London and Paris Theater

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

Welcome to London! After meeting your ACIS Tour Manager, you'll have time to relax, unpack and begin to explore the city's unique neighborhoods. Perhaps check out the street markets along Portobello Road in Notting Hill, explore the paths of Hyde Park or the mansions of nearby Belgravia, visit museums in South Kensington or stroll along the artsy South Bank.

Day 3: London

This morning, learn about London's majestic past and fast-paced present during a sightseeing tour of the bustling city with a local actor or theater expert as your guide! You'll enjoy a theatrical take on history as you see icons such as Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Your guide will also point out more modern landmarks like the Gherkin, the Shard, and the Cheese Grater—all new buildings changing the London skyline. Next 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. Then head across the River Thames to the South Bank for a guided visit of Shakespeare's famous Globe Theatre, the epicenter of the Bard's creative years. In the evening switch gears to modern-day theater as you attend a performance in London's famous West End.

Day 4: London

Embark on a full-day excursion to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit hallowed ground for any theater buff: William Shakespeare's Birthplace. You'll also gain valuable insights and perspectives during a Royal Shakespeare Company workshop where you'll partner with actors from this prestigious organization to actively explore how the company interprets the Bard's words and brings them to life. After a pre-theater dinner, you'll experience a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company before returning to London. (In the event that such a performance is unavailable, you’ll instead see a play in London's West End.)

Day 5: London

In the morning enjoy a guided tour of London's West End Theatre District, led by either an actor or a theater expert. The tour ends with a visit to the world-famous Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, built in 1732 and home to the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. This afternoon you'll have time to explore more of the city at your leisure, perhaps taking in the theater- and performing arts-related galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum or browsing through the London Film Museum. The day concludes with an evening theater performance.

Day 6: Paris

Enjoy views of the lush English countryside whizzing by your train window as you journey towards the English Channel on the Eurostar. You'll travel through the Chunnel and on to Paris, known as the City of Light for its role as a center of education and culture during the Enlightenment. This afternoon, a local expert introduces you the city's most famous monuments—from the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame to Napoleon's final resting place at Les Invalides to the magnificent Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées. Then ascend to the top floor of the Eiffel Tower, which affords stunning panoramic views of the city.

Day 7: Paris

This morning your immersion in all things theater continues with a visit to the Comédie-Française, the world's oldest active theatre company—nearly 340 years and counting! Your guide will take you on a Molière Walk, following in the footsteps of the venerable 17th-century actor, poet and playwright (aka Jean-Baptiste Poquelin), from the church where he was baptized, to the site of his final home on the Rue de Richelieu, and back to the Comédie-Française—commonly known as the Maison de Molière—where he considered the “patron”, the boss. Along the way, an expert provides interesting details about the life of this fascinating and polarizing cultural figure. In the afternoon explore more of Paris at your own pace, perhaps taking a tour of the opulent and ornate Opéra Garnier or visiting the small museum inside the La Trianon theater at the foot of Montmartre. After dinner enjoy a night at the French theater, a unique cultural experience alongside the locals made accessible with English surtitles (translations shown above the stage).

Day 8: Paris

This morning breeze by the crowds with your timed entrance to the Louvre and discover the many famous masterpieces that call it home. Insightful commentary from your local guide highlights the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo and more as you wander through the galleries. From its beginnings as a royal fortress to its current status as the world's most visited art museum, the Louvre has long been at the center of Parisian culture and home to a collection of 35,000 works of art from around the world. Your arts-centric day continues in the afternoon with a Paint Paris painting lesson and walking tour of Montmartre. As you explore this cultural artistic haven—once the haunt of luminaries like Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Claude Monet—a local artist explains the area's history and instructs you in painting techniques important to French art history for capturing its streets and buildings. Later you'll savor an authentic French dinner on the Place du Tertre in the heart of Montmartre.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.