Residential break
The culture and countryside of the Cotswolds
Monday 9 - Thursday 12 September 2024

A late summer break in the beautiful Cotswolds. Charming villages, impressive country estates, and of course home to the great bard himself.

4 days - 3 nights

£650pp based on two sharing double/twin room

+£120 supplement for double/twin room for sole use

We are partnering with an established tour operator in order to benefit from their insurances and protections, so that you can book with complete confidence. In line with our usual ethos, we have designed an itinerary and selected our accommodation based on the highest standards of quality and care.

Read on for more detail...

Then - you'd like to join us? Please drop us an email to info@surreytheatregoers.co.uk to register your interest, and we'll let you know what to do next.

Accommodation

The Stratford Manor Hotel, nr Stratford-on-Avon

Well appointed four star hotel with pool, sauna and spa
All rooms en suite with tea/coffee making facilities
Welcoming restaurant and bar
Breakfast each day and 3 course dinner on first night included
Excellent location to minimise travel time for full itinerary

Itinerary Day 1

Sudeley Castle

We’ll break our journey with a visit to one of the most impressive Tudor castles in England. With royal connections spanning a thousand years, Sudeley Castle has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past. Today it remains the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within the grounds - Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII. We’ll have a private talk with lunch, then time to explore the Castle; St Mary’s Church wherein lies Queen Katherine Parr; the recently refurbished exhibition ‘Trials, Triumphs and Treasures’; and the beautiful gardens.

Check-in and dinner at our hotel.

Itinerary Day 2

Stratford-upon-Avon

Needs no introduction!

A full day, reminding ourselves of the life and times of surely our greatest playwright. We’ll start with a visit to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, followed by Shakespeare’s Birthplace in the heart of the town. Learn about Shakespeare’s family life and get up close to objects from the Trust’s world class collections and discover how the extraordinary playwright continues to shape our lives today.

After lunch, we’ll head to the Royal Shakespeare Company for a guided tour of the theatre. In the evening we will enjoy pre-theatre dinner in the Rooftop Restaurant at the RSC, followed by an (optional) RSC production of ‘Pericles ’. It is one of the lesser known plays, and may not appeal to everyone, so we will take bookings and payment for this separately. We will hope to offer an alternative evening entertainment nearer the time when other local theatres publish their programmes.

Itinerary Day 3

Evesham and Charlecote Park

In the morning, we’ll head to the riverside market town of Evesham for a private tour and talk about the recent restoration of the beautiful art deco Regal cinema. To include a light lunch and a special film screening - a nostalgic trip down cinematic memory lane!

In the afternoon, a visit to Charlecote Park (NT), set in magnificent parkland and home to the Lucy family for over 900 years. See inside this Victorian family home and discover the immaculately preserved service courtyard.

After a little time to rest - or maybe have a relaxing swim and sauna! - and freshen up at the hotel, we will then head back into Stratford-upon-Avon in the evening to have a delicious three-course dinner at the renowned and convivial Edward Moon restaurant.

Itinerary Day 4

Steam train to Broadway followed by group lunch in boutique restaurant in centre of the village

We’ll finish our tour with a steam train journey on the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway from Winchcombe to Broadway, travelling through the delightful Cotswolds countryside. Toot toot!

After free time to explore the range of shops in the iconic Cotswolds village of Broadway, we'll have a lovely closing lunch in the village before we re-board the coach to make our journey homeward.

We should be back in the home area by about 6.00pm.

Need to know

Date: Monday 9 - Thursday 12 September 2024

Price: £650pp based on two sharing twin/double room - +£120 single supplement

Payment: £75pp deposit payable by Thursday 29 February 2024, balance payable by Monday 15 July 2024

All monies to be paid to Ellen Smith Tours in order to benefit from full ABTOT insurances

Included:

Executive-standard coach travel throughout
Porterage on arrival/departure from hotel
Three nights' accommodation plus breakfast each day
All other meals included except for lunch on Day 2 (in Stratford-upon-Avon)
All visits/tours included (assuming National Trust membership for Charlecote Park, otherwise at £13)

Optional:

Ticket for evening RSC performance of 'Pericles' - we can acquire a top price ticket for you if you wish for an additional £39.50

Exact itinerary may change according to local conditions

Interested? Please call us on 01483 284398 or email info@surreytheatregoers.co.uk to let us know. We'll go through your requirements and let you know what to do next to secure your place.