CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW & SCOTLAND.
MAY 20 – MAY 30, 2008.
Back
May 20 – Our Garden Tour begins at Pearson International Airport when
we board Air Canada,flight 848 at 2015, bound for London’s Heathrow
Airport.
May 21st – On arrival, we are given a brief panoramic tour of the City
of London as we transfer to the Copthorne Tara Hotel, a four star hotel
in the Kensington area of central London. Minutes from Harrods, museums
and the underground it is in an ideal location for both sightseeing and
shopping! The rest of the day is free to rest and to explore this
historic city. The Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London,
Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace are but a few of the famous
attractions to be found in this exciting city. Dinner at the hotel.
May 22nd – After a full English breakfast we will spend most of the day
at Kew Gardens. This is an ideal time to visit this famous garden when
lilacs, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias should be in full bloom.
Dinner at the hotel.
May 23rd – Chelsea Flower Show, put on by the Royal Horticultural
Society is one of the most prestigious gardening events in the world.
It has been held annually for almost one hundred years and features top
garden designers from around the world exhibiting their work, as well
as specialist nurseries and numerous garden vendors. It is truly a
fantastic experience. Dinner at the hotel.
May 24th – A morning visit to Sissinghurst castle. It was built in the
16th century and is a moated Tudor house. The gardens were developed in
the 1930’s by Vita Sackville West who carefully grouped flowers
according to colour, texture and season. There are numerous smaller
gardens where rare plants grow beside traditional, cottage garden
flowers. Rest of the day in London is free with the possibility of a
West End show in the evening. Dinner is on our own.
May 25th – A free day to enjoy London to the fullest.
Some options are : visit Hampton Court or Windsor Castle; enjoy a
scenic on/off tour from the top of an open deck bus; take a cruise on
the River Thames; or perhaps visit the National Art Gallery in
Trafalgar Square.The possibilities are endless. Dinner on our own.
May 26th – We leave King’s Cross Station in London by express train for
Edinburgh in Scotland. The trip takes about 4 ½ hours and
will provide a panoramic view of England as we head north through the
Cotswolds and the Yorkshire Moors.
We will be met at the station by our bus and taken to the Botanical
Gardens before being transferred to the Menzies Belford Hotel on the
banks of the water of Leith. A four star hotel, it is within walking
distance of Edinburgh’s main attractions. Dinner at the hotel.
May 27th – Today we explore Loch Lomond, that lies in the heart
of Scotland’s First National Park. Our tour starts at Balloch and
includes a visit to Tarbet, where we will enjoy an hour’s cruise on the
Loch. As well as learn about Rob Roy, we will visit the quaint village
of Luss. Time permitting, we will stop at the beautiful city of
Perth, before returning to our hotel later in the evening. Dinner
on our own.
May 28th – The morning will be spent at Dawyck Botanic Gardens. It has
a stunning collection of trees and shrubs with a walking trail that
features some of Scotland’s rarest plants. Snow drops, spring bulbs and
alpines, to be found in the Rock garden, should be at their best. We
will stop for lunch at Peebles. Straddling the River Tweed, it is
considered one of Scotland’s hidden treasures.
In the afternoon we will visit Traquair House and Brewery. This is
Scotland’s oldest, continually inhabited house and as long as we do not
lose ourselves in the maze, a visit to its brewery before we leave, is
a must. Dinner on our own.
May 29th – A full day in Edinburgh. There is much to see and do in
Scotland’s capital city. It has one of the most beautiful cityscapes in
the world. With its famous castle dominating the skyline, it is a city
with world class museums and galleries. Whether you wander in the Old
Town or ride the open air bus or just meander along Princess
Street, there is something to appeal to everyone. Dinner on our own.
May 30th – With a pocketful of happy memories and after an early
breakfast, we will board our flight from Glasgow to Heathrow at 1050.
From there, we will complete our journey back to Toronto by catching
Air Canada flight 849.
All being well, we should arrive in Toronto at 1820 that evening.
The tour includes:
Accommodation at two four star hotels; the Copthorne Tara in London and
the Menzies Belford in Edinburgh.
Nine full English/Scottish breakfasts.
Four dinners.
Admission to Chelsea Flower Show: Kew Gardens: Sissinghurst castle:
Traquair House: Dawyck Botanic Garden.
Travel by de-luxe air conditioned coach; local guides; transfers;
express from London to Edinburgh; cruise on Loch Lomond.
Luggage handling at the hotels.
Tour cost $3,640
Not included:
Gratuities to the drivers.
Phone calls and items of a personal nature.
Any meals or activities not included in the itinerary.