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

Day 1: Friday, September 7, 2018: Flight
Our journey begins with overnight flights from San Diego to Edinburgh. (IF)

Day 2: Saturday, September 8, 2018: Edinburgh
We will arrive in Edinburgh and meet our tour director and board our bus. As the group flights arrive in the early evening, we will go straight to our hotel and check-in.  We will dine in our hotel this evening. (IF/D)

Day 3: Sunday, September 9, 2018: Edinburgh
Edinburgh St Giles’ Cathedral is often called the Mother Church of World Presbyterianism. We will attend a morning service here, where John Knox first preached in 1559. It was reported that “he was so active and vigorous it looked as if he was about to break”. After some free time for lunch, we will visit Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriar’s Church,  the Grassmarket, and the Royal Mile. We will dine at a traditional Scottish restaurant this evening. (B/D)

Day 4: Monday, September 10, 2018: Holy Island, Durham
We will start our journey south this morning and drive into England. Lindisfarne, known today as Holy Island, is a tidal island off the Northumbrian coast. St. Aidan was sent here as a missionary from Iona and established a monastery in around 630 AD. Vikings destroyed the original monastery and monks fled from the island. The present Lindisfarne Priory is a dramatic ruin, modeled after Durham Cathedral. This is where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were produced. Even secular historians refer to Lindisfarne as “the most holy place in England.” After time for some personal reflection, we will continue our journey to Durham and visit the magnificent cathedral. We will dine at our hotel. (B/D)

Day 5: Tuesday, September 11, 2018: York, Lincoln
We will continue our journey to York, and our guided tour will include a walk atop the ancient city walls and a tour of York Minster Cathedral, the biggest medieval church in England. We will also see the famous medieval street, known as the Shambles. Christianity has an early heritage in York. By 306, when Constantine the Great was proclaimed Emperor in York, it is believed there was a small Christian community. In 312 he issued a general edict of toleration for the Christian Church and York became a center of Christianity. We will end the day in the Lincoln area, where we will be based for two nights. (B/D)

Day 6: Wednesday, September 12, 2018: Epworth and Pilgrim Heritage Sites
One of the expert guides from Pilgrims and Prophets will take us on a day trip focusing on Christian heritage highlights in the region. In the morning will visit Epworth and tour the Old Rectory where John and Charles Wesley grew up with their many siblings. In the afternoon we will visit the great monastic church of Worksop to understand the background of Christianity in England. Then we will visit Babworth church where William Brewster and William Bradford came together under Richard Clyfton’s leadership. We will finish the day at Gainsborough, from where the Pilgrims set out on their final and successful escape attempt. We will visit the medieval Old Hall, home of a local puritan, where John Wesley preached 150 years later. We will dine in a local pub with historic connections. (B/D)

Day 7: Thursday, September 13, 2018: Lincoln, Bedford, Oxford
After a tour of Lincoln Castle, we will drive down to Bedford where we will learn more about John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, the Christian allegory that is considered to be the most widespread book of all time, second only to the Bible. Originally a poor, barely literate tinker, he became a popular preacher and author. Pilgrim’s Progress was written while he was imprisoned for 12 years for preaching without a license from the Church of England. We will dine in our hotel in Oxford. (B/D)

Day 8: Friday, September 14, 2018: Oxford
Oxford is one of England’s famous University cities with a rich Reformation history. The early English reformer, John Wycliffe, was a professor at the university. Other well-known students included Bible translator William Tyndale and the great revivalist preacher George Whitefield. We will have a walking orientation tour including Christ Church College Cathedral, and the Martyr Memorial, with an emphasis on C.S. Lewis. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 9: Saturday, September 15, 2018: London
On the way to London we will visit C.S. Lewis’ home, the Kiln’s (inside visit subject to availability) and Trinity Church in Headington Quarry. Our next stop is Hampton Court Palace. In 1604, James I commissioned the King James Version of the Bible during the Hampton Court Conference and we will discuss this in the room where it happened. In the Chapel Royal, we will hear how Henry VIII’s decision to allow production of the Bible was influenced by his last wife, Catherine Parr. After the tour we will have time to stroll through the beautiful gardens and try and find our way to the center of the maze. Our bus will take us on a panoramic sightseeing tour before we arrive at our centrally-located London hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 10: Sunday, September 16, 2018: London
We have a free morning to attend the church of our choice. In the afternoon we will visit John Wesley’s Chapel, Wesley’s home and the Museum of Methodism, followed by a tour of his home. John Wesley (1703-1791) has been called the most influential Protestant leader of the English-speaking world since the Reformation and his brother Charles wrote hundreds of amazing hymns. We will tour the legendary Bunhill Field’s Cemetery, where we can see the burial place of nonconformist Protestants. Following the tour, we will attend Evensong in St. Paul’s Cathedral, then dine in the historic Mayflower Pub, (B/D)

Day 11: Monday, September 17, 2018: London
We will begin today with a guided tour of Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey has played in integral part in the history of London and the UK. Kings and Queens have been crowned here since 1066 (William the Conqueror) and it’s been the setting for many special occasions including the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II. Our guide will also tell us about the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. After time to purchase lunch, we will travel up River Thames, giving us excellent views of the Tower and Tower Bridge. The Tower has a fascinating and also rather grisly history and we will hear about the various inhabitants through the centuries. We will also see the glittering Crown Jewels. We will dine at a local restaurant, followed by a ride on the London Eye. (B/D)

Day 12: Tuesday, September 18, 2018: Return
We will transfer to Heathrow Airport for the return trip to the USA (B)

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!

This price includes the airport transfer.

Edinburgh, Scotland 
September 8-10, 2018
Marriott Hotel
111 Glasgow Rd,
Edinburgh, EH12 8NF

Durham, England
September 10-11, 2018
Hardwick Hall Hotel
Sedgefield
Durham, TS21 2EH

Nottinghamshire, England
September 11-13, 2018
Ye Olde Bell Hotel
Barnby Moor
Retford, DN22 8QS

Oxford, England
September 13-15, 2018
The Mercure Eastgate
73 High St
Oxford, OX1 4BE

London, England
September 15-18, 2018
The Melia White House
Albany St
London, NW1 3UP

Group flights have been arranged for this tour and we will continue to monitor options, so these might change. If you would like to make your own arrangements, please wait until the tour is a definite departure, before booking non-refundable tickets.

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 all-inclusive price of $4,800?

Price based on a minimum of 20 participants. Land only price is $3,800.

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via private, deluxe air-conditioned  motor coach
•   Air transportation and related taxes and fees from San Diego
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in centrally located 3-star hotels with good bus access
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Entrance fees included as per itinerary
•   Guides will use Whisper Headsets throughout the tour
•   All transfers, as a group
•   Baggage handling (1 piece of baggage per guest)
•   All taxes and tips except as indicated below

Your Tour Does Not Include

•   Single supplement ($750)
•   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 Insurance (insurance during tour is included in tour cost)
•   Gratuities for tour director, and driver

Payment Schedule

•   Deposit of $350 will secure your place on the tour and is due no later than May 1, 2018. Please send all payments to The Branch Church, made payable to “Reformation Tours”
•   Final invoices will be sent in May 2018
•   Final payment due June 15, 2018
•   Reservations will be accepted after June 15, 2018, subject to availability

Insurance

We highly recommend the Professional Plan offered by Roam Right Insurance, 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. The cost of the tour insurance is the tour cost (minus $500) x 6.14%. This will be automatically added to your invoice as an option. Insurance for land only is $203 and insurance for land and air is $265.

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.

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