Falls Church Concert Band Tour of England 2006

TOUR TITLE: Performing in Historic and Literary England

TOUR DATES: 30 Jun 06 - 08 Jul 06

TOUR AIRPORT: Washington DC

TOUR P.O.C.: Dave Conway, President, FCCB, 703-237-8572, kdconway@cox.net

TOUR DETAILS

DAY 1 DEPARTURE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to London.

DAY 2 ARRIVE LONDON - WINCHESTER - WESSEX (4 NIGHTS)

You will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to Wessex. We will stop at England's ancient capital of Winchester, closely associated with Alfred the Great, where we will view King Arthur's Round Table in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle. We will also tour the great Norman Cathedral.

DAY 3 DAY TRIP TO BATH - FIRST CONCERT

Our visit to Bath will include visits to the Roman Baths, where we will marvel at the ingenuity of the ancient engineers, and Bath Abbey, where the first king of England was crowned. There will then be time to explore the architectural splendors of Georgian Bath including Pulteney Bridge, the Royal Crescent and the Circus.

· Your first concert performance will be today at the Bath Abbey Gardens summer concert series (by your own arrangement)

DAY 4 DAY TRIP TO STONEHENGE & SALISBURY

After visiting mysterious Stonehenge, over 3000 years old and Britain's most famous ancient monument, we will continue to the town of Salisbury where we will view the Magna Carta.

DAY 5 DAY TRIP TO BRISTOL - SECOND CONCERT

Bristol has been a thriving port since the Middle Ages. Our first visit will be to the SS Great Britain. Built in 1843, the ship was the first iron-built, propeller-driven Atlantic liner and she has now been carefully restored in her original dry dock. We continue to the Maritime Heritage Center, which relates the history of the ship and of maritime Bristol. We will also visit the City Docks from which John and Sebastian Cabot set sail for North America in 1497, and tour the famous Floating Harbor with its elaborate system of locks that control the exceptional tides (the second highest in the world).

· Your joint concert performance with the Redland Windband will be today (by your own arrangement)

DAY 6 WESSEX - OXFORD - LONDON (3 NIGHTS)

We continue on to the Oxford area, the university city of colleges, green quadrangles and dreaming spires. This morning we will visit several colleges including Christ Church and view the Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library and Sheldonian Theater. Later in the day, we journey to London, the nation’s capital, where we will take a City Tour that will reveal all of the capital’s most famous landmarks.

DAY 7 LONDON

Our morning begins with a visit to the British Museum, one of the most comprehensive collections of art and artifacts in the world. Highlights of our visit will include: the Rosetta Stone, whose discovery led to the deciphering of hieroglyphs, the Elgin Marbles, from the Parthenon in Athens, and the Sutton Hoo Treasure. After a bit of free time to shop and explore Carnaby and Regent Streets, we continue with a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s Renaissance-style masterpiece. We will make an ascent of the dome to the Whispering Gallery for an impressive view of the concourse below. This evening, your guide can help you buy half-price theater tickets, or take you to open-air Covent Garden where the street theater is free and fun!

· Your third concert performance will be today

DAY 8 LONDON

Our sightseeing begins at Westminster Abbey where English kings and queens have been crowned since 1066. We will visit the Royal Chapels, which hold the tombs of monarchs from past centuries. We will also visit Poets' Corner to see the memorials to famous literary figures. We will walk past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben before taking a River Trip to the Tower of London. You will have the opportunity to discover William the Conqueror's magnificent bastion, which displays almost a thousand years of English history. During our visit we will see the new Crown Jewels Exhibit. This evening, your guide will take you on a Walking Tour that will begin in Trafalgar Square and continue down Whitehall past Horseguards Parade and Downing Street.

DAY 9 DEPARTURE FROM LONDON

Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your guide accompanies you to the airport for the return flight home.

TOUR COSTS

Tour cost is $2,464 plus $90 for optional trip insurance.

Your currency rate is also guaranteed up to £1 = $1.960 and once final payment has been acknowledged, we guarantee that there can be no price increase for any reason whatsoever.

What is Included:

* Round trip airfare with a major carrier on scheduled flights and guaranteed dates

* All airport taxes (currently $165 but subject to change prior to time of ticketing)

* Accommodation in 3 Star and Superior 2 Star tourist class hotels with private facilities guaranteed throughout

* Continental breakfast and dinners throughout your touring program

* A Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guide to accompany your group 24 hours a day from arrival to departure

* All excursions, cultural activities and (several pre-booked) admissions as per your itinerary

* Transportation by private coach for airport transfers and touring, except in the capital city, where public transport is used (and the cost included) for group sightseeing

* All of the venue arrangement fees and promotional costs for 1 concert performances

* Free places in twin rooms for group leaders (as per number of full paying participants stated above)

* All Taxes

This Does Not Include:

* Lunches or beverages with meals

* Travel insurance - Each passenger must be covered by Health Insurance while on a Casterbridge tour (insurance coverage is gratis for all free group leaders) . Casterbridge offers a comprehensive Travel Insurance Policy which includes full Health, Cancellation and Property coverage costing $65 for those 18 years or below on tours of 6-10 days ($95 for 11-18 days) and $90 for those aged 19-60 on tours of 6-10 days ($130 for tours of 11-18 days). Rates can also be provided for those over 60 years of age.