Discover New Ways of Looking at Your Old Friend Britain | Travel Research Online

With interest in UK customised pre and post cruise extensions on the rise, this week’s collection of 2-3 nighters for Southampton arrivals and departures will certainly catch the eye – especially with those who want a closer look at the living history and traditions of their old friend Britain.

I’m a great fan of matching UK tours to niche markets ON YOUR DOORSTEP and if you know any flower arrangers, my final story will really grab their attention for a unique tour next September.

Travelling Through Time This tour takes you on a fascinating walking tour of Winchester, inspired by the English Romantic poet John Keats, and includes the medieval Hospital of St Cross where you will receive Wayfarer’s Dole before heading for 2 nights in Salisbury. Here your journey through time will start with prehistoric Stonehenge, before discovering Old Sarum (the former site of the original city of Salisbury), Salisbury Cathedral and finishes with a closer look at the quintessentially 18th century Mompesson House townhouse. The final night is in London.

Three English Cathedrals This 3-nighter spends the first day in Winchester, the former Anglo Saxon England, and includes a viewing of King Arthur’s Round Table – the greatest symbol of medieval mythology in the city’s Great Hall. It finishes with Choral Evensong in its great Norman Cathedral before side trips to Stonehenge, Old Sarum (the former site of the original city of Salisbury), Salisbury Cathedral and a leisurely visit to Chichester Cathedral, famous for its 20th century artworks. The final night is in London.

Discover Bath With Bath having so much to offer, this three-night programme reveals Roman and Georgian life in the city and can be themed to follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen, finishing at the Roman Baths. Also included is a visit to nearby Glastonbury Abbey, the legendary final resting place for King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and where the costumed guides bring history vividly to life. With some free time for shopping/independent sightseeing on to London for the final night.

Winners Row Your garden loving cruise clients need to know that just to the west of Southampton there are 5 former winners of the prestigious, annual Garden of the Year competition. Sponsored by the Historic Houses and Christies, the renowned auction house, and to be found largely in the rolling Dorset Hills and in the idyllic glades and open moors of the New Forest, they include Abbotsbury, Athelhampton, Exbury, Forde Abbey and Heale House to create a unique pre or post cruise extension.

A Trio of Great English Cities With visits to the awe-inspiring Stonehenge, this 3-nighter links together the cathedral city of Salisbury and the Romans and Georgians who shaped the city of Bath. It meanders on and off the beaten path of a scenic route through picturesque Cotswolds market towns and villages to Stratford upon Avon for a brief encounter with William Shakespeare – before turning south to the great treasure house of Blenheim Palace, the university city of Oxford and a final night in London.

Discovering Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace For your clients who have been to London on several occasions, offer them something that avoids the weekday rush hour heading into London and base them in Royal Windsor, where a 2-night itinerary includes its famous Castle (and the Changing of the Guard) with free time for independent activities. Day 2 reveals Henry VIII’s magnificent state apartments and vast Tudor kitchens at Hampton Court Palace. The Day 3 Southampton transfer includes visits to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral, subject to your embarkation time.

A Floral Extravaganza Here’s an absolute winner of a tour which combines the Leeds Castle Festival of Flowers and the Confluence floral display to mark the 800th anniversary of Salisbury Cathedral with a day at the Wisley Flower Show at the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society. Here you will discover a variety of specialist nurseries and trade stands, with top quality plants and garden goodies. It also includes the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) and the National Dahlia Society Annual show.

Paull Tickner, owner of U.K.-based Custom GB, is known for his expertise in creating and operating imaginative, value-added tours of Great Britain and Ireland. Visit his website at www.customgb.co.uk or email him at ptickner@customgb.co.uk