Upon arrival, the group will be met and transferred to your local hotel to drop your bags (rooms ready midafternoon). Lunch is by individual arrangement today.

Head out to discover the iconic landmarks, architectural and cultural diversity, and fascinating history that makes London the most visited city in the world during a panoramic city tour. Discover the iconic landmarks, architectural and cultural diversity, and fascinating history that makes London the most visited city in the world. Your London sightseeing tour will take you on a non-stop precession of recognizable landmarks, including The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column, the Marble Arch and much more.

Check in at the Clermont Victoria Hotel. Nestled next to Victoria Station, The Clermont London, Victoria invites travelers to experience the city with ease. Since opening in 1862, this historic hotel designed by James Thomas Knowles, has combined stunning architectural details with rooms thoughtfully designed for your comfort and style. Step outside, and iconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, and Westminster Abbey are just minutes away, making your London adventure effortlessly within reach.

Each hotel on this journey has been carefully selected not only for comfort and location, but for its connection—literal or symbolic—to the world of books, ideas, and the people who have shaped them.

Gather later this afternoon with your national guide for a late afternoon orientation and welcome.

Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Clermont Victoria 4* (or similar) Included meals: Dinner

Explore London

Please Note: Breakfast is included daily at your hotel.

We’ll start the day by stepping into the iconic Treasures Gallery at the British Library—a space dedicated to some of the most extraordinary manuscripts, maps, and printed items from British history. The tour begins with an introduction in the main gallery; we’ll be greeting by pivotal historical documents such as the Magna Carta and the illuminated Lindisfarne Gospel and learn about their history and the context in which they were created and their connection to centuries of human creativity and endeavor. We’ll also see a selection of modern pieces such as contemporary artists’ books and even items tied to the cultural legacy of Monty Python, underscoring the fact that history is created every day. The tour will also tour the public areas of the British Library, with views of the reading rooms and exhibitions on view, learning about the building’s history, architecture, and fascinating outreach activities in the London community.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon.

In the afternoon a visit to Cecil Court, tucked between Charing Cross Road and St. Martin’s Lane will allow us to step back into the heart of London’s literary life. This narrow, gaslit street—often called Bookseller’s Row—is lined with elegant Victorian shopfronts whose windows gleam with bespoke bindings, modern first editions, colorful prints, rare maps, and intriguing ephemera. We’ll speak with one of the curators of Sotheran’s the oldest bookstore in London, who will share stories about fabled finds, the art of book collecting, and intriguing stories about the antiquarian book trade.

Time permitting, explore Hatchard’s Books in Piccadilly — it’s gorgeous and a paradise for browsing. It’s also next door to Fortnum and Mason should you wish to indulge in a cream tea or do some shopping.

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Clermont Victoria 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

A visit to the London Library in St. James’s Square offers not only entry into one of the world’s great independent libraries but also an immersion into the intellectual heart of literary London. Founded in 1841 by Thomas Carlyle, the Library remains a sanctuary for writers, scholars, and readers seeking inspiration and unparalleled research resources. During our visit, we’ll learn how this institution pioneered the concept of a lending library for serious study, allowing members—among them Virginia Wolf, T.S Eliot and Brad Stoker—to take books home and thus carry on their work in a familiar atmosphere.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon.

A visit to Daunt Books in Marylebone is like stepping into a temple of travel and literature, where oak galleries, skylit ceilings, and long vistas of book-lined balconies evoke the spirit of Edwardian exploration. Founded in 1912 as the world’s first custom-built travel bookshop, Daunt still arranges its shelves by country — so that novels, history, memoirs, and guidebooks mingle in harmonious geography. As we wander its polished aisles, we’ll learn how the shop has become a beloved London institution, nurturing generations of writers and readers, and serving as the flagship of an independent bookselling tradition that prizes both discovery and quiet reverence for the printed word.

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Clermont Victoria 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

The group will depart after a leisurely breakfast for Oxford (1.5-hour drive to the northwest of London).

You will have time to grab some lunch on your own and do some exploring around your hotel this afternoon.

Check in midafternoon today at the Randolph Hotel. Surround yourself in heritage and history at The Randolph Hotel Oxford, a Graduate by Hilton. Set in the heart of Oxford, steps from the University and its iconic colleges, our landmark hotel celebrates centuries of academic innovation. Enjoy inspired guest rooms, an all-day British brasserie, the storied Morse Bar, a relaxing wellness center, and signature Graduate amenities.

Dinner is included this evening at the hotel.

Overnight: Randolph Hotel 5* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

After breakfast, head out for a guided walking tour of Oxford. The city of Oxford grew up around the University of Oxford - one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious seats of learning. The importance and wealth of the university is projected through the scale and grandeur of the college buildings throughout the city. Pass some of the oldest colleges such as the 13th Exeter College, the impressive Bodleian Library and Baliol College, which is something of an assembly line for British Prime Ministers. Other Oxford highlights include the pretty Bridge of Sighs which connects two parts of Herford College, the Eagle and Child Pub where famous authors JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis would regularly meet, and the sights and smells of the 18th century Oxford Covered Market. Oxford was also the perfect setting for the Harry Potter film series – a real Hogwartsian inspiration.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant this afternoon followed by a punting tour. Enjoy a quintessentially English experience — a punting tour on the River Cherwell, gliding past willow-lined banks and college gardens.

Afterwards, explore the magnificent Christ Church College, famed not only for its architecture and alumni but also as a filming location for the Harry Potter series.

Dinner is by individual arrangement.

Overnight: Randolph Hotel 5* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

This morning, check out after breakfast and depart for a private tour of the Cotswold’s in route to Stratford upon Avon.

Today’s scenic journey takes the group through the Cotswold's, an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty, dotted with picturesque villages, stone cottages, and rolling countryside. A stop in Hay-on-Wye, the famed "town of books," offers time to browse its many bookshops.

Lunch is by individual arrangement this afternoon

By afternoon, arrive in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, an atmospheric Tudor home where the bard was born and raised. Explore the charming streets lined with timber-framed buildings, and perhaps visit Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried.

Check in at Arden Hotel. Part of the Royal Shakespeare Company estate, The Arden Hotel is set in the heart of the historic town. Though the main house of the Arden dating to the late 17th Century, and the mock-Tudor Udimore House later, the land and garden used to contain an Elizabethan dwelling called Brook House, and it is reputed that William Shakespeare wrote some of his works in the garden and the family were associated with the house.

Dinner provided at your hotel.

Overnight: Arden Hotel 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Check out after breakfast and head to the Birmingham New Street Train Station. Hop on your train to Edinburgh (approximately 4.5 hours). Meal service possible in route (extra cost).

On arrival this afternoon transfer to your local hotel.

The 4-star luxury Scotsman Hotel is located on the historic North Bridge, connecting the ancient Old Town of Edinburgh with the cosmopolitan New Town. 10 floors of luxurious rooms allow guests unrivalled views including Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill, The Scott Monument and beyond.

Named after Scotland’s national newspaper, for which the Baroque building was originally built as headquarters, The Scotsman of today is a true city hotel, featuring an all-day brasserie restaurant, three bars, a boutique cinema and a range of events spaces. Rooms harness the historical character of the building. With natural, exposed brick and wood paneled walls, with sumptuous soft furnishings you are sure to you feel right at home.

Dinner will be provided at the Scotsman.

Overnight: Scotsman Hotel 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Step back through centuries of history on a guided walking tour through Edinburgh’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site brimming with stories, secrets, and stunning architecture. Led by a knowledgeable local guide, this immersive journey winds through the city’s most iconic streets, from the cobbled thoroughfare of the Royal Mile to hidden closes and winds that whisper tales of Edinburgh’s past.

Along the way, you’ll pass historic landmarks such as St Giles’ Cathedral, the Heart of Midlothian, and the haunting remnants of Mary King’s Close. Your guide will share colorful stories of philosophers, poets, royalty, and rebels — not to mention a few ghostly legends that have lingered for generations.

The tour culminates with a visit to Edinburgh Castle, perched dramatically atop Castle Rock, an extinct volcanic plug that dominates the skyline. Inside the castle walls, explore the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, and the Great Hall, where monarchs once held court. From the Argyle Battery, enjoy panoramic views stretching over the city and out to the Firth of Forth.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon with some free time this afternoon.

Dinner is on your own this evening.

Overnight: Scotsman Hotel 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

This guided tour will offer an inspiring journey through Scotland’s literary and cultural heritage, with over 30 million items ranging from medieval manuscripts and early maps to contemporary archives and digital resources. In the Treasures Gallery, we’ll see highlights such as rare editions of the works of Robert Burns, the letters of Mary Queen of Scots, and army Scottish Enlightenment texts that helped shape modern economics and philosophy. Interactive exhibits reveal how the library preserves fragile materials, advances research, and documents Scotland’s evolving history through film, sound, and print.

Lunch is by individual arrangement.

Edinburgh is called the City of Literature for good reason: it hosts one of the best literary festivals in the world and is home to myriad excellent libraries and museums that celebrate the beauty and impact of Scottish authors. In the afternoon we’ll visit several fascinating bookstores that embody Edinburgh’s proud and rambunctious literary heritage: Golden Hare Books in Stockbridge (a charming village within the city with a lovely bohemian vibe) is well stocked with local literature, and beautiful books on art, botany, and gardening. In the Old Town, we can stop by the award-winning Lighthouse Books, chock-full of alternative and small-press publications, and pop into the charming indie Topping and Company, which features an eclectic selection and a wide array of speakers (we can see if our visit coincides with a good author reading).

Say goodbye as you reflect and share memories over a farewell dinner.

Overnight: Scotsman Hotel 4* (or similar) Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Return to the local airport for check-in for your flight home.

Depending on the flight time, lunch is by individual arrangement.

Included meals: Breakfast

Cristina Favretto is the Primary Curator for Special Collections at the University of Miami Libraries.   This Department houses the Libraries’ collections of rare books and manuscripts, which also include rare maps, photographs, scrap books, art work, and oral histories and other historical materials.  Cristina is responsible for further building and facilitating access for these collections, with the aim of forming a world-class research collection.  

Before joining the Special Collections Department, Cristina has held a variety of posts throughout the country, including Head of Special Collections at San Diego State University, Curator of Rare Books at UCLA’s Charles E. Young Library, and Director of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture at Duke University.  She has also worked at the Boston Public Library, Harvard University Libraries, and the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   She received her M.L.S. and C.A.S. (Certificate of Advanced Studies) at the University of Pittsburgh, and her B.A. in English Literature and Art History at the State University of New York at Albany.  Cristina spent her formative years in Trieste, Italy, and received her Baccalaureate from the Liceo Giosue` Carducci in that city.

Her areas of focus are women’s history, book arts, and community activism, but she is always open to new discoveries and new collecting topics.  She is also one of the directors of Tropic Bound, Miami’s First International Artists’ Book Fair.

Each hotel on this journey has been carefully selected not only for comfort and location, but for its connection—literal or symbolic—to the world of books, ideas, and the people who have shaped them.

Where journeys, ideas, and empires once converged

Opened in 1862 beside Victoria Station, The Clermont Victoria reflects a golden age when rail travel transformed how ideas, books, and people moved through Britain. Designed by James Thomas Knowles—architect to Queen Victoria—the hotel’s grand proportions and richly detailed interiors echo the confidence of Victorian London, a period that also saw explosive growth in publishing, libraries, and public literacy.

Staying here places you at a historic crossroads: steps from Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the institutions that shaped Britain’s political and literary life. It is an elegant and fitting base for immersing yourself in London’s libraries, bookshops, and cultural landmarks—where the written word has long influenced the direction of history.

https://www.theclermont.co.uk/victoria/

A grand residence in the city of dreaming spires

Few hotels are as perfectly matched to their setting as The Randolph. Situated opposite the Ashmolean Museum and moments from the Bodleian Library, this landmark hotel has welcomed scholars, writers, and thinkers for generations. Its Gothic Revival architecture, soaring staircases, and quiet alcoves feel entirely at home in a city shaped by eight centuries of learning.

Oxford is not merely a backdrop here—it seeps into the walls. Evenings at The Randolph invite reflection after days spent among ancient libraries, college halls, and literary landmarks once frequented by figures such as Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. This is a place to linger with a book, a glass of wine, and the sense that you are temporarily part of Oxford’s long intellectual continuum.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lonrdgu-graduate-oxford-uk/

In the footsteps of Shakespeare

Set beside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, The Arden Hotel occupies ground steeped in literary history. The gardens are believed to have once belonged to Brook House, where it is said William Shakespeare himself may have written. This quiet proximity to the Bard’s world gives the hotel an intimacy and authenticity that feels deeply rooted rather than theatrical.

With its historic bones and refined comfort, The Arden offers a contemplative pause in the journey—a chance to absorb Stratford-upon-Avon not just as a destination, but as a living literary landscape. Staying here connects you directly to the birthplace of English literature, where words written centuries ago continue to shape how we understand language, storytelling, and humanity.

https://www.theardenhotelstratford.com/

A cathedral of words reborn

Once the headquarters of The Scotsman newspaper, this dramatic Baroque building now stands as one of Edinburgh’s most character-rich hotels. Its former life as a newsroom—where ideas were debated, headlines shaped, and stories sent out into the world—makes it a particularly resonant home for a journey devoted to the written word.

Located on North Bridge, linking the Old Town and New Town, The Scotsman places you at the literal and symbolic heart of a UNESCO City of Literature. Original features—stone walls, wood paneling, generous windows—retain the gravitas of the building’s journalistic past, while modern comforts invite rest and reflection. It is an inspired setting from which to explore Edinburgh’s libraries, bookshops, and enduring literary traditions.

https://scotsmancollection.co.uk/ultra-luxe/the-scotsman-hotel/

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