Key: IF = In Flight Meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Day 1: Friday, June 7, 2019: Depart North America
We will depart from the USA today. Pre-tour arrangements can also be made through Reformation Tours. (IF)

Day 2: Saturday, June 8, 2019: Windsor
On arrival in London, transfers are included to nearby Windsor. Our Reformation Tours’ tour director will meet us in our hotel, which is just outside the gates of Windsor Castle. There will be time to explore Windsor and have lunch. In the afternoon we will have a group tour of Windsor Castle, including St. George’s Chapel, where Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in May 2018. We will return to our hotel for our Welcome Meal. (IF/D)

Day 3: Sunday, June 9, 2019: Runnymede, Southampton
After a hearty British breakfast, we will board our bus and drive the short distance to Runnymede. It was in this picturesque setting next to the Thames, that King John sealed the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215. We’ll actually see a copy of this later in the tour! Visitors can reach the memorial by climbing 50 steps, made from hand-cut granite, intended to symbolize a pilgrimage. We will also see the JFK Memorial, which is officially US soil. We’ll stop for  lunch on the way to Southampton.

In the afternoon, our local expert guide will take us on a guided walk describing Southampton as it would have been in 1620. We will hear about the provisioning of the Speedwell and Mayflower ships, and see their departure point. This is now commemorated with a Pilgrim Fathers Memorial, which was unveiled in 1913.  We will tour the Tudor House and Garden, which existed at the time of the Pilgrims’ departure. Our Welcome Dinner is in our hotel this evening. The Dolphin Hotel has a long illustrious history and one of the earliest references is from 1454. Famous guests included Queen Victoria, Admiral Lord Nelson, and Jane Austen. (B/D)

Day 4: Monday, June 10, 2019: Southampton, Dartmouth, Plymouth
After breakfast we will travel to nearby Dartmouth, which is where the Mayflower and the Speedwell had to dock for repairs. We will enjoy a River Cruise, and see Bayard’s Cove Harbor. The Pilgrims would still recognize the Tudor Bayard’s Cove Fort, St. Saviour’s Church, Smith Street and other areas around the waterfront. We will have some free time to explore on our own, before we continue on to Plymouth, where we will be based for two nights. We will dine in our hotel this evening. (B/D)

Day 5: Tuesday, June 11, 2019: Plymouth
We will have breakfast in our hotel, then spend a full day exploring Plymouth. We will tour the city  with a specialist guide who will tell the story of the Mayflower Pilgrims, the ship, and the voyage. We will see the Mayflower steps, the cobbled streets of the Barbican, and Sutton Harbour. We will also tour the Mayflower Museum. We will finish with a guided tour of the local Plymouth Gin Distillery with samples for those who wish. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 6: Wednesday, June 12, 2019: Gloucester, Stratford-upon-Avon
After breakfast we will travel north to Gloucester. The Cathedral is gorgeous, and the cloisters were used for filming scenes in Harry Potter. After time in the Gloucester, we will continue on to Stratford-upon-Avon. The rest of the day is at leisure and tickets to a Shakespeare production can be arranged through Reformation Tours. (B)

Day 7: Thursday, June 13, 2019: Stratford-upon-Avon, Lincoln
After breakfast at the hotel, we can have a tour of the top Shakespeare sites, such as Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the Birthplace, Trinity Church etc,. Shakespeare was a contemporary of the Pilgrims and so it’s a good place to go to understand what their lives and language were like. We will then continue our journey across England as we head to the Sherwood Forest. We will have a guided walk in this ancient forest where some of the oak trees are up to a thousand years old! We’ll hear about Robin Hood and have time to see the brand new Visitor Center.  We’ll end the day in Lincoln, which is like York, but smaller and less crowded. (B/D)

Day 8: Friday, June 14, 2019: Lincoln
We’ll begin the day with a visit to Lincoln Castle, built in 1068 by William the Conqueror, where we will see a copy of the Magna Carta in a special exhibit area, with 2 movies. The Castle also has 2 historic prisons and the most unusual prison chapel! We will also tour Lincoln’s Medieval Cathedral, which dates back to 1072.  It was the world’s tallest building from 1300–1549. The rest of the day is at leisure and Lincoln has lots of shops, ranging from high street stores to luxury boutiques. It also has an aptly named Steep Street which is only accessible by foot in some parts, as the gradient is so extreme. There’s even a handrail! Evensong at the Cathedral is at 5:30 PM and includes young choristers from many local schools. (B)

Day 9: Saturday, June 15, 2019: Babworth, Scrooby, Gainsborough, Lincoln
This morning local expert guide Sue Allan will take us on a tour of local sites that would have been very familiar to the Pilgrim Fathers. We will start at Babworth church where William Brewster and William Bradford came together under Richard Clyfton’s leadership. We will view Scrooby Manor, Brewster’s home in Scrooby, as well as the village church. In Austerfield we will see the font where Bradford was baptized, and learn about his childhood. After a delicious pub lunch, we will continue on to Gainsborough, from where the Pilgrims set out on their final and successful escape attempt. We will tour the medieval Old Hall, home of a local puritan, then return to Lincoln. (B/L)

Day 10: Sunday, June 16, 2019: Boston, London
We will check-out of our hotel after breakfast, and drive to Boston, a port town on the East coast. In 1607, a group of pilgrims walked 60 miles from Scrooby to Boston to meet a ship to take them to Holland. They were betrayed and instead of a new life, they were arrested and taken to the Guildhall. We will see the cells where they were held, as well as the Pilgrim Fathers memorial at Scotia Creek. St. Botolph’s Church, known as “Boston Stump”, is one of England’s largest parish churches. Rev. John Cotton urged members of his congregation to join the Massachusetts Bay Company, and he helped found the city of Boston in the 1630s. The Puritan Path leading to the church is in his honor. We will carry on to London and explore the South Bank area of London, including Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, and the Globe Theatre. We will dine in the Mayflower Pub in Rotherhithe. This used to be called the Shippe Inn and was well known to the crew of the Mayflower. (B/D)

Day 11: Monday, June 17, 2019: London
Today is a leisure day in London. We will have travel cards to explore the city, as well as a London Pass, which includes entrance to 60+ attractions. The tour director will be available to assist travelers and the Anglotopia and Londontopia websites will be an invaluable resource. We will end the tour with a glass of Champagne on the London Eye, as we view London by night. (B)

Day 12: Tuesday, June 18, 2019: Departure day
After breakfast, we will travel to Heathrow, either as a group, or by separate transfers. Post-tour travel options are available. (IF)

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted.

What are accommodations like?

Our hotels are chosen for their quality, amenities and proximity to areas of interest. Whenever possible, we choose hotels in town centers, so that you are able to go off and explore in your free time. It may be necessary for us to substitute hotels for others of equal quality. You will be fully informed of any changes that affect you. Enjoy your stay!

Windsor, England
June 8-9, 2019
The Harte and Garter Hotel
31 High Street
Windsor, SL4 1PQ

Southampton, England
June 9-10, 2019
Mercure Southampton Dolphin
34 – 35 High Street
Southampton, SO14 2HN

Plymouth, England
June 10-12, 2019
The Copthorne Plymouth
Armada Way
Plymouth, PL1 1AR

Stratford-upon-Avon, England
June 12-13, 2019
Crowne Plaza
Bridge Foot
Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YR

Lincoln, England
June 13-16, 2019
White Hart Inn
Bailgate
Lincoln LN1 3AR

London, England
June 16-18, 2019
The Copthorne Tara
Scarsdale Place
Kensington London W8 5SY

Flights will be arranged for this tour once it is a definite departure. We can either assist you with flights or you are welcome to book your own. Please ensure we have a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

What’s included in the land tour price of $2,999?

Price based on a minimum of 25 participants

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via deluxe air-conditioned coaches
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in superior 3-star and 4-star hotels
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional Tour Director throughout the tour
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
•   Arrival and departure transfers (Heathrow Airport)
•   Baggage handling when available
•   Basic travel insurance (upgrade to full-coverage available)
•   All taxes and tips except as indicated below

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Round-trip air transportation (Reformation Tours can assist in booking flights)
•   Single supplement ($700)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Upgraded passenger trip cancellation insurance
•   Gratuities for tour director, and driver

Payment Schedule

•   Deposit of $350 will secure your place on the tour. Please send all payments to Reformation Tours, P.O Box 854, Belleville, IL 62222.
•   Final invoices will be sent in February 2019
•   Final payment is due on March 24, 2019
•   Reservations will be accepted until May 1, 2019 subject to availability

Insurance

We offer travel insurance through RoamRight, a division of Arch Insurance Company. We include $500 coverage in your tour price and you are welcome to upgrade to cover the full tour premium. This will be automatically added to your invoice if you request the upgrade. To calculate the cost of the tour insurance: (land cost + air cost – $500) x 6.14%. For this tour, the insurance is $154 to cover up to $2,999 for the land cost. We can adjust the premium after the air is booked.

Description of Coverage

Cancellations

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly. To offset these costs the following fees will apply, plus any non-recoverable expenses to our suppliers:
From time of deposit to until 100 days before departure: $100
From 99-15 days prior to departure: $350 plus any non refundable deposits
14 days or less prior to departure: No refund– Cancellation charges also apply to additional accommodation reserved prior to and after the tour.
– Cancellations must be received in writing by 5:00 p.m. central time on the last business day of the applicable time period.
– For flight changes or cancellations, revision fees and/or airline cancellation charges will apply.
– Roommates canceling can result in a single supplement charge for the roommate. The Participant who cancels will be responsible for that charge if a substitute roommate cannot be found.
– Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is strongly recommended.
Reformation Tours cannot assume responsibility for any additional costs or fees relating to the issuance and/or cancellation of air tickets or other arrangements not made through Reformation Tours.