Phew, it’s been a manic week organising our tour programme for late 2011 and 2012, but I am happy to say that we now have two tours available for September 2011 and you can reserve your place right now by going to the Book Now page of our new tour website.
Tudor London Tour
4th-9th September 2011
This is a brand new 5 night tour based in the historic city of London and visiting the main Tudor attractions:-
- Westminster Abbey
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- The Golden Hinde
- Tower of London
- Hampton Court Palace
- Windsor Castle
- Eltham Palace
and also enjoying a Thames River Cruise and Medieval Banquet.
Accommodation will be at the luxury 4 star Guoman Tower Hotel, situated within a stone’s throw of the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the River Thames.
This tour has been launched at a special introductory price for September 2011 and includes all accommodation, sightseeing, breakfasts and evening meals. See our Tudor London Tour page for more details.
Executed Queens Tour
25th September-1st October 2011
The May 2011 Executed Queens Tour sold out within 1 week of its launch, so we have decided to put on a second tour this year. This is a six night tour which focuses on the lives and deaths of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Queen of Scots.
Highlights include:
- Bosworth Hall Hotel – The first three nights will be spent at this 17th century mansion
- Hever Castle – Three nights will be spent in the private and exclusive Astor Wing of Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn
- Sheffield Manor Lodge
- Bosworth Battlefield
- Bradgate Park and Bradgate House ruins
- Tower of London
- Guest Speakers
- Hampton Court Palace
The cost includes all accommodation, sightseeing and all meals. See our Executed Queens Tour page for more details.
I don’t want to be taken the wrong way here or anything – this is really exciting news, and I myself would love to take part in one of these tours in the near future, they are such a fantastic idea and big credit to you for setting them up and everything… but those prices are extortionately expensive and they don’t even include the cost of flights – as I live just outside London anyways flight costs wouldn’t be a consideration for me and yet I would still have to pay a good £2000 or so to visit historic sites that are literally for me a 30 minute ride on the train and an £8 entry fee? I’ve been planning a grand tour of ancient Egypt for twice as long as one of the tours and the whole thing including my flights is going to cost me about £200 less than what one of those tours would cost. I just can’t believe I’m being asked to pay so much to holiday in my own country and visit places that are practically on my doorstep.
I don’t want it to seem like I’m having a go at you, Claire, but honestly I am so shocked at those prices.
Hi Beth,
These tours are luxury tours and are not based at run-of-the mill hotels. They are “dream” holidays and include things like staying at Hever Castle, which can only be done if you book the whole Tudor village part of it as it cannot be booked like a hotel (i.e. per room), guest speakers who are eminent historians such as Eric Ives and John Guy, private guided tours with experts etc. and they include entry tickets, food, wine etc. They are not normal holidays. Also we only have small groups (max of 25) which means that people have chance to get to know each other, speak to the historians, get books signed etc.
Obviously they do not suit everyone’s budget but they are dream holidays for a lot of people and we all had an amazing time last May. I know that those people who attended last year thought the tour was worth every penny and many have re-booked.
I agree with Beth. Was very excited to hear about the tours on Twitter but could never in a million years afford those prices. Sorry
I would love to go but am still a student and £2000 is too much.
Claire I know it’s impossible to say, but do you hope to be doing these tours for years to come? When I’m older, in maybe 4 or 5 years, I’d love to come after having done uni etc.
Oh dear, I don’t want to seem like I’m being mean or anything. I did figure that the cost of booking the historians and such would push it up… it’s just like my brain can’t quite compute the idea of spending that much money on a holiday in my own country – a nice holiday to Australia, yep I’d expect to spend about that much, but when I’m not even going out of the country, it’s kind of like my brain has a funny time wrapping round that idea.
I also don’t want to put anyone off. They look great, and I myself am giving the idea of going on them some serious consideration, it’s only the price that gives me a little bit of pause. I, like some of the other commenters, am also a student… well, post-grad but still… and thus, I have no qualms in saying, I am very interested, but in that sort of penny-pinching situation. Lol, there’s also one half of me that is saying to myself “Well, I’m a historian, do I need another historian to show me round?” but the other half of me by the very fact that I am an historian is like “OOOH! Eric Ives! We can compare NOTES and RESEARCH!!! And I can dig out my undergrad textbooks and get them signed!!!” Lol, sorry, academic squee moment.
I’m thinking about signing up for the September 2011 one, and may indeed still go on it. As I say, I don’t want to be mean or put anyone off – I do still definitely think they are great tours, great idea on your part, and I’m very interested in going myself… but the price is a stop and pause moment. It feels strange to think about spending that much going on holidays to places so nearby to where I live! I greatly appreciate that you took the time to reply and didn’t take offence at my original comment.
So excited to see the details of the new tours! I am so looking forward to the Executed Queens Tour next month! These trips are truly once in a lifetime, and well worth saving for. It took me a year to save up for Queen’s tour, and I just might have to start saving now for another trip next year. =)
I’d love to go on one of these, but my husband isn’t as interested in Tudor history as I am (unfortunately). I’ll start saving … just in case he “catches the fever” from me!