Your journey begins when you depart on your international overnight flight to England.

Welcome to London! Our representative will greet you and escort you to your bus. You’ll drive to Canterbury, the ecclesiastical capital of England. Tour the historic Canterbury Cathedral where Thomas à Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights of Henry II in 1170. While many of the original structures were dismantled during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Canterbury rose again to prominence as home to French Huguenots escaping persecution. Local legend says the signing to hire the Mayflower to take pilgrims to the new world took place in Canterbury. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Journey north to Cambridge University, founded in 1209 by a small group of masters and students fleeing riot-torn Oxford. Early reformers like William Tyndale attended Cambridge, and at the White Horse Inn, a group of men introduced concepts from the German Reformation to England. Cambridge’s Sidney Sussex College produced Oliver Cromwell, leader of Protestant and Republican reforms in England. Visit King’s College chapel to see Rubens’ breathtaking Adoration of the Magi. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

This morning’s first stop is Boston, the birthplace of John Foxe and home to St. Boltoph’s Church, built in 1319. In 1607, Puritan leaders (then known as Separatists) were held at Boston’s Guildhall for dissent from the Church of England and tried to depart for Holland in search of freedom of worship. Travel on to Lutterworth, where John Wycliffe served at the Parish Church of St. Mary while translating the Bible into English. Today’s final stop is Coventry, a city nearly destroyed by German bombers in 1940. When the town was rebuilt, it chose to leave the charred remains of the old Coventry Cathedral next to the new modern one, and together they stand as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the British people. Tonight, join the people of Coventry Cathedral for Evensong. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

This morning, you’ll explore the city of Oxford and see some of the colleges here. You will tour Christ Church College, one of the 39 colleges that are part of Oxford University. You will also visit the Christ Church Cathedral, which houses beautiful paintings and is home to Great Tom, an 18,000-pound bell that rings every night at 9:05, signaling the closing of the college gates. William Tyndale earned a Bachelor of Arts from Magdalen Hall (Hertford College) in 1512. He left for London in 1523 to seek permission to translate the Bible into English. You will visit the Sheldonian Theater, where scholars have graduated or been granted honorary degrees since 1669. See also the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera. You will see other famous landmarks like the Bridge of Sighs and the Martyr’s Memorial. Check into your hotel for the overnight. Dinner not included.(B)

Take a scenic drive through the charming villages of the Cotswolds, where honey-colored cottages cluster together in secluded valleys. Enjoy a visit to Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the most visited Cotswold villages. You will head to Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was signed. Continue to London, where your local tour guide will take you on a panoramic sightseeing tour of the city before stopping at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Attend St. Paul’s Cathedral Evensong service if available. Check into your London Hotel. Dinner is not included. (B)

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress (which contains the Tower of London) stands on the banks of the Thames River in the heart of London. William the Conqueror originally began construction in 1078, and although this historic castle was not originally intended to be a prison, it once held kings, queens, religious leaders, children, and even Nazi Rudolf Hess. Reformers such as Sir John Oldcastle were imprisoned here during the repression of the Lollards in the 1400s. Then, proceed to Westminster Abbey. The Westminster Confession of Faith was written here, and the abbey contains the graves of many famous people, including England’s early kings and queens. Enjoy some free time to walk around this area of London before returning to your hotel. Dinner is not included.