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						Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people. What there is to see: The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto, Gainsborough and the famous triple portrait of Charles I by Sir Anthony van Dyck. In 1992 fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. By good fortune the rooms worst affected were empty at the time, and as a result, few of the Castle's artistic treasures were destroyed. The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe. From October to March visitors can also enjoy George IV's private apartments (the Semi-State Rooms), among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle. St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I. Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world. The Drawings Gallery shows changing exhibitions of material from the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. The special display below is shown alongside a selection of treasures from the Royal Library. Photographer Credits: Image 1: Photographer: Mark Fiennes, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013 Image 2: Photographer: Dennis Gilbert, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013 Image 3: Photographer: Ian Jones, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013 Image 4: Photographer: John Freeman, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013 Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace has provided a luxurious retreat for many of Britain's most famous Kings and Queens. Henry VIII was so inspired by it that he spent three of his honeymoons here. And visitors continue to escape to Britain's greatest palace to experience its history, splendour and stunning scale. Discover what it was really like to live and work at Hampton Court Palace. Take a fascinating journey through 500 years of royal history. Marvel at the impressive architecture and opulent interiors of the State Apartments and see the vast Tudor Kitchens in full swing. Enjoy the breathtaking Great Hall and Chapel Royal, and see how Sir Christopher Wren transformed the palace to rival Versailles. Take time to appreciate one of the finest collections of Renaissance paintings in Europe, and listen to tales of intrigue at the royal court from expert guides dressed in full historical costume. Or enjoy an audio tour, available in 9 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Korean and Japanese. They can be collected from the Information Centre in Clock Court. And that's before you've even begun to explore the stunning riverside gardens where you'll find the famous Maze and one of the world's oldest vines. ‘Top Ten’ things to see and do at Hampton Court. These sights are 'unmissable' Access to these sights is included in your admission ticket, unless otherwise stated. Henry VIII's Great Hall The Great Hall is England’s greatest medieval hall and one of Britain’s oldest theatres. William Shakespeare’s company performed there in 1603-4. Young Henry VIII exhibition Meet the 'pin-up' prince, before he became fat old Henry VIII, at our Young Henry VIII exhibition (included in your admission ticket). The exhibition includes paintings and interactive displays. The world famous Maze Test yourself and get enjoyably lost in 'the most famous Maze in the history of the world'. Entry is included in your ‘All Palace and Gardens’ admission ticket. A 'Maze only' entry is also available. Tudor kitchens Built to feed the Court of Henry VIII, the kitchens were expected to provide meals for 600 people twice a day. See the kitchens today and experience the sights and smells of a real Tudor kitchen! Beautiful gardens Wander through over 60 acres of beautifully maintained and internationally celebrated gardens at Hampton Court Palace. Entry is included in your ‘All Palace and Gardens’ admission ticket. Henry VIII: Heads and Hearts Join Henry for his wedding celebrations and see surprising portraits and personal objects of his wives. Family fun activities We have a wide range of activities and tours to entertain families. Choose from family trails, our world-famous maze, costumed guided tours, live Tudor cookery and much much more. The Chapel Royal This beautiful chapel has been in continuous use for over 450 years. Visitors are welcome to attend religious services at The Chapel Royal. Tiltyard café - kids' meal deal! History makes you hungry! At the Tiltyard café, choose from any kid's hot meal with lemonade or milk and a fairy cake for just £3.95. Deliciously great value.
Maximum per group is 27. Tours depart every 15- 20 minutes depending on the season.
The day begins with a hotel pick-up between 06:15 and 07:00. Heading east across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge offers great views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. En Route to the park we cross through the Central Valley, where we will stop at a fruit stand for some local produce. Famous for its rich volcanic soil, the Central Valley is the largest agricultural region in the United States. The section we drive through is best known for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. After this quick rest stop, we enter the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Continuing into the mountains brings us to California gold country and the gold rush town of Groveland before we wind our way into Yosemite National Park. Maps in hand, we begin with a one and a half hour in-coach narrated tour of Yosemite's glaciated valley. You will see famous waterfalls and rock formations including Yosemite Falls - the tallest waterfall in North America - El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Dome, and much more. During the tour you will see Yosemite Valley from a number of great vantage points, the best of which is perhaps Inspiration Point. At 4,500 feet above sea level, this viewpoint gives you a commanding view east up the valley. Yosemite is a mecca for rock climbers, and the sight of people climbing El Capitan's 3,200 ft. (1000m) sheer rock face is quite amazing. Because of our small group size, we can incorporate multiple photo stops into our tour so you can better enjoy your time in the park. After the tour, we stop for the afternoon near the base of Yosemite Falls, where there are a variety of options for lunch (not included). After eating, you will have 3-4 hours of free time to explore the valley as you choose. You can walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, check out the visitor center, visit the Ansel Adams Gallery, stop in at the Ahwahnee Hotel, rent a cruiser bike, or hike some of the trails that originate from the valley. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America's most popular national parks. Regrouping again in the late afternoon, we head for San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city and dropping you at your lodging between 8:30 and 9:00pm. Highlights: See El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Inspiration Point (aka Tunnel View), and Yosemite Village Free time in Yosemite Valley to explore/hike Eco-friendly transport in biodiesel mini-coaches Inclusions: Complimentary pickup/dropoff from your San Francisco hotel Full-time professional, knowledgeable guide Narrated in-coach tour of Yosemite (1.5 hrs) 3 hours of free time in the Valley Yosemite Park entrance fee Transportation to/from Yosemite in biofuel mini-coach  Not Included: Meals (stops will be made to purchase food) Guide gratuity (optional) Gear List: May-Oct: Camera & charger Small bag that can fit under seat Spending money for incidentals and lunch Sneakers or hiking boots Swimwear, towel, sandals (optional) Bug spray Sun protection Water bottle Nov-Apr** - Additional items recommended are: Warm clothing, coat Knit hat, gloves **Winter temperatures in Yosemite are on average 50 F/10 C, but can be as low as 28 F/-2 C.
Your 365Tickets Blenheim Palace ticket can either be shown on a mobile device or printed Several eateries serving a wide range from light snacks, to 3 course meals and afternoon teas are available at the Palace Your ticket cannot be exchanged for an annual pass for the Palace Please note tickets are non-refundable
The Queen's Gallery was built in the shell of the former Holyrood Free Church and Duchess of Gordon’s School at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The buildings were constructed in the 1840s with funds from the Duchess of Gordon, but fell into disuse in the late 19th century. Benjamin Tindall Architects were appointed project architects for the new Queen’s Gallery in October 1999. Their central visual theme was a celebration of The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, expressed through a series of arches and screens that lead visitors from the Gallery entrance to the exhibition spaces beyond. Their design complements the original 19th-century architecture, elements of which were incorporated into the new spaces. Unsympathetic later internal alterations were removed, and a new exposed steel and concrete floor inserted to reflect the original ‘gallery’ of the Church. A new stone arched entrance was created at the centre of the Horse Wynd frontage, opposite the new Scottish Parliament building. The use of a stone archway, with a courtyard beyond, is a traditional entrance device in Scottish architecture. The main walling is of Catcastle stone, the dressed work and lettering is of Stainton stone and the base is of Kenmay granite. ‘THE QUEEN’S GALLERY’ lettering above the entrance is the work of John Neilson, a calligrapher and carver. The letters were cut from single pieces of stone. Above sits Scotland’s heraldic lion, designed by Jill Watson. The lion sedant is based on a small red lion that sits at the feet of Mary, Queen of Scots on her tomb in Westminster Abbey. (The Palace of Holyroodhouse was once home to Mary, Queen of Scots.) The monumental entrance doors of oak have gilded bronze hinges by Jill Watson. Continuing the heraldic theme, the main hinges are decorated with the Scottish lion and unicorn. The beasts are set against the adjacent urban scene of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and the rural scene of Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags. The upper hinges are made as golden boughs of flowering native trees – chestnut and laburnum, oak, rowan and hawthorn. The stone archway is decorated with a carved and gilded garland of Scottish flowers, including daisies and thistles, created by Graciela Ainsworth, an Edinburgh-based sculptor, carver and conservator. Over the old entrance to the former church is a stained-glass window by Christian Shaw. The design shows a perspective drawing of the interior of a gallery. At night, the shape of the archway is reflected by the glass lights by Keiko Mukaide set into the paving. The artist has given the tiles a water flow pattern, mirroring the stream of visitors walking in and out of the Gallery. Inside, the reception desk by Hamid van Koten is made from curved pieces of Scottish elm with kilned glass and patinated copper. The pendant lights were designed and made in Edinburgh by Ingrid Phillips. Dividing the reception from the main Gallery area is a patterned glass screen by Jacqueline Poncelet. The screen’s bronze handles by Jill Watson incorporate figures looking at art in a gallery. The dramatic central stair of native timber leads to the Gallery spaces above. The complex shape was designed by the architects with Charles Taylor Woodwork, who were responsible for the construction. Lights set into the first floor illuminate the curved balustrading.
