Tour Plus On My Own
Mar 3rd, 2024, 11:08 AM
#21
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I agree that taking a tour won't teach you a lot about getting about later on your own. They have everything planned precisely so you won't have to worry about the logistics. I also started travelling alone back in 2005 after always going with someone and didn't find it daunting, but if you're really worried about being by yourself, that was a good suggestion by janis to take a shorter trip on your own first find out how you do.
Mar 3rd, 2024, 01:28 PM
#22
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I have just read through this very busy (and expensive) itinerary, and it certainly covers an excellent range of cathedrals and smaller churches: all of enormous historical interest.
Are you interested in attending services at the cathedrals, especially ones with music?
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I toured many of these cathedrals in early 2023, as part of a visiting choir.
We sang Evensong and Sunday services as well and these services were very well attended by locals and tourist alike. (some 800+ people in Westminster Abbey and a full cathedral at Salisbury.)
Although this was January the cathedrals in many places were still very busy.
Each cathedral also offers tours with their own guides and these were excellent and thoroughly engaging, and many were themselves academics and historians.
The advice given by many of the experienced Fodorites is worth considering.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Are you interested in attending services at the cathedrals, especially ones with music?
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I toured many of these cathedrals in early 2023, as part of a visiting choir.
We sang Evensong and Sunday services as well and these services were very well attended by locals and tourist alike. (some 800+ people in Westminster Abbey and a full cathedral at Salisbury.)
Although this was January the cathedrals in many places were still very busy.
Each cathedral also offers tours with their own guides and these were excellent and thoroughly engaging, and many were themselves academics and historians.
The advice given by many of the experienced Fodorites is worth considering.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Mar 3rd, 2024, 02:06 PM
#23
Comments about the tour cost are valid but since I started looking at tours for the first time ever, I quickly realised there are no cheap tours. Yes it's cheaper to do it yourself but a tour means you're with other people, you don't need to figure out logistics, you go to places you didn't know about or are hard to reach unless you hire a car. I did a tour in the UK last year for a week, all women, 10 people. It suited me, I would not have done a bus tour with 40 people that moved on every day to another hotel. So I found there are many options but none are cheap.
Mar 3rd, 2024, 04:35 PM
#24
Nubbyrose - I've been to the UK as a tourist quite a bit plus we lived there for a number of years so it was quite familiar. That's why I chose it last year.
I'm travelling on my own (that is new and I find it hard) and the week long tour is with a small group, the rest on my own. I have around 3 weeks in the UK and am also visiting Belgium for just over a week.
These are two tours companies I've found. I first saw European Experiences (American travel company) mentioned on this forum and the tour I did in the Cotswolds was really good. The owner of the business, Kathy, was the tour leader and everything was well organised. Martin Randall Travel is a UK company, I'd seen ads for them in the weekend newspaper and their tours with a focus on culture (art, history, music etc) sounded interesting. I've booked but not travelled with them yet.
I'm travelling on my own (that is new and I find it hard) and the week long tour is with a small group, the rest on my own. I have around 3 weeks in the UK and am also visiting Belgium for just over a week.
These are two tours companies I've found. I first saw European Experiences (American travel company) mentioned on this forum and the tour I did in the Cotswolds was really good. The owner of the business, Kathy, was the tour leader and everything was well organised. Martin Randall Travel is a UK company, I'd seen ads for them in the weekend newspaper and their tours with a focus on culture (art, history, music etc) sounded interesting. I've booked but not travelled with them yet.
Mar 3rd, 2024, 08:00 PM
#25
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Last year, I took a guided tour in England, for a week, on a niche area that has interested me for years; Anglo-Saxon England. The group size was the same as yours, and my tour was led by a professor that I first learned about from listening to a course he gave on Anglo-Saxon England. My trip was only one week, and I did add on some time at the beginning and end. I would have added more time, but that's the amount of time I got off from work. Some of the locations are the same as yours, Durham Cathedral, York, Canterbury, Whitby, Ely, Winchester. I enjoyed them all.
To help you in your decision-making, I enjoyed my tour very much, learned a lot from the tour leader, as well as the local guides that we had at various locations. The tour leader was able to link the history of the sites and the important people who lived there in the past in a way that I could not have done if it was my own DIY trip, and I appreciated that. And yes, we moved around a lot, but visited places that I know I would not have included if I was on my own. And yes, I agree that you won't learn so much about traveling on your own during the tour.
Another reason that I went is that while my husband and I share a lot of travel interests, he doesn't much like to talk to other people, and I do. I really enjoyed meeting the other people on the tour, and getting to know them.
The meals for my tour included some group dinners that had a lecture before the meal, and some group lunches. Breakfasts were at the hotels, and some people ate together and some did not. The non-group dinners, I did with various people in the group (including an elaborate afternoon tea in York), and had a good time.
All of the people on my tour also were very interested in Anglo-Saxon England, and I really enjoyed our in-depth side conversations. You may experience the same thing in talking about cathedrals.
I was very much ok with being by myself on the day before the tour and the days after. (I spent my day before at the British Museum, seeing the treasures from Sutton Hoo, which we visited during the tour.) I ate lovely dinners at high-end Indian restaurants and spent a lot of time people-watching.
About your time on your own, will it make you happy and fulfilled, or anxious and sad? Really give that a lot of thought. If you'll be anxious about how you'll get around and what you'll do, or sad as you think of former times, then perhaps this isn't the right time to have time to yourself. If you do decide to push forward, plan in advance, and find activities that only you enjoy. For example, my spouse and adult children would be very bored at a used-book store, but I went to several in London that I picked out beforehand, and had a great time. One night I had pies for dinner (in the U.S., we call them pasties); my family would have hated that, but I relished them and the leisure time eating them in my hotel room. Treat yourself to what will give you joy, whether that's having porridge at an outdoor cafe for breakfast, joining a two-hour walking tour of the secret spots in the City of London, or an afternoon in a park.
To help you in your decision-making, I enjoyed my tour very much, learned a lot from the tour leader, as well as the local guides that we had at various locations. The tour leader was able to link the history of the sites and the important people who lived there in the past in a way that I could not have done if it was my own DIY trip, and I appreciated that. And yes, we moved around a lot, but visited places that I know I would not have included if I was on my own. And yes, I agree that you won't learn so much about traveling on your own during the tour.
Another reason that I went is that while my husband and I share a lot of travel interests, he doesn't much like to talk to other people, and I do. I really enjoyed meeting the other people on the tour, and getting to know them.
The meals for my tour included some group dinners that had a lecture before the meal, and some group lunches. Breakfasts were at the hotels, and some people ate together and some did not. The non-group dinners, I did with various people in the group (including an elaborate afternoon tea in York), and had a good time.
All of the people on my tour also were very interested in Anglo-Saxon England, and I really enjoyed our in-depth side conversations. You may experience the same thing in talking about cathedrals.
I was very much ok with being by myself on the day before the tour and the days after. (I spent my day before at the British Museum, seeing the treasures from Sutton Hoo, which we visited during the tour.) I ate lovely dinners at high-end Indian restaurants and spent a lot of time people-watching.
About your time on your own, will it make you happy and fulfilled, or anxious and sad? Really give that a lot of thought. If you'll be anxious about how you'll get around and what you'll do, or sad as you think of former times, then perhaps this isn't the right time to have time to yourself. If you do decide to push forward, plan in advance, and find activities that only you enjoy. For example, my spouse and adult children would be very bored at a used-book store, but I went to several in London that I picked out beforehand, and had a great time. One night I had pies for dinner (in the U.S., we call them pasties); my family would have hated that, but I relished them and the leisure time eating them in my hotel room. Treat yourself to what will give you joy, whether that's having porridge at an outdoor cafe for breakfast, joining a two-hour walking tour of the secret spots in the City of London, or an afternoon in a park.
Mar 4th, 2024, 07:11 AM
#27
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I have just read through this very busy (and expensive) itinerary, and it certainly covers an excellent range of cathedrals and smaller churches: all of enormous historical interest.
Are you interested in attending services at the cathedrals, especially ones with music?
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I toured many of these cathedrals in early 2023, as part of a visiting choir.
We sang Evensong and Sunday services as well and these services were very well attended by locals and tourist alike. (some 800+ people in Westminster Abbey and a full cathedral at Salisbury.)
Although this was January the cathedrals in many places were still very busy.
Each cathedral also offers tours with their own guides and these were excellent and thoroughly engaging, and many were themselves academics and historians.
The advice given by many of the experienced Fodorites is worth considering.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Are you interested in attending services at the cathedrals, especially ones with music?
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I toured many of these cathedrals in early 2023, as part of a visiting choir.
We sang Evensong and Sunday services as well and these services were very well attended by locals and tourist alike. (some 800+ people in Westminster Abbey and a full cathedral at Salisbury.)
Although this was January the cathedrals in many places were still very busy.
Each cathedral also offers tours with their own guides and these were excellent and thoroughly engaging, and many were themselves academics and historians.
The advice given by many of the experienced Fodorites is worth considering.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Mar 4th, 2024, 07:30 AM
#28
You can easily attend Evensong in any church / cathedral in England. I've been to Evensong at St Paul's, Westminster Abbey, Southwark Cathedral, Canterbury, Salisbury, Bath Abbey, Yorkminster, and many smaller local village/town churches. That is certainly not a special perk of this tour.
Mar 4th, 2024, 08:57 AM
#29
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Are you interested in attending services at the cathedrals, especially ones with music?
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Such services really help in understanding the role of the cathedrals in both the local community and historically as well.
It is worth noting that if this does interest you then in some places the choirs are on summer break at this time of year and the singing will be from visiting choirs: all of these choirs will have been booked and formally approved of well in advance.
I hope you find the best way to travel and visit all those places that interest you.
Mar 4th, 2024, 10:15 AM
#30
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That price seems about normal for those small, cultural type tours. They are similarly priced to Smithsonian tours, for example. There are cheaper tours, I've taken them. The main differences are number of participants (that says limit of 14?), some of the cheaper ones may have a couple dozen, for example, and real cheap ones maybe up to 40. Also is what is included, cheaper tours cover basics, not every meal, etc. Also, extra excursions may be optional and a separate fee, you don't pay for all of them. I like that.
that single supplement is very reasonable, of course you have to pay more if you are the only one in a double room. That is a little over $100 per say which would be normal if the avg hotel cost was around $200. I think the first hotel, the Marriott is, but that Dorcester hotel is very expensive, around $400 a night or something. If you were traveling alone, you'd have to pay the whole room, also.
I have been on a couple tours and there are a lot of stereotypes about them by people who perhaps have never taken one. Such as "you are on the bus all day". No, it depends on the tour you book. Furthermore, in some rural areas, that is a more pleasant and more scenic way to travel than some others, but often you can't tour by train, etc. I actually prefer the cheaper tours as I just want the basics, and want to be on my own for most meals, and to decide my own extras. This works better in cities, of course. Most tours include breakfast, of course, but not all lunches/dinners as you may be out. I also don't agree that tours wont' teach you about solo travel. Again, that depends on the tour. Ones that only provide room, logistics, breakfast, and maybe one city overview tour, you are on your own the rest of the time to figure out everything just as if you were on your own trip (attractions, buying tickets, getting around locally, currency, etc.). And of course, being on a bus on your own with 50 others is no different if it is a day trip company or public bus, compared to a tour group bus.
For example, Gate1travel has some about half the price of that but bigger groups and no cultural expert, etc. It's the cultural expert thing, although I was on a budget tour to Egypt that has local Egyptology university majors doing some of the site tours and they were excellent.
There are some cheaper cultural ones, though. Martinrandall is one. Roadscholar has some cultural tours that are cheaper, also, like this one
https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-...-to-Turbulence
A friend of mine took one to Galapagos and said it was excellent.
So it's hard to say, I probably wouldn't spend that much on a tour myself, but I might spend half that for one that included fewer meals so I could go out on my own (now that depends where you are, of course, but sounds like you are in towns/cities for the hotel in this one). If you really like these cathedrals, it can be hard to find a cultural tour exactly like you want.
I did a budget tour many years ago that included Edinburgh, Lake District, Stratford and then London, as I recall, for the overnights. The Lake District portion was nice and you could not easily have done that on your own, we stayed in some rural manor house/resort lodging and had dinner in it, you couldn't have gone out on your own there to dinner. We were on our own for dinner in the cities, I don't remember Stratford actually, if we just passed through or stayed there. Ditto Winchester/Oxford. I really enjoyed that tour, actually, and met some really nice people.
that single supplement is very reasonable, of course you have to pay more if you are the only one in a double room. That is a little over $100 per say which would be normal if the avg hotel cost was around $200. I think the first hotel, the Marriott is, but that Dorcester hotel is very expensive, around $400 a night or something. If you were traveling alone, you'd have to pay the whole room, also.
I have been on a couple tours and there are a lot of stereotypes about them by people who perhaps have never taken one. Such as "you are on the bus all day". No, it depends on the tour you book. Furthermore, in some rural areas, that is a more pleasant and more scenic way to travel than some others, but often you can't tour by train, etc. I actually prefer the cheaper tours as I just want the basics, and want to be on my own for most meals, and to decide my own extras. This works better in cities, of course. Most tours include breakfast, of course, but not all lunches/dinners as you may be out. I also don't agree that tours wont' teach you about solo travel. Again, that depends on the tour. Ones that only provide room, logistics, breakfast, and maybe one city overview tour, you are on your own the rest of the time to figure out everything just as if you were on your own trip (attractions, buying tickets, getting around locally, currency, etc.). And of course, being on a bus on your own with 50 others is no different if it is a day trip company or public bus, compared to a tour group bus.
For example, Gate1travel has some about half the price of that but bigger groups and no cultural expert, etc. It's the cultural expert thing, although I was on a budget tour to Egypt that has local Egyptology university majors doing some of the site tours and they were excellent.
There are some cheaper cultural ones, though. Martinrandall is one. Roadscholar has some cultural tours that are cheaper, also, like this one
https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-...-to-Turbulence
A friend of mine took one to Galapagos and said it was excellent.
So it's hard to say, I probably wouldn't spend that much on a tour myself, but I might spend half that for one that included fewer meals so I could go out on my own (now that depends where you are, of course, but sounds like you are in towns/cities for the hotel in this one). If you really like these cathedrals, it can be hard to find a cultural tour exactly like you want.
I did a budget tour many years ago that included Edinburgh, Lake District, Stratford and then London, as I recall, for the overnights. The Lake District portion was nice and you could not easily have done that on your own, we stayed in some rural manor house/resort lodging and had dinner in it, you couldn't have gone out on your own there to dinner. We were on our own for dinner in the cities, I don't remember Stratford actually, if we just passed through or stayed there. Ditto Winchester/Oxford. I really enjoyed that tour, actually, and met some really nice people.
Mar 13th, 2024, 09:31 AM
#31
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NubbyRose, if the subject matter is what you are interested in, go and enjoy yourself. Last December I did a river cruise to see the Christmas Markets. It was a 12 day tour and I spent just as much as you will. However, there were 187 people on my tour. I knew that I could have done a similar land experience for less than half the cost but that is not what I wanted to do at the time and the cost was never going to be less for this tour. I may revisit the same places by land in the future as now I have learned a lot about these areas. I did enjoy having other people to have meals with. I met so many wonderful people over meals.
In my case, we did spend a lot of time on a bus but that was because the "cruise" portion of our tour did not happen.
Enjoy your trip!
In my case, we did spend a lot of time on a bus but that was because the "cruise" portion of our tour did not happen.
Enjoy your trip!
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