My Way® England in 11 Days

• This is an "un-guided" tour — giving you the freedom (and responsibility) to manage your daily sightseeing schedule and meals
• Included sightseeing: Avebury • Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum
• A small, friendly group of 24–28 people will share our big, comfy bus during the trip, but not do organized sightseeing together
• A Rick Steves tour manager will coordinate the group's transportation and hotels and provide advice for sightseeing, meals, etc.
• All group transportation from Bath to London
• 10 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels
• All breakfasts are included
• All tips for tour manager and driver
• Free Audio Europe™ app for Apple and Android (or get free podcast/mp3 files) featuring Rick's audio walking tours of neighborhoods in London. Also includes radio interviews with experts on destinations covered in this itinerary
• A tour kit including a guidebook and a moneybelt
• Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
• Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
• Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Costs not covered: As this is not a guided tour, you will be responsible for the cost of all your lunches, dinners, drinks, admissions, sightseeing, and non-group transportation. Be sure to plan and budget accordingly.

Day 1: Welcome to England

Welcome to the beautiful Georgian city of Bath just a 90-minute train ride from central London. We'll meet at 4 p.m. at our hotel for a "Welcome to England" get-together. Your tour manager will give an overview of the days ahead, answer your questions, and offer a quick orientation to Bath. Then you're free for dinner on your own.

No bus. Sleep in Bath.

Day 2: Roman and Georgian Bath

Today, beautiful Bath is all yours. With your Rick Steves England guidebook in hand, you could take a walking tour of the town's charming streets; trace the legacy of its most famous resident, Jane Austen; visit its remarkably preserved 2,000-year-old Roman Baths (r) and drink from the natural mineral springs in the Pump Room…or just wander among the town's stately Georgian buildings and lush parks, thinking: "I could live here."

Free to sightsee all day. No bus. Sleep in Bath.

Day 3: Stone Circles and the Cotswolds

Today we'll hop aboard our comfy, spacious bus and drive to Avebury, where you'll have time to stroll around — and touch — the town's mysterious prehistoric stone circles. Then we'll continue on to the Cotswolds market town of Moreton-in-Marsh. The rest of the day is yours to explore this delightful English village: browse the galleries, local craft shops, and tea rooms along High Street; cozy up in a classic Cotswolds pub; or take an afternoon hike through the quiet countryside.

Bus: 2 hours. Free to sightsee after 12 p.m. Sleep in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Day 4: All Day to Explore the Cotswolds

Today is free to explore the Cotswolds. You could set out on the scenic Cotswold Way to walk among the rolling green hills and quintessential villages that make this region so beloved. Or, for those seeking a change of pace, Moreton-in-Marsh has easy connections to nearby Stratford-upon-Avon — a mecca for Shakespeare fans, where you can see the Bard's birthplace or even take in a top-notch play — and prestigious Oxford.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Day 5: The Lake District

This morning we'll make our way north to England's Lake District — home to postcard-perfect peaks and valleys that have inspired many a poet and painter. After settling into our hotel in cute, slate-clad Keswick, the rest of the day is yours to explore this charming town, where everything is within a 10-minute walk…from the quirky pencil museum (graphite was first discovered here) to the pitch-and-putt course to the shores of Derwentwater. 

Bus: 5 hours. Free to sightsee at 2 p.m. Sleep in Keswick.

Day 6: Communing with Nature

Today is for soaking up the natural beauty of the Lake District. (Perhaps literally…pack your raincoat!) You can bundle up and conquer the area's peaks (nearby Catbells is Rick's favorite). Or maybe you'd prefer to take a leisurely boat cruise on Derwentwater, catch a performance at the Theatre by the Lake, hike to Castelrigg Stone Circle, or indulge your inner Romantic by finding that perfect vista and taking time to just…breathe.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Keswick.

Day 7: Hadrian's Wall and York

After breakfast, we'll drive to Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum where we'll see Hadrian's Wall, erected by the Roman emperor to protect his realm from troublesome Celtic tribes. You'll have time to tour the remains of this Roman fort, see the museum, and have lunch. Then we'll continue on to historic York, arriving in time for you to enjoy an ethereal evensong choir performance at York Minster — or explore the town's spooky side on a ghost tour.

Bus: 5 hours. Free to sightsee at 4 p.m. Sleep in York.

Day 8: The Cathedral City

York is loaded with world-class sights, yet it's easily manageable by foot — and today, it's all yours. You can tour England's finest Gothic church, the Minster; walk beneath the leaning, half-timbered houses of The Shambles in the city's medieval center; time-travel to the Victorian Era at the York Castle Museum; ogle old-school locomotives at the National Railway Museum; or perch yourself at a pub and spend the day chatting up an old Yorker.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day.  Sleep in York.

Day 9: London Calling

Today we'll board a train and zip down to London. On the way to our hotel, we'll hop on a bus for a rolling orientation of this vibrant city. Your tour manager will orient you to our neighborhood and show you how to navigate London's Tube and double-decker buses before setting you free to explore. Tonight is a perfect evening to head over to the West End and see a show — ideally booked in advance — or hop between the city's many atmospheric pubs and eateries, perhaps landing at a foodie hotspot in Soho or the East End.

Train: 2 hours. Bus: 1 ½ hours. Free to sightsee after 12:30 p.m.  Sleep in London.

Day 10: Regal London

London's all yours today. Take a panoramic cruise on the River Thames, go medieval at the Tower of London (r), dive into World War II history at the Churchill War Rooms (r), relax in one of the city's wonderful parks, tour the prehistoric and ancient wonders of the British Museum*, visit St. Paul's Cathedral*, brush up on British and European art at the National Gallery, take a whirlwind tour of Westminster* and walk among the poets' tombs inside Westminster Abbey…you're in London — the options are endless.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day.  Sleep in London.

Day 11: Tour Over After Breakfast

Breakfast is provided. For those heading home — or off on other European adventures — Heathrow, Gatwick, and other airports can be easily reached by Tube, train, or taxi from our London neighborhood. Your tour manager will help you with any post-tour planning, preparing you well for the road ahead. Cheerio!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Sightseeing notes

(r) = reserve a time before you leave the US
* = included in Rick's Audio Europe™ app

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our My Way® England in 11 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily…

1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
5. Be able to climb many flights of stairs in and out of the London Underground system.

Any time between April and October is a good time to visit England. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are best for offering fewer crowds, mild weather, and the full range of tourist fun. Summer has its advantages, with long days and the best weather (though never guaranteed).

England / London

England / York

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email, as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying in the Documents section of your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly in and out of London's Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW) airports. To get to Bath, where the tour begins, there are direct trains available from London's Paddington Station, reachable from Heathrow via the Heathrow Express. Alternatively, you can travel from Heathrow on a direct National Express coach (bus); schedules can be found at the National Express website.

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves Great Britain guidebook.