England Brewery Tour

After clearing Customs and Immigration, you will be met by an assistant who will take you to your group's private coach for a short ride into London city where you will enjoy a panoramic tour. Check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

This morning board your coach for a short ride to the west London borough of Chiswick, to visit the Fuller's Griffin Brewery. Fuller's Griffin Brewery is one of the UK's largest independent brewers and home to a family of beers recognized as some of the best in the world. Their ales have won a glittering array of awards in the UK and overseas including, at CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival, being named Champion Beer of Britain an unprecedented five times. Free time for lunch at the Fuller's Griffin Brewery, and then you head west to take part in a tour of Bath Ales Brewery in nearby Kingswood. Bath Ales is an independent brewery that is relatively young but very competitive in their brews.

This morning your group will travel to the small Cotswold village of Hook Norton, where you will visit the brewery named after it. Hook Norton Brewery remains one of only 32 independent, family-run breweries; and you won't find a finer example of a Victorian tower brewery anywhere. The brewery can trace its origins back to 1849. Then it's back on the coach, for a short trip to Broadway, in Worcestershire, for a photo opportunity and lunch at the prestigious Lygon Arms hotel in Chipping Campden. This quaint English hotel was originally a 16th Century coaching inn.

Then you head to Burton upon Trent, for a tour of Marston's brewery. Established in 1834, Marston's still uses the fabled Burton Union fermenting system. Their award-winning ales collected five international brewing medals at the Millennium International Brewing Awards.

This morning you are headed to the National Brewery Centre where you will have a guided tour of the Brewing Experience incorporating the Bass Collection and the new William Worthington's Brewery, plus a 'meet the brewer' mixer, led by one of their specialist tour guides or Victorian-costumed actors. Today you learn, from experts in their field, the art of carefully selecting beers to complement the food served. You then head to the world famous Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Pub for lunch. This is England's oldest inn and, legend has it, a haunt of Robin Hood himself. Following lunch, a leisurely trip through the English countryside brings you to Suffolk, and the historic market town of Bury St. Edmunds. The town grew around the 11th Century abbey, which still stands today. After checking-in, you can rest up before a walking tour of the town, and dinner. One place not to overlook is the Nutshell, reputedly Britain's smallest pub, where most of the customers must drink on the pavement, outside this minuscule hostelry.

This morning, you embark on a tour of the locally-based Greene King brewery, famous for its strong British ales, such as Abbot Ale, Old Speckled Hen and a fine, self-named IPA. Then it's on to London, where you will spend one night in the city. The balance of the day is free for sightseeing and shopping.

Today you will take the group's private coach transfer to the airport for your flight home.