The Seeker’s Quest

A Grand Adventure in Harry Potter’s Britain

June 29 – July 9, 2010

A Family-Friendly Harry Potter Travel Experience for ages 6 and up
Features 9 Nights Accommodations!

Prices
$2795 for ages 13 and up
$2295 children ages 6 through 12

(Ages 6 – 17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone.)

Ask about our great family discounts for 3 or more sharing accommodations!

Receive a free Alivan’s wand when you book by January 15, 2010

Because many of the inns and hotels we include on this tour are small, reservations must be Limited to 16 guests!

Special Note: The tour planners for Magical Tours can’t predict the dates and places for special Harry Potter events in Britain next summer, but guests can be confident that our tours are flexible enough to take advantage of any events that may be scheduled during tour dates. As far as possible every effort will be made to include such additions as movie premiers and opening nights, or celebrity appearances to each tour as details are made available to us. The summer of 2010 is sure to hold some great surprises!

ITINERARY

June 29, Tuesday -- Day 1
Guests depart on flights to London Heathrow (not included). Guests are responsible for making their own flight arrangements into London. Please arrange flights to arrive at Heathrow no later than 10:00 AM on June 30th. Magical Tours will assist with transportation information, but flight connections are the responsibility of each tour participant. There is available transportation between London Heathrow and Gatwick airports, but adequate time must be allowed for the transfer if arrival will be at Gatwick.

This tour is planned to arrive into London, and depart from Edinburgh, Scotland. The tour ends in Edinburgh, but for those guests who prefer book their return flights from London Magical Tours will be pleased to arrange inexpensive transportation from Edinburgh to London on July 9th. In most cases one extra night in London will be required for this option.

June 30, Wednesday - Day 2
Our tour group will rendezvous at the Premier Inn Hotel – Bath Road at 12 Noon. All morning arrivals, and for those already in central London or at a Heathrow hotel, please make your way to the lobby of the Premier Inn for the tour group assembly. There is an inexpensive shuttle bus from the main Heathrow terminals to the hotel (4 Pounds), or guests may wish to take a taxi instead. For those guests joining the group from the earlier London Bridge Tour complimentary transportation will be provided from central London to the meeting point.

Our private van will pick us up at the Premier Inn for our journey to our first stop, Black Park, the forest near London that has been used as a filming location for many Harry Potter movie scenes, including being the site of Hagrid’s hut in the first two films, and the last scenes of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, plus many more! There we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing on to the most enchanting village in Britain, Lacock. We’ll be checking in to our amazingly cozy rooms, right in James and Lilly Potter’s neighborhood.

After settling in we’ll take a casual stroll down our street to have a highly memorable dinner together in one of the most charming restaurants in Britain – right in the midst of filming locations for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

June 28, Monday – Day 3
After a delicious home-cooked breakfast we’ll make our way to the world’s longest hedge maze. In Goblet of Fire only the School Champions were allowed to enter the maze for the third challenge; but here everyone gets to join in the fun of having our own adventure quest, and maybe even getting lost in this giant maze. If we find our way safely out of the maze, we’ll return to the village for a unique meal: a real English Cream Tea in a beautiful English garden – an experience you’ll never forget!

After lunch we’ll have a leisurely tour of the nearby Lacock Abbey, a very historic site right on the Avon River, and a very important filming location for several Harry Potter movies. After our tour of the abbey grounds, cloisters, and museum in the late afternoon we’ll go on a visit to the enigmatic village of Avebury. There we’ll explore the huge stone circle that surrounds the village. We will also have time to examine the mysteries of nearby Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow (where the Barrow-Wights lurk!) These ancient monuments have baffled historians for centuries, and are some of the most magical places on earth. Dinner will be on your own in Avebury at one of the most picturesque inns you’ve ever seen.

We’ll return to Lacock in time for everyone to enjoy a late-evening stroll in this fascinating village before turning in for the night. You will truly be able to imagine you’re actually in Godric’s Hollow.

July 2, Friday - Day 4
After a great home cooked breakfast we’ll set off for our next destination: Gloucester. Our hotel there, set right in the heart of the town, was built in the 14th century, and has been described as one of the finest examples of a medieval galleried inn to be seen in Britain today! Guests will feel as if they’ve been magically whisked off to The Leaky Cauldron.

After settling in at the hotel and having lunch on your own at the hotel’s restaurant we’ll visit the famed Gloucester Cathedral, which was heavily featured as a movie backdrop for both Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as well as for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This magnificent cathedral is a stunning sight ! After a leisurely tour of the cathedral and its famous cloisters (with plenty of photo opportunities) everyone will have free time to explore Gloucester and have dinner on your own.

July 3, Saturday - Day 5
After breakfast in Gloucester, we’re off on a short journey to Oxford, the "City of Dreaming Spires", and one of the most important filming locations for the Harry Potter movies. We will visit the Great Hall which was the model for the Hogwarts Great Hall, the famous grand staircase, the trophy room, the “hospital wing”, the library Harry visited in his invisibility cloak, and more! Everyone will enjoy the locations associated with the Harry Potter films, but there are many other amazing sights to see in Oxford, and an incredible number of connections to the world’s most beloved books and literary characters.

During our visit there we’ll enjoy lunch together at the perfect spot in Oxford: the small pub where great literary figures gathered in years past. In this charming little place, C.S. Lewis first read aloud his work, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and J.R.R. Tolkien first entranced listeners with his reading of The Hobbit.

After a full day we’ll return to Gloucester in the evening for a nice dinner together at our hotel’s atmospheric restaurant.

July 4, Sunday – Day 6
Happy 4th of July! Right after an early breakfast in Gloucester we’ll make our train connection to travel to the incredible city of York. We’ll enjoy a lunch onboard our train on the way to York. Our home-away-from-home in York will be a stunning hotel located right in the heart of the breathtaking ancient medieval city. After settling in we’ll have a walking tour to orient everyone to the charms of Olde York, which fulfills the image of “what England is supposed to look like”. It is the home of the original “Diagon Alley” and the magnificent York Minster, one of the world’s most beautiful Gothic cathedrals.

We’ll have an early dinner together before the next adventure: a unique Ghost Walk. Our hosts will entertain us with York’s most famous ghost stories as we visit the darker corners of the old city. If we still have our wits about us we’ll scurry back to the safety of our hotel for a (hopefully) peaceful night’s sleep.

July 5, Monday – Day 7  Right after our hearty English breakfast, it’s off on another adventure! Today we’ll goout to ride the North Yorkshire Railway’s steam train on the route featured in the first Harry Potter movie. This historic train carries us past miles of enchanting English scenery through one of Britain’s most beautiful national parks. On this remarkable rail journey we’ll steam our way to the station used as Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films. Lunch will be an onboard treat

After our return to York in the afternoon everyone will have free time to explore, shop, or just relax at the B&B. Enjoy a wide range of attractions available – from walking atop the medieval city wall to visiting the Jorvic Museum of Viking culture. Check out The National Railway Museum, or just stroll along the atmospheric streets of this captivating city.

In the evening we’ll reassemble to have an unforgettable time in one of the most amazing places you’ve ever seen. A lovely dinner and mystery Harry Potter activities will round out a very full day. We can’t go into the details of this incredible evening, and we don’t want to spoil the surprise; but suffice it to say it will surly be a highlight of your entire Magical Tours journey!

July 6, Tuesday – Day 8
This morning we'll have an early breakfast before our First Class train journey to Edinburgh, Scotland, home of J.K. Rowling! Lunch will be an onboard “train picnic”. After our arrival in Edinburgh we’ll check into our hotel right in the heart of the city – the location couldn’t be better!

After settling in we’ll take for a short trip to an ancient Scottish castle in the countryside for an up close and personal encounter with owls! This will be an experience you will never forget! Everyone will get to handle and learn about flying owls, and to try your hand at really flying different kinds of owls just like those that appear in the Harry Potter movies. It’s an amazing experience!

In the evening we’ll enjoy a short walking tour and welcome dinner together at the restaurant where J.K. Rowling wrote most of the first Harry Potter book.

And later, for those who are strong of heart, we’ll have a ghost walk into one of the scariest places in the world: deep in the underground Vaults of Edinburgh. If we emerge safely, we’ll scurry back to the safety of our hotel, and hide under the covers – or maybe enjoy some night time fun in this always lively city.

July 7, Wednesday – Day 9
We start the day with a fun walking tour of the upper portion of Edinburgh’s famed Royal Mile to make you comfortable in your new neighborhood. This fascinating main street is so full of intriguing shops, you might feel as if you’ve discovered the real “Diagon Alley”. Our tour will reveal some of the old city’s most famous tales and legends. We’ll have breakfast along the way at a very special place that played a big part in Harry Potter history!

Afterward it’s on to the awesome Edinburgh Castle for a terrific tour of the castle that was an inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s image of Hogwarts. There will also be time to explore the castle at your own pace, and then have a free afternoon in Edinburgh. You may just want to wander the intriguing street to sight-see and shop.

For those looking for a bit of exercise you can take the hike down the hill to the palace of Holyrood House, the royal residence of Queen Elizabeth in Edinburgh. From there you can look up to Arthur’s Seat, a massive volcanic outcropping in a huge town park just past the foot of the Royal Mile. There is something memorable for everyone to do. Lunch and dinner will be on your own wherever you may roam.

This delightful city offers a very lively nightlife, and there’s something for everyone, from traditional Scottish music to live pop performances. Or if you didn’t get enough fright before, you might even want to take another ghost walk! Whatever you choose, fall under the spell and enjoy a memorable evening taking in one of the world’s greatest cities!

July 8, Thursday – Day 10
After an early breakfast we’ll board our train to travel to Durham, England. In this scenic northern English town we’ll visit the magnificent Durham Cathedral, one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Britain. The setting is one of the most familiar filming locations for the early Harry Potter movies. Durham, the ancestral home of George Washington, is filled with history and legend, and is always a favorite destination for Magical Tours guests.

The next stop is Alnwick, England, the location where many, many exterior shots of “Hogwarts” were filmed. As soon as we arrive we’ll have lunch on your own at the castle's snack bar or restaurant or in one of the town’s cozy cafes outside the castle walls. The absolutely breathtaking Alnwick Castle and village alone are worth a trip to the British Isles! You will feel as if you really are at Hogwarts! We may even see an owl-flying demonstration and some other nice surprises where Harry’s first flying lesson took place!

After our visit there we’ll return to Edinburgh for our farewell dinner together at a wonderful traditional Scottish restaurant.

July 9, Friday – Day 11
The tour ends with breakfast at our hotel. Guests will be assisted with airport transfers or with departures to other destinations. Today’s transportation will be the responsibility of individual guests.

After this magical experience you’ll never think of the Harry Potter books and movies in the same way because – for a little while, at least – you will have lived in Harry’s world yourself!

This limited size private tour will fill quickly. Don’t miss out!

Reservations and deposits for all tours must be received by March 1, 2010

Prices for Origins of Harry’s Wondrous World, June 17 – 26, 2010:

A $500 deposit is required with each reservation. Final payment is due by May 1, 2010 See the “Extended Payment Plan” on our Magical Tours website for details on payment options.

NOTE: The MAXIMUM for this small group tour is 16 persons, and the MINIMUM is 8. All prices are based on double occupancy.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: The additional cost for single occupancy accommodations will be $550. We are pleased to work with guests to avoid this charge through the “roommate plan”. As guests sign up for tours we will keep single travelers advised on possible room sharing options. Single guests will have the opportunity to contact each other in advance to see if they would be comfortable sharing twin or triple accommodations during the tour. The extra charge is payable if such arrangements do not work out, or if the guest prefers private rooms.

TOUR INCLUDES: All nine (9) breakfasts throughout, six (6) lunches and six (6) dinners; all ground transportation including airport transfers and First Class rail travel, eight nights of overnight accommodation (based on double occupancy) in very specially–selected hotels & B&Bs & private apartments, admissions to all attractions described in the tour itinerary, full time knowledgeable guide services, and standard gratuities. There will be no additional charges for tours and events offered by Magical Tours/Your Man in Europe.

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare to, and returning from Great Britain, optional travel insurance, extra beverages (meals will include 1 beverage and will be budgeted accordingly); a la cart or premium menu selections beyond the established meal allowances; between meal snacks; gratuities for extra services such as baggage porters, or for superior service (normal gratuities are included in the trip cost); souvenirs; and privately arranged activities. Room upgrades, where available, are also not included. NOTE: All overnight accommodations, as well as railroad, coach, and mini-bus travel will be NON-SMOKING.

ITINERARY CHANGES: Guests are advised that the tour itineraries are subject to minor revisions both prior to and during the tours. Normally such changes involve slight alterations in the order of activities, rather than significant changes such as canceling a planned tour item. From time to time additional events are added to the schedule; but if circumstances require leaving out a planned activity guests will be advised as early as possible, and a different event of equal or superior value would be introduced as a substitute. Our tour parties are small enough to make possible quick shifts in the plans to adjust for unanticipated conditions, such as bad weather or transportation interruptions beyond our control.

THE DIFFERENCE: Magical Tours does not operate “Big Bus Tours”. There will be no wake-up calls at 5 AM to herd onto the buses, or marathon cross-country slogs with a busload of exhausted people. Our guests will travel at a relaxed pace, and have friendly, extremely knowledgeable guides for the entire tour – not just a bus driver and contracted tour guides. We do our best to set the mood, to weave a spell, and to make yours a total experience. These are also not just film-location “drop-by” trips. Each of the places visited will come to life through carefully planned presentations. Hotels, bed & breakfast inns, and private apartments, as well as most restaurants on the entire journeys have been selected for their highly prized locations or high levels of “atmosphere”, or both! The small group size allows us to personalize the experience in a way big groups simply cannot do.

For those who haven’t experienced British rail travel there is simply no contest between long stuffy confining bus journeys and the openness, freedom and comfort of First Class train travel. Our travel adventures are not just more mass tours organized by a big commercial tour company to capitalize on a movie fad. The trips encompass a genuine affection for an enduring classic of literature, as well as for beautiful and historic countries. This is much more than just a “Harry Potter” tour – anyone would love these unique views of England and Scotland. We want guests to be a real part of it all – not just tourists passing through. We don’t supplement the price during the trips through endless additional charges for “extra” tours and arrangements you must handle on your own.

If you want a complete, personalized, worry-free escorted tour of Harry Potter’s England – a magical journey – you’ve found the source!

DISCLAIMER: These themed tours are not official 'Harry Potter' events and are not endorsed, sanctioned or in any other way supported, directly or indirectly by Warner Bros. Entertainment, the Harry Potter book publishers or J.K.Rowling and her representatives. All rights to the series of “Harry Potter” books are the property of J.K. Rowling and her publishers including Scholastic Press, et al. Film rights and image trademarks are the property of Warner Brothers, Inc. Any references to trademarked and copyrighted materials are not intended as anything more than an effort to bring well-known imaginary figures and places in literature into the context of an actual travel experience in Great Britain. Though the places we will visit are quite real and historically significant, the theme of this tour is based upon entirely imaginary characters and places. When the tour itinerary refers to such imaginary characters or place names, there is no intent to imply that they are real people or places, or that they pertain to factual events. Such references are intended to create associations between possible inspirations for the stories and/or filming locations used for the movies, and the very real places we will visit. Since “Hogwarts”, “The Forbidden Forest”, etc. are not real places, we cannot possibly actually visit them…but we can have fun pretending…

Copyright 2008 -Your Man in Europe/Magical Tours