Top England Arts & Design - page 3

To maximize limited time in London, combine a British tradition with a sightseeing excursion on an afternoon tea cruise on the Thames River. As you sail from Tower Pier to Westminster, admire London landmarks including the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye—without having to navigate or jostle among the large crowds that gather at the monuments. Plus, indulge in tea, freshly prepared cakes, and sandwiches.

London's rock and roll landmarks—the Abbey Road crossing, recording studios, venues tied to the bands that defined the era—are scattered across the city with no obvious route linking them, and most carry no signs explaining what happened there. A private black cab tour covers the rock history sites with a guide and a driver handling the route between them.

Make your visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour seamless on a full-day tour that includes round-trip transportation from the coach station at King's Cross and St. Pancras. Skip the hassle of trying to find your own way there; instead, relax on the luxury coach during the journey to the studios in Watford. Your tickets to the experience are included in the tour cost, so you don't have to worry about any logistics.

London is known for its rich musical heritage, but finding the best spots for a glimpse of pop culture can be tricky. Explore must-see musical landmarks with a local musician on this group walking tour of Soho. See where Hendrix, Bowie, Elton John, and many others recorded their most iconic albums, all brought to life through insider anecdotes about music-making in the capital.

Glide by a host of London’s must-see landmarks on a sightseeing cruise from Westminster to Greenwich on the Thames River. Step aboard your comfortable cruise boat at Westminster Pier and listen to the live commentary as you pass sights such as Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Drink in the views from the open or indoor deck, and at Greenwich, step ashore to visit attractions (own expense) such as the Cutty Sark or National Maritime Museum.

Avoid the hassle of self-driving and maximize your time and budget on this full-day tour from London, which kicks off with a tour of Leeds Castle, Henry VIII’s former Tudor palace. Next, explore the medieval city of Canterbury, famous for the grand Canterbury Cathedral. After lunch, admire the White Cliffs of Dover en route to the Battle of Britain Memorial. Next, discover more of Britain’s maritime history in Greenwich. Then, cruise along the River Thames, past landmarks such as Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Walking up to the London Dungeon often means joining a queue and hoping a slot's free for the time you want. Book ahead to lock in an entry time and head straight in to a theatrical walk through the city's darkest history. Actors and staged sets bring the Great Plague, the Great Fire of 1666, London's infamous criminals, and a sentencing at Newgate Prison to life across the experience.

Discover the sights and history of London at your own pace on this hop-on hop-off cruise of the River Thames. With your 24-hour pass, enjoy unobstructed views of the city’s main riverside attractions away from the crowds on land. Disembark at the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament—or whichever attraction catches your attention—from within an all-weather vessel, which lets you sail regardless of rain.

Enjoy a seamless way to experience the magic of Harry Potter™ at the Warner Bros. Studio on this full-day, round-trip excursion from London. Pick from a range of start times, board a climate-controlled bus, and head straight to the attraction; tickets are included, so you can head straight in. Enjoy ample time to visit the Hogwarts Great Hall, Diagon Alley, and other enchanted sets and scenery from the Harry Potter movies.

Negotiating public transport in London can be stressful, particularly when you’re all packed up for a cruise. Get your vacation off to an affordable yet stress-free start when you prebook this convenient small-group 1-way transfer, direct from your London hotel or apartment. Simply select the cruise terminal you desire (Southampton, Dover, Harwich or Tilbury), then relax as the driver looks after your luggage and drops you at your check-in point.

This family-friendly tour reveals London locations used to film scenes from the world-renowned Harry Potter™ movies, including King's Cross Station, Goodwin's Court, Borough Market, and Westminster. Exploring the city with a guide means that you’ll be party to insider info and movie trivia that you won’t find in the guidebooks, and you don't have to worry about getting lost among the central London crowds.

Discover The Beatles’ hometown on this independent day trip to Liverpool from London. Visit The Beatles Story attraction, packed with memorabilia and replicas of Beatles’ sites, and enjoy a guided Magical Mystery Bus Tour of locations linked to the Fab Four, including Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, and the Cavern Club. With round-trip train tickets included, your travel is made easy.

When it’s time to say goodbye to London, end your trip the easy way with this shared departure transfer in a climate-controlled bus to London Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted Airport. It’s a budget-friendly alternative to the pricey private taxi rides.

With eight movies to cover, researching your own Harry PotterTM London itinerary would take a bunch of time. Whether you’re Hufflepuff or Slytherin, follow in the footsteps of everyone’s favorite boy wizard on this curated tour of the key London hot spots. Please note that public transportation costs are at your own expense, and you should take any Platform 9 3/4 photos before the group meets up.

Squeeze loads of London sightseeing into one small-group tour and learn all about your favorite band at the same time. Hear fun facts about The Beatles that you don’t get from the average brochure as you check out top Beatles-centric landmarks like Abbey Road, Trident Studios, and Savile Row, as well as hidden gems you’d easily miss.

See the best of Liverpool and its Beatles landmarks in one day—and leave the planning to someone else—on this full-day excursion from London. Make your own way to Euston Station, travel via train to Liverpool, and begin by visiting the Beatles Story exhibition at the Albert Dock. Next, embark on a coach tour to see the Beatles' houses and other key Liverpool landmarks, finish with a trip to the Cavern Club before returning to London.

London’s top sights are spread out, making it tiring to try to hit them all with limited time. Instead, zip by attractions such as Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye during this double-decker sightseeing tour. Even better, coaches depart in the evening so you can beat London’s snarls of traffic while seeing its landmarks all lit up after dark.

Book your tickets in advance and step aboard the Cutty Sark in Greenwich to discover what life was like on board a 19th-century tea clipper boat. The world’s sole surviving clipper, the 'Cutty Sark' today is an award-winning boat-museum, which allows you to learn about the China tea trade voyages and life at sea. Your admission ticket lets you stay as long as you want aboard the boat and explore at your own pace.

Explore beyond London without renting a car or navigating unfamiliar roads on this full-day coach tour to three of Britain’s historic and culturally important destinations. Visit Windsor Castle to see the State Apartments and St. George's Chapel, continue to the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge, and finish in Bath, famed for its Georgian architecture and the Roman Baths.

Trying to get from attraction to attraction in London can take hours and eat up valuable vacation time. Save your energy by traveling on board an air-conditioned coach, checking off top sights such as Big Ben, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey. Enjoy a guided tour of St. Paul's Cathedral, and see another angle of the city with an included ticket for a Thames sightseeing cruise.

Seeing Paris from London in a day sounds ambitious once you factor in cross-Channel logistics and getting around the city on arrival. On this tour, one booking ties the travel and the sightseeing together. Take the train from St. Pancras International, then join a sightseeing drive past the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. Cruise the Seine for a different view of the city, with the option to add a three-course lunch at the Eiffel Tower.

No visit to London would be complete without experiencing quintessential traditions such as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Your guide takes you to a prime vantage point—difficult to find on your own—to observe the King's iconic foot guards, clad in red uniforms and bearskin hats, and watch the Household Cavalry put on an impressive display.

Get up close to one of London's UNESCO World Heritage sites on a visit to Greenwich's Royal Observatory. Stand astride the Prime Meridian: The line that divides the eastern and western hemispheres and defines Greenwich Mean Time. With the help of an audio guide, learn about the work of British honorary astronomers and hear fun facts about space, time, and the stars.

Learn insider stories and cover plenty of ground on this comprehensive rock-focused tour of London. Skip public transport for an air-conditioned coach through Chelsea, Kensington, Holland Park, Notting Hill, and St John's Wood. See the homes of Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, and Eric Clapton, walk across the Beatles' Abbey Road crossing, and discover punk movement origins.