Overnight Location

St Austell, Southwest Region

On the Map: St Austell is a town in Cornwall, in the South West region of England, 10 miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon.

The old market town of St Austell is just a few miles from the coast and is one of Cornwall's biggest towns. The St Austell port is the lovely harbour of Charlestown where you will frequently see old sailing ships. The port has been used as a film location for such shows as Poldark. St Austell was for centuries an important mining town but it was the discovery of massive deposits of china clay in the mid 18th century that put the town on the map. The extraction of china clay became the mainstay of local industry and accelerated the growth of the town from the eighteenth century onwards. The china clay industry is now in decline but has left its mark on the landscape around St Austell. The Cornish Alps as they are sometimes referred to are the spoils from the clay pits which form large, originally white, conical mounds. 

Another long running industry in the town is St Austell Brewery, founded in 1851 and now grown to become the biggest brewery in Cornwall with a string of pubs. St Austell also sits just a few miles from the extremely popular tourist attraction: the mighty Eden Project, biomes built in a reclaimed china clay pit and transformed into gorgeous gardens.  

Day 6

Accommodation

Clifftop Coastal Hotel - St Austell, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double/Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 3.00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out time is before 11.00am

Daily Itinerary

St Austell Bay

We have no set plans today, leaving you free to explore the sandy beaches and boutique shops of the St Austell Bay area at your leisure. You could visit the world-famous biomes of the Eden Project or uncover the world’s largest private collection of maritime paraphernalia at the Charleston Shipwreck Museum – you certainly won’t be short on things to do here! Breakfast included.

Overnight Location

St Austell, Southwest Region

On the Map: St Austell is a town in Cornwall, in the South West region of England, 10 miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon.

The old market town of St Austell is just a few miles from the coast and is one of Cornwall's biggest towns. The St Austell port is the lovely harbour of Charlestown where you will frequently see old sailing ships. The port has been used as a film location for such shows as Poldark. St Austell was for centuries an important mining town but it was the discovery of massive deposits of china clay in the mid 18th century that put the town on the map. The extraction of china clay became the mainstay of local industry and accelerated the growth of the town from the eighteenth century onwards. The china clay industry is now in decline but has left its mark on the landscape around St Austell. The Cornish Alps as they are sometimes referred to are the spoils from the clay pits which form large, originally white, conical mounds. 

Another long running industry in the town is St Austell Brewery, founded in 1851 and now grown to become the biggest brewery in Cornwall with a string of pubs. St Austell also sits just a few miles from the extremely popular tourist attraction: the mighty Eden Project, biomes built in a reclaimed china clay pit and transformed into gorgeous gardens.  

Day 7

Accommodation

Wiltshire Countryside Retreat - Salisbury, Southwest Region

Room Type: Double/Twin

Check in policies:

Check-in time is after 2:00pm on your day of arrival. Check-out before 11:00am.

Daily Itinerary

Jurassic Coast

Today we’ll make our way south along the coast, before our road takes us through picturesque Devon and Dorset. We’ll have some free time to follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen’s heroines and take in sweeping views of the Jurassic Coast. Enjoy some free time hunting for fossils along Lyme Regis’s sandy beaches before we move on to Salisbury – where a farewell dinner awaits. Breakfast and dinner included.

Overnight Location

Salisbury, Southwest Region

On The Map: Salisbury is located in Southern England, 25 miles northwest of Southampton, and 88 miles southwest of London.

Known as the 'City in the Countryside', Salisbury retains much of its historic past & charm with timbered buildings, and an Early English Gothic Cathedral. The sight of the Cathedral rising from the surrounding green fields (pictured) is one to behold, and is often described as one of Britain's great views. Within the Chapter House at Salisbury Cathedral, you’ll find the best preserved of the four original Magna Carta manuscripts dating from 1215. 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of this momentous document, and many celebrations are taking place throughout the year. The Magna Carta was undoubtedly a landmark legal document. It is even cited as influencing the formation of the American Constitution in 1789, and is still held in high regard by legal scholars today. Salisbury is a thriving market, boasts a buzzing arts scene, delightful museums and some of England’s finest historic houses.

Day 8

Daily Itinerary

Return to London

After one last breakfast together, we’ll have the opportunity to explore the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral. Our journey will conclude upon returning to London.

You'll be arriving early afternoon into London so you may need to add an extra night's stay here, depending on your flight's departure time. Please ask your Authentic Expert for help facilitating this.

Depart From

Depart from London Heathrow Airport, Greater London

Return to London Heathrow Airport three hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure. This will allow ample time to check in for your flight home.