London and Cornwall Adventure - 9 Days

Day 1: Arrive in London - See the Sights

Welcome to the capital of England!

With its nightlife, culture, history, and world-class dining scene, London is the perfect place to kick off your U.K. vacay. You'll arrive in style, too, with a private transfer from the airport to your hotel in central London. Likely you'll be a bit jet-lagged from your flight, but the perfect remedy for that is to get out and explore! Hit the streets on a double-decker bus, in a black cab, or even on foot. 

In a relatively short amount of time, you can visit any number of iconic city sights. There's a host of parks, historic buildings, museums, promenades, bridges, and plazas, such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. Wherever you decide to go, know that in this city, there's fun and excitement to be had around every corner.

Day 2: Experience London's Royal Heritage

Today, you'll fully immerse yourself in London's famous attractions on a private driving tour. As part of this luxury experience, you will see Buckingham Palace (exterior only), Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral, where Princess Diana married Prince Charles in 1981. It also passes the Tower of London, which was once home to Anne Boleyn and Sir Walter Raleigh. You'll also visit the 19th-century clock tower Big Ben, which stands 314-feet (96-meters) tall at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. 

As this is a VIP experience, you will have the unique opportunity to tailor the tour to your wishes, meaning you can see the attractions you are most interested in.

Day 3: Tour Blenheim Palace

After breakfast, we'll take you to Oxfordshire, in southeast England, where you'll enjoy a guided tour of Blenheim Palace, a magnificent country residence with over 300 years of history. It was built in 1704 and gifted by Queen Anne to the great British general, the Ist Duke of Marlborough. As well as being the current home of the 12th Duke of Marlborough, it is also the birthplace of England's most famous prime minister, Winston Churchill (1874-1955). Blenheim is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring 187 rooms in a property sitting on 2,000 expansive acres, and it's the only non-royal palace in England.

On a guided tour, you'll learn about Blenheim's fascinating history as you visit the gilded state rooms and view the historic tapestries, portraits, and antique furniture that fill its halls and chambers. Beyond the main house are well-manicured formal gardens you can stroll and which feature water terraces, rose bushes, fountains, elaborate topiaries, and even a secret garden boasting hidden treasures. Blenheim Palace truly is one of the great properties of England.

Day 4: Visit Windsor Castle

Today you will travel to Windsor Castle, located on the outskirts of London. Sitting on 13 acres of well-manicured grounds and boasting a whopping 1,000 rooms, this 11th Century castle/palace is an architectural marvel of Georgian and Victorian design. It's been a royal residence dating back to every monarch since Henry Ist and was, in fact, a favorite stay for Henry VII.  More recently, the castle hosted the 2018 Royal Wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, better known to us commoners as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. 

On a tour of the castle, you'll see royal portraits depicting those famous monarchs from the House of Tudor, as well as many other highlights. These include the royal wedding exhibition, State Apartments, and St. George's Chapel. The latter is an impressive example of a medieval Gothic architectural style and has hosted many royal marriages, notably from the reign of Queen Victoria and later.  You'll also be able to stroll all those acres of glorious English gardens surrounding the property.

Day 5: Take Afternoon Tea at a Fancy Hotel

There are few tastier ways to partake in traditional English culture than by sitting down to a spot of tea. You should do like the locals and enjoy yours in style, which is why today we'll whisk you off to central London to a posh hotel.  As part of the experience, this afternoon tea service will include traditional cucumber sandwiches, Victoria sponge cakes, and Earl Grey tea, which you may drink with or without milk (tip: the British take theirs with milk). This is a refined way to spend an afternoon, which is why you should relish the experience. After all, how often do you get to enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea in the heart of London?

Day 6: Travel to Cornwall

In the morning, you will travel by private car service from London to the southwestern tip of the country and the region of Cornwall. This ruggedly beautiful area of England is famous for its charming coastal towns, sandy beaches, rocky seaside cliffs, medieval castles, and tranquil green countryside. The car journey will take a few hours, so you'll likely be tired by the time you arrive at your hotel and check-in. Still, as a welcoming introduction to this wonderful region, we'll arrange a gourmet dinner for you in a top restaurant in one of Cornwall's famous fishing villages.

Day 7: Visit a Rainforest... in England?

After enjoying breakfast, you'll leave your hotel and not just explore more of Cornwall's stunning landscapes, but tour exotic gardens, too. That's because today you're going to visit the Eden Project. This is a massive greenhouse complex that sits in an excavated clay pit near the Cornwall coast. 

Eden is comprised of two biomes that house the largest indoor rainforest in the world. One thousand different plant species exist here cultivated from four of the world's rainforest environments: Southeast Asia, West Africa, South America, and various tropical islands. Therefore by visiting Eden, you'll effectively be traveling around the entire world in a single afternoon.

Day 8: Wine Tasting in Cornwall

Believe it or not, in recent years England has come into its own as a wine-producing nation. It's even picked up a few Gold Star Awards for its still and sparkling varietals. Today you'll have the chance to enjoy a wine-tasting experience in Cornwall at the famous Camel Valley Vineyards. As part of this tasting, you will take a vineyard tour led by a knowledgeable guide who will explain its history and the unique methods of English viticulture. 

You'll then sample world-class English sparkling wines on a veranda complete with stunning views of the vineyards and beyond to the rolling green hills of the Cornish countryside. It's the perfect compliment to your English country getaway!

Day 9: Farewell, England!

And so your luxury English countryside vacation comes to an end. Today you'll enjoy one final private transfer from your hotel to the airport, where you'll catch your flight home. Until next time!