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

Optional Pre-Tour (additional $450)

Pre-tour Day 1: Wednesday, July 13, 2022: Flight to Edinburgh
We will set off on our overnight flights to Edinburgh, Scotland. (IF)

Pre-tour Day 2: Thursday, July 14, 2022: Edinburgh, Stirling
On arrival in Edinburgh, we will transfer to our centrally located hotel and leave our bags (check-in is from 3 PM). The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Edinburgh or take an optional tour to Stirling. We will tour the Church of the Holy Rude, once a royal cathedral where John Knox preached for James VI baptism in 1566. Nearby is the magnificent Stirling Castle, where James VI was educated by Scottish Reformer George Buchanan. (IF)

Pre-tour Day 3: Friday, July 15, 2022: Edinburgh, St. Andrews
After breakfast we will have a full-day tour of St. Andrews, which has been 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. We will pause at his martyrdom site and also remember fellow martyr Patrick Hamilton. St. Andrews Cathedral was once the largest church in Scotland but fell into ruin after John Knox’s sermon inspired by Wishart’s martyrdom. We will return to Edinburgh and the evening will be at leisure. (B)

Main Tour

Day 1: Friday, July 15, 2022: Flight to Edinburgh
We will set off on our overnight flights to Edinburgh, Scotland. (IF)

Day 2: Saturday, July 16, 2022: Edinburgh
On arrival in Edinburgh, we will meet our tour director and board our air-conditioned bus for the transfer to the hotel to meet up with the pre-tour travelers. We will begin with an orientation tour of Edinburgh. At the top of the Royal Mile lies the magnificent Edinburgh Castle. Our tour of this imposing castle will include tiny St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh’s oldest building, which dates back to the 1100s. After checking in to our centrally located hotel, the afternoon will be at leisure. We will dine in our hotel this evening. (IF/D)

Day 3: Sunday, July 17, 2022: Edinburgh
This morning we will have the opportunity to attend church in Edinburgh and meet local believers. In the afternoon we will have a walking tour of Edinburgh, including St. Giles Cathedral, Greyfriar’s Kirk, the John Knox House, and a tour of Holyrood Palace, where John Knox discussed Christianity with Mary Queen of Scots. The rest of the day will be at leisure to enjoy Edinburgh. (B)

Day 4: Monday, July 18, 2022: York
After crossing the border into England, we will continue on to York. Our local guide will take us on a walking tour of York, including the Medieval “Shambles”, and a walk on the ancient city walls. We will tour the Minster, which is the biggest medieval church in England and has an impressive collection of medieval stained glass, including a sixteenth century rose window. The term “Minster” usually refers to a church in a monastery, but this cathedral was never part of a monastic institution, so it doesn’t have cloisters. The rest of the day will be at leisure and we recommend Afternoon Tea at Betty’s. (B)

Day 5: Tuesday, July 19, 2022: Gainsborough, Bedford, Cambridge
John Smyth attended school in Gainsborough and later become a pastor of a Separatist congregation. We will visit Gainsborough Old Hall, one of the best-preserved medieval manors in England, formally owned by the Protestant Hickman family. We will learn more about Smyth in the nearby village of Sturton-le-Steeple. This was also the birthplace of John Robinson, who pastored the Mayflower Pilgrims in the Netherlands. In Bedford, we will learn more about John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress. He was arrested and imprisoned for 12 years, for preaching without a license from the Church of England. We will see the plaque where the county gaol stood in the 17th century and tour the Bunyan Meeting Church and Museum. We will continue on to Cambridge and the evening is at leisure. (B/L)

Day 6: Wednesday, July 20, 2022: Cambridge, Moulton, Oxford
Our morning tour of Cambridge will begin with a visit to the Round Church, Cambridge. Cambridge is a center of Protestant scholarship for leaders including Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, and Bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. We will see Latimer’s Pulpit in The Church of St Edward, King and Martyr.  In Pembroke College we will see Ridley’s Walk and hear about martyrs who attended the college. During the Reformation, the White Horse Inn was a favored meeting place and we will see the plaque showing its location. On the way to Oxford we will visit Moulton, where William Carey, the “Father of Modern Missions” once lived. We will see his cottage, now a museum, and the church where he preached.  We will continue on to Oxford and dine together this evening. (B/D)

Day 7: Thursday, July 21, 2022: Headington, Oxford
Today we will have the option to visit Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed (subject to availability).  In the afternoon we will tour Oxford, 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 tour including Christ Church College Cathedral, and the Martyr Memorial, with an emphasis on C.S. Lewis. We will dine together this evening. (B/D)

Day 8: Friday, July 22, 2022: Stonehenge, Bath, Lacock, Oxford
Today we can choose to have a free day in Oxford with time in the Ashmolean Museum, or a day trip to some top cultural sites. We will begin our day at Stonehenge, Europe’s most famous prehistoric monument. The tour includes a visit to the museum and the stones. We will continue on to Georgian Bath, one of the most attractive cities in England, with strong connections to Jane Austen. There will be time to tour the Roman Baths Museum and see the famous Royal Crescent. On the way back to Oxford, we will stop for a coffee break in Lacock. Owned by the National Trust, this is a quintessential English village. It’s been used for numerous period dramas including Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey, as well as movies like Harry Potter. The evening will be at leisure. (B)

Day 9: Saturday, July 23, 2022: Oxford, London
We will have a full day with an expert Christian guide, beginning with a tour of key Biblical artifacts in the British Museum. After free time for lunch, we will do a walking tour focused on many significant Christians who ministered in the city, including William Wilberforce, John Newton, John Wesley, etc. The evening will be at leisure and tickets can be arranged to a West End show. (B)

Day 10: Sunday, July 24, 2022: London
We will attend a morning service at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, where Spurgeon preached for many years. We will then have a group lunch and fellowship time. In the afternoon we will have a guided tour of Westminster Abbey, where most British kings and queens since 1066 have been crowned. It’s the final resting place for many monarchs, heroes, authors, and poets. This is also where 151 theologians met in the 1640s to draw up the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is the standard of doctrine for the Church of Scotland and many Presbyterian churches throughout the world. We will then board a boat for a round-trip cruise on the River Thames, giving us excellent views of the Tower and Tower Bridge. (B/L)

Day 11: Monday, July 25, 2022: London
We will start the tour with a tour of 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 will also see the glittering Crown Jewels. 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. Our Farewell meal will be in a restaurant close to our hotel. (B/D)

Day 12: Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Depart
We will transfer to the airport for our return to the USA. Additional days in London or other cities are available on request. (B/IF)

 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!

Arrival and Departure Transfers

Transfers are automatically included if we have booked your flights.

If you have booked your own flights, we can still provide transfers, as long as we have your flight details on file and a phone number to give to the driver. We will include your transfer information in your final packet. Transfers will be arranged for each arrival, so that you won’t have to wait for other tour members if their flight is delayed. Transfers can be arranged for the day of your choosing, but we can’t arrange transfers if you arrive or depart by train.

Please note that individual transfers are booked through a third-party and you will be responsible to communicate with the company in case of delays.

Flight Information

Flights can be arranged once this tour is a guaranteed departure, but no earlier than the end of August 2021. We will let you know as soon as we have reached the minimum number of participants.

Group Air:  We will be arranging group air for this tour and details will be available in September 2021. Payment is due with the final payment.

Individual Air: If you would like assistance with alternative flights, please visit our Book a Flight page.  Please wait until the tour is a guaranteed departure before booking non-refundable airfare and send a copy of your flight itinerary for our records as soon as you have booked it.

Pre-Tour Arrival: Please arrange to arrive in Edinburgh no later than 10:00 am on Thursday, July 14, 2022.

Tour Arrival: Please arrange to arrive in Edinburgh no later than 10:00 am on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

Departure: You are welcome to depart from London at any time on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.

We can arrange pre-tour nights in Edinburgh and post-tour nights in London, but due to the volume of tours in 2022, we are not able to arrange additional travel within Europe.

What’s included in the land price of $3,849?

Pre-tour is $450. Price based on a minimum of 30 participants

Your Tour Includes

•   Transportation: via private, deluxe air-conditioned  motor coach
•   Accommodations (double-occupancy) in centrally located 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
•   Entrance fees included as per itinerary
•   Guides will use Whisper Headsets throughout the tour
•   Arrival and departure transfers
•   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 (group air will be available)
•   Meals and beverages not identified in itinerary
•   Single supplement ($675, plus $125 for the pre-tour)
•   Items of a personal nature, such as passports and visas. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond return date.
•   Insurance (see below for details)
•   Gratuities for tour director and driver

Payment Schedule

•  Initial deposit of $350 will secure your place on the tour, which can be paid by credit voucher, check or credit card payment. Please send all checks to Reformation Tours, P.O. Box 854, Belleville, IL 62222.
•   Final invoices will be sent in March 2021
•   Final payment is due by April 29, 2022
•   Reservations will be accepted after April 29, 2022, subject to availability

Insurance

We will continue to assist clients who have a current policy with Roam Right Insurance, a division of Arch Insurance Company. Policies are now transferable to tours in 2021 and 2022.

If you don’t have insurance yet, we are now partnering with an award-winning company called Squaremouth, which helps travelers search, compare, and buy the best travel insurance for the lowest price. They offer excellent customer support and can help you find the best policy for your trip.

Cancellations

Regardless of reason, cancellations are costly, so we recommend purchasing travel insurance.

From time of deposit to until 100 days before departure (if not canceled by us): $100
From April 8, 2021 to June 29, 2021: $350 cancellation penalty plus any nonrefundable deposits
From June 30, 3021: 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.

Terms and Conditions