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Villages of Southern England Tour

We returned last night (6/24) from this very enjoyable tour especially considering there were two three night stays during the 13 days tour. This was our 17th RS tour and the food and hotels just seem to be improving every year since we started in 2001. Great group and great guide. Looking forward to next years RS tour.

Posted by
10344 posts

Charlie is one of the old-timers on this forum, he's been everywhere, done everything. Okay, Charlie, I'm hyping it a bit, but you and Frank are my heroes.

Posted by
503 posts

Yes, Charlie, please give us more details! That is a tour that I have looked at and considered many times but for some reason haven't done yet. Thx.

Posted by
6713 posts

I'm waiting for Charlie to start taking Rick Steves around Europe! ;-)

Posted by
16272 posts

I took this tour two years ago (May 2017). Yesterday, I had lunch with one of my fellow tour mates.....in London. We did the same last June also in London.

Posted by
35 posts

I was on the May 13 Villages of South England tour last month. I can not believe they did not offer this tour until 2016. It is full of layers of history along the coast. Unlike Charlie, this was only my 3rd RS and I would highly recommend it! It has heightened my interest in the rest of the country; so I am considering the 14 day Best of England Tour. If you have you taken both, would you say this is a good idea?

Posted by
226 posts

Carole,

Glad you enjoyed the Villages of South England tour. We now wish to return to some of the towns where we felt there is more to see. We joined the Best of England several years ago and decided to join the Villages tour the first year it was offered. There is little overlap (i.e.Bath) but you do not have much time there on the Villages tour. The BOE tour will give you a broader view of England with a little Wales. We enjoyed both but confess to having the same guide for part of the BOE tour and the entire Villages tour. Mark was wonderful as well as Roy on the BOE tour. Perhaps you will have time for extra days on the BOE tour. The English people are lovely and so hospitable.

Posted by
2787 posts

The itinerary shown on the tour web page for this tour is much more complete than I could ever remember. It was a busy tour but because it covers less ground, there was less bus time than I have seen on other tours. I have taken the England, Scotland,& Wales tour so was seeing a couple of locations for the second time. The tour ended in Bath where I had been before but I extended for an extra day after the tour was over. I also had gone to London for a week before the tour began, my fourth time there and I still have not see it all. Lots of free things. Expensive.

Posted by
2252 posts

This tour was my 20th RS tour, two years or so ago. It's an awesome tour and to this day remains one of my favorites. It's full of amazing sites and sights, wonderful food and really ridiculously "cute" villages. Even the larger towns (Bath and Canterbury) are pretty darned awesome! The local residents you will interact with along the way are some of the most personable and down-to-earth people I have met anywhere. Could not recommend this tour to anyone even considering it highly enough. I am happy to hear you enjoyed it so much, too, Charlie.