Literary England
September 22–29, 2024
London — Bath — Stratford Upon Avon — Oxford 
Eight days and seven nights
$4,772/person, double occupancy
$1,371 single room supplement (single rooms are limited and must be requested)

Space is limited. Reserve your spot now!

Join Clay and Catherine Jenkinson on a guided tour through literary England. The journey begins in London with a guided tour of the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and other places familiar with the likes of John Donne, Charles Dickens, Samuel Johnson, and more. Enjoy a Shakespeare performance at the reconstructed Globe Theatre before traveling to Bath and the Jane Austen Centre. Step into Shakespeare’s world in Stratford Upon Avon, visiting landmarks connected with the Bard before attending another Shakespeare performance. Join Clay on a guided tour of Oxford University and its famous Bodleian Library, where both Clay and Catherine studied, before returning to London.

A note from Clay: 
Welcome to our 2024 international cultural tour: Literary England. It’s a vast subject, so we have to make some choices. My particular interests for this trip are Shakespeare, John Donne, John Keats, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and the Great Nile Debate that was to take place in Bath on September 16, 1864, between John Speke and Sir Richard Francis Burton. 

You don’t need to do anything but show up, but I encourage you to read some of Keats’ sonnets and odes, a Dickens novel (or two), some poetry by John Donne, and Jane Austen’s Persuasion, which is partly set in Bath. The best book on the Burton-Speke controversy (utterly fascinating) is Fawn Brodie’s The Devil Drives. We’ll be joined by my daughter Catherine, just now submitting her doctoral dissertation at Oxford University on the Tower of London. She would not want to miss this.I love these journeys. We have been to France and Greece. This is our first Britain tour. My only regret is that we don’t have a month to spend soaking up literary England. I hope you join us.

Itinerary

September 22–29, 2024
Eight days and seven nights
(B, L, D signify meals included)

Day 1 — Sunday, Sept. 22: ARRIVE LONDON, ENGLAND
Welcome to London! Upon arrival, we will arrange transfer from airport to your hotel. This evening join Clay Jenkinson for tour orientation, then a three-course dinner followed by a private cruise on the River Thames to admire some of the capital’s beautiful illuminated sights. (D)

Day 2 — Monday, Sept. 23: LONDON
Start the day with a tour of the Tower of London, home to Sir Walter Raleigh for 13 years, his epic History of the World was written in his rooms in the Bloody Tower. Next to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece built between 1675 and 1708, where John Donne gave sermons. After lunch, a refreshment at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, the oldest pub in London (and a favorite of Dickens) before meandering to Dr. Johnson’s house nearby. Finally, an afternoon walking tour of the Inns of Court to discover the secret world of legal London that shaped much of the work of Dickens. (B) 

Day 3 — Tuesday, Sept. 24: LONDON
After breakfast, we take a guided tour of Westminster Abbey including the Poets’ Corner and royal tombs. After time for lunch on your own, on to the National Portrait Gallery and the British Museum with Clay before settling into dinner and finally enjoying a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. (B, D) 

Day 4 — Wednesday, Sept. 25: BATH
Today travel to the beautiful Georgian city of Bath, visiting the Roman Baths, built nearly 2,000 years ago. Walk by the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, which was to be the site of the Speke-Burton debate on the origins of the Nile before Speke’s mysterious death. Later tour the Jane Austen Centre to explore Jane’s time in this city. (B) 

Day 5 — Thursday, Sept. 26: STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
After breakfast, depart Bath for a restful day in the English countryside. On our way to Stratford-Upon-Avon, we’ll stop in the village of Bourton-On-The-Water for time at leisure to explore. Enjoy a beautiful drive through the Cotswolds to arrive in Stratford-Upon-Avon, where we will dine at the hotel and enjoy a Shakespeare lecture by Clay with a glass of sherry in the evening. (B, D)

Day 6 — Friday, Sept. 27: STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
Today explore the beautiful hometown and final resting place of Stratford’s most famous son, William Shakespeare. Stop first for photographs at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the 500-year-old farmhouse where the Bard courted his future wife. Then, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace, where he grew up and lived the first years of his married life. Before the evening festivities, enjoy a private lecture by Clay. Enjoy dinner at a local pub then onto the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for a memorable performance by the Bard himself. (B, D) 

Day 7 — Saturday, Sept. 28: OXFORD
Before returning to London we will get an insider’s look at the prestigious Oxford University. Visit the Merton College Library, the oldest library in England, and the Bodleian Library. In the afternoon, enjoy some time on your own — we’ll suggest spots you may be interested in, such as Blackwell’s bookstore or Christ Church Cathedral with its Harry Potter ties. Upon our return to London, we will dine well and toast our journey together as we say farewell. (B, D)

Day 8 — Sunday, Sept. 29: DEPART LONDON
Your tour comes to an end after breakfast. You may choose to continue your own travels of England, or we’ll arrange transfer for you to the airport. (B)

Tour Information & Pricing

Literary England
September 22-29, 2024 (8 days, 7 nights)
Cost per person: $4,772
A $750 nonrefundable deposit secures your spot. Balance is due 90 days prior to trip (June 24, 2024). Price is based on double occupancy. If you are traveling alone, we can match you with another guest as a roommate. If you prefer your own hotel room throughout the trip, there is a single supplemental fee of $1,371. Single accommodations are limited in number.

Included: 

• Historical commentary by Clay Jenkinson throughout duration of tour
• Experienced tour guides
• Accommodations, meals, entrance fees, and river cruise fees outlined in itinerary
• All ground transportation outlined in itinerary, including airport ground transfer from London airport to hotel and back
• Gratuities to tour guide and coach driver

Not Included: 

• Airfare to/from London
• Travel and medical insurance
• Meals not specified in itinerary
• Items of personal nature — laundry, in-room hotel purchases, etc.

Terms and Conditions

Deposits and Payments

A non-refundable deposit of $750 per person will reserve your spot on this tour. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Payments for the remaining balance due will be processed directly through our tour operator, Globus Tours. 

Refunds and Cancellation Policy

We recommend you purchase travel insurance to protect you if for some reason you must cancel your reservation. For cancellations, deposit is non-refundable. For any remaining balance paid, you will receive your full refund up to 120 days prior to the tour, 80% refund of total price up to 30 days prior, 50% up to the day prior to departure, and no refund if cancelling on departure day or later. In the event we must cancel a tour, we will refund all monies paid to us.

Travel Insurance

We are not an insurance provider. If you are interested in purchasing travel insurance, please notify your preferred travel insurance company. Our international tour operator Globus also has a travel insurance partner, if you are interested in more information.  

Participation Courtesy

We ask there be no audio or video taping of presentations without the prior consent of the individual presenters. Participants are to refrain from smoking or vaping inside all modes of transportation, during group meals, and lectures or events.

Itinerary or Program Modifications

The itinerary is subject to our modifications and changes. Every effort will be made to carry out the program as planned, but alterations may still occur after the final itinerary is sent.

Responsibility

Our company acts only as the agent in making arrangements for the owner or operators of such transportation, accommodations, services or facilities engaged in our tours. Our responsibility is limited to that of an agent. We accept no responsibility for accidents, injuries, property damage or personal loss to you or to those traveling with you in connection with any accommodations, transportation or other travel or outfitter and guide services, or resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrences or conditions beyond our control, including but not limited to acts of terrorism, defects in vehicles, breakdown in equipment, strikes or theft.