Exploring Wells and Bristol

Do you remember the 1960s Bert Bacharach song: ‘Trains and boats and planes’? We’re going to enjoy all three in Wells and Bristol on a super five day break with all excursions included.

We have decided to return to the lovely hotel we stayed in last November when we visited Longleat. The Best Western Swan Hotel in Wells was so comfortable, the rooms were lovely, the food was excellent and the staff friendly and helpful. This time we are including a full itinerary for you – a harbour cruise, a train ride on the West Somerset Railway, guided tours of Wells Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and Garden, a guided tour of Bristol, Clifton Suspension Bridge and visits to the famous SS Great Britain & the new Aerospace Bristol Museum with its wonderful Concorde exhibit.

Date

03/06/2019 - 07/06/2019

Location

Swan Hotel

Exploring Wells and Bristol

About this excursion

£599 per person (Based on two sharing a twin/double room)

Wells, England’s smallest city, welcomes the visitor with its warm atmosphere and striking Cathedral, this delightful city provides the perfect base for our tour. Bristol has its own identity and more recent history – the vibrant city straddles the River Avon and its harbour side area has developed into a cultural hub. We will experience this first hand with a harbour cruise and walking tour as well as visiting a few of city’s top attractions.

Our five day, 4 night break includes:

  • Executive touring coach
  • 4 nights half board accommodationClifton Suspension Bridge
  • Porterage
  • Welcome drink
  • 3 course dinner each evening
  • Tea/coffee after dinner
  • Admission to Aerospace Bristol
  • 1 hr harbour cruise with Bristol Ferry Boats
  • 1 hr walking tour of Bristol with a Blue Badge guide
  • Admission to SS Great Britain
  • A walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge
  • Admission & tour of Wells Cathedral
  • Admission & tour of Bishop Palace
  • Journey on the West Somerset Railway

Our hotel BW Swan Hotel Wells

The historic, award-winning Swan Hotel in Wells could not be more centrally located or have a more dramatic view, situated directly opposite Wells Cathedral, and with parts of the hotel dating back to 1422. The en suite bedrooms are equipped with hairdryer, TV and tea/ coffee making facilities. Owing to the historic nature of the building, there is no lift. The hotel boasts an elegant bar, a comfortable lounge and a beautiful wood panelled restaurant, serving delicious food.

Aerospace Bristol

Starting in the earliest days of powered flight, Aerospace Bristol will whisk you away on an immersive journey through more than a century of incredible aviation achievements and fascinating tales of human endeavour.

From bold pioneers taking to the skies in their magnificent flying machines, to the remarkable men and women who played their part in two world wars, to those who dreamed a seemingly-impossible dream of supersonic travel: then created the iconic Concorde to turn that dream into reality.

Your journey takes you from the beginnings of the British and Colonial AeroplaneConcorde Company in 1910 all the way through to the modern day, where you will explore cutting-edge technology, and look ahead to an exciting future, discovering how the next generation of engineers will continue to push aerospace technology to new heights and reach for the stars.

A visit to Aerospace Bristol is a chance to travel through the decades, enjoy fun interactives and amazing exhibits – including aeroplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites, engines and more- and immerse yourself in a story of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things

The stunning centrepiece of your visit will be Concorde Alpha Foxtrot: the last of the iconic supersonic passenger jets to be built and the last to fly. Capable of crossing the Atlantic in under three hours, Concorde cruised at over twice the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 60,000ft. Her passengers would marvel at the curvature of the Earth and look up at a blue-black sky, as they travelled at 1320mph and sipped Champagne on the edge of space.West Somerset Railway

West Somerset Railway

This railway, a true country branch line of the old Great Western Railway is full of fascination whether you are looking for a nostalgic ride back in time through lovely countryside, or to study the railway and industrial heritage which the line preserves.

SS Great Britain

Described as ‘The ship that changed the world’ Brunel’s SS Great Britain is one of the most important historic ships in the world. When she was launched in 1843 she was called ‘the greatest experiment since the Creation’. By combining size, power and innovative technology, Brunel created a ship that changed history. His vision for the SS Great BritainSS Great Britain made her the great-great-grandmother for all modern ships.

The SS Great Britain returned to the place she was built on 19 Jul 1970. In the 127 years between her launch and her recovery from the Falklands she had a rich and varied working life. At first as a luxury liner, then running aground in 1846, next carrying 15,000 emigrants to Australia, then being converted to sail as a cargo ship and finally acting a floating warehouse. In the thirty years between her scuttling and recovery the elements had taken their toll on her iron hull. At the time of her rescue she was in such a poor state, and her hull so corroded, it was feared she would not last another six months. Come and see how she’s been restored.

Wells Cathedral

Set in the medieval heart of England’s smallest city, Wells is the earliest English Cathedral to be bWells Cathedral 2uilt in the Gothic style and has an international reputation. The current building is a significant landmark in the South West and is a top-ranked TripAdvisor attraction in Wells and Somerset.

Adjoining the Cathedral is Vicars’ Close, which is thought to be the most complete example of a medieval Close in the UK. Vicars’ Close was designed to provide accommodation for the Vicars Choral, who sing the daily services, and this is still the case today. The medieval windows of the houses and the garden archways seem to have survived more or less intact until the early nineteenth century, and even now a few still exist. No. 22 is the house which remains closest to the original medieval appearance of them all, having been restored to its original proportions in 1863.

Highlights include:

  • The magnificent West Front which contains one of the largest galleries of medieval sculpture in the world
  • The stunning scissor arches; a medieval solution to sinking tower foundations
  • The second-oldest surviving clock face in the world
  • Vicar’s Close; the oldest continuously inhabited street in Europe
  • The impressive Chapter House
  • One of the most substantial collections of medieval stained glass in England including the Jesse window which narrowly escaped destruction during the English Civil War

The Bishop’s Palace

The Bishop’s Palace & Gardens have been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years and this stunning medieval palace is open for all to enjoy.

Surrounded by a breath-taking moat (with resident swans!), visitors can cross Bishops Palacea flagstone drawbridge, walk under the portcullis and experience a true hidden gem in the heart of the City of Wells. As described by an American visitor 130 years ago, this is a ‘palace of enchantment’.

There are 14 acres of outstanding, RHS Partner gardens to explore, including the beautiful well pools from which the city takes its name, family events, guided tours, a gift shop and a café with the best views in Wells!

The Bishop’s Palace dates from the early-thirteenth century when Bishop Jocelin Trotman, the first Bishop to hold the title Bishop of Bath and Wells, received a crown licence to build a residence and deer park on land to the south of the Cathedral of St Andrew. Although home to the Bishop and other families, visitors can walk in the footsteps of past bishops through a number of rooms within the Palace. You are also welcome to look around the Bishop’s private Chapel, explore the ruined Great Hall and meet the famous mute swans who live alongside the moat and ring a bell when they want food.

Single Supplement – £120.00 per person (double/twin room for sole occupancy)

A non refundable deposit of £25 per person will secure your place.

 

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