Deciding between two day trips with evanevans. Which in your opinion is more worthwhile?

1. Windsor, Salisbury, Stonehenge
2. Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover

Thanks!

Windsor is probably a better castle than Leeds (if only because of the royal appartments and St George's chapel). Canterbury has a more famous cathedral than Salisbury, but I prefer Salisbury and the surrounding countryside.
Stonehenge is one of those places you feel you must visit, but apart from the first view it's all rather disappointing. Dover has very little to commend it apart from the castle (oh, I know they've got the White Cliffs Experience but that hardly makes Dover one of the "must sees" of Britain).
All in all, I would do the first one.

If you have never been to the UK before I'd probably also pick #1. Leeds is beautiful from the gardens - but inside it is nothing much. Dover Castle is wonderful - but you'd need 1/2 a day to see it all and you only get a short visit on this tour.

Salisbury Cathedral is one of the loveliest anywher in Europe - Stonehenge is an icon and only takes a short time to see - and Windsor is in a wonderful setting right on the river.

Having been to each, I'd opt for #2 for the following reasons:

Leeds is smaller than Windsor, thus easier to manage in a short time. It is prettier and has Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn associations. Churchill's home, Chartwell, is nearby; is it on the tour? It's worth it!

Canterbury (the town and the cathedral) is simply beautiful and, of course, historical.

Stonehenge will probably disappoint, with all the other visitors there and not being able to get too close to the site. But ah! the White Cliffs of Dover! Hopefully you'll get to appreciate this natural feature. The castle there has the War Rooms where the Brits waited and watched for the anticipated German invasion, which never came, thankfully.

Lastly #2 is closer to London than is #1 and thus you'll spend less time traveling to and fro, I believe.

Mea culpa! I mixed up Leeds with Hever (Anne + Henry + WSC).

Leeds is very attractive.

there are tours I believe that do only Salisbury and Stonehenge, or perhaps adding in Bath.
I'd do one like that, and go to Windsor on my own, it's easy.

Both trips require quite a bit of time on the bus...if that's OK with you, then either tour would work (#2 might involve less time on the road). Your time at any one stop is going to be limited on a day trip and your experience is probably going to be pretty much a typical bus tour .

But as another posted has noted, you could do a Windsor day trip on your own quite easily. It is 30-40 minutes by train from central London. The castle is worth exploring, as is the town, Windsor Great Park, and nearby riverside town of Eton. On your own, you have time to linger, take a walk, explore the back streets, etc.

Enjoy your trip!

David White
[email protected]

I would go with trip #1. I did trip #2 the first time I went to London (with Frames Rickards) and it was fun, but I've since been to Windsor & Stonehenge and enjoyed them more. I've only been through Salisbury, but have heard the cathedral is beautiful. Have a great trip!