Day Visits out of London

There are several beautiful and historic towns just a few hours travel time from London. A walking tour with a knowledgeable guide is the perfect way to explore their sights, history and treasures.

Bath
Bath’s magnificent Georgian townscape of golden stone grew up around bubbling pools of naturally hot water discovered at its heart. The Romans transformed Bath into Britain’s first spa resort almost 2,000 years ago, and it regained fame as a spa in the 18th Century, attracting fashionable and aristocratic society. There are beautiful classical exteriors and interiors to be explored as well as the Roman Baths and several museums.

Canterbury
Once an important Roman town, Canterbury became a major centre of Christianity after the arrival of St Augustine in the 6th Century. The magnificent cathedral grew up over many centuries, embracing all styles of medieval architecture. It became a place of pilgrimage and it is the site of St Thomas Becket’s martyrdom in 1176. Canterbury is a UNESCO World Heritage site with 2 castles and 6 museums.

Oxford
Oxford, the most historic of England’s university towns, has a spectacular skyline of tall towers and ‘dreaming spires’, built since its first scholars arrived in the 12th Century. The university’s colleges which cluster around the city centre were designed along the lines of monastic buildings and many have beautiful gardens. The city has witnessed great historical events like the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Civil War and the Restoration, while the colleges have educated world famous figures through the centuries.

Salisbury
Salisbury, founded in 1220, is set in a landscape of prehistoric sites which stretch back over 5,000 years. Salisbury’s fine early Gothic cathedral has a graceful spire which soars to a height of 404 feet. The Cathedral set in a medieval market town took only 38 years to build which was a remarkable feat. It is surrounded by a spacious, tranquil close of elegant buildings which have many interesting historical and literary connections.

Stratford Upon Avon
William Shakespeare was born on St George’s Day, 23rd April 1564 and he died on the same date in 1616. The house where he was born, the church where he is buried and the pretty cottage of his wife, Anne Hathaway are among the numerous Shakespeare connections in this small Tudor market town of mellow, timber-framed architecture. His dramatic works are performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company at their theatre by the River Avon, where swans and river boats glide past.