Holiday in London

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA. This trip departs on December 27th.

Day 2: London

Arrival in London and meet your Tour Manager who will lead you on a walking tour around some of the city's most festive markets, famed West End light decorations and the 'Christmas in Leicester Square' holiday wonderland. Then head to Somerset House for ice skating in its stunning central courtyard.

Day 3: London

This morning, learn about London's majestic past and fast-paced present on your guided sightseeing tour. See Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Along the way, our guide will point out more landmark sites like the Gherkin, the Shard, and the Cheese Grater—all new buildings changing the London skyline. Another highlight of the day is a tour inside St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren's architectural masterpiece is an enduring symbol of London, the seat of the Church of England and famed for its dome and Whispering Gallery. If you have time, your ticket includes access to climb to the top of the dome. The afternoon is free for you to explore more at your own pace, perhaps by walking to the twinkling tree in Covent Garden or visiting a museum like the Victoria and Albert or Tate Britain. Tonight delight in the comedy and song of a truly British holiday experience as you attend a traditional pantomime theater performance.

Day 4: London

This morning enjoy a private meet and greet with a Beefeater—one of the Yeoman Warders who ceremonially guard the Tower of London. Take photos and perhaps ask them about the site's many famous prisoners, the legend of the ravens, or origins of the Beefeater name. Then you'll have time for a visit of the Tower grounds. Since its construction, the castle has been used as a treasury, palace and prison—today it houses 1,000 years of Royal history and the Crown Jewels. Next cross the iconic Tower Bridge, taking in views up and down the Thames, and stroll to Borough Market with time for lunch on your own. This market hums at any time of year, and is especially fun around the holidays. Continue along the South Bank riverwalk to perhaps visit a Christmas Market, see Shakespeare's reconstructed Globe Theatre or pop into the Tate Modern. A timed reservation at the London Eye then gets you soaring. On your 30 minute “flight” to a height of 443 feet, you'll be amazed at how the London landscape unfolds below you and the engineering marvel of the Eye itself. In the evening you may wish to soak in the carnival-like atmosphere of Hyde Park's seasonal, pop-up Winter Wonderland theme park.

Day 5: London

Journey downriver aboard a Thames Clipper boat to history-rich Greenwich, a London borough on the banks of the Thames. Here you'll visit the Greenwich Royal Observatory, commissioned to study astronomy in the 1600s by King Charles II, and learn about Greenwich Mean Time as you stand on the Prime Meridian, the global pole-to-pole longitudinal zero point that separates the eastern and western hemispheres. You'll also have time to browse and sample the goods at the Greenwich Christmas Market. The historic covered Greenwich Market dates back to 1737 and is open year-round, but turns especially festive and cheery this time of year, decked out in holiday lights. Return to London in time for a special New Year's Eve dinner before enjoying the city's celebrations.

Day 6: London

Enjoy the London New Year's Day parade. Then you'll have time to explore some of the amazing holiday window displays (try a stroll past Harrods, Selfridges or Fortnum & Mason), take advantage of the popular post-Christmas sales or take in a museum. Tonight a festive seasonal theatre or ballet performance will highlight your final evening abroad.

Day 7: Departure

Depart for the USA.