Literary Tours

Example Itinerary - 12 Day Literary Tour of the UK

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Generally thought of as the greatest English writer of all time, certainly the greatest playwright and poet, Shakespeare was a master at fusing the popular genres of history, tragedy and comedy. Originally an actor himself, he brought theatre to the masses with masterpieces such as Hamlet, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, while his history plays were often strategically written to please the reigning monarch. Visit The Globe, on the site of Shakespeare’s actual Globe theatre and reconstructed to resemble the original playhouse, with the iconic round stage and standing room for the poor. A backstage guided tour and exhibition on Shakespeare’s world is followed by a walking riverside tour highlighting theatre life in Shakespeare’s time. On to picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon, to see Shakespeare’s birthplace, his school, tomb and the homes of his wife and mother. Enjoy a performance by the acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company before heading for Oxford, the beautiful city of spires.

JANE AUSTEN
Against a nostalgic backdrop of small villages and stately homes, Jane Austen’s legendary novels take her readers back to an idyllic 19th Century England. Drawing from her own life experiences, as an unmarried aunt dependent on family generosity, constantly moving between different family homes, Jane Austen’s work illustrates the role of women in society. Punctuated by delicious Georgian-style afternoon teas and typical pub lunches, this tour visits the houses which inspired the grand homes in her novels, locations used in the filming of Emma and Pride and Prejudice and retraces Jane Austen’s own steps, visiting her childhood home in Steventon; Chawton, where she revised and decided to publish her most famous works; Winchester, where she died and is buried and the beautiful city of Bath, where we visit the Pump Room, Assembly Rooms and Jane Austen Centre to really experience the Bath in her novels.  We also run a regular three day Jane Austen tour for individual travellers.

CHARLES DICKENS
Dickens’ novels, among the most popular in the English library, are a great insight into life in 19th Century England. Recurring themes including the plight of the poor, the need for social reform and the vulnerability of women and children reflect the author’s concerns about divisions in Victorian society. This tour is a journey through Charles Dickens’ England - London, where so many of his great novels take place; the Kent countryside which inspired him; Dickens World, a themed attraction which brings Dickensian England to life and historic Rochester, his home town, where Oliver Twist’s Nancy gives us a guided tour, picking out key locations from his books. Step back in time with the Rochester Festival, a nostalgic celebration of the traditions of the Victorian era, featuring colourful parades, music, dance and street theatre. The cobbled streets are crowded by Dickensian characters in period costume giving dramatic recitals from his most famous works.

THOMAS HARDY
Hardy’s poetry and novels celebrate all that is quintessentially English, from the countryside, woodlands and farming communities through to major cities and towns, reflecting the changes and juxtapositions which were taking place in Victorian society at the time - traditional values and the rural way of life versus the Industrial Revolution. Another key theme is the struggle to reconcile passion with position; the restrictions of class, birth and fortune and the problems which arise when people try to love out of their social sphere. This tour visits the locations which inspired Hardy’s fictional county of Wessex, such as Dorchester which inspired Casterbridge, Sturminster Newton which gave rise to Stourcastle and Shaftesbury and Salisbury which influenced Jude the Obscure. We also visit important places in Hardy’s own life, such as Hardy’s Cottage where he was born, Riverside Villa where he lived with his wife and the churchyard where his heart is buried.


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