Go off the well-beaten track, explore a different side to the United Kingdom
Choosing from nine special new experiences will give you the chance to explore key attractions in a cozy, exclusive tour setting. These luxurious tours have no more than 16 people, which allows you to travel in style accompanied by both a dedicated driver and a professional guide, who will create a sightseeing experience that is fit for a king or a queen. Evan Evans specializes in unforgettable, hand-crafted trips to Britain’s most iconic locations, and is perfectly suited to bring the UK’s history and heritage to life.
Instead of blending in with the crowd, you’ll have the space and privacy to make your trip the most memorable. Smaller group sizes mean you’ll have the space to get on a first-name basis with the people you’re traveling with. You’ll also be able to spend more time with our expert tour guides, who can give you the inside scoop on some of the country’s most fascinating historical attractions. Get off the beaten track and experience a new side of the United Kingdom, from Cold War history to artisanal gin tasting.
Read more about these unique, exceptional tours:
Spy & Espionage Tour of London: On this three-hour tour you will explore the shadowy world of London with tales of treachery, tragedy and subterfuge. Learn about Britain’s top intelligence agencies and the different roles they play in protecting the country. You will see the home of MI6 that was famously featured in several James Bond movies, the headquarters of MI5 and visit the public sites where spies exchanged top-secret information to the Soviet Union. You’ll drive around the locations used by Intelligence Services to recruit their agents and be shaken and stirred by the stories of some of Britain’s most infamous traitors and double agents. Your tour will finish in style at the St Ermin’s Hotel where you see the former headquarter of MI6, and an original coded message written on silk hangers in the lobby. Afterwards, enjoy a vodka martini in the hotel’s Caxton Bar where, in the 1950’s, Guy Burgess handed over top-secret papers to his Russian handler. (3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31)
Wartime London: History enthusiasts will cherish this three-hour tour as they discover the devastating effect the Second World War had on the city of London. Our expert tour guide brings the story of this devastating chapter in British history to life over 75 years later. Explore the ruins of a church destroyed during the bombing and the bomb damage from the First World War. You’ll also see where Sir Winston Churchill delivered his VE Day speech to a jubilant British Crowd,important wartime headquarters such as Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Supreme headquarters and Downing Street, where Neville Chamberlain famously broadcast the British declaration of war on Germany. Pass through Parliament Square en-route to Whitehall, where along the way you’ll see the statues dedicated to notable Allied figures including Churchill, Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, as well as several monuments dedicated the Battle of Britain, Women of WWII and the Cenotaph- the site of Britain’s national war memorial. (3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31)
Underground London Small Group Walking Tour: On this fantastic two-hour tour you’ll go through the world’s oldest underground system. Learn all about the history of the ‘Tube’ as you travel through history from one of London’s earliest, original stations to its newest and most futuristic. Hear how the networks was built in the Victorian era and the variety of roles it has filled in its long history. Fans of trivia will also hear some interesting facts along the way, including which stations are reputed to be haunted by the ghosts of a murdered action, a Phaorah’s daughter and even a nun, why more than 40 stations have been left abandoned, which station lies above the remains of 1000 bodies and which monarch was the first to ride the ‘Tube.’ (2 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31)
Urban Culinary Experience London: This scrumptious tour will lift the lid on London’s thriving artisanal food and dining sector as you journey into Hackney, the city’s trendiest borough, to explore dining at a truly local level. Hackney is home to the thriving grassroots movement that has produced some of the city’s most memorable culinary and dining experiences. You’ll sample the food and wine in the home of a chef with Michelin Star experience who grows the ingredients for his food in a local allotment, experience the unique taste of an award-winning gin that is distilled under a railway arch in Hackney using traditional alembic copper stills, and visit the Luminary Bakery with a difference that gives back to the local community.( 4-hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31)
Borough Market & Gin Distillery Small Group Tour: This four-hour tour will allow you to leave the well-beaten track behind and do something different in London by experiencing London’s thriving artisanal food and drink market. While at the Borough Market, the oldest and largest food market in London dating back to 1014, you’ll have ample time to explore at your own leisure and indulge in what’s on offer, from Sri Lankan street food to charcuterie from South Tyrol and everything else in between. After your visit to the market, you will make your way to one of London’s well-known Gin distilleries to taste and learn about gin. You’ll go behind the scenes and discover how this local distillery produces gin, examine the difference between styles of gin and hear how the various herbs used in the distilling process impact the overall flavor. (4 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31)
Bath, Avebury & Lacock with Cream Tea: On this 10-hour tour, you will visit two of Britain’s UNESCO World Heritage sites and explore over 5,000 years of history. You’ll Begin by visiting the ancient Neolithic site at Avebury, which is home to the largest stone circle in the world, before making your way to the stunning English village of Lacock that dates back to the 13th century You’ll round your day off by exploring Bath, where ancient Roman and modern meet at the spot of Britain’s only natural thermal spring, and enjoy a traditional English cream tea experience at a riverside cafe overlooking the River Avon with plenty of scones, clotted cream and jam. (10 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31)
Leeds Castle, Canterbury & Kent: Journey into the heart of the English countryside and see beautiful, historic scenery on this 10-hour tour. You’ll start off at Leeds Castle, a beautiful medieval castle frequently referred to as ‘the loveliest castle in the world’ and was favored by Henry VIII, who gifted it to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Then head to the historic Gothic and Romanesque Cathedral City of Canterbury where you’ll see the city’s most iconic sites from part of a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey; St Martin’s Church, and Canterbury Cathedral. In Fordwich, the smallest town in Britain, you’ll learn about its quaint, village history when it was built in 1544 during the Tudor period, which features original herringbone brickwork and timbers. Admire the well-preserved roads and protected period buildings in another small village of Chilham, which is a popular location for television and film, including the BBC adaption of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ and the iconic 1944 film, ‘A Canterbury Tale’. (10 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31)
Windsor, Blenheim Palace & Gardens: Feel like royalty while visiting the stately UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and current private residence of the 12th Duke of Marlborough on this 10-hour tour. At Blenheim Palace, you can stroll through the beautifully landscaped gardens set in 2000 acres of beautiful parkland and enjoy lunch and traditional afternoon tea made from locally-sourced, fresh ingredients. Discover the historic town of Windsor, adorned by the beautiful Windsor Castle – home to British kings and queens for over 1000 years. Across the River Thames is the picturesque town of Eton, home of the renowned boarding school Eton College. Famous alumni to have attended this prestigious school include Princes’ William and Harry, Ian Fleming, George Orwell and politicians both past and present. (10 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31)
Oxford with a Picnic in the Cotswolds: Take a trip through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, the largest designated Area of Natural Beauty in the UK, on this 10-hour tour as you make your way to the historic market town hidden in the heart of the Cotswolds. Enjoy a typical English picnic lunchbefore heading off to explore the city of Oxford – home of the world-famous university and some of the finest period architecture in the UK. You’ll wander through the cobbled streets on a walking tour of the city with our expert tour guide, and see the charm and history of this fantastic, ancient city of life. Along the way, you’ll also see the beautiful Christ Church College where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed. (10 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31)
About Evan Evans
Evan Evans is the longest-established and largest sightseeing company in London, and has been accompanying visitors on city tours and out-of-town excursions since 1930. Our exciting range of tours bring you the best Britain has to offer, from majestic palaces and castles and quaint country villages to the historic cities of Bath, Oxford and Canterbury. All tours are operated to the highest standard of quality on our new fleet of luxury, air-conditioned coaches and are escorted by professional local guides, whose wealth of knowledge and experience will ensure you have a day out to remember.
About The TreadRight Foundation
Created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands, The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit working to help ensure the environment and communities we visit remain vibrant for generations to come. To date, TreadRight has supported some 50 sustainable tourism projects worldwide. The Foundation’s guiding principle is to encourage sustainable tourism development through conservation, leadership and support for communities. Foundation priorities are set by the Steering Committee, which includes sustainability leaders Céline Cousteau and Costas Christ. Past project partners include WWF, Conservation International, WildAid, The Travel Foundation and The National Trust in the UK. Current initiatives include supporting various women’s social enterprises through the Artisan Alliance, the recently announced Wildlife Conservation Society’s Big Cat fund, WE.org and inspiring nature advocates like Céline Cousteau and Terri Irwin. To learn more about our past and current work at TreadRight, please visit us at treadright.org.