Cheltenham has welcomed visitors for nearly 300 years, ever since the discovery of spa waters here. It is the most complete Regency town in Britain and a wonderful base for a holiday which takes in a gorgeous medieval market town, an impressive fairytale castle, a record-breaking fountain and a gentle canal boat cruise along the River Severn or the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.
Including...
4 nights in Cheltenham (accommodation as specified or similar)
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to the DoubleTree by Hilton Cheltenham (4T) (2017) or Jurys Inn Cheltenham (4T) (2018), on the outskirts of Cheltenham. We aim for you to arrive at the hotel between 4pm and 5pm. Spend the remaining afternoon at leisure, relaxing in the hotel or familiarising yourself with your surroundings. Dinner at the hotel is included this evening.
Day 2 Eastnor Castle
Our excursion takes us to the outstanding Eastnor Castle. Enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits before a guided tour of some of the rooms, including the impressive state rooms and Great Hall, which is nearly 60ft high. This family home, full of fine art and medieval armour, is completed with 5,000 acres of beautiful parkland. We return to Cheltenham for free time to explore. This elegant town grew in the 18th and 19th centuries from the wealth of visitors who came to bathe in the spa waters, including King George III who made use of it in 1788. Much of the Regency architecture can be seen today, and you can still sample the spa waters at the beautiful Pittville Pump Room.
Day 3 Gloucester Waterways Museum - Canal Cruise
Today we visit the Gloucester Waterways Museum, which tells the story of the Victorian docks and celebrates the 2,000 miles of inland waterways which have linked British industries for 200 years. The museum offers an insight into the creation and workings of the canals, including the use of horses and the wildlife that has benefited from their creation. We then board a canal boat to experience either the River Severn or the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, as we enjoy tea and cake.
Day 4 Stanway House - Cheltenham
This morning we visit Stanway House, an outstandingly beautiful Jacobean manor house with the lovely honey hew of Cotswold stone. We take a guided tour to appreciate its furnishings, much of it as old as the house. We also have time to explore the fine, landscaped gardens which are a highlight for many. From the centre of its reservoir, the single jet fountain in the water gardens surges over 300 feet into the air - it is the tallest fountain in Britain and the tallest gravity-fed fountain in the world. We return to Cheltenham to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 5 Cheltenham
Following breakfast, you will be collected at 10am by your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.