12 day South West England tour
Bristol – Bournemouth – Exeter – Cornwall – Barnstaple – Bristol
Your journey at a glance
- Your journey includes the following stops
- Bristol (2 nights)
- Bournemouth (2 nights)
- Exeter (2 nights)
- Cornwall (2 nights)
- Barnstaple (2 nights)
- Bristol (1 night)
- Further highlights
- Bath
- Winchester
- Isle of Wight
- Dorset
- St Ives
- Clovelly
Geotoura - Hotel concept
When we include a hotel in our programme, it is not only a high standard of quality that is important to us. We prefer typical local accommodation, often boutique hotels with a special ambience. They emphasise the character of an individual trip: Panoramic views, particularly lovely furnishings, location in historic centres, no mass tourism and, of course, exceptionally friendly hosts – these are important criteria for us.
We categorise our accommodation in the British Isles into four separate Geotoura categories. Of course, you have the choice and can also combine the categories on one trip.
Boutique Hotels - Four categories
Encantador (‘Charming’): Privately run bed & breakfast guesthouses with a small number of cosy rooms and a lovingly prepared breakfast.
Especial (‘Special’): Enjoy stylish interiors and comfort in the mostly family-run boutique hotels with historic charm. Stay in the city centre or in beautiful natural surroundings.
Extraordinario (‘Extraordinary’): Centuries-old buildings, such as historic manor houses or castles, sometimes also modern design hotels with special architecture. Usually equipped with a restaurant, bar or spa area.
Luna de Miel (‘honeymoon’): For your honeymoon – or if you want to treat yourself to something out of the ordinary …
Character of this travel idea
Experience culture
The charming seaside resort of Bournemouth on the Dorset coast has more to offer than just its beautiful beaches. Stroll through the three intertwining gardens in the heart of the town and visit the artworks of the Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, which is located in one of the last mansions from the Victorian era.
If you pass by Muddiford not far from Barnstaple on this 12-day tour of southern England’s west, why not take a detour to an open-air gallery that is as quaint as it is British: the Broomhill Sculpture Garden. Here, giant, half-submerged teacups appear in the middle of the lovingly tended gardens of the Broomhill Estate.
You will encounter whole people or just mystically smiling faces, gigantic shoes and curious mythical creatures. This makes the gardens a place where the mind can relax and the imagination can fly free.
Experience nature
Bournemouth is the perfect starting point for several scenic highlights on this 12-day round trip through the west of southern England. Visit the Isle of Wight, for example, or hold your breath for a moment on the spectacular Jurassic Coast.
Discover some of the country’s last rainforest bogs and species-rich swamp forests in the New Forest National Park – which is also home to the New Forest ponies. The much-vaunted English garden art is best explored in Cornwall, where magical places such as the megalithic site of Mên-an-Tol and stone circles such as Hurlers Stone Circle or Merry Maidens suddenly appear in the middle of the lonely landscape.
Don’t forget to visit the national parks of Dartmoor and Exmoor, where there is much more to see than just the tough little ponies.
South of England culinary traditions
The individual counties in the south of England have specialities that have established the reputation of English cuisine as something special, but which also reflect the history of the respective region. Wiltshire, for example, was once known as the ‘Kingdom of the Pig’. No wonder that, in addition to many pork dishes, the region is also home to black pudding and faggots, which are made from the blood and offal of pigs. Somerset, on the other hand, is home to one of the most famous cheeses in the world, cheddar. The original cheese is still matured here as a cave cheese. Less famous but no less delicious are the cheese specialities from Devon, including the blue cheese Devon Blue, the creamy Belstone and the somewhat younger version of Belstone, Curworthy.
The orchards of Somerset are also home to cider, which is not only a favourite of the British in this region. Cornwall boasts a wide variety of fish and seafood, which the locals use to prepare dishes such as Baked Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce, Crab Salad and Stargazy Pie with Sardines. Clotted cream, which is eaten with scones and jam all over the country, also comes from here. Sussex has certainly helped to establish the reputation of British cuisine as slightly quirky. Among the dishes prepared here are Lamb’s Ears, for which lamb’s ears are cooked with sorrel, and Pulborough Eels, a pie made from eel and cured pork. If that sounds too weird to taste, we recommend the delicious, sweet Ripe Tart or Sussex Plum Duffs, two desserts that are definitely worth savouring.
If you want to get to know the cosmopolitan side of English cuisine, there’s no better place to do so on your tour of southern England than London. Here you will be served delicacies from all corners of the former British Empire. In the capital, you will discover the real local cuisine in dishes such as eel, which has a long tradition in London. Whitebait and fried fish, two deep-fried fish snacks, are also as typical of the city as London Particular pea soup, boiled beef and carrots or steak and kidney pudding. English cuisine therefore has many facets that are worth getting to know.
The authentic England
Change your perspective on the dramatic Jurassic Coast. Board the boat and travel back in time to 185 million years ago, when dinosaurs still ruled the land in England. Just drift along and listen to the whispering wind as you hear stories from bygone eras.
Why can't I find any prices on geotoura.com?
We do not offer standardised packages. Your Geotoura trip is customised according to your wishes.
We make this possible thanks to our high level of expertise and in-depth knowledge of the country as well as our excellent network of partners. You can look forward to extraordinary experiences, charming boutique hotels and very special insider tips on site.
Geotoura stands for the perfect planning of your personalised dream trip. Your individual price will therefore only include what really enriches your holiday.
Compared to standard holidays, this price is competitive. You will usually receive the comprehensive holiday design within 24 hours on working days.
Highly personalised trips are our speciality and the pleasure you deserve.
