Bike and Roll DC - Capital Sites Tour

Historic setting: The Household Cavalry Museum sits within Horse Guards in Whitehall, central London, one of the city’s most historic buildings. Dating from 1750, it is still the headquarters of the Household Division, in which the Household Cavalry has performed the Queen’s Life Guard in a daily ceremony that has remained broadly unchanged for over 350 years. The Household Cavalry: The Household Cavalry was formed in 1661 under the direct order of King Charles II and now consists of the two senior regiments of the British Army – The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. We have two roles: as a mounted regiment (on horseback), we guard Her Majesty The Queen on ceremonial occasions in London and across the UK and are a key part of the Royal pageantry; as an operational regiment we serve around the world in armoured fighting vehicles. We currently have units deployed on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our fighting capacity is matched by our strategic role in international peace keeping and humanitarian operations. Collections: Over the centuries we have amassed an outstanding collection of rare and unique treasures from ceremonial uniforms, royal standards and gallantry awards to musical instruments, horse furniture and silverware by Fabergé. Each exhibit has its own compelling story to tell and many are on display for the very first time. You can see two silver kettledrums given to the regiment in 1831 by William IV; the pistol ball that wounded Sir Robert Hill at Waterloo and the cork leg which belonged to the first Marquess of Anglesy, who, as the Earl of Uxbridge, lost his real one at Waterloo. Modern additions to the collection include Jacky Charlton’s football cap – he did his national service with the regiment and Sefton’s bridle – the horse that was injured in the 1982 Hyde Park bombings. Much of the collection has resulted from the close association that has existed between the Household Cavalry and Royalty. We have, after all, protected successive kings and queens from rebels, rioters and assassins for nearly 350 years. Working Stable Block: Visitors can gain a unique behind-the-scenes look at our working stable block. All the horses here are on duty and at different times of the day you will see something going on - you might see the horses being brought in, groomed, fed and watered, their hooves oiled and shoes checked, their saddles adjusted ready to go on guard or just see the stables themselves being cleaned. Both our horses and riders go through a rigorous and demanding training. In the Museum's many interactive and multimedia presentations, you will hear first hand accounts of what this training is like and the techniques our soldiers use to master their horses and complete the gruelling preparations for regimental inspections.

The rocks of Montserrat were formed by natural cement of sand during the centuries. The wind and rain shaped the mountain with strange and varied forms. The popular imagination has seen human or animal shape in some of these peaks, giving those names and inventing legends to explain their fantastic origins. This trip to Montserrat will give you the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful and breath-taking views of the Montserrat Mountain, one of nature’s special creations. You will visit the Royal Basilica of Montserrat, which holds the famous 12th century Romanesque carving of Verge Moreneta (the Black Madonna). You will be able to see this famous statue of the Black Madonna from a distance. The Benedict sanctuary of Montserrat has been founded in 1025 and provides a mystical backdrop for the Virgin of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia who is enshrined in the monastery's Royal Basilica. The little monastery soon began to receive pilgrims and visitors who contributed to the spread of stories of miracles and wonders performed by the Virgin. Today, Montserrat has been modernized to continue attending to the needs to pilgrims, one thousand years after it was originally founded. You will be given some free time to visit the audio visual exhibition about the history and creation of Montserrat. And taste typical liquors of Montserrat. The Escolania of Montserrat is one of the oldest boys choirs in Europe (XIV Century). On some days the children's choir sings in the monastery and so you may be fortunate enough to catch one of their delightful performances. Their timeframe is subjected to the school calendar and special events of the choir and monastery.

In Barcelona you can see the best of Gaudí at the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera and the Casa Batlló, relive Barça's victories, enjoy yourself with your kids on the Golondrinas pleasure boats and at Barcelona Zoo, or discover the wonders of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and other museums. You'll be able to do all this and much, much more, free or at a reduced price, with the Barcelona Card. With just one card you'll be able to travel free on the metro, buses, Catalan railways (FGC), trams and even on the airport train and metro. You'll save time and money as you can also take advantage of free admission to, or discounts at, Barcelona's most important museums and many places of interest, leisure attractions, nightclubs, restaurants, on visits and tours, entertainment, unique means of transport and other services. And for the little ones, aged 4 to 12, there's the Barcelona Card Kids, which gives you all the advantages of the Barcelona Card for a similar price than a travel pass.

Please note: Guests should dress elegantly  If you want to take your time at the Eiffel Tower after dinner, you can reach the 2nd floor with no extra fee taking only the stairs. You can do the cruise later on youe own (Port de la Bourbonnais, Bateaux Parisians company, in front of the Eiffel Tower. Departure every hour until 9:30pm). It is recommended to inform the hostess about it.  The skip-the-line access is subjet to the Eiffel Towr procedures: The Vigipirate plan, the security control or an unforeseen crowd can slow down the entrance.  Enjoy a delicious dinner in this chic, contemporary Eiffel Tower restaurant in Paris.    Menu*: Trout marinated in Manakara peppercorns, fromage blanc with herbs and a citrus fruit reduction   ** Roasted poultry supreme, mashed potatoes with jerusalem artichoke and a truffle oil emulsion   ** Crousti Eiffel with praline chocolate, custard cream sauce   **    Château de Lagorce - AOC Bordeaux (Rouge)  Château Tariquet - IGP Côtes de Gascogne (Blanc)  Les Celliers de Ramatuelle - AOP Côtes de Provence (Rosé)   Mineral water & coffee   Child menu (-12 years old)*   King prawns in mild spices, celeriac remoulade and grapefruit with pomegranate seed vinaigrette   **   Sautéed cod steak and herb mashed potatoes     or     Roasted poultry supreme and herb mashed potatoes   **   Tour Eiffel with chocolate and a praline custard sauce   **   Soft    

Diana: Her Fashion Story ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. From her earliest royal engagements, everything Diana wore was closely scrutinised, and the exhibition will explore how she navigated her unique position in the public eye: learning to use her image to engage and inspire people, and to champion the causes she cared about. Discover exquisite and celebrated outfits from throughout the Princess’s public life. The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the 1980s, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana’s ‘working wardrobe’ in the 1990s. The Princess’s relationship with her favourite designers will be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process. Exhibition highlights will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for Diana’s engagement portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1981, and Victor Edelstein’s iconic ink blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta. A blue tartan Emanuel suit, worn for an official visit to Venice in the 1980s, will go on display in public for the first time. The suit, a rare survival of the Princess’s daywear, was only recently rediscovered and acquired by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity responsible for Kensington Palace - at auction.  * Please note, this exhibit is due to be very popular, queues are to be expected. The King's State Apartments Explore these sumptuous set of rooms, each grander than the last. Grand chambers of the State Apartments The King's Staircase is the first link to the circuit of rooms making up the King's State Apartments. All the great and good of Georgian London would have climbed up these stairs to visit the king. The Sunken Garden The beautiful Sunken Garden was planted in 1908, transforming part of the gardens previously occupied by potting sheds into a tranquil ornamental garden of classical proportions.  Cradle Walk An arched arbour of red-twigged lime, the walk surrounds the sunken garden with arched viewpoints equally spaced along the sides. In the summer this shady tunnel provides the perfect place to view the bright colours in the Sunken Garden to the north or the re-landscaped gardens to the south. Formal gardens Kensington Gardens began life as a King's playground; for over 100 years, the gardens were part of Hyde Park and hosted Henry VIII's huge deer chase. When William and Mary established the palace in 1689, they began to create a separate park. Mary commissioned a palace garden of formal flower beds and box hedges. This style was Dutch and designed to make William, who came from Holland, feel at home. The Queen's State Apartments Explore these intimate, private rooms created for Queen Mary II, who ruled jointly with her husband, King William III, in the 17th century.  The Queen’s rooms The Queen's Staircase, little changed since its construction in 1690, is deliberately plainer than the King's. Mary would have glided down its steps to reach her beloved gardens, created in the Dutch style, through the door at its foot.

What You'll Do
See the USS Constitution, an icon of American history
Cruise past the Bunker Hill Monument, Boston Tea Party Boat and the Old North Church
Optional tour of the USS Constitution and accompanying Naval Museum
Fully narrated 45 minute cruise Not included:
Gratuitites
Food and Drink (available on-board)
Hotel pickup and drop off