Insider's 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.

Day 2: London

Arrive in the bustling city of London. Meet your ACIS Tour Manager, relax, unpack and begin to become acquainted with your surroundings.

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. Enjoy a free afternoon before you awaken your inner thespian at a West End theater workshop, followed by dinner and an evening theater performance to see the show on which your workshop was based.

Day 4: London

Experience an up-close look at London's iconic treasures on this morning's guided London by Bike tour, including views of the Big Ben, the Horse Guard Parade, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and more. As you cycle and stop for photos, your guide's commentary will bring the history of what you are seeing to life. Then journey outside of London to visit Windsor Castle. One of the world's oldest and largest occupied castles, it has been home to British kings and queens since William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

Day 5: London

Enjoy a visit to the Tower of London this morning. Since its construction the castle has been used as a treasury, palace and prison. Today it houses the Crown Jewels. Marvel at the extraordinary array of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other precious stones that adorn the crown. Your afternoon is free to perhaps stroll the Bankside and South Bank waterfront or visit the Tate Modern Museum. This evening mystery, murder and mayhem are the themes during a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour.

Day 6: London

Travel back in time on a full-day excursion to Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury. See the Roman Baths and pump rooms, the mysterious stone circle of Stonehenge and enjoy dinner in Salisbury before returning to London.

Day 7: London

You may choose to take an optional excursion to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon. Discover university life at one of the colleges in Oxford, visit Anne Hathaway's cottage in the home of the Bard and attend a performance of the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company. (In the event a Shakespeare play is not available in Stratford-upon-Avon, a performance in London will be substituted.) Otherwise spend the day exploring more of London's best attractions such as the National Portrait Gallery or the Churchill Museum, which chronicles the life and times of one of this country's greatest leaders.

Day 8: London

Journey downriver to Greenwich aboard a Thames Clipper this morning. Walk up from the riverfront to visit the renowned National Maritime Museum. Continuing uphill through Greenwich Royal Park, you'll reach the Royal Observatory, built for the study of astronomy in 1675. Set your watch to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and stand in two hemispheres simultaneously over the Prime Meridian. In the afternoon explore more of Greenwich or travel back to London for free time there. You may want to walk in the footsteps of the world's greatest athletes with a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Tonight, an English food tasting dinner will showcase some of London's traditional dishes, including toad in the hole and fish and chips, as you sample them.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.