Historical England
Go Learn



From Neolithic Wonders to War Rooms: Embark on an Unforgettable English Odyssey.


February 29-March 09, 2024
Double Occupancy: $6100 per person
Single Occupancy: $6800 per person
Airfare is not included.

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Historical England: Overview


This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle…This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England!” — William Shakespeare

We invite you to join us on a journey through a thousand years of lively English history. Neolithic builders, Celts, Romans, mighty medieval monarchs, poets, painters, architects, statesmen, generals, visionaries, and warrior women—all will come to life through our specifically prepared trip, exclusive tours, chats, and behind-closed-door experiences reaching from Stonehenge to Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms. No matter how much you know about England—or don’t—Historical England will move and enlighten you. You don’t want to miss this trip!

Know Before You Go

Historical England includes days of exploring London as a group, a few evening theatre performances (with excellent seats—our signature), and a rail or coach trip to Bath and Stonehenge. We average 6 miles of walking and 100 stairs per day. Travel is by public transportation (included in the trip price), and participants should be able to board Tube trains and buses independently. Participants wishing to travel by taxi should expect to make independent arrangements and pay an additional $600.See more information regarding .

Tour Highlights

London Parliament building

Your trip leaders, Tim Slover and Jane England, have been taking Go Learn travelers to London for ten years. Our motto comes from Aristotle’s Poetics: “To learn gives the liveliest pleasure.” We’ll ignite delight by leading and arranging private, one-of-a-kind tours of remarkable and historically significant places that will bring the rich history of England to life—and then meeting together with you to chat about it all afterward. Of course, we’ve also planned lots of time to enjoy London’s markets, pubs, and cutting-edge theatre. You’ll come away with a deep understanding of what makes this country tick.

Tour Highlights Include:

  • Exclusive “Stone Circle Access” at neolithic Stonehenge
  • Fascinating visit to the ancient Roman Baths
  • Guided tour of Westminster Abbey, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gallery
  • Personally guided tours of London landmarks such as Westminster Abbey, Spencer House, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kew Gardens, or the Tower of London
  • Choral Matins church services and the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London
  • Discovery walks in Westminster, Trafalgar Square, or the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
  • A Shakespeare Walking Tour on which we visit not-open-to-the-public Elizabethan era Middle Temple Hall, where Twelfth Night was first performed.
  • Shopping expeditions to Portobello Road and Spitalfields Market
  • Day out at Oxford, Cambridge, or Windsor
    • A much-awaited new production of MACBETH, starring Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Coriolanus, Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, The Menu), each of whose Shakespearean performances have become legendary as “a masterly performance, full of lethal touches” (The Guardian).
    • Jack Thorne’s new hit, THE MOTIVE AND THE CUE, in which Mark Gattis (Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Operation Mincemeat) as Sir John Gielgud is “a poignant study in genius and aging” (Time Out).
    • The Royal Shakespeare Company’s utterly astounding stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, called “a vital power surge of Anglo-Japanese creative electricity” (The Daily Telegraph).
  • Informal lectures and chats from Tim, your guide through English history
  • Handpicked culinary delights from fabulous restaurants and open-air markets
  • Free time, with plenty of suggestions, to find your own remarkable Historical London

Go Learn's Historical England Daily Itinerary


Thursday, February 29 - Visions of Elegance: the GEORGIAN Era
Roman Baths

This will be quite a day. Please plan to arrive at Heathrow Airport by noon (the Delta 50 direct flight gets in at 10:30 am). We’ll arrange for your transportation to The Rockwell, our charming boutique hotel in South Kensington. Once everyone is present and accounted for, a coach will whisk us all to beautiful Bath, a resort town since the time of the Romans. We’ll check into the fabulous Queensberry Hotel and in the early evening make our way to nearby #1 Royal Crescent, a luxurious town house-museum, magnificently restored to its original late Eighteenth Century splendor. Dinner that night will be at the Michelin Star Olive Tree Restaurant at our hotel. We’ll sleep well tonight!

Hotel: Queensberry Hotel
Activity level: Moderate
Meal: D




Friday, March 1 - Ancient Worlds: the NEOLITHIC & BRONZE AGE and ROMAN BRITAIN
Stonehenge

After breakfast and our history chat in a room at the Queensberry, we’ll step back in time —to circa 70 AD—at the nearby Roman Baths. Constructed over natural hot springs, the Baths bring you up close to the lives of Roman Britons. Thermae Romanae pulchrae sunt! Free afternoon and lunch—and then our coach will take us on an adventure even further back in the mists of time: to Stonehenge, a cirque of standing stones 700 years older than the Pyramids of Giza. We’ve arranged a private after-hours tour with a brilliant scholar—just us and the huge trilithons. We’ll be back to The Rockwell in time for a good night’s sleep.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meal: B


Saturday, March 2 – Can You Name All Six Wives?: the TUDOR Era

Hampton CourtAfter the scrumptious complimentary breakfast buffet The Rockwell provides us every morning, we’ll have a History & Art Chat in a private upstairs room at the King’s Head Pub, just around the corner from the Rockwell. Then it’s off to Hampton Court, Henry VIII’s pleasure palace on the Thames River, to steep ourselves in all things Tudor. The Great Hall, the jewel-like Chapel, the Kitchens, the Wine Cellar—and don’t miss the Great Vine out in the gardens. We’ll be having lunch at Hampton Court, too. Free evening.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, L


Sunday, March 3 – Fortress England: THE MIDDLE AGES, Part 1

Tower of London

The finest medieval fortress in England is right here: the Tower of London. Started by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, it grew into a royal palace, mint, zoo, and notorious place of execution. After a History Chat, we’ll visit without standing in the long queue by attending a Matins service at St. Peter ad Vincula and then gaze on the Crown Jewels, including the largest diamond ever found. Lunch at a nearby restaurant, and then it’s off to see Holbein at the Tudor Court, a new exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. Free evening.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, L





Monday, March 4 – The Faith of Monarchs: THE MIDDLE AGES, Part 2

Westminster Abbey

After a History & Humanities Chat at the King’s Head, we’ll make our pilgrimage to Westminster Abbey, the vast, medieval church where Royals are crowned, married, and buried. We’ll have our own special tour of this sacred center of national life and death. Dinner together that evening, followed by a play or concert (Watch this space!).

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, D


Tuesday Mar. 5 – Rising from the Ashes: London’s BAROQUE Era

St Paul's CathedralMuch of London burned down in the Great Fire of 1666—we’ll visit the Fire Monument commemorating that cataclysmic event—and from the ashes a new London emerged in monumental stone. No architect characterizes the rebuilt city as well as Sir Christopher Wren, and no edifice as well as his masterpiece, St. Paul’s Cathedral, with its iconic motto, Resurgam— “I shall rise again.” After a History & Theatre Chat at the King’s Head, we’ll make our way there for our exclusive “Triforium Private Tour.” Dinner that night at the Barbican Brasserie, followed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s “awe-inspiring” (Time Out) and “utterly beguiling” (The Stage) multi-Olivier Award-winning adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, D





Wednesday, March 6 – Soul of an Age: a Day with WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Middle Temple Hall

By special arrangement, we’ll visit Middle Temple Hall, an Elizabethan masterpiece where the Bard himself performed in his play Twelfth Night. Our History & Theatre Chat will take place in the stunning Queen’s Room next door. Afterwards, we’ll stroll across the river to see the site of the original Globe Theatre and look in at Southwark Cathedral, home of the gorgeous Shakespeare stained glass window. (How many characters can you identify?) Lunch at foodie haven Borough Market, and then the rest of the day is yours. That night we’ll see one of the finest and most passionate Shakespeare actors of our time, Ralph Fiennes, play opposite Olivier Award-winning Indira Varma in Macbeth. What. A. Day!


Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, L


Thursday, March 7 – The Sun Never Set: VICTORIAN England
National Portrait Gallery

We think of the Victorian era (1837-1901) as one of worldwide empire, but the sun (also) never set on the period’s scientific, social, and artistic innovation. After our History & Theatre Chat, we’ll take an exclusive private tour of beautiful Leighton House, legendary in its day as the home and studio of Lord Frederic Leighton and his ravishing Pre-Raphaelite art. Then it’s off to the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery for a History Highlights sampling. Dinner is right there at the Portrait Restaurant. Then it’s off to the West End for The Motive & the Cue, a “brilliant, compassionate new play” (Financial Times) about the clash of the old and the new.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, D


Friday, March 8 – Their Finest Hour: The TWENTIETH CENTURY
War Rooms

Let’s double up with art and history on our final day together. After our History & Art chat at the King’s Head, we’ll go to the Tate Britain museum to experience some powerful Twentieth Century paintings and sculpture. Free afternoon, after which we’ll gather in the evening for a “Behind the Glass” private tour of the Cabinet War Rooms, the extensive bomb- proof underground headquarters of Winston Churchill during World War II. Farewell Dinner afterwards.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meals: B, D


Saturday, March 9 – We’ll Meet Again

Departure day is always sad, but we’ll look forward to our reunion in Salt Lake City. Cars will be arranged to take you to Heathrow Airport.

Meal: B


Image of Tower of London courtesy of Nicolas

Image of Westminster Abbey courtesy of Dominika Gregušová

Image of St Paul's Cathedral courtesy of Ben Kirby

Tour Leaders Tim Slover and Jane England

Headshot of Tim and Jane

Tim and Jane bring their expertise and enthusiasm to Go Learn from also directing the University of Utah's Beacons of Excellence Award-winning Theatre, Fine Arts and Humanities in London Learning Abroad student program—for fifteen years and still going strong.

Tim is a Professor in the Department of Theatre, where he teaches Playwriting, Dramatic Literature, Shakespeare, and Contemporary Drama. Tim is also a produced screenwriter, a published novelist, and an award-winning playwright with plays produced off-Broadway and in the US, Britain, and Canada.

Jane teaches Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature in the Department of Theatre and administers London Learning Abroad programs for both the Theatre and English Departments. She attended the London School of Economics for post-graduate studies and, in addition to her many London and UK tours, has led travel programs in Bali and Japan.


If the logistics of a trip are right, travelers don't even notice them. That's my job. — Jane


She does her job really, really well. Can we talk about the play now? — Tim

Replay Our Webinar with Tim and Jane

Details and What to Expect



StonehengePre-Departure

Like all Go Learn journeys, the adventure begins at home. We'll make sure you have all the information you need before you arrive in London—we'll answer questions about what to pack, how to get around, and our daily itinerary. We want you to arrive in London ready to learn!

A trip reunion about a month after returning will be the perfect conclusion to our journey. We will exchange pictures and stories while remembering the highlights of our tour. Go Learn expeditions are designed to be small, boutique experiences where one returns with a group of friends. Good food, drink, and company await us at this reunion.

About London

It’s hard to fit what London is into one sentence, but let's give it a shot: London is the capital of the United Kingdom (and hence has all the Washington D.C.-type buildings), and it also has hundreds of historical sites from a Roman temple to Jimi Hendrix's apartment, and it's also the biggest city in the European Union (8.5 million) with the most diverse population (270 nationalities and 300 languages—imagine what that means for restaurants, yum), and it’s also one of the world’s premiere financial and commercial hubs (um, shopping), and it has the most museums in the world (173, with 11 of them national museums, and unlike other European cities, they're mostly FREE); it also has the most restaurants in the world (37,450), 5,000 acres of parks (8 of them Royal) and 214 theatres to which 14.2 million people flock each year (including us); plus it has fourteen football clubs, including 6 Premier League teams, is home to the tallest building in the UK (the Shard) and has hosted the Olympic Summer Games 3 times. Whew! But it isn't all about bigness and most-ness. London is also home to quiet nooks and curious crannies—truly adventure around every corner.

Weather: The temperature range in March is 42º-53º, and there is always a chance of rain. Bring a water-resistant jacket, water resistant shoes, warm clothing, and an umbrella to be ready for British weather. The best news: the spring bulbs will be out, and the city won’t be crowded with visitors.

Activity levels and restrictions

In order to fully explore the sights on our itinerary, we will be walking every day. Most city walking is flat on paved surfaces. When visiting gardens, museums and churches, we may be walking long distances or standing on our feet for prolonged times. Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes! Since we will be waking up early with jet lag, we often will start our days early and continue until sundown. Our exciting itinerary and daily learning adventures will keep you happily exhausted. This is an Activity Level 2 trip. Learn More about our .

Dates
February 29 – March 9, 2024

Size
Tour is limited to 20 participants

Cost
Double Occupancy: $6100 per person
Single Occupancy: $6800 per person
See for payment and cancellation details.

Go Learn travelers on a National Gallery tourIncluded

  • Pre-departure courses in history, theatre, culture, and tour logistics
  • Small group size to maximize learning, comfort, and flexibility
  • Two lead guides for the entire classroom experience and tour
  • 9 nights accommodation at comfortable and centrally-located hotels
  • Entrance fees of scheduled sightseeing
  • Trip to Bath and Stonehenge including hotel accommodation, private coach, an access to Stonehenge’s inner circle and first class meals
  • Local guides and experts, including their fees and tips
  • Daily breakfast, as well as hand-picked culinary highlights for lunch or dinner
  • Transportation to and from daily destinations and activities
  • Comprehensive trip insurance, including sick and/or emergency evacuation insurance

Not included

  • Airfare to and from London
  • Meals that are not specifically noted in itinerary
  • Cancellation and lost luggage insurance
  • Any costs outside of the itinerary