Travel as a group from your home city to London. Flight schedules TBD.

“O Brave New World that has such people in it!”

Meet your Discovery Expedition Tour Leader in international arrivals. After a quick stretch and snack, we will drive to Runnymeade – the location of the signing of the Magna Carte. Once we arrive to Stratford-Upon-Avon, we check into our hotel and have a quick refresh before stretching our legs and orienting to downtown Stratford-upon-Avon. Dinner at the Old Thatch Tavern will be followed by “What is Your Will” workshop, our opening activity to prepare us for the week ahead.

“When I was at home, I was in a better place…”

The first day begins with a tour Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (home of Shakespeare’s wife), followed by visiting Hall’s Croft (owned by Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband). We indulge at the Fourteas, a 1940’s themed tea room, for lunch. Next, we jump straight into Shakespeare’s words with a Text in Action workshop at the Shakespeare Centre, followed by taking in the beautiful Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was baptized. Last by not least, we discover the private and public areas of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre through an interactive behind-the-scenes tour. Dinner at The Dirty Duck – the most popular spot for thespians – will be followed by a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

“Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow…”

As we journey towards London, we briefly stop in Oxford to visit several Harry Potter and Alice and Wonderland sites, including Christ Church College. We take lunch there before continuing to London. After stopping at the hotel, we will meet our Blue Badge Guide who will bring all of London’s history, ceremony, and pageantry will come to life in a walking tour of: Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, The London Eye, The River Thames, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben. Dinner will be followed by a show in the West End.

“What’s Past is Prologue”

Today is a Museum Morning, where we visit both the British Museum and the British Library to take in some of England’s most extraordinary literary treasures: from the Rosetta Stone and the Magna Carta, to handwritten Beatles lyrics. We lunch in Borough Market at London Bridge before embarking on an exclusive tour of the Royal National Theatre, preeminent theatre of the West End, followed by their physical theatre workshop. Dinner in the Southbank. Evening options include: Ride the London Eye, or visit Trafalgar Square at night.

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.”

All aboard the Hogwarts’s Express! Today’s lesson begins with the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, including the holding room, the cinema, and the Great Hall. See the real sets, costumes and props used in the films, and go behind-the-scenes to see how they were all made! Afterward, we have a lesson with the education team (subject to availability). Once we’ve eaten lunch (including butterbeer and chocolate frogs), we continue to other sites of Harry Potter World, including: Knight Bus, Privet Drive, and the Wand Tribute Room Finish the Day with a green screen broom ride experience!

“Education never ends… It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last.”

As we continue to explore new and old stories which originated in the UK, we add in the world’s most famous sleuths – Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Though reimagined in hundreds of ways, we begin our exploration of the detectives at the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street itself. After lunch, we go to the East End for a matinee. This evening, embark on a walking tour of Holmes’ and Sir Conan Doyle’s London, as well as the sites of BBC filming.

“All the World’s a Stage.”

Old meets new today as we tour both the Rose Theatre as well as Shakespeare’s Globe, a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre. After lunch and time for exploration at Borough Market, we go to Theatre Deli rehearsal spaces for an exclusive workshop. Potential Partnership: Various playwrights of the London Scene, or Company Three, a vibrant company for youth ages 11-19 who collaborate with professional actors. Sunday Roast with other young theatre students! A chance to be social with like-minded theatre artists who are as passionate about performance as you are.

“You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”

Option A- With the skills learned in the previous day’s workshop, students break into three groups (Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, or William Shakespeare), each with a faculty member and a teaching artist/guide. These teams will visit 1-2 more sites relating to their literary theme. Not only will the groups take in more of the history and excitement behind these locations, but they will also be guided by the teaching artist to create their own short site-specific performance. Time depending, performances will be shared with the other two group either in person, or via video.

Option B – The group as a whole continues to explore London at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the morning, following by 1-2 more sites of whichever the literary theme of their choosing.

This evening, a farewell dinner & tour toasts.