secret garden tea tours
small group tours with an emphasis on afternoon tea
London Tea & Flea Daily Itinerary
Day 1 Sunday
Arrive in London
Make your way to our hotel
Welcome dinner
Day 2 Monday
Flea Market in Central London
Victoria and Albert Museum
Harrods
Afternoon Tea (Unusual)
Day 3 Tuesday
Train to Antique Market outside city
Evening Tea (Famous)
Day 4 Wednesday
Vintage market
Tower of London
Afternoon Tea (Whimsical)
Thames Cruise
Day 5 Thursday
Flea Market
St. Paul's
Millenium Bridge
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Afternoon Tea (Magical)
Day 6 Friday
Flea Market
Westminster Abbey
Churchill's War Room
Walking tour Westminster to
Oxford St
Liberty of London
Afternoon Tea (Fantastic)
Day 7 Saturday
Portobello Road Market
Kensington Palace
Hyde Park
Royal Albert Hall
Afternoon Tea (Classic with a twist)
Day 8 Sunday
Train to Antique Market
Farewell dinner tea at the Ritz
Day 9 Monday
Tour ends after breakfast
Our itinerary is based on the tourist sights which are conven-iently located near either the market or tea venue scheduled each day. We will help you plan ways to deviate from our official itinerary. You will have a London Pass which gives you entry to many tourist locations, and an Oyster card for using the Tube or busses, so you can sleep in or do your own thing and just plan to meet us at the afternoon tea location.
Other great places to visit:
British Museum
National Gallery
Windsor Castle (day trip)
If you wish to book tickets ahead for a show in London, the best evenings are Days 2, 4, 5, and 7. If you dont have your heart set on a particular show, we will take you to a half-price same day ticket seller to see what is available.
London Details
Meals
We will begin each day with breakfast in our hotel.
Lunch will be on your own, but most days a light snack will suffice, since our big meal each day will be afternoon tea. The tea rooms we visit will vary and omparing and contrasting the different experiences is one of the delights of the trip!
Dinners, other than the welcome meal on the first night and the farewell evening tea at the famous Ritz hotel, will be on your own. Most guests just have a snack in the evening, or light dinner after a show.
Lodging
The hotel we have selected is centrally located to make it easy for you to enjoy all the action without having to take a taxi. There will be a Tube station a very short distance from our accommodations.
All prices are based on double occupancy. If you do not have a roommate accompanying you on the trip, you will be matched with another un-paired traveler if there is one. Otherwise single room rate will apply.
Rooms will have two twin beds. There are a limited number of single rooms available (on a first request basis) for an additional fee.
Transportation
You are responsible for transport to the hotel in London. If you fly into Heathrow, there is a Tube station that will bring you right into the city, or you can take a taxi or ride share.
We will travel like locals with Tube and bus passes, and our first morning together will include a brief lesson on navigating public transportation. We give you directions to all venues on each day's itineryary sheets as well. If you get tired, or don't wish to walk, you are always welcome to take a taxi to the next location or to return to the hotel.
The tour ends at the hotel, so you will need transportation back to the airport. Again there is easy public transportation, or we are happy to help you coordinate ride sharing with other guests.
Shopping
This shopping element of our tours is one of the most popular parts of travelling with us. But how to get things home is always a big question.
We suggest using the double suitcase method. When leaving home, you place your mid-sized suitcase, filled with your clothing inside your large suitcase. This way you aren't burdened with a) an extra luggage fee or b) two bags to maneuver around the airport. When packing to return home, you then have an empty case to fill with your treasures. Use clothing to protect fragile items and divide the weight between the two cases or buy a roll of bubble wrap.
The cost of a flying with a second suitcase is less than shipping fees in most cases, but we can help you ship home boxes if needed. There is a shipping company onsite at the large antique market, so even buying furniture is a possibility!