Join us on this one-of-a-kind culinary adventure through England’s stunning countryside. Our team will greet you in Bristol, a thriving cultural hub brimming with up-and-coming chefs, art and architecture, and centuries of history. From there you’ll explore Stonehenge, the beautiful Georgian town of Bath, and the ruins of medieval Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle. From the Regency spa town of Cheltenham you will visit the picturesque villages of the Cotswolds, and the hopyards and cider orchards of Worcestershire. Along the way you will experience a private chef’s cooking demonstration and dinner, the magnificent Blenheim Palace and their traditional English high tea, historic Windsor, and plenty of sights along the way!
Daily Walking Guide
Day 1: Welcome to Bristol!
The Eat Team will meet the group at our Bristol hotel at 2:00 p.m. for a welcome reception, followed by a quick tour of the neighborhood to help get your bearings. A welcome dinner at a Michelin rated restaurant is scheduled this evening to kick the tour off and become better acquainted with our fellow travelers.
Sleep: Bristol
Driving: None
Walking: Medium
Day 2: Stonehenge and Bath
Today we visit prehistoric Stonehenge in Wiltshire, with time to tour the site and visitors center. When we’ve had our fill of stone circles, we’ll drive to the Georgian spa town of Bath for lunch in the historic Pump Room Restaurant. After lunch the group will tour the 2,000-year-old Roman Baths, followed by the option of a guided tour of the city or free time to explore on your own.
Sleep: Bristol
Driving: 3 hours
Walking: Medium
Day 3: Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle
The day kicks-off by crossing into Wales to explore Chepstow Castle, the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. You will have free rein to tour the castle ruins and surrounding villages of Thornwell and Crossway Green. From Chepstow, we’ll drive through the Welsh countryside to Tintern Abbey, a 12 century ruin of the first Cistercian foundation in Wales. In the afternoon we’ll head back into England to visit the magnificent Gloucester Cathedral before arriving in Cheltenham for a brewery tour.
Sleep: Cheltenham
Driving: 3 hour
Walking: Medium to Heavy
Day 4: Worcestershire Orchard and Hopyard Tour
The day begins with a drive through the Herefordshire and Worcestershire countryside to a 200-year-old hop and apple farm. Here you’ll tour the orchard and farm with one of the owners, followed by a picnic style lunch with beers and ciders in their beautiful Georgian house. After lunch, we’ll drive to Ledbury, a village known for its “black & white” Tudor style timber-framed buildings and historic Market House.
Sleep: Cheltenham
Driving: 2 hours
Walking: Heavy
Day 5: Cotswold Villages
Today we explore the Cotswolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for its rare limestone grassland habitats and old growth beech woodlands. We’ll be visiting quintessentially English villages and market towns known for their golden stone architecture, picturesque bridges, scenic footpaths. You’ll have free time for lunch and to explore the villages. In the evening, the group will dine together for a private chef’s table cooking demonstration and coursed dinner.
Sleep: Cheltenham
Driving: 2 hours
Walking: Medium
Day 6: Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace
The day begins by visiting Bibury for a scenic morning walk in what has been touted as the Cotswolds most photogenic village. We will then drive through the English countryside to Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site and the principal residence of the 12th Duke of Marlborough. Here the group will have a private tour of the palace state rooms, followed by a Victorian afternoon tea in the palace Orangery. After the tour you have free time to explore the extensive grounds, the park, formal gardens, maze, and butterfly house.
Sleep: Windsor
Driving: 2 hours
Walking: Medium
Day 7: Windsor Castle and Town
We’ll start the day with a guided tour of the city. This will be followed by free time for lunch and exploration. You’ll have the opportunity to visit Windsor Castle at your leisure for a self-guided tour of the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world. Tonight we’ll meet for a final group dinner.
Sleep: Windsor
Driving: 1.5 hours
Walking: Medium to Heavy
Day 8: Farewell Breakfast
The Eat Team will greet the group in the morning for breakfast, to help with any travel arrangements and answer questions. There are no group activities today, but Windsor is perfectly located to easily reach Heathrow and Gatwick airports, or to extend your vacation by visiting London.
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
Weather in September
London: Temperatures from 55° to 67° Fahrenheit, with an average 7 days of rain.
Bristol: Temperatures from 53° to 65° Fahrenheit.
Fitness Level & Physical Demands
Travel in the Old World often includes more time on your feet than we’re used to in America. Ancient walkways and streets make up much of England’s charm, but can be uneven and bumpy, with little to no vehicle access. Please be prepared to:
Bathrooms Abroad
Even in nice hotels, the bathrooms can be small by American standards. Please remember, many of the buildings are hundreds of years old, and weren’t originally designed with spacious private bathrooms in mind. Showers may be tight, and counterspace limited. It’s all part of the adventures of traveling abroad!
Accommodation
Eat Adventures has taken all reasonable precautions to ensure a comfortable tour for our guests, and provide accommodation with as many American-style amenities as possible. Luxuries such as air conditioning, elevators, and spacious bathrooms are often not available in hotels that are located in properties that are older or historic buildings. Please be prepared to sleep with no (or inadequate) air conditioning and street noise in some hotels.
Double occupancy rooms may request 1 or 2 beds, but please note we cannot guarantee separate beds for each hotel. For rooms with one bed, the beds will always be queen-sized or larger (this includes beds for single supplement guests). All accommodations will be finalized after March 15, 2020, and any specific questions will be answered after that time.
Meals & Alcohol
Most meals are included during the tour, including all breakfasts, and at least one lunch or dinner per day (with beverage pairings). We will also be including food/alcohol during many of our group activities.
Smoking & Vaping
No smoking or vaping is allowed in the tour van, hotel, where other tour members are present, or where is strictly prohibited by the United Kingdom Health Act. Guests are asked to refrain from smoking/vaping at all times during the tour.
For additional information please review our Terms & Conditions here.
Transportation
The tour meeting location (Bristol) and ending location (Windsor) are easily accessed from central London and Heathrow Airport.
By Air: Bristol Airport (BRS) is about 20 minute drive from central Bristol. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is about 20 minute drive from central Windsor.
By Train: Direct trains to Bristol are available from Heathrow Terminal 4 and London’s Paddington Station, and take about 2-2.5 hours. Windsor is an 1.5 hour train ride from central London.
Tour Hotels
If you would like to extend your trip before or after the scheduled tour dates, the contact information for the first and last hotel will be provided in your confirmation email after we receive your down payment. Final information for all hotels and activities will be provided one month before the tour, with details on how to get to our first hotel.
Sightseeing on Your Own
If you arrive in Bristol before your tour begins, here are a few suggestions of things to do and see that are not included in our group activities:
Bristol Tourist Information Centre
Clifton Suspension Bridge & Visitor Centre
Packing
To ensure our tour van can accommodate luggage for the entire group, we ask our tour guests to be mindful when packing and limit luggage to two pieces per person (one suitcase and one smaller carry-on).
Insurance & Travel Documents
We encourage guests to purchase their own travel insurance for travel to/from the United Kingdom, and for the duration of your stay. Travel insurance is recommended to protect travelers from lost luggage, travel delays, trip cancellations, etc.
The United States State Department advises U.S. citizens to visit the Travel.State.Gov webpage for the United Kingdom for passport and visa information, alerts, travel information, and U.S. Embassy location.
For additional information regarding travel insurance and travel documents, please review our Terms & Conditions.