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

Day 1: Thursday, May 9, 2019: Departure
We will set off today from the USA on our international flights to London (IF)

Day 2: Friday, May 10, 2019: Arrival
On arrival in London, we will meet our tour director who will escort us to our waiting air-conditioned bus. We will begin our tour with a leisurely visit to 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 afternoon is free to explore at our leisure before our welcome dinner at the hotel. (IF/D)

Day 3: Saturday, May 11, 2019: London
Our Blue Badge Guide will take us on a guided tour of Westminster Abbey this morning. Westminster Abbey has played an 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 such as the wedding of the Queen and Prince Phillip. Our guide will also tell us about the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. We will take a boat trip on the River Thames, giving us excellent views of the Tower and Tower Bridge. 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. The rest of the day is at leisure to attend a show (tickets can be arranged) or relax. (B)

Day 4: Sunday, May 12, 2019: London
We have a free morning to attend the church of our choice.  We will meet up outside the Tower of London. The Tower has a fascinating and also rather grisly history and we will hear about the various inhabitants through the centuries. We’ll then transfer to St. Paul’s Cathedral to attend Evensong, which is followed by an optional organ recital. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 5, Monday, May 13, 2019: Oxford
We will depart London this morning and travel to 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 Reformation-themed walking tour including the Wesley rooms in Lincoln College. We will attend Evensong in Christ Church then check-in to our hotel. Our evening meal is in our hotel. (B/D)

Day 6: Tuesday, May 14, 2019: Stonehenge, Bristol, Oxford
Today’s day trip begins at the World Heritage site of Stonehenge, the pre-historic stone circle. We will continue on to Bristol and visit the New Room, the oldest Methodist Chapel in the World. George Whitefield invited John Wesley to come to Bristol in 1729 and he began his ministry with open-air preaching. He purchased the land to build the New Room in 1742. We will also visit the home where John’s younger brother lived with his family. Charles Wesley was a prolific hymn writer and also preached. We will return to our hotel in Oxford for our evening meal (B/D).

Day 7: Wednesday, May 15, 2019: Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon
On our way out of Oxford, we will see C.S. Lewis’ home, the Kilns. An inside visit is subject to availability. We will then drive through the Cotswolds, with visits to Burford and Moreton in Marsh. On the way to  Stratford-upon-Avon, we will visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage.  In the afternoon, we will tour Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Trinity Church. This evening we will have the opportunity to see a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company (if suitable play is available).  (B)

Day 8: Thursday, May 16, 2019: Epworth, York
After a leisurely breakfast, we will drive to Epworth and have lunch in the Red Lion pub, where Wesley often stayed. In the afternoon, we will tour their father’s church, St. Andrews, and tour the Old Rectory where John and Charles Wesley grew up with their many siblings. We will see where their mother Susanna Wesley taught her children. We will also see the Market Cross where Wesley preached. We will continue on to York and dine in our hotel. (B/L/D)

Day 9: Friday, May 17, 2019: York, Durham
Our guided walking tour of York will include a walk atop the ancient city walls and a tour of York Minster Cathedral, the biggest medieval church in England. 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.  In the afternoon, we will travel to Durham, voted “Best city in the UK” by Condé Nast’s Traveller magazine readers. Durham Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and regarded as the finest Norman building in Europe. We will tour the Cathedral in the afternoon, followed by Evensong.  We will check into our hotel in Newcastle, then have a group meal.  (B/D)

Day 10: Saturday, May 18, 2019: Lindisfarne, Edinburgh
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 to view the 16^th century castle, we will continue our journey to Edinburgh and dine at our hotel. (B/D)

Day 11: Sunday, May 19, 2019: Edinburgh
St Giles’ Cathedral is often called the Mother Church of World Presbyterianism. We will attend the 10:00 AM morning service. John Knox first preached here 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 view John Knox House (closed on Sundays), Greyfriar’s Church, Magdalene Chapel and the Royal Mile. Our tour of Edinburgh Castle will include tiny St. Margaret’s Chapel, which dates back to the 1100s. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 12: Monday, May 20, 2019: St. Andrews, Stirling
Today’s day trip is to St. Andrews, a spiritual center in Scotland for centuries. During the Reformation, St. Andrews University was third in significance after Oxford and Cambridge. In the now ruined castle, we will see the Bottle Dungeon where George Wishart was imprisoned before being burned at the stake, and pause at his martyrdom site, also remembering fellow martyr Patrick Hamilton. St. Andrews Cathedral was once the largest church in Scotland, but fell into ruin after John Knox’s sermon, which was inspired by Wishart’s martyrdom. We’ll see a monument to Robert the Bruce, the first king to unite the Scottish people and the wide sandy beach made famous in the film Chariots of Fire. We will continue to Stirling in the afternoon and tour Stirling Castle, and the nearby Church of the Holy Rude. We will return to Edinburgh for our Farewell Meal.  (B/D)

Day 13: Tuesday, May 21, 2019: Return
We will return to the US after a wonderful time learning about the Christian heritage of the United Kingdom. (B)

Please note this itinerary is copyrighted.

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!

London, England
May 10-13, 2019
Copthorne Tara Hotel
Scarsdale Pl,
Kensington, London, W8 5SY

Oxford, England
May 13-15, 2019
Witney Hotel
7 Church Green
Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4AZ

Stratford-upon-Avon, England
May 15-16, 2019
Grosvenor Hotel
Warwick Rd
Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YT

York, England
May 16-17, 2019
Mercure York Fairfield Manor Hotel
Shipton Road
Skelton, York YO30 IXW

Newcastle, England
May 17-18, 2019
Gateshead Marriott Hotel Metrocentre
Marconi Way, Metrocentre
Newcastle upon Tyne NE11 9XF

Edinburgh, Scotland
May 18-21, 2019
King’s Manor Hotel
100 Milton Rd E
Edinburgh EH15 2NP

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 price of $3,499?

Price based on a minimum of 25 participants

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via private, deluxe air-conditioned  motor coach
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in centrally located 3-star or 4-star hotels with good bus access
•   Meals as indicated in the itinerary
•   Professional tour director
•   Local step-on guides for city tours and major attractions
•   Entrance fees included as per itinerary
•   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

•   Air transportation and related taxes and fees
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Single supplement ($800)
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Optional Insurance (group insurance available)
•   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 January 2019
•   Final payment is due by February 23, 2019
•   Reservations will be accepted after February 23, 2019, subject to availability

Insurance

We offer 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%. A quote will be automatically be added to your invoice.

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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