What to Do in England

You can’t visit London without enjoying a dinner cruise on the River Thames and this excursion will reveal many of the city’s highlights from the water, including the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the London Eye which will all be illuminated after dark. The elegant Glass Room vessel you’ll be cruising on is spectacular and includes the opportunity for open-air viewing at your leisure. Enjoy it all while dining on a delicious meal, with dishes that include freshly prepared ingredients whipped up by an expert onboard culinary team. A wide range of drink options is available to perfectly complement your meal too. The total experience includes a three-hour cruise, aperitif. and a three-course menu along with a half-bottle of mineral water and a half-bottle of wine per person. Live music is provided throughout your trip featuring the lovely sounds of a soloist and pianist.

The picturesque Cotswolds region is the largest of the 38 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales. An expanse of lush, gently sloping hills and pretty villages looking as if they’ve stepped from the pages of a storybook, it covers 800 miles in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, stretching into parts of Somerset, Wiltshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. One of the best ways to enjoy it is with a scenic drive. Choosing your favorite among the many alluring villages isn’t easy, such as the famous Bourton-on-Water which straddles the River Windrush, known for its traditional stone houses and low bridges. Bibury boasts fairytale appeal with River Coln dominating the main street while featuring Arlington Row, a lane of 17th-century sepia-hued cottages originally built for the weavers working at Arlington Mill. Castle Combe is like a dream, complete with a 13th-century church that includes one of the oldest still operating clocks in England.

York has a fascinating 2,000-year-old history and has been defended by walls since Roman times. Substantial portions still remain, with more miles of intact wall here than in any other city in England. Walking them is one of the top things to do as they encircle the historic center, stretching for two miles. In March or April, you’ll enjoy a spectacular display of daffodils too. Any time of the year, marvel at many significant buildings, fortified gateways, stonework, towers, arrow slits, sculptures, masons’ marks, and gun ports. The section known as the Museum Gardens reveals the best surviving stretch with the Roman tower and its medieval stonework just above. The ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey can be seen with precinct walls around two sides considered the finest surviving example of abbey walls in England, built at the same time the City Walls were constructed, mainly in the 13th century, on top of older earth banks.