Day 1 / Wednesday / - Sofia – London
Departure from Sofia at 15:20 hrs with Bulgaria Air flight to London. Arrival in London at 16:45 hrs. Transfer and accommodation in a centrally located 3* hotel. Short break.
In the evening, we will take a walk to the West End – London's Broadway, Soho, and Covent Garden, to get our first impressions of the capital of England, a global center with centuries of history, dynamic art, and a culinary scene. Overnight. / London /
Day 2 / Thursday / - London
Breakfast. We will start the day with a panoramic city tour to get acquainted with the main sights – St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben clock tower, Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial, the Royal Guard barracks, Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, and Oxford Street. Free time for lunch.
In the afternoon, we will take a Thames River cruise to Greenwich, seeing iconic landmarks along the way such as the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, Hampton Court Palace, the towering Shard pyramid, Shakespeare's iconic Globe Theatre, and Tate Modern.
Arrival in Greenwich. Today we are all in a hurry, making sure not to be late, with schedules dictated by time. But do we know how it all began, how long it actually took to have phones and use GPS? Greenwich and the Royal Observatory will tell this story. We will also see Greenwich Market, Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum, and Greenwich Park. Return to central London and free time. Overnight. / London /
Day 3 / Friday / - London – *Oxford – Stratford-upon-Avon - London
Breakfast. Free day to explore some of London's most interesting sights.
We suggest you visit Westminster Abbey on this day – a true masterpiece of medieval church architecture and the coronation site for every English and British monarch from William the Conqueror in 1066 to the latest monarch, King Charles III in 2023.
In the afternoon, take time to visit the Tower of London - an iconic landmark in the heart of London. It is a symbol of fortification, history, and mystery. With its high walls, thick oak doors, and strict security, over the years it has been a prison, a royal palace, and a place of executions. Many kings and queens have come and gone, including Henry VIII and his six wives. Today, the Tower of London continues to remind us of Great Britain's great past, keeping centuries-old secrets within its walls. You can also see the Crown Jewels, which are stored in a secure vault in the tower.
If you have already been to London and want to learn more about the world's most prestigious universities, we offer, for an additional fee, a one-day tour to Oxford and Stratford – Shakespeare's birthplace. Overnight. / London /
Day 4 / Saturday / - London – Avebury – Glastonbury - Devon
Breakfast. Today we will embark on an unforgettable journey into the past and the enchanting lands of Somerset and Cornwall. We will go back in time and stop to enjoy Avebury, a huge complex of stone circles over 2300 years old, surrounded by a beautiful village with thatched cottages. Avebury is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site along with nearby Stonehenge. Some of the most significant monuments in Great Britain, made by Neolithic man, whose meaning and use are only partially understood. These places are often attributed mystical or astronomical significance by pagans and modern druids and are treated as sacred sites by many.
Free time for lunch.
We continue west and enter the Celtic lands to King Arthur's Avalon and the mysterious Glastonbury Tor, rising above the wetlands and marshes of the Somerset Levels. We will stop to see the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey from the 7th century. Legend has it that a mortally wounded Arthur, after the battle with Mordred at Camlann, was brought here. Arthur and Guinevere are buried in the center of the abbey. Then we will walk through the hidden chapel of St. Margaret to the site of the first church in England - Wattle Church, built by Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea in 62 AD. Glastonbury is considered England's holy land; it is the first Christian center in Great Britain. It is also famous as the island of immortality, Avalon, and the city of the Holy Grail - the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper and in which his blood was collected after he was crucified. It was brought to England by Joseph, who hid it somewhere in Glastonbury.
Short free time to browse the many shops abounding with magical items, unique crystals, jewelry, as well as huge figures of dragons and mermaids in the town. In the afternoon, we continue to Devonshire – a fairytale place. The rare beauty of the houses, lovingly landscaped gardens with flowers and climbing plants, create the illusion of a fairy tale from old books. Accommodation in a hotel in the Devon area. Overnight. / Devon /
Day 5 / Sunday / - Devon – Tintagel – Exeter - Winchester
Breakfast. We head to the northwest coast of Cornwall – a land of Celtic kingdoms and Roman cities, stopping at beautiful beaches and wild moors. Our path will pass by Dartmoor National Park, the ancient Clapper Bridge in Postbridge, and the historic market town of Tavistock, where the English pirate and nobleman Sir Francis Drake lived, the second man to circumnavigate the world after Ferdinand Magellan. In the northern part of the park is Wistman's Wood, the magical witch's forest that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to create one of the masterpieces of crime literature - The Hound of the Baskervilles. Its mysterious appearance goes with rumors of ancient druidic rituals that took place there centuries ago.
Stop at one of Cornwall's most magical places - the incredible town of Tintagel. We will immerse ourselves in the legends of Uther Pendragon's castle, King Arthur, and Sir Tristan, and learn more about the rich past of the 13th-century castle - from early medieval ruins to the dramatic clifftop remains. According to legend, Merlin's cave is at the foot of the cliff, where Arthur received the sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake. Next, a photo stop at Port Isaac where the experience of magical legends and breathtaking coastal views are unforgettable.
We continue to the old Roman city of Exeter - the southwesternmost fortified Roman settlement. Short stop in the city to see Exeter Cathedral, built in the 12th century.
We continue to Wessex and the capital of the Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great – Winchester. Accommodation in a 3*/4* hotel. Overnight. / Winchester /
Day 6 / Monday / - Winchester - Windsor - Sofia
Breakfast. Before lunch, we will take a walking tour of the ancient capital Winchester, a city founded 2500 years ago. We will see the oldest cathedral in England, the statue of Alfred the Great, the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, founded by Alfred's queen in the early 10th century. We will also see Winchester College, founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and considered the oldest continuously operating school in England. Next to it, we will see a private residence where the unique author of Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - spent her last weeks receiving medical care.
We continue to Windsor, home to the official residence of the English royal family and Eton College, founded by King Henry VI in 1440. We will visit Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, and home to 40 monarchs since. Free time for lunch.
We will continue to Runnymede and the Magna Carta memorial - "The Great Charter of Freedoms" signed by King John in 1215, which laid the foundation for the country's legal system. In the afternoon, transfer to Heathrow Airport for a direct flight to Sofia with Bulgaria Air at 17:55 hrs. Arrival at Sofia Airport at 23:15 hrs.
End of program