Oxford, Cotswolds and Stratford upon Avon from London

Combine a day trip from London with a visit to the University city of Oxford, with its dreaming spires and secluded cloisters, a chance to see the birthplace of the great writer William Shakespeare and his home town of Stratford-upon-Avon, and a meander around the country lanes and beautiful villages of The Cotswolds.After departure from London, you'll travel to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Enjoy a guided tour of the town by minibus viewing the remarkable array of Tudor buildings that survived from Shakespeare's own lifetime including his church, school and family homes. You will then enter the house he was born in and pause for a photo stop outside his wife's childhood home, Anne Hathaway's cottage in Shottery. Your guide will bring those early years of the Great Bard to life, followed by some free time to explore the town.The minibus will then divert away from the main roads, travelling on the back roads to visit idyllic Burford, vibrant and charming Bourton on the Water, sleepy Taynton and the picturesque twins of Great and Little Rissington, all the while driving past meandering streams and sleepy hamlets. There will be a lunch stop in the delightful town of Stow-on-the-Wold with its village green and historic market square. The town boasts some fine historic pubs and traditional tea rooms.Ending the day in Oxford, you will take an in-depth walking tour of the University, colleges and town and learn of the famous writers, artists, inventors and statesmen that studied here. Stroll around some of the older parts of the city and discover ancient college buildings, including a visit to the University's oldest classroom, the beautiful and historic 15th century Divinity School. After your walking tour ends, there will be some free time to explore before returning to London.