6 Days London to London – Small Private Group Journey
Highlights Include: Chawton House, Pride & Prejudice costume exhibition, village of Lacock used as the setting for Meryton, the Georgian city of Bath, the real “Longbourn Court,” a special Pride and Prejudice themed tour leading you into the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, whose story has captured the imaginations of so many.
Specially customized for small private groups of 8 to 16 guests.
In The Footsteps of Jane Austen
DAY 1 ARRIVE LONDON, ENGLAND: After clearing customs at the airport, meet your tour director and transfer by private vehicle to your hotel. After check in, the remainder of your day is at leisure to settle in to this historic city on the River Thames.
DAY 2 CHAWTON & WINCHESTER: Embark on a full-day excursion to the south west of London. Firstly drive into the rural countryside of Hampshire where Jane Austen spent much of her life, stopping in the village of Chawton. Visit the house where the author lived in the latter years of her life and where she penned the majority of her mature writing (including Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility which were both revised in the house as well as Emma and Persuasion which were entirely written here). Also of interest may be St. Nicholas Church where the Austens worshiped. You can enter the church and also see the graves where Jane’s mother and sister are buried. Just a short walk away is the Chawton House Library; a beautiful building where the landscaping around the house has been re-planted to reflect what it looked like in Austen’s day.
Afterwards head to Winchester where Jane Austen was buried in the cathedral in 1817 at the age of 41. Winchester Cathedral was a building she greatly admired and her modest funeral was attended by just four people. There is an illustrated exhibition detailing Jane Austen’s life, work and death in Hampshire displayed beside her grave. Jane Austen only lived a few weeks in the house (now a private residence) in College Street but continued to write there. (B)
Optional Excursion: Travel north onto Salisbury Plain to visit Stonehenge, arguably the most famous prehistoric site in Europe. Visitors cannot fail to wonder at the effort it must have taken to drag the enormous stones over the land and erect them in circles. From here return to London past Old Sarum hill.
DAY 3 BASILDON PARK – LACOCK – BATH: On your way to Bath today, stop at Basildon Park near the town of Reading. This impressive Georgian House took a starring role in the 2005 production of Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley as Lizzy. The mansion played Mr Bingley’s house, Netherfield, a suitably grand residence for a ‘young man of four or five thousand a year’. Continue your journey west and visit Lacock; a timeless, traditional English village. Besides being used as a movie set for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Lacock appeared as Meryton in the 1995 BBC television adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. Here the Bennet girls shopped for bonnets, sought the latest gossip from their Aunt Phillips, and hoped to attract the attentions of the officers. (B)
DAY 4 BATH: Explore the city of Bath which is so familiar throughout Jane Austen’s novels as a prosperous spa resort, popular with fashionable society. The city’s impeccably preserved Georgian architecture remains unchanged from the streets described in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Visit the magnificent Assembly Rooms and admire the Ball Room, Octagon, Tea Room and Card Room that were used in the eighteenth century for dancing, music and card playing, and of course, visit the Jane Austen Centre which offers a snapshot of life during Regency times and provides an authentic period atmosphere. If you wish, take time to enjoy a pot of tea and some homemade cake before continuing your tour. See Number 4 Sydney Place, an 18th-century Georgian apartment where Jane lived with her family from 1801 to 1806. Jane also walked along the Royal Crescent on Sundays after church; at the time, it was a very fashionable thing to do in order to be seen by high society.
To complete the day, you will have the opportunity to discover Bath’s other highlights such as the Pump Rooms. (B)
DAY 5 BATH – LUCKINGTON COURT – LONDON: Today is a special day for Pride and Prejudice fans and an opportunity to immerse yourself further in the world of Jane Austen as you travel with your driver-guide to Luckington Court, the site where the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth, was filmed. Receive a warm greeting from your specialist Pride and Prejudice tour guide who will take you on an engaging private tour of Luckington Court (known as Longbourn Court in the novel) and its extensive gardens. You are sure to be captivated by the church where Lizzy marries Darcy and the charming rooms within the house itself as you listen to anecdotes about the production. Your tour of the house will conclude with a full English afternoon tea.
Continue your journey back to London with the option of stopping in one of the most beautiful areas of England. The Cotswolds are famous for thatched cottages and hundreds of honey-color limestone villages in beautiful rural settings. There are a number of charming villages to wander through and great, cozy country pubs to dine in. (B)
DAY 6 DEPART ENGLAND: Transfer to the airport this morning for your final arrangements prior to your departure flight. (B)
Customize to Suit
The above suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Inclusions
- Private airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 6
- Twin-bedded rooms in 4- or 5-Star hotels; hotel taxes, service charges and baggage handling
- 5 breakfasts
- Services of an English-speaking local travel expert
- Travel by private, luxury, air-conditioned mini-coach
- Sightseeing, special features and scenic highlights as indicated in the itinerary, including admission charges
- Portfolio of travel documents
- 24-hour emergency customer service while in England
Private Departures
Please Call 1-800-818-8455 for Group Rates on this Custom Group Journey
This suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Group Discounts
On custom journeys, discounts vary depending on group requirements. Typically, travel with a group of 20 and the 21st traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land portion of the vacation price. A second traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land on a group of 40 paying passengers.
*Per person prices are land only and based on two people sharing a room. Above dates represent “land start” date. Air: Please note that airfares are not included in the prices above. Journeys Connect can quote you the lowest possible GROUP airfare available on the day that you book. Minimum of 10 seats from same gateway. Less than 10 air seats will require full payment at time of booking. Single Room Supplement: On Request. Triple Room Reduction: On Request. Group discounts cannot be combined with our Triple Room discounts. Not valid on Specialty, Customized Vacations or River Cruises, optional extensions, extra nights, airfares, taxes and fees, flight supplements, or airport transfers. Other restrictions may apply. All passengers’ names must be advised before the discount is applied. *Group discount is on a twin-share basis only.
Contact Journeys Connect
Journeys Connect group and specialty services are available exclusively on a Business-to-Business basis, to travel industry professionals. If you are an individual interested in a Group Journey for 8 or more passengers, please do browse our collection and then contact your preferred Travel Agent and ask them to book through Journeys Connect.
Travel professionals, please call and speak with one of our Group Specialty Professionals:
1-800-818-8455