From the historical features of Southern England to the famous Keukenhof gardens in Holland this well rounded itinerary will suit history-buffs and keen garden enthusiasts alike plus anyone in between. Combining a perfectly planned Globus tour with a deluxe Avalon Waterways river cruise and a stopover in vibrant Hong Kong on the way this is one package that will be sure to tick a few things off the must-see list!
20 days departing 6 April 2017
From $10,699pp, twin share
When booked and deposited by 13 September 2016
Package includes:
-Return economy airfares from Auckland (including taxes)
– 3 night stopover in Hong Kong including accommodation, city sightseeing tour and night lights cruise
– 7 day first-class Globus “The Best of Southern England” tour
– 1 pre tour night in London
– 8 day deluxe Avalon “Essential Holland & Belgium” river cruise
– Breakfast daily plus 8 lunches and 9 dinners (shown B, L, D on itinerary)
– Professional Tour Director throughout the Southern England tour, professional Cruise Director throughout the Holland & Belgium river cruise with knowledgeable local guides in Hong Kong and London
– Highlights: Guided London sightseeing with local host, visit to Windsor Castle, guided tour of Hampton Court Gardens, visit to Shakespeares’ birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, visit the Roman Baths in Bath, gaze in awe at Stonehenge, enjoy the gardens at Hever Castle, shop at the Grote Markt, visit St. Baaf’s Cathedral in Ghent, view the windmills in Kinderdijk, tip-toe through the tulips in Keukenhof Gardens and much more!
– First class air-conditioned coach with complimentary wi-fi through Southern England
– First class tickets on Eurostar from London to Brussels
– Airport transfers in Hong Kong, London and Amsterdam
– Gratuities for Tour Director, Driver, Cruise Director & Crew included
– Escort to travel with you from Auckland to London (incl Hong Kong stopover)
Extend your stay
– Avalon Waterways Romantic Rhine River cruise
– Globus Italy’s Great Cities tour.
For more information call 0800 267 672 or email groups@globusfamily.co.nz
Full day-to-day itinerary
Day 1 – Thursday 06 April
AUCKLAND – HONG KONG
This AFTERNOON we meet at Auckland Airport for the start of our journey. We arrive in Hong Kong in the evening and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2 – Friday 07 April
HONG KONG
This morning’s sightseeing begins with a CABLE-CAR RIDE up Victoria Peak for panoramic vistas of this one-of-a-kind port city. Drive by Repulse Bay, a popular beach area, then to the Aberdeen fishing village for a SAMPAN RIDE on the harbour. Next stop is STANLEY MARKET, a narrow street jammed with stalls offering clothing, arts, and crafts. This evening we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before experiencing the lights of Hong Kong from the sea. (B, D)
Day 3 – Saturday 08 April
HONG KONG
Enjoy today at leisure to explore more of this vibrant city. Perhaps join one of the optional excursions to Lantau Island or Macau. (B)
Day 4 – Sunday 09 April
HONG KONG – LONDON
After enjoying breakfast this morning, we transfer to the airport for our flight to London, England. On arrival in London in the early evening, we will be transferred to our hotel where we spend the next two nights. (B)
Day 5 – Monday 10 April
LONDON
Enjoy today at leisure to rest and adjust to the time zone or talk to our Globus hosts at the hotel for ideas on places to explore in this vibrant city. Join an optional excursion to the Tower of London or perhaps visit Oxford Street for a spot of shopping. (B)
Day 6 – Tuesday 11 April
LONDON
Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the Thames River, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if held. This afternoon enjoy an excursion to WINDSOR CASTLE, which is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world! (B)
Day 7 – Wednesday 12 April
LONDON – HAMPTON COURT – OXFORD – STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
This morning bid farewell to your group escort as they hand over to your Globus Tour Director. Meet your other travelling companions and depart at 8 am for a lovely day of sightseeing. First, a special visit to admire the ORNAMENTAL GARDENS of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace. Your Tour Director will take you on a walk through the breath-taking grounds. Then, drive through Runnymede, site of the sealing of the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215, and take a stroll in Oxford to see the colleges where Britain’s elite receives its outstanding education. Arrive in Stratford-upon-Avon in good time to take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner with wine at your hotel. (B,D)
Day 8 – Thursday 13 April
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON – BROADWAY – BATH
A particularly scenic day. Enjoy vistas of the Cotswold Hills as you travel to the Elizabethan village of Broadway. On to Wales for a drive through the beautiful Wye Valley to the romantic ruins of 12th-century Tintern Abbey. Stop here for TEA and SCONES at The Anchor pub. Cross the 988-metre (3,240-foot) Severn Road Bridge, and in elegant Georgian Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS, with time to explore further on your own. This evening, consider an optional excursion to the picturesque, 13th-century village of Castle Combe. (B)
Day 9 – Friday 14 April
BATH – STONEHENGE – SALISBURY – BRIGHTON
Today, try to unravel the mystery of prehistoric STONEHENGE; first, explore the stunning visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions, then take the shuttle to the stone circle and admire the magnificence of the monument up close. In Salisbury, visit the splendid CATHEDRAL, the ultimate in Early English Gothic architecture and home to the best preserved original Magna Carta, and enjoy a light LUNCH in the Refectory restaurant. Your overnight is in the Regency seaside resort of Brighton. (B,L,D)
Day 10 – Saturday 15 April
Brighton – Hever Castle – London
Enjoy a leisurely start to the day before visiting spectacular HEVER CASTLE, childhood home of Anne Boleyn; a romantic double-moated, 13th-century castle set in four acres of magnificent formal gardens for all seasons, which include Italian, rose, and Tudor gardens as well as a yew maze. Return to London around 3:30 pm. How about celebrating the end of your holiday by taking in one of the great West End shows? (B)
Day 11 – Sunday 16 April
London – Brussels
After breakfast this morning, board the high-speed EUROSTAR TRAIN to Brussels. This afternoon, board your river cruise vessel and meet your crew at an evening welcome reception. (B, D)
Day 12 – Monday 17 April
ANTWERP
Antwerp is Belgium’s second-largest city and one of the world’s most important ancient seaports. It merges the new with the old and offers the attractions and atmosphere you’d expect from a European city – friendly people, fabulous architecture, chic shops, interesting museums, vibrant cafes, charming galleries, and historic monuments. INCLUDED SIGHTSEEING with a Local Guide shows you its superb architecture; the central GROTE MARKT, lined with 16th-century houses; the beautiful city hall, completed in 1566; and the Church of Our Lady, started in 1352 and featuring paintings by Rubens. An optional excursion is available to nearby Brussels, Belgium’s capital and home of the European Union. (B,L,D)
Day 13 – Tuesday 18 April
GHENT
In a unique way, Ghent, the “diamond” of Flanders, has managed to preserve its medieval charm and power while keeping up with the times. A LOCAL GUIDE will proudly point out that the city centre alone is a showcase of medieval Flemish wealth and commercial success. Visit ST. BAAF’S CATHEDRAL, which houses remarkable art treasures, including the most important work in Flemish art, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, created by the Van Eyck brothers around 1432. On your own, explore the traffic-free streets in the city centre; see Gravensteen, the “castle of the counts,” an imposing castle in the city that was built in 1180; or join an optional excursion to fascinating Bruges with its criss-crossed canals and charming old patrician houses. (B,L,D)
Day 14 – Wednesday 19 April
MIDDELBURG, HOLLAND – VEERE.EXCURSION TO THE DELTA WORKS
This morning, a WALKING TOUR of Middelburg will acquaint you with this Dutch East India Company trading city, which was originally built as a Zeeland stronghold against the water and from enemies. Later, it became a prosperous merchant city that spent great wealth on the construction of important buildings, such as the 15th-century gothic Town Hall. Rejoin your ship for lunch and the short cruise to Veere, where you will visit the nearby DELTA WORKS. After the flood of 1953, during which more than 1,800 people drowned in one night, the Delta Plan was born to prevent a disaster of this magnitude from ever happening again. Taking 30 years to complete, the storm flood barrier stands as the final defense in the battle against the water – almost 9.5 kilometres long (six miles) and considered a technical miracle. (B,L,D)
Day 15 – Thursday 20 April
WILLEMSTAD – KINDERDIJK
This morning, dock in Willemstad and explore this small historical town with well-preserved fortifications at your own pace. One of the oldest buildings in town is the old gatehouse at the entrance of Willemstad, and as you walk around you will notice a wide variety of building styles. The town even has its own windmill towering high above the marina and in the very centre of the seven pointed, star-shaped town, stands the Koepelkerk (Rounded Church). This afternoon, visit Kinderdijk, whose 19 windmills were built in 1740 as part of the water management system to help prevent floods. Visit a WINDMILL and learn how they played a vital role in the development of the country, becoming a symbol of Holland. (B,L,D)
Day 16 – Friday 21 April
EXCURSION TO KEUKENHOF GARDENS
Enjoy a leisurely morning on board before an included excursion takes you to the gardens of KEUKENHOF near Lisse – over 70 acres of parkland with lakes, sculpture gardens, greenhouses, and a windmill to explore. Every year, 7 million flower bulbs are planted, and you have the chance to see the spectacular display of colours from the tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and more. If you’re a garden enthusiast, you may opt for an extended stay in Keukenhof, going in the morning, and lunching in the gardens on your own before rejoining the ship with the rest of the guests in the later afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day 17 – Saturday 22 April
AMSTERDAM
Holland’s sophisticated, modern capital has a rich and fascinating history. This delightful 700-year-old city with its elegant and classic architecture, cafes, and restaurants has a distinct ambiance. The streets, squares, and canals – not to mention the bike paths throughout the city – make for a vibrant atmosphere, and with over 60 museums, Amsterdam has the highest museum density in the world. There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.” There’s free time this afternoon – your Cruise Director will have suggestions for things to do. (B,L,D)
Day 18 – Sunday 23 April
AMSTERDAM
This morning is yours to explore the Dutch capital at your own. Perhaps visit the Van Gogh museum or sample Dutch poffertjes – small, fluffy treats dusted with powdered sugar that are similar to pancakes. Take some time to freshen up at the hotel this afternoon, as we have arranged a late checkout until 2pm, which is when your transfer will depart for Amsterdam’s’ Schiphol Airport. (B)
Day 19 – Monday 24 April
HONG KONG – transit
Day 20 – Tuesday 25 April
HONG KONG – AUCKLAND Our journey ends today on arrival back into Auckland airport, in the late morning
The post The Gardens, Galleries & Castles of England, Holland & Belgium appeared first on GrownUps New Zealand.