Pastor Matt Petty 12-Day Spiritual Heritage Tour to England & Scotland, April 4 - 15, 2025

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12-Day Journey to England & Scotland

DAY 1 (APR 4) Depart Atlanta for your overnight flight to London, England.

DAY 2 (APR 5) Arrival in London – Arrive in London. You are met by your tour manager and transferred to the hotel. Enjoy free time in the afternoon. Welcome dinner and overview of the journey. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 (APR 6) London on the footsteps of the Reformers – London goes beyond any boundary or convention. It contains every wish or word ever spoken, every action or gesture ever made, every harsh or noble statement ever expressed. It is illimitable. It is Infinite London.” (Peter Ackroyd). In the morning, we will enjoy a panoramic tour of London, incl. Big Ben, Tower of London (inside), Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Parliament, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace (all outside). Within the city tour, we discover the Bun Hill Fields Burial Ground, which is a Nonconformist burial ground. It’s the final resting place of John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, Daniel Defoe, and William Blake, along with many other leading intellectuals, radicals, and clergymen from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. In the late afternoon, we visit St Paul’s Cathedral. During the years of religious turmoil in the 16th century that led to the Reformation in England, Paul’s Cross in the churchyard of St. Paul’s Cathedral became a focus of national theological debate. Sermons were given by both those who sought reform and their conservative opponents. The cathedral went through a long period of change. We will discover London’s greatest church through the eyes of the Reformers. Return to the hotel.

DAY 4 (APR 7) Canterbury, a religious Capitol, and Leeds Castle – This morning, we drive to Canterbury. We will be informed about the year 1534 when King Henry VIII declared himself head of the Church in England and took control of church affairs. From the year 1536, his officials went around the country, closing monasteries and claiming their wealth for the crown. Located in the Canterbury Cathedral, the shrine of St. Thomas was especially problematic for King Henry VIII. By this time, Becket was being remembered as someone who lost his life standing up to the royal authority – something Henry did not want to encourage. Becket was declared a banned saint, and in the year 1538, Becket’s shrine was destroyed. On the way back to London, we stop at Leeds Castle, which has a great history. It has been a Norman stronghold; the private property of six of England’s medieval queens; a palace used by Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon; a Jacobean country house; a Georgian mansion; an elegant early 20th-century retreat for the influential and famous; and in the 21st century. It has become one of the most visited historic buildings in Britain. Return to London Dinner and overnight. 

DAY 5 (APR 8) Stonehenge/Salisbury/Bath – In the morning, we drive to Oxford, the world's most famous University town. We see the spot where John Wycliffe came to translate the first Bible into the vernacular anywhere in the world; the spot where the intellectual whirlwind unleashed Wycliffe’s teachings reached a tragic climax with the trial and burning of the bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer under the auspices of the Catholic Queen Mary; the spot where the young John Wesley arrived and gathered around him a group of serious-minded young men, who were nicknamed the “Methodists” and began the evangelical revival that includes Charles Wesley and George Whitefield; the church where nineteenth-century Oxford saw a break away from the Church of England to the Roman Catholic Church led by John Henry Newman and the very pub where the secularism of the twentieth century was challenged by CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien who lived and worked for most of their adult life in Oxford and wrote the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and the Narnia Chronicles. We drive north to the beautiful city of Stratford upon Avon, where Shakespeare himself was born and died. Overnight in Bath. 

DAY 6 (APR 9) Bath/Oxford/Stradford upon Avon – In the Unesco world heritage site Bath, we go on a city tour. For the last 2,000 years, its natural thermal springs which gives the city its name. Bath is home to a wide variety of historical attractions like the Roman Baths. It is also home to some of the most impressive Georgian architectural triumphs in the entire UK. In the afternoon, we drive to Oxford, the world's most famous University town. We will get to know the most important sights, like Christ Church College, where Charles and John Wesley were undergraduates. We see Lincoln College, where John Wesley presided over the holy club. We proceed to Oxford Castle, which is at the site of the prison where the Wesley brothers visited the poor convicts. We drive north to the beautiful city of Stratford upon Avon, where Shakespeare himself was born and died. Overnight in Stradford Upon Avon Centre. 

DAY 7 (APR 10) Stradford upon Avon/Sheffield/Windermere – In the morning, we have a guided city tour on the footpath of the World’s Greatest Poet. The effects of the Reformation were not as violent in Stratford as in other parishes. Catholicism had flourished, but the townspeople were quick to accept the frequent changes in religion that characterized the 1600s. We continue our journey to the town of Sheffield which John Wesley visited lots of times. We see the famous Cathedral where a stained-glass window in the Chapter House depicts John Wesley preaching in the square. After lunch, we continue north to the lake district national park. This is where modern tourism was born, in the shimmering lakes and hushed mountains whose radiant beauty inspired poets and painters to turn nature into art. Peter Rabbit is one of the most famous characters created by author and conservationist Beatrix Potter. Beatrix Potter's love of the Lake District came from an early age when she and her family holidayed in the area. Dinner and overnight in Windermere.

DAY 8 (APR 11) Cruise Windermere/Gretna Green/Glasgow – We board our boat on the beautiful Lake Windermere, the largest natural lake in England. We continue north to pass the border and the Hadriatic wall to Scotland. On a city tour we find out about the Scottish Reformation. Dinner and overnight in Glasgow.

DAY 9 (APR 12) Inveraray/Oban/Glasgow – This morning, we start our adventure into the Scottish Highlands. We discover Inveraray Castle, the residence of the Duke of Argyll. The Castle, nestled on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll, serves as the fictional location of Duneagle Castle in the famous TV series “Downton Abbey.” We arrive at the beautiful city of Oban, also known as the “gateway to the Hebride Islands.”. Return to Glasgow and overnight.

DAY 10 (APR 13) Edinburgh, the heart of Scotland – In the morning, we drive to Edinburgh, where we visit the most important sights like Holyrood Palace, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Victorian New Town,” The College of Divinity with Knox Statue, St. Giles where he preached and John Knox house. Edinburgh is known for its dark past, and this evening walking tour is the original one to showcase the city's historically sinister and spooky side. We discover the hidden ‘wynds’ (alleys) and closes of the Old Town as we learn their mysteries and horrors. We visit the ghost-ridden Greyfriars Kirkyard; and explore the city’s underground vaults to uncover their spirits and secrets. Dinner and overnight in Edinburgh.

DAY 11 (APR 14) Day at Leisure or Daytrip to St. Andrews – Day at leisure in Edinburgh or drive to St. Andrews, the birthplace of the Golf sport and an important sight of the Scottish Reformation. That Protestantism became Scotland’s main religion was in part due to committed preachers like George Wishart and John Knox, who actively recruited and enthused the most influential and powerful sections of Scottish society to the Protestant cause. Knox, like many others, had been both exposed to the Reformation and grew to support this new theology, as opposed to the traditional Catholic foundations of Scotland’s religion. Patrick Hamilton, a fellow St Andrews reformer and Protestant martyr, and George Wishart, a priest who had fled to Scotland in 1538 to escape accusations of heresy, both inspired Knox’s conversion to Protestantism, and the three men all became close friends. Return and overnight in Edinburgh.

DAY 12 (APR 15) Edinburgh/USA - Transfer to Edinburgh Airport for your return flight home with luggage packed with keepsakes and your heart full of memories! 

NOTE: Schedule is subject to change due to various factors and the tour guide’s discretion. 

PRICING:

• $5,595 per person based on double occupancy. 
  
• Single room supplement - $1,495
• $500 per person with registration to secure space.
• 50% of the total amount is due on or before November 4, 2025
• Balance due on or before January 4, 2025

FLIGHT SCHEDULE: 

• LH 445  04APR ATL FRA  0405P 0700A 05APR 
• LH 902  05APR FRA LHR 0900A 0940A 
• LH 961  15APR EDI FRA  0555A 0850A 
• LH 444  15APR FRA ATL 1015A 0215P

* Flight times, flight numbers, equipment, gates, and seats are subject to change. For the most current information check the airline website.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE REGISTERING

PASSPORTS: Passports must be valid with an expiration date of at least six months beyond the return home date of the tour. Participants with non-US passports are responsible for country-specific entry requirements. If you do not have a valid passport or need to renew your passport, enter "RENEWING" or "APPLIED FOR" when completing registration.

CANCELLATION POLICY: The $500 per person deposit is nonrefundable. Other payments exceeding the $500 per person are refundable in full up to ninety days prior to departure. After this date, refunds for unused accommodations and services will be limited to the amount received from and/or credited by all carriers, sightseeing operators, and hotels. All funds, including the deposit, are non-transferable.

AIR: The Standard Tour includes round-trip, economy-class airfare from the departure city listed in the itinerary. All group seating is assigned by the airline and cannot be changed by Signature Tours. Seat changes can only be made during check-in at the airport. Upgrades such as Comfort, Premium, Business, or First Class are not available with the standard tour. Participants who wish to upgrade or purchase a specific seat should choose the Land Only option when registering. Frequent flyer, TSA Precheck, and Global Entry numbers can only be added at check-in.

LAND ONLY: Participants who wish to arrange their own air should choose the Land Only option. $1000pp will be deducted from the standard tour price when selecting this option. Participants arranging their own air should notify Signature Tours at least 6 months prior to the departure date. Land Only Passengers arriving with or before the group are welcome to join the group bus at no additional charge. For those not traveling with the group, Signature Tours can provide contact information to arrange a private transfer.

GROUND/TRANSFERS: The group will be met on arrival by a Signature Tours representative and transferred to the hotel/airport. Land Only participants not traveling with the group are responsible for scheduling ground transfers.

HOTELS: Superior first-class hotels throughout. Priced based on two people per room with a private bath and shower.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: A limited number of single rooms are available at additional supplement prices. Signature Tours and/or the group leader will make every attempt to pair single participants requesting a roommate. However, the single supplement fee will be charged for each person occupying a single room, whether by choice or circumstance.

MEALS: Breakfast and dinner are provided daily. Lunch is provided on days as noted in the itinerary. 

SIGHTSEEING: Entrance fees to all places listed in the itinerary are included, as well as an expert English-speaking guide.

LUGGAGE: Space is limited on the tour buses. Participants are allowed one suitcase weighing 50lbs or less and will be transported in storage under the bus. Participants are allowed one backpack/daypack or personal bag to carry on the bus during the tour. These requirements will meet most airline carrier restrictions. See the carrier website for airline-specific baggage restrictions and requirements. Medical devices are not included in these restrictions. 

TIPS, SERVICE CHARGES, AND TAXES: Tips, service charges, and taxes ARE INCLUDED in the selling price. Taxes, as imposed by national and/or local governments, that are not included at the time of booking are the responsibility of the participant.

NOT INCLUDED: Excess baggage fees, passport fees, visa fees, food or drink items not listed on the regular table menu for included meals, and items of a personal nature such as room service, laundry, etc. Any service not indicated in the itinerary and/or the above list of included features.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: This tour requires a substantial amount of walking. Many of the sites are not accessible by wheelchair, and the uneven terrain is not feasible for rollators. Signature Tours reserves the right to refuse individuals who may require special attention beyond what the tour guide and tour host can provide.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel Insurance is not included in the purchase price. For your convenience, we offer travel insurance through Travelex Insurance Services. For more information and rates, please review the product flyer or Click Here to enroll in the plan.
* Travelex Insurance Services, Inc CA Agency License #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC # 16535).

Signature Tours
PO Box 956817 Duluth, GA 30095
info@signaturetours.com