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Day by Day
ITINERARY
DAY 1
MONDAY
New York, London
This evening we board flight at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. Dinner will be served on our overnight flight to London.
DAY 2
TUESDAY
London
Arriving early in London we are met and begin our tour the city of London, including the magnificent Westminster Abbey, where most of the monarchs of Britain have been crowned, married, and buried since 1066 A.D. Westminster Abbey is also the burial place of David Livingstone. We visit St Paul’s Cathedral, with its dome inspired by St. Peter’s in Rome. We visit the Tower of London, built in 1066 as a fortress for William the Conqueror, which has served for nearly 1000 years and view Buckingham Palace and other places of interest as we travel through the city.
DAY 3
WEDNESDAY London This morning we visit Hampton Court Palace, beautifully situated in over 60 acres of gardens, a living tapestry of history from Henry VIII through George II. Returning to London, we will visit the British Museum, where many antiquities and artifacts from Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Rome are preserved and showcased, including the Cyrus Cylinder, the Rosetta Stone, marble friezes from the Parthenon in Athens, and Egyptian artifacts and mummies. Remainder of the day is free for your private explorations of London.
DAY 4
THURSDAY Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath Today we leave London and head west for the mysterious stone circle, Stonehenge, dating back to 3200 B.C. Next, we come to Salisbury and its awe-inspiring cathedral, with the tallest surviving pre-1400 spire in the world. Here we recall the artisans and craftsmen who labored to construct amazing buildings for the worship and glory of God. In the Cathedral Chapter House, we view depictions of scenes from Genesis and Exodus, and see one of only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. In the afternoon we visit Bath, where we view Bath Abbey, another beautiful and historic cathedral, and the Roman baths, constructed like the Roman bath houses we see in the Holy Land. We also visit the famous “Pump Room,” built in 1790, where 18th century socialites came to “take the waters” for their health. Here in Bath, Jane Austen wrote many of her famous novels about the manners and extravagances of Georgian society.
DAY 5
FRIDAY Bath, Bristol, Oxford After a short drive from Bath, we come to the busy city of Bristol, home of William Penn, a Quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania. We will see the New Room, the first Methodist chapel, the home of Charles Wesley, and Hanham Mount, where John Wesley preached some of his open-air sermons in 1738. We will also view the famous orphanages established by George Mueller (now a technical college). In the afternoon we arrive at Oxford, where we’ll have a guided tour of the city and university, including Christ Church from which John Wesley graduated. We’ll visit the spot outside Balliol College where three heroes of the English Reformation (Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer) were burned at the stake. We’ll also view “The Kilns,” the home of C.S. Lewis.
DAY 6
SATURDAY Oxford, Scrooby, Austerfield, Epworth, York Today we travel north into Nottinghamshire, stopping first at Scrooby, the “Birthplace of the Pilgrims.” Here, in 1606, dissatisfied with the corruption and lax nature of the Church of England, some religious separatists broke away from the church and its head, King James I, to commit themselves to a simpler way of life based on the teachings of the Bible. We also visit nearby Austerfield, home of William Bradford, America’s greatest Pilgrim Father. Eventually Bradford and Brewster, along with a company of fellow Pilgrims, set sail for America. Next, we travel to Epworth and the birthplace of the founders of Methodism. Samuel and Susanna Wesley lived in Epworth for 39 years, and raised here their 17 children, including John and Charles. We’ll visit their home, the Old Rectory, and the parish church where Samuel ministered. Next, we arrive at York where we will tour the majestic York Minster, which dates from 1220, and see other fascinating sights of this ancient city.
DAY 7
SUNDAY York, Durham, Lindisfarne, Jedburgh, Edinburgh Driving north from York we come to Durham and view the ancient cathedral. Next, we have a photo stop at picturesque Lindisfarne, the “Holy Island,” where a monastery was established in 635 A.D., soon after Christianity came to Britain. Crossing the border into Scotland, we come to the lovely village of Jedburgh, and view the remains of its beautiful church, founded in 1108 by King David I of Scotland, and the home of Mary Queen of Scots. Next, we visit the remains of Dryburgh Abbey, beautifully nestled in a secluded loop of the River Tweed. Christianity was established here by missionaries in 600 A.D., and the abbey was built in 1150. Here we can view remarkably well-preserved glimpses of medieval monastic life. Dryburgh is the burial place of the well-known author, Sir Walter Scott. Then onto Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.
DAY 8
MONDAY Edinburgh Today we tour the historic city of Edinburgh, home of the Scottish Reformation. We visit 900-year-old St Giles Church, “the birthplace of Presbyterianism,” where John Knox was minister for many years. We also visit John Knox’s home. At the top of the Royal Mile we come to Edinburgh Castle, a military fortress since 900 A.D., situated atop a volcanic crag. The oldest structure in the castle, tiny St. Margaret’s Chapel, was built ca 1100 A.D. It was in Edinburgh Castle that Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland. In 1611 James I authorized the English version of the Bible, now known as the “Authorized Version” or the “King James Version.” After our tour of the Castle we continue along the Royal Mile to Holyroodhouse, palace of Mary Queen of Scots.
DAY 9
TUESDAY Edinburgh, St. Andrews This morning we drive across the Firth of Forth, past the picturesque fishing ports of Fifeshire, and on to St. Andrews on the northeast coast of Scotland. St. Andrew is the “patron saint” of Scotland, and the “Cross of St. Andrew” is the flag of Scotland. It was in St. Andrews that George Wishart, under whose ministry John Knox was converted, was burned at the stake for preaching the gospel. We will visit the remains of the cathedral, which was begun in 1160 and took over 150 years to complete. During the Scottish Reformation John Knox preached a fiery sermon in St. Andrews parish church, whereupon the congregation went immediately to the cathedral and destroyed many valuable objects and furniture, which they saw as relics of “popery.” We also view the ancient St. Andrews Castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the North Sea. We will also visit the most famous golf course in the world, “The Royal and Ancient.”
DAY 10
WEDNESDAY
Edinburgh, London, New York
This morning we fly from Edinburgh to London, where we board our flight home.
*The trip will take place in case of a group of 16 people
* * The route, as well as the order of visiting places, may be changed due to quarantine restrictions, as well as for safety reasons or due to the weather, road repair work etc.