In Search of Regency England Itinerary Optional pretour September 4 Main group Board the Queen Mary 2 in New York to cruise to Southampton. Feel like an American heiress sailing to England to find a titled husband! We will have waltzing lessons and Regency romance novel book discussions. September 8 Depart the US September 9 Upon arrival in London, you will be transferred to Ockenden Manor, a lovely Elizabethan manor set in the heart of the Tudor village of Cuckfield and an important coaching town during the Regency period on the road to Brighton. The balance of day will be at leisure to enjoy the amenities of your lovely country home, including wandering the 9 acres of gardens around the Manor house. The South Downs offer a range of activities from Horse riding, cycling and walking trails. September 10 After a full English breakfast, prepare to journey back in time. Our luxury motorcoach, after picking up the cruisers, will take us to the English countryside. First, we will visit the Tyrwhitt-Drake Carriage Museum for a private tour of the best collection of carriages in England. Learn the difference between a phaeton and a landau! From there, we will visit Brighton and tour the fanciful Royal Pavilion, the opulent seaside retreat built by the Prince Regent and modeled in the Indian style. Upon returning to our country home, we will have a taste test of some of the food items listed in the novels. Treacle anyone? September 11 On our drive to Bath, we will visit Winchester Cathedral to pay our respects to Jane Austin’s grave. Once in Bath, steeped in the Regency period, we will enjoy a privately guided tour of the Museum of Costume (What is a spencer anyway?). After a walking tour of Bath and visit to the Jane Austin Center, we will take the waters in the Pump room as was common during that time period. We will overnight in the Royal Crescent luxury hotel which is on the world’s finest crescent. This Georgian “grade 1 listed” building remains unchanged since the 18th century. . September 12 Today, our walk back in history continues. We will visit the interior of a country home, Syon House, that many of the Regency authors use as a basis for their characters’ homes. Then, we will drive to Chiswick House to see a typical Palladian exterior as well as a country home garden. From there, we will explore the Museum of Eton Life to learn what the boys’ lives were really like when they lived there. Overnight in London in the historic Chesterfield Mayfair hotel, tucked away off Berkeley Square. September 13 9-11 We will have a Walking tour of Mayfair to see the life of the “Quality” - where they lived, shopped, drank, gambled and enjoyed the Season in the “ton”. This afternoon we will explore the darker side of London, including The exterior of Old Bailey (criminal law court) and site of the infamous Newgate Prison The Temple Church (Norman style) founded in 1185 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, home of the oldest legal chambers in London Queen Square – a charming 18th century square surrounded by literary history – ‘mad’ King George, the plight of chimney sweeps and a hospital partly funded by the proceeds from ‘Peter Pan’ The Foundling Museum – site of the first orphanage in Britain, supported by Handel and the artist Hogarth See Bow Street, Drury Lane, and Cheapside We will have the opportunity to visit a costume shop to select appropriate clothing for our regency era party, if you choose. September 14 This morning, we will walk to Spencer House to see a typical “town home” of the era. Several of the regency romance novelists have used this lovely interior as a basis for their characters’ homes. From there, a motorcoach will take us to the National Army Museum. Here we will focus on the Napoleonic era, including an extraordinary 130 square foot model of the Battle of Waterloo with over 70,000 model soldiers which are brought to life with specially commissioned films that explore the conflict. Following this fascinating museum, we will drive to Apsley House, the home of the Duke of Wellington. There we will get another perspective of the war, including death masks of both Wellington and Napoleon. Since we are on the corner of Hyde Park, we can then walk through Rotten Row to see the Serpentine, ending back at our hotel. This evening, we have been invited to a Regency era murder mystery party. Mingle with your trip mates and a few invited guests and wait for the unexpected to happen… September 15 10:30am-12 noon Enjoy a rare visit of the interior of one of the only gentlemen’s clubs left in London. We will end there with a very civilized sherry. As a climax to our tour, we will visit the interior of Buckingham Palace where the Prince Regent’s mother, Queen Charlotte, lived and birthed all of his siblings. When he became King George IV, he worked with John Nash to transform the home into a palace. September 16 Transfers back to the airport. Sadly, we must fast forward ahead 200 years to today. Costs: Due to the extreme fluctuations in currency, this tour is priced in British pounds. When you pay, I will give you the exchange rate at that time. Tour Per person: 1,599 GBP based on double occupancy (Add 60 GBP if paying by credit card) Single supplement: 725 GBP (Add 26 GBP if paying by credit card) We can find you a roommate if you are traveling on your own. Tour includes: 7 nights accommodations in luxury hotels, based on double occupancy Breakfast daily Entrances to attractions listed. VAT of 17.5% Touring by a Blue Badge guide or site employee Touring in a luxury 49-seater for 32 passengers Gratuities to drivers and guides Porterage Background Material Tour does not include: International airfare Meals other than breakfast Optional costume for the Regency period party Transfers if you arrive outside the group’s time Deposit: 500 GBP Balance due 60 days prior to the tour. Optional Cruise Queen Mary 2 Prices are based on double occupancy and include all government charges (subject to change) Category D5 B5 B3 A2 Price (USD) Cabin type $1,389.46pp Inside Obstructed $1,628.46pp balcony Sheltered $1,771.46pp Balcony Deluxe $2,293.46pp Balcony Contact: Linda de Sosa Travel Consultant Regency romance addict Woodlake Travel, Houston TX 713-499-7105 / 800-245-6180 lindad@woodlaketravel.com