3-Day Isle of Wight and the Southern Coast Small-Group Tour from London

Queen Victoria loved her holidays. She travelled to Scotland, France, and Italy and stayed at lavish palaces and princely courts in lush locations, but there’s nowhere she loved more than the Isle of Wight, a diamond-shaped pearl in the English Channel.

It’s not far from London and boasts beautiful beaches, epic white sea-cliffs, a warm climate and remnants from the Romans, Normans, and two World Wars.

On this tour, you visit Queen Victoria’s Italian-inspired holiday home, Osborne House. You venture to the sea-shores and see gorgeous cliffs, barren bunkers and stunning white rock structures. And on the mainland, you even get a chance to celebrate your journey with a drink at the home of Bombay Sapphire Gin.

Join this trip, follow in the footsteps of royalty and let your guide lead you through England’s favourite holiday island.

Itinerary

Day 1: London - Portsmouth - Quarr Abbey

Stop At: Rabbie's, Bulleid way Greenline Coach Terminal, London SW1W 9SH England
Check-in 15 minutes prior to departure and meet with your driver guide for this 3-day tour.
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Quarr Abbey, Ryde PO33 4ES England
Monks exiled from France to establish a monastery. Their traditions live on in this stunning abbey.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Visitor Centre, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LJ England
The Island City of Seafarers, that has for centuries connected Britain to the World.

First, you head to the ancient port-city of Portsmouth. This bustling spot blends modern marvels with centuries of sea-faring stories. You can grab a bite to eat here before your guide picks you up and takes you to the ferry at Gunwharf Terminal.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: You stay two nights at the unforgettably quaint village of Shanklin.

Day 2: Flexible day touring around the Isle of Wight

Stop At: Yarborough Monument, Culver Down Rd, Sandown PO36 8QT, UK
Look up at the tallest monument on the Isle of Wight. This is the tallest monument on the island and celebrates the life of a wealthy earl from the 19th century.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Osborne House, York Ave, East Cowes PO32 6JX England
Queen Victoria’s favourite holiday spot looks more like an Italian Renaissance palazzo than an English palace. Osborne House was Queen Victoria’s holiday home and as you explore the Italian-style building, you discover pristine green gardens, ornate golden rooms, and historically fascinating artefacts.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: The Needles, Alum Bay, Totland PO39 0JD England
These glorious white chalk eruptions from the ocean will keep your camera busy. These sharp white stacks that stick out of the ocean are beautiful to behold. You can hop on a boat to get close to them and venture to an old defensive battery that’s nearby.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: You stay two nights at the unforgettably quaint village of Shanklin.

Day 3: Shanklin - London

Stop At: Winchester Cathedral, 9 The Close, Winchester SO23 9LS England
Stroll through winding streets and discover a city that contains artefacts from every era of English civilisation.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke Mill, London Road, Whitchurch RG28 7NR England
This is the home of Bombay Sapphire Gin. The sleek and sustainable production methods merge beautifully with an old paper mill.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Runnymede National Trust, Windsor Road, Egham TW20 0AG England
(only for tours departing after 1st April 2020)

This lovely, pastoral area is said to be the birthplace of modern democracy. In 1215, Magna Carta simply described Runnymede as a meadow between Windsor and Staines.
Runnymede was the location for the sealing of the Magna Carta by King John on the fifteenth of June 1215, with the 1225 version becoming the definitive version.

Runnymede is still used today as a site for significant commemoration and is the location of the Magna Carta memorial (erected 1957), the John F. Kennedy memorial (1965), the Commonwealth Air Forces memorial (1953), and the Fairhaven Memorial Lodges (1931).


Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.