Short Breaks

3 Countries Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 13 April 2009
Ostend, our base for this continental three countries short break, is a cosmopolitan city and seaside resort with a rich historical past situated on the north-west coast of Belgium. The beach, on the north side of the city, is long and sandy, there is a beach front promenade, a pier, and a bustling harbour and marina. Ostend is ideally located for excursions out and about in Belgium and, as you will discover, into neighbouring Holland and France.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to Ostend via the Eurotunnel with a short detour to De Panne (known for its vast golden beach and gastronomic delights) for lunch, taking the scenic coastal route.

Day 2 - Day trip to Antwerp, a pocketsize metropolis with a refreshingly down-to-earth yet vivacious cosmopolitan atmosphere, blessed with magnificent architecture, fashionable shop fronts, and restaurant tables piled with plates of superb Belgian and multicultural food. Antwerp is perhaps best known as a centre for diamonds - about 60% of the world’s diamonds are traded here. Well worth a visit to the Diamond Museum.

Day 3 - Free time to explore Ostend or join an included excursion to Sluis - Sluis is probably the most Flemish town of the Netherlands with an extremely rich history and culture, located near the Belgium border and with ancient commercial ties to Bruges for which it was once a port. This is a city that counts itself one of the most attractive shopping, dining and entertaining cities in Europe. As soon as you enter the city limits and visit the countless restaurants, shops and historic sights you will feel as if you have entered a different world - old times and new blending into a perfect combination, partly as a result of the extensive reconstruction after heavy bombing in 1944. The city offers historic ramparts, a restored windmill damaged in World War II, a canal and quay and for the more energetic, climb the Belfort (Belfry) to enjoy panoramic views of the entire city. Sluis is well worth a visit.

Day 4 - Day trip to Ghent, an industrial city with an interesting, compact medieval core. Much of the city’s medieval architecture remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. Its centre is the largest car free area in Belgium. Highlights include numerous churches, the Castle of the Counts of Flanders and Saint Bavo Cathedral, renowned for its beauty and the art that it contains.

Day 5 - We depart after breakfast for home via St Flora’s Castle, a unique shopping experience. Based in the castle of the Belgian King Alfred I where the Belgian monarchy lived during the Great War, the castle’s current owners offer you a complimentary drink in the orangery of the castle before you get down to the serious business of shopping. Their shop is an absolute must for tourists. Then we travel to Boulogne for lunch and free time before boarding the Eurotunnel for the return journey.

Your Hotel:
The Europe Hotel, Ostend, offers stylish rooms with modern facilities, colour television, direct dial phone, room safe and bathroom with bath, shower and toilet. The hotel features a cosy lounge, bar and restaurant. Guests can warm up in the Sauna, unwind in the Turkish Steam Bath, or cool off in the pool. There is also a basic fitness room. The hotel is in a quiet location in the heart of the town just 50 metres from the promenade, the beach and the sea.
www.europehotel.be

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities.
Day excursion to Antwerp.
Day excursion to Ghent.
Optional day excursion to Sluis.
Stops in De Panne, St Flora’s Castle and Boulogne.
Return executive coach travel via Eurotunnel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£295 per person sharing double or twin en-suite rooms
£295 per person in single en-suite room with no single person supplement (limited availability)
Departure Code: Q

Isle of Wight Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 11 May 2009
The Isle of Wight is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing break at any time of the year. It is a stunning Island with unspoilt scenery, home to some of the most diverse countryside in the UK, and a wealth of fascinating attractions, all within an area of just 147 square miles. Our base for this short break is Shanklin, in the south eastern corner of the Isle of Wight, situated in beautiful ‘Sandown Bay’ which is fringed by a wonderful six mile stretch of sandy beach.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - We journey to Shanklin via the ferry from Portsmouth, a thirty minute crossing to Fishbourne. Our journey to the hotel will take us through the ancient village of Arreton, settled over 1000 years ago, in the traditional and geographical heart of the island. It is now home to the newly refurbished Arreton Barns Craft Village keeping traditional skills alive. Here we will take lunch before continuing to the Shanklin Hotel.

Day 2 - After breakfast we travel to the historic county town of Newport, in the centre of the island, for their local Market Day, with plenty of time to browse and purchase lunch, before we take a short journey down to the Needles & Alum Bay, returning to the hotel, via a scenic coastal tour.

Day 3 - This is a free day, for you to explore the island yourself. Don’t forget to collect your complimentary Day Rover ticket for the local bus service.

Day 4 - After breakfast we journey to Osborne House, former seaside holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (admission included). The afternoon will be your free time to spend in Cowes, the Isle of Wight’s main port and well known as the world’s premier yachting centre. Cowes remains a small town with a friendly, cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Day 5 - We depart after breakfast for a lunchtime visit to Ryde, a pleasant Victorian town, before beginning our journey home via the ferry.

Your Hotel:
The Shanklin Hotel overlooks the bay with great panoramic views of the surrounding countryside yet just a few minutes walk from the busy town centre. The gently sloping sandy beach provides great swimming opportunities and for enjoying the sun. The hotel is within 100 metres of the cliff lift which takes you down to the esplanade and lovely sandy beaches. All bedrooms have en suite bath and shower, direct dial phones, television and hospitality tray. Our restaurant looks out over Sandown Bay. Here we provide a varied and quality menu where modern and traditional influences are blended to suit all tastes. Unwind in the beautiful indoor heated pool room, take a swim or relax in the sauna and bubbles of the spa pool.
www.shanklinhotel.co.uk

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities. Visit to Arreton Barns Craft Village.
Excursion to Newport with coastal tour to the Needles and Alum Bay. Excursion to Osborne House and Cowes.
Half day excursion to Ryde.
Day Rover bus travel ticket.
Return executive coach travel via Ferry.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£275 per person sharing double or twin en-suite rooms
£275 per person in single en-suite room with no single person supplement (limited availability)
Departure Code: Q

Great Yarmouth Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 06 July 2009
Great Yarmouth has a rich and proud maritime heritage and its prosperous herring fishery made it one of the wealthiest towns in Britain in years gone by, although these days it services the offshore natural gas rigs. There are lots of beautiful, ancient buildings to see in the town centre and around the historic South Quay as well as all the bright lights you would expect from a popular seaside resort. It is the perfect base for touring the beautiful Norfolk countryside and its neighbouring counties and attractions.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel up via a comfort stop at Birchanger Green Services near Stansted to the historic city of Norwich. Set in the heart of East Anglia, the city has everything you would desire of a vibrant regional capital - a modern cultural city with beautiful heritage, sophisticated shopping and mouth-watering restaurants. Norwich is the most complete medieval city in Britain, but it’s also one of the top five places to shop!

Day 2 - Today we journey by coach to the coastal resort of Cromer. Here we take an early lunch before a short journey to Wroxham, where you can enjoy a river trip on Broads, Britain’s largest protected wetland and third largest inland waterway, with the status of a national park and home to some of the rarest plants and animals in the UK. Discover the Broads from the comfort of a vessel fully equipped and crewed by experts in their field. A full commentary from the skipper will explain the origins of the Broads identify points of interest along the way and show you the abundance of local wildlife as they come into view. River trip departs from Wroxham at 1pm and lasts 1½ hours.

Day 3 - We travel to Cambridge, home of the famous University, carols in King’s College Chapel and punting on the river Cam. The beauty of its ancient centre is preserved with its walkable medieval streets, college courts, gardens and bridges. After free time in the morning a local guide will take you on a short informative walking tour then will join you on board the coach to continue the tour in comfort, visiting the American Cemetery at Madingley the only American WW2 burial ground in England. The 3,800 white crosses and the Portland stone wall inscribed with 5,000 names, pay tribute to American servicemen and women who died in the war.

Day 4 - We take a morning trip to Sandringham, the country retreat of Her Majesty the Queen, which has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs. Visitors can explore the beautiful gardens and the Museum, which houses collections of Royal memorabilia. After lunch we travel on to Hunstanton for a guided coach tour of Nelson’s Norfolk and the Saxon shore with a coffee break at the Norfolk Lavender Farm.

Day 5 - After breakfast we travel home via Thetford Forest with a comfort stop for lunch.

Your Hotel:
The Star Hotel with its striking black and white facade looks out over the River Yare and is just a mile from the beach. Parts of the hotel date back to the 17th century. The hotel offers excellent service and accommodation, with two bars and a spacious restaurant.
www.elizabethhotels.co.uk

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities.
Day excursion to Cambridge with guided walking & coach tour, including visit to WW2 American
Cemetery at Madingley.
River trip on the Norfolk Broads. Excursion to Sandringham House & Gardens and Nelson’s Norfolk & Saxon Shore Tour.
Stops in Norwich, Cromer and the Norfolk Lavender Farm.
Return executive coach travel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£299 per person sharing double or twin ensuite rooms
£299 per person in single en suite room with no single person supplement (limited availability)
Departure Code: Q

South Wales Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 17 August 2009
In the heart of South Wales, the Brecon Beacons is a beautiful area with dramatic scenery, varied wild life and an intriguing past. The ideal base for touring the area. It is a landscape of contrasts with wild, open moor land and water falls, windswept mountains and sheltered valleys, bustling market towns and isolated farmsteads. In this rural area farming dominates the landscape and Welsh cultural traditions are warmly regarded. The National Park covers some 519 square miles, over half of which is 1,000 feet above sea level.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to Carmarthen with coffee stop at Studley Grange Craft Village arrving in time for dinner at the Ivy Bush Royal Hotel.

Day 2 - Coach tour of the Brecon Beacons taking in the Black Mountain, set in the spectacular western section of the National Park, one of the most remote unspoilt areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Day 3 - Morning trip to Carmarthen Market, the oldest market in Wales, dating back to Roman times. We follow this with an afternoon coach tour to Tenby, a town steeped in ancient history surrounded by an imposing medieval stone wall built in the 13th century, travelling through scenic coastal Pembrokeshire.

Day 4 - We visit Cardigan Bay, an ancient Welsh cultural and commercial centre on the Teifi estuary, now a thriving market town full of Georgian and Victorian buildings, traditional shops and a charming nostalgic atmosphere, and Cenarth, a charming and historic village, nestled upon the River Teifi in West Wales. For years people have visited Cenarth to see the spectacular falls that lie at the heart of the village where the salmon can be seen leaping. Then it’s on to St David’s, the smallest city in Wales and the UK, having a population of just 1600. Named after St David, the patron saint of Wales, who was born and established his work here in the 6th century, the city’s attractions include St David’s Cathedral, a site of pilgrimage for hundreds of years.

Day 5 - After breakfast we travel home via St Fagan’s, Cardiff, one of Europe’s foremost openair museums and Wales’s most popular heritage attraction. It stands in the grounds of the magnificent late 16th century St Fagan’s Castle.

Your Hotel:
The Ivy Bush Royal Hotel in Carmarthen commands a spectacular position at the gateway to the Golden West, and has long welcomed leisure and business guests in considerable comfort and style. Once a favoured retreat for Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, the hotel has been sympathetically modernised to blend its old world charm with modern facilities All our en suite bedrooms have the usual facilities you would expect, such as televisions with satellite channels, radio, telephone, a hairdryer, ironing centres and, of course, a hospitality tray for that refreshing cup of tea. Fresh local produce is used extensively in our seasonal menus and Welsh Black beef from a local farm feature prominently with succulent results.
www.ivybushroyal.co.uk

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities. Excursion to Cardigan Bay, Cenarth & St David’s.
Coach tours of Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire.
Excursion to Carmarthen Market & Tenby.
Stops at Studley Grange Craft Village and St Fagan’s, Cardiff. Return executive coach travel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£295 per person sharing double or twin en-suite rooms
£295 per person in single en-suite room with no single person supplement (limited availability

Departure Code: Q

Lake District Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 14 September 2009
The Lake District, also know as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a popular holiday destination famous for its lush-green hillsides, fells, dales, mountains and picturesque lakes. Its stunning scenery inspired the writings of William Wordsworth, John Ruskin & Beatrix Potter in the 19th century, and today is second only to London in the UK tourist popularity stakes.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to the Lake District via the M6 toll road, Britain’s first privately funded tolled motorway which stretches for 27 miles, enjoying the scenery with lunch and comfort stops, arriving at the Shap Wells Hotel in time for dinner.

Day 2 - Visit to Moffat, a quaint Scottish market town, famous for its 19th century Victorian spa town heritage when visitors flocked here to take the Sulphurous Well Waters. Today you can browse the historic high street and unusual specialist shops for the local toffee, malt whisky, haggis, home-made ice cream and lavender water (invented here in 1800). We return via the award-winning Tebay Westmorland Services, the only family owned and run motorway services in the UK renowned for its locally stocked Butchers Counter and Farm Shop.

Day 3 - Travel to Lake Windermere by coach, enjoying England’s largest and arguably, prettiest lake, more than ten miles long. Many of the area’s best loved mountains are visible from the lake and its shores. We then board the Windermere cruise from Lakeside to Ambleside(subject to weather conditions) before enjoying free time in the village of Ambleside to explore its specialist shops, galleries and museums, returning to the hotel in time for dinner.

Day 4 - Free time to explore the area at your own pace - the coach will take you into Kendal after breakfast and collect you mid afternoon. Be sure to purchase some of the local Mint Cake. After dinner we travel to Blackpool to enjoy the traditional Illuminations. At ten kilometres long and using over one million bulbs the Blackpool Illuminations are an awesome spectacle, consisting of almost every kind of light display you can imagine: lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. There are three-dimensional illuminated scenes and set pieces where the characters and objects portrayed seem to “move” by way of the winking lights.

Day 5 - Reluctantly we depart after breakfast for the return journey home, with a comfort stop at the M6 Toll Road Services at Norton Canes in South Staffordshire.

Your Hotel:
Located half way between Kendal & Penrith in the heart of the Lake District, the Shap Wells Hotel overlooks the River Birkbeck and neighbouring fells. The hotel has undergone a continuous programme of expansion and refurbishment over the last 40 years and is Cumbria’s largest family owned hotel. First time guests will not fail to notice the unique friendliness, informal atmosphere and exceptional hospitality. All rooms have private bath and/or shower, toilet, television, telephone, radio and tea & coffee making facilities. Our reputation for food is envied by other hotels in the Lake District. We serve fresh, wholesome, well presented menus, specialising in serving large numbers with meals that are enjoyable and are served efficiently, with as little fuss as possible.
www.shapwells.com

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities. Excursion to Moffatt & Tebay Westmorland Services.
Coach tour of Lake Windermere & a lake Cruise.
Coach transfer to/from Kendal for free time then evening at Blackpool Illuminations.
2 nights after-dinner entertainment.
Return executive coach travel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£295 per person sharing double or twin en-suite rooms
£365 per person in single en-suite room (limited availability)
Departure Code: Q

Turkey & Tinsel Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 07 December 2009
Skegness is a Lincolnshire seaside town perhaps best known as the location of the first Butlins holiday resort, built in 1936. It remains one of the more famous seaside resorts in the UK, with plenty of fish & chip shops, arcades, fairground rides, crazy golf and other traditional seaside entertainments, the perfect base for visiting Lincoln, the surrounding countryside and historic market towns of Lincolnshire.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to Skegness with stops at Birchanger Green Services near Stansted for lunch and at Springfields Outlet Shopping & Festival Gardens, Spalding for a mid-afternoon coffee and comfort break, arriving at The Royal Hotel, Skegness in time for a complimentary welcome drink before a three-course candle-lit dinner.

Day 2 - Visits to the pretty market towns of Louth & Horncastle in the morning, then on to Lincoln for the afternoon, dropping off in the cobbled streets near the famous Lincoln Cathedral and Castle. This evening we enjoy a traditional candle-lit Christmas Dinner in the hotel and a visit from Father Christmas followed by musical entertainment and dancing.

Day 3 - After breakfast we journey to the attractive market town of Boston, dominated by the 14th century St. Botolph’s Church whose 271ft high tower (Boston Stump) is a landmark for miles around. Enjoy the lively open market, the largest in Lincolnshire, which takes place twice a week, and has been held here for over 450 years. In the afternoon we visit the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby, the only Airfield Museum in the country recreated to its original WW2 design. Exhibits include a Lancaster Bomber “Just Jane”, a Spitfire, an original Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb, and the RAF Escaping Society collection, a tribute to all those who helped crashed airmen in occupied Europe. Your candle-lit dinner this evening is followed by a Christmas Quiz.

Day 4 - Free time in Skegness during the day, with complimentary afternoon tea & mince pies served in the hotel. This evening we enjoy a New Years Eve Gala Dinner, with music and dancing afterwards.

Day 5 - Reluctantly we return home after breakfast via historic Peterborough for a lunch break with time to explore its three shopping centres and ancient Cathedral.

Your Hotel:
The Royal Hotel, Skegness is an elegant 19th century hotel constructed in 1890. During its chequered past the hotel has been a Victorian school, Royal Air Force convalescent home, Second World War communications centre and Victorian spa baths to name but a few! Now once again firmly established as a hotel, we ask you to indulge yourself with fine food, wine and drink whilst relaxing in a friendly and homely atmosphere. Being a Victorian hotel, all the bedrooms vary in size, shape and views. All rooms feature colour television, most with DVD players, direct dial telephone, tea and coffee making facilities.
www.theroyalhotelskegness.co.uk

What’s Included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities.
Day excursion to Louth, Horncastle & Lincoln.
Day excursion to Boston (Market Day) followed by the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.
Free time in Skegness.
Christmas Dinner.
New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner and after dinner entertainment.
Return executive coach travel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
£255 per person sharing double or twin ensuite rooms
£255 per person in single en suite room with no single person supplement (limited availability)
Departure Code: Q

Glencoe Short Break 5 Days / 4 Nights

Monday, 11 January 2010
Located in the scenic Highlands of Scotland, Glencoe has been described as a destination to rival anywhere the rest of the world has to offer. The breathtakingly beautiful combination of sparkling lochs, rugged mountains, lush glens and fast-flowing rivers provides everything essential to a good holiday. The area around Glencoe and Fort William offers clean air, breathtaking scenery and a wealth of interest.

Your Itinerary:
Day 1 - Travel to Scotland via the award winning Tebay Westmoreland Services and the quaint scottish town of Moffatt arriving at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel in time for dinner.

Day 2 - Our coach tour begins at the former British Army Commando Centre at Achnacarry with commanding views (weather permitting) of Ben Nevis just 18 miles away, reaching the summit of which was only one of the challenges for a day’s training at the camp which opened in 1942. We continue on to the famous Loch Ness, over 20 miles long, a mile wide and 700 feet at its deepest- the largest body of water in Scotland. The Loch Ness Monster is just one of the many myths and legends to be discovered in this particularly mysterious corner of Scotland. We stop for lunch and some Nessie spotting at the village of Drumnadrochit before visiting the Ben Nevis Distillery, the oldest distillery in Scotland. Nestled at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, we take a guided tour of the distillery, including complimentary invitation to ‘take a dram’ and savour the Uisge beatha - the water of life.

Day 3 - After breakfast the coach will take you to the bustling port of Oban (“little bay” in Gaelic) famous for its panoramic views which have captivated artists, authors, composers, and poets for centuries. Oban occupies a beautiful setting in the Firth of Lorn and its many attractions include the Waterfront Centre, the Cathedral of St Columba, the Oban Distillery, Dunollie Castle, Dunstaffnage Castle and McCaig’s Tower, which dominates the town’s skyline. The coach will collect you mid-afternoon.

Day 4 - We spend the day at the Castle of Inveraray, nestled on the banks of Loch Fyne, ancestral home of the Campbell clan and residence of the current Duke of Argyll. Inveraray Castle is a remarkable and unique piece of architecture incorporating Baroque, Palladian and Gothic styles. The gardens cover sixteen acres, of which around two acres are formal lawns and flowerbeds, the remainder being park and woodland. The castle tearoom serves refreshments, snacks and light meals.

Day 5 - Reluctantly we depart after breakfast travelling home via village of Gretna Green famous for its weddings, where we take a lunch break with a further comfort stop en-route.

Your Hotel:
The Isles of Glencoe Hotel is friendly, modern 3 star hotel offering spacious bedrooms with loch and mountain-views and a relaxed, convivial ambience. The hotel is set on its own loch side peninsula with three kilometres of water frontage. Relax in the sparkling waters of The Isles indoor heated swimming pool. Your stay with us grants you complimentary membership of The Isles Leisure Club and use of the Pool, Hydro Seat, Bio-Sauna and Gym.
www.islesofglencoe.com

What’s included:
Four nights Half Board accommodation.
Full use of hotel facilities.
Coach tour taking in Achnacarry, Drumnadrochit, Loch Ness & Ben Nevis.
Excursion to Ben Nevis Distillery & Visitor Centre.
Day excursion to Oban.
Day excursion to Inveraray Castle.
Stops at Tebay Westmoreland. Services, Moffatt and Gretna Green.
Return executive coach travel.

5 Days / 4 Nights
Four nights Half Board Accommodation (Bed,
Breakfast and Evening Meal)
Price per person- To be announced early 2009
Departure Code P starts from 0500
Departure Code: