Private Escorted Tours - Devon, Cornwall and English Riviera ULGB03

Personal Highlights:

• The scenic views of the North Devon Coast
• Visiting “ Camelot” in search of King Arthur
• Enjoying the coastal views at Carbis Bay
• Strolling the English Riviera at Torquay

Day 1 Depart USA

You board your  overnight Business Class flight to London.

Day 2 Welcome to Britain

Upon arrival in London and the completion of customs formalities you are met by your driver and escorted to your car for the trip into central Devon. You will be heading west through Wiltshire and Somerset and will stop for a light lunch along the way. In the early afternoon you arrive at your historic country house with superb views over the Taw River Valley and an interesting history. One of the previous owners wrote "Onward Christian Soldiers" among other hymns and songs. After you have checked in and had a chance to stroll the grounds, a dinner in the hotel's justly renowned restaurant sets you up for a good night's rest.

Day 3 Touring Dartmoor and the North Devon Coast

After a good night's sleep and a hearty English breakfast, you are ready for some exploring. Your guide will be waiting with the car to take you on a scenic tour of Exmoor, Barnstable Bay and the scenic North Devon coast. For a change of view you then explore the craggy tors and wide open expanses of Dartmoor National Park before returning to the hotel.

Day 4 King Arthur’s Castle and the Journey to St. Ives

Your journey continues as you proceed southwest along the Cornish coast to the Charming town of St. Ives. On the way you will cross Bodmin Moor before heading to the coast and Tintagel. The ruins of the castle here are said to be all that remains of King Arthur's court of Camelot. You will have a chance to explore before continuing down the coast to the picturesque artistic colony and fishing town of St. Ives. Upon arrival you check into your family run hotel located on it's on own beach and bay. You enjoy dinner with undisturbed water views.

Day 5 Penzance, St Michael’s Mount and Land’s End

Your journey today takes you to Land's End, the southernmost tip of England and situated on a dramatic shoreline. You then move to St. Michael's Mount which mirrors its cousin "Mont Saint Michel" off the coast in Normandy. Both have a monastic heritage and are built on a rock outcrop that is cut off from land when the tide is high. You will have lunch in Penzance as in "The Pirates of..." You return to the hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure, perhaps to walk the sands of Carbis Bay?

Day 6 Plymouth and Torquay

After breakfast, your guide will be waiting to take you across the Peninsula from the Celtic Sea to the English Channel and the South Cornish Coast. During your journey you will pass through (or stop at if you so choose) Falmouth, Truro, St Austell and Looe before arriving in Plymouth which sits on Plymouth Bay one of the largest natural harbors in Europe. It was from here that the Pilgrims sailed to the new world and from where a large portion of the D-Day Invasion was launched. After a visit you continue on to Torquay, the heart of the English Riviera. Appropriately, your "Grande Dame" hotel is similar to the belle époque hotels on the French Riviera and sits on a cliff overlooking Torbay. Once in the hotel you are free to take a stroll into town, a swim in the pool or just watch the scenery from your bay front balcony. Although it is not exactly like the French Riviera, the Gulf Stream keeps things a lot warmer than other parts of England and palm trees are not oddities.

Day 7 Enjoying the English Riviera

We have left this day open for you to relax in this holiday playground. The town itself is a stroll away and we have made arrangements with the hotel that you can enjoy either lunch or afternoon tea at your discretion to allow you more flexibility. If you are an Agatha Christie fan the hotel can point out many of the areas associated with her since this was, for many years, her home.

Day 8 Exeter, the New Forest and Bournemouth

After breakfast you leave Torquay and drive to the quaint city of Exeter where you have a chance to visit its superb cathedral. You then continue through the New Forest and the area known as "Hardy Country" since this is where Thomas Hardy lived and used as a basis for many of his novels. You will pass Dorchester which was "Casterbridge" in Hardy's novels before arriving at another esteemed resort, Bournemouth. Your hotel this evening reflects the ambiance of this area and offers superb views. You enjoy a farewell dinner as you look back on your exploration of the West Country.

Day 9 Return to USA

Your driver will be waiting to drive you to the airport for your return flight to the US.

Services Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round