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The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Thursday June 24: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2, Friday June 25: London

Welcome to London! Meet your ACIS Tour Manager and begin to explore the city's unique neighborhoods. You may want 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. (D)

Day 3, Saturday June 26: 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. Tonight enjoy a theater performance in London's famous West End. (B,D)

Day 4, Sunday June 27: London

Visit the famed Tower of London this morning. 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. Then, all the world may be a stage, but to get an authentic feel of Shakespeare's theater it is essential to visit the reconstructed Globe Theatre along the Thames Embankment. Attend a workshop, conducted by actors, that introduces you to both the plays of Shakespeare and the conditions in which Elizabethan actors worked. If treading the boards at the Globe doesn't get you soaring, your subsequent timed reservation at the London Eye certainly will. 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. Tonight you'll get a chance to choose your cuisine and dine like the locals with restaurant vouchers and our insider tips on the neighborhood's best places to go. (B,D)

Day 5, Monday June 28: London

Get your imagination fired up for today's visit to Oxford, including a tour of Christ Church College where Lewis Carroll penned Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and also where many memorable scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed (note the Great Hall, the inspiration for Hogwarts Hall). We then continue to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare's Birthplace, followed by a step back into Tudor times with a visit to Shakespeare's Schoolroom for an interactive lesson as though you were the Bard yourself—brushing up on Latin, writing with a quill, exploring sonnets, and more. After a pre-theater dinner, experience a performance by the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company (in the event that it is unavailable, a play in London's West End will be substituted). We return to London in the evening. (B,D)

Day 6, Tuesday June 29: London

Learn about England's royal family today with a visit to 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. Then return to London for an up-close look at London's iconic treasures on a 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. Dinner tonight is a London classic: fish and chips. Perhaps follow this with an evening stroll under the giant illuminated billboards of Piccadilly Circus. (B,D)

Day 7, Wednesday June 30: London

The morning is free for last-minute souvenir shopping in Harrods or a visit to the British Museum, home to an astounding 150 million items including the Rosetta Stone and sculptural friezes from the Parthenon. This afternoon awaken your inner thespian during a London theater backstage tour. Your entertaining guide will share performance secrets and provide an insider's look at all the contributing pieces to a thriving and active production facility. Celebrate on your final night abroad with a theater performance in one of London's many world-class venues. (B,D)

Day 8, Thursday July 1: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Further immerse yourself in the culture and delights of England's capital with an extra night in London, including the services of your ACIS Tour Manager. (B)