Join us for 10 nights on Journeys of Paul Cruise on the Norwegian Viva starting at $4799 from Athens, Greece, on October 17, 2024 with Guest Speaker Bob Allums. You will see a panoramic tour of Athens, Corinth, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Market, Mykonos, Santorini, Messina, Naples, and much more!
Proposed Itinerary :
DAY 1
Depart on your international overnight flight.
DAY 2
Arrive in London and begin your journey north to Oxford. On the way, stop at the site of Wynyard School. Here, Jack (C.S. Lewis) and his brother, Warren, attended a miserable boarding school. Check into your hotel for overnight, and journey out for dinner at the Trout Inn. (B)
DAY 3
Daily Itinerary This morning, you will enjoy a walking tour of Oxford. Stop at University College, the oldest college in Oxford (1249). Jack received a scholarship to attend here in 1916, and after entering the Officers Training Corps, was later sent to France in World War I. Walk through the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Here, the Oxford Martyrs were tried for heresy, and John Wesley preached until his views were rejected. Continue to Christ Church College and visit the dining hall where John Wesley and other alumni are honored on the walls. Walk through the Sheldonian Theater, where scholars have graduated or been granted honorary degrees since 1669. John and Charles Wesley, and C. S. Lewis were among the many famous people to have celebrated their degrees here. Included in the tour here is a visit to the Bodleian Library, the main research library for Oxford with 12 million items. Stop at the Eagle and Child Pub, where C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and other writers met on occasion as part of the “Inklings” club. Spend the afternoon in the Ashmolean Museum, the world’s first university museum. The museum contains a vast and unique collection, ranging from pieces by Da Vinci and Picasso to a Stradivarius violin and Cromwell’s death mask. Return to your hotel for overnight. (B)
DAY 4
This morning, you will visit Magdalen (pronounced “Maudlin”) College, where C. S. Lewis was a fellow for most of his academic career. Here, Jack worked through his beliefs from Atheism to Theism to Christianity, as well as become the prolific writer and apologist known today. From here, travel to The Kilns, Lewis’s home. Built in 1922, the Lewis brothers moved into the home in 1930. This would remain Jack’s home until his death in 1963. Stop at Churchill Hospital that was built in 1940 to treat air raid victims. The hospital was the site of the Christian marriage between Lewis and Joy Davidson Gresham in 1957. You’ll visit Holy Trinity Church, the church Jack and Warren attended in life and are buried in the graveyard here. The Narnia window in the church is of special interest. This afternoon depart Oxford in time for afternoon tea in a village in the Cotswolds, home to thatched roofed cottages and shops. Finish your day in Bristol for dinner and overnight. (B, D)
DAY 5
Daily Itinerary This morning, you will visit one of Wesley’s early centers of ministry, the “New Room.” This oldest Methodist building in the world is unusually attractive in its basic simplicity. Then, visit the home of Charles Wesley, the famous hymn writer. After lunch on your own, continue to London for a driving tour. See Trafalgar Square, Parliament and Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, and other historic sights. Time permitting, attend evensong at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the masterpiece of architect Christopher Wren, built after the Great Fire of 1666. John Wesley often worshiped here. On the day of his conversion, Wesley came here for an afternoon, service and was deeply moved by the choir’s anthem, “Out of the Deep Have I Called Unto Thee, O Lord.”(B)
DAY 6
This morning, walk through the Churchill War Rooms, learning about how this nerve center led British efforts in World War II. From here, you will stop at the BBC Studios. C. S. Lewis was asked to broadcast during the war, and his series of talks were later edited to become the book Mere Christianity. This afternoon, you will explore the Tower of London. Learn about its many prisoners who suffered for their beliefs amidst its 900+ year history. (B)
DAY 7
John and Charles Wesley left their marks on the town of London. You’ll have a lecture at City Road Chapel, site of Wesley’s home and grave. Across the street in Bunhill Fields Cemetery, Susanna Wesley is buried along with other famous personages such as John Bunyan and Daniel Defoe. Walk on to Aldersgate Street, where on May 24, 1738, John Wesley had his “Warming of the Heart” experience. You will walk past the entrance of “Little Britain,” where Charles Wesley had his conversion experience just three days earlier. This afternoon, tour Westminster Abbey, begun by King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. It is the traditional coronation place for British monarchs, and the royalty and famous of England are buried or memorialized here. Across the street from the cathedral is the Methodist Central Hall. Still a church, it was an early site of the initial meetings of the United Nations. (B)
DAY 8
Return home with memories of the Legacies of John Wesley and C. S. Lewis or stay on for a London On Your Own or Wales Extension.
Enhance Your Journey
London On Own Extension-starting from $899
October 8 - 10, 2024 | Starting at $899* October 8 & 9 – London On Your Own Explore, shop and experience London on your own. Hotel, breakfast and a two-day London Pass included. (B) October 10 – Return to the USA Guests taking an extension may be on a different flight than their group and/or traveling companion.
Wales Extension-starting from $1750
OCTOBER 8-12, 2024 | Starting at $1,750* October 8 – Stonehenge / Tintern Abbey / Chepstow Castle / Cardiff Today, journey to the mystery of ancient Stonehenge. Experience their new welcome center, and then you can choose to walk or ride a tram (additional cost) to see this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among the ruins of Tintern abbey, whose roofless walls bathe the interior with sunlight. It is one of the most picturesque ruins in Wales. See Chepstow Castle, built by the Normans in 1067 on the frontier of England and Wales. Finish the day in Cardiff, Wales’ capital city. (B, D) October 9 – Cardiff Castle / Brecon Beacons National Park / Brecon This morning, visit Cardiff Castle, where a stronghold has existed since Roman times. Its towers and gardens are a journey through Wales and English history. Drive through a portion of Brecon Beacon National Park, home to the Black Mountains and Marshes. Dinner and overnight in Brecon. (B, D) October 10 – Snowdonia National Park /Ffestiniog Railway / Liverpool Drive through Snowdonia National Park, home to the tallest mountain in Wales (Snowdon). Enjoy a visit to the Ffestiniog Railway. Finish your day in Liverpool for dinner and overnight. (B, D) October 11 – Liverpool / Beatles Museum / Manchester Enjoy a tour of the city and visit the Beatles Museum, dedicated to the Fab Four and the music of the 1960’s. Finish your day at your hotel in Manchester for dinner and overnight. (B, D) October 12 – Return to the USA B=Breakfast included. D=Dinner included. Guests taking an extension may be on a different flight than their group and/or traveling companion.
*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.