Set off on a one-of-a-kind mystery tour, exploring the landscape of British mysteries and the lives of famous authors from Devon and Oxford to the heart of London.
Mystery Lover's England
Featuring Devon, Oxford, and London
9 days from $7,495
Set off on a one-of-a-kind mystery tour, exploring the landscape of British mysteries and the lives of famous authors from Devon and Oxford to the heart of London.
Tour Details
WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Lourdes F.This is my second mystery tour, and it was absolutely amazing. I came away with new favorite authors, wonderful memories and new friends who share my mystery addiction!
- Kathy C.The tour was excellent, and the trio of ladies who led us are also excellent. Actually seeing where authors have located their stories makes reading the mysteries more enjoyable, adds another dimension to the story.
- Wayne B.You can't see it all on one or even two trips so having knowledgeable leaders and an overall theme provided focus and made the selection of sights and cultural experiences relevant. We saw sights and gained insights that you just don't get on the average sightseeing tour. There was not a single "ok, that's nice" moment.
- Irma C.If you like to learn and have fun at the same time, take a Smithsonian tour.
JOURNEYS DISPATCHES
Overview
Expectations: Longer tour with mostly full-day excursions by motor coach, with three hotel stays. Full-day excursions entail daily activity of up to six hours and walking up to four miles. Travelers will spend much of their days on their feet, walking and standing during walking tours, museum visits, and indoor/outdoor sites and activities. Walking may entail uneven terrain, cobblestones, city hills, stairs (some without handrails), and absence of elevators; some longer walks to get to city centers or venues where coaches are prohibited. This tour features a train ride aboard a historic steam train and a river cruise, which require good balance to navigate and possibly climbing steep steps to board the train.
Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit and comfortable with longer days of touring (both walking tours and coach time).
- Lourdes F.This is my second mystery tour, and it was absolutely amazing. I came away with new favorite authors, wonderful memories and new friends who share my mystery addiction!
- Kathy C.The tour was excellent, and the trio of ladies who led us are also excellent. Actually seeing where authors have located their stories makes reading the mysteries more enjoyable, adds another dimension to the story.
- Wayne B.You can't see it all on one or even two trips so having knowledgeable leaders and an overall theme provided focus and made the selection of sights and cultural experiences relevant. We saw sights and gained insights that you just don't get on the average sightseeing tour. There was not a single "ok, that's nice" moment.
- Irma C.If you like to learn and have fun at the same time, take a Smithsonian tour.
To see itinerary, please click on an option below.
Itinerary
Days 1 & 2 — Depart the U.S. / Arrive in London
Depart the U.S. for London. Upon arrival the next day, meet the group to transfer to Torquay, the birthplace of Agatha Christie, set along the Devon coast. Gather in the evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel. (R, D)
Day 3 — Torquay
Delve into the world of Agatha Christie, beginning at St. Mary’s Church, where she regularly attended mass. During a driving tour, experience the landscapes so richly described in Christie’s books and visit Greenway, her beloved home and the setting for three of her novels. Enjoy lunch at a local pub before a visit to Dartmoor Prison, where American prisoners of war were notoriously kept after the War of 1812. This evening is at your leisure. (B, L)
Day 4 — Dartmouth and Cheltenham
View some of Christie’s photographs, letters, manuscripts, and memorabilia during a guided tour of the Torquay Museum. Then climb aboard the Dartmouth Steam Valley Railway for a journey famously taken by Hercule Poirot, Christie’s charismatic Belgian detective. Your route follows the spectacular Devon coast, past picturesque stations featured in the ABC Murders. Disembark in Paignton and continue by road to Cheltenham, situated at the edge of the charming Cotswolds district. Check in to your historic hotel, where you will be joined by a renowned crime novelist for dinner and an exclusive discussion about their most recent work. (B, D)
Day 5 — Oxford
Set out on a full day excursion to Oxford. A mystery lover’s paradise, Oxford has produced an abundance of crime writers, including Dorothy L. Sayers and P.D. James. Its academic ambiance, ancient towers, and hidden quads set the scene for an extensive list of mysteries, including works by Sayers and Colin Dexter. Embark on a guided walking tour which dives deep into the real-world setting of Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse fiction series. See the stunning locations used for filming the TV adaptation of the series, as well as the sequel and prequel series, Lewis and Endeavour. After lunch in a local restaurant, explore a building that has seen over 1,000 years of splendor, crime, and punishment: Oxford Castle and Prison. (B, L)
Day 6 — London
En route to London this morning, stop at Syon House, a 16th-century estate with sprawling gardens and stately interiors that have inspired intrigue and mystery and been used as the setting for many film and TV series, including ITV’s Poirot, Downton Abbey, and BBC’s Silent Witness. Continue to London and check in to your hotel. Tonight, enjoy an evening at the theater with a viewing of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap in the city’s renowned West End theater district. (B)
Day 7 — London
Begin the day in Victorian London, where many a mystery writer has orchestrated a crime. Take a guided tour of the Inns of Court, the center of London’s law profession, which is featured in James’s A Certain Justice. Visit Lincoln Inn before lunch and a tour at Middle Temple Hall. Then meander through Highgate Cemetery, which has been featured on such mystery shows as Waking the Dead, MI-5, and Luther. With its sinuous paths winding up a steep wooded hill past ivy-clad monuments, it is perhaps the most famous of London’s “magnificent seven” burial grounds. Its history has ranged from distinguished to notorious, and its “residents” include Karl Marx and Adam Worth, the criminal mastermind widely considered to be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s inspiration for Sherlock Holmes’ Professor Moriarty. Take advantage of an evening at leisure tonight. (B, L)
Day 8 — London
Pay a morning visit to Covent Garden, the lively marketplace investigated by Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. Tour the Bow Street Police Museum and hear the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Metropolitan Police officers who patrolled the streets of Covent Garden beginning in the 18th century. In the afternoon, explore the Houses of Parliament on a guided tour and learn the history and heritage of the United Kingdom’s governmental system. This evening, gather for a farewell reception and dinner, featuring a presentation by a special mystery writer guest. Perhaps it will be one of London’s “Killer Women,” but for now…it’s a mystery. (B, R, D)
Day 9 — Depart for the U.S.
Depart London for the U.S. on individual flights. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)