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Best of Devon and Cornwall

8 Days London Return
Best of Devon and Cornwall
Best of Devon and Cornwall
Best of Devon and Cornwall

Overview

Read 15 reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on Trafalgar's 8 Day Best of Devon and Cornwall. Embrace the charm of Southwest England on this trip through Devon and Cornwall. Discover the seaside town of St. Ives, learn about the monks of Buckfast Abbey, and indulge in a traditional cream tea.
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US$1,985 per person
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Trip Length
Trip Length

8 Days

Trip Starts
Trip Starts

London

Trip Ends
Trip Ends

London

Countries Visited
Countries Visited:
Operator
Operator
Trafalgar
Trip Reviews
15 Trip Reviews
Avg. Rating: 4.6/5
Trip Style
Trip Style

Country Explorer

Accommodation
Accommodation

4 Star

Budget
Budget

Premium

Age Range
Age Range

5-99 Years

Max. Group Size
Max. Group Size

52

Guide Style
Guide Style

Fully Guided

Tour Code
Tour Code

BDEV

Itinerary

A vibrant mix of old and new which marches to its very own unforgettable multi-cultural tune. Spend your day exploring the city's iconic sights - its royal heritage, exquisite architecture and fascinating museums. Then take to the city's streets this evening, enjoying the buzz of Soho or perhaps attend a West End show. Stay: Hilton Kensington

This morning, meet your Travel Director for a journey through lush landscapes to the historic market town of Windsor. Next, you'll visit the ancient megaliths at Stonehenge, which rise imposingly on Salisbury Plain, imagining a time when pagans and druids would gather in their mysterious midst. Next, travel to Paignton, where you'll enjoy an orientation of the city. Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner this evening. (B/D) Stay: Mercure Paignton

Leave the Devon coast behind and head to the Eden Project for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Walk through the iconic biomes to see how nature and innovation come together to tackle global challenges. Explore the rainforest and Mediterranean environments, spot local plants in the outdoor gardens and discover how communities are creating a more sustainable future. You'll also come across thought-provoking art and storytelling that brings the space to life.

Then continue to the coastal town of St. Ives. With its working harbor, golden beaches and creative energy, it's easy to see why it's a favorite with artists and visitors alike. (B)

This morning, consider an optional cruise around Plymouth's dramatic coastline or enjoy some free time exploring Plymouth your way. Continue to Buckfast Abbey where you'll Dive into Culture and see where Benedictine monks have prayed for nearly 1,000 years. Next, enjoy Dartmoor National Park on a scenic drive across the mysterious moors. You can also opt to join a traditional pub dinner in a Devonshire village. (B)

Leave Paignton behind and journey north, stopping in the village of Tintagel—steeped in legend as the birthplace of King Arthur. You'll have time to explore the town and spot Tintagel Castle in the distance, perched dramatically on the clifftops above the Atlantic. Then continue on to Bideford, a historic riverside town where the evening is yours to relax or explore at your own pace. (B) Stay: Durrant House Hotel, The Royal

Visit Lynmouth, the walking capital of Exmoor. Enjoy an orientation tour and some free time to explore.

After that, drive through the Exmoor National Park - towering sea cliffs, high moors, tumbling streams and deep valleys. Join your travel companions for dinner this evening. (B/D)

Visit the UNESCO-listed city of Bath, one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe. See the Pulteney Bridge, the 15th-century abbey and the Roman Baths, where you'll learn how people once gathered around the thermal springs.

Later, head to Stowford Manor Farm in the Frome Valley for your Be My Guest experience. Join Mr and Mrs Bryant in their farmhouse for homemade scones and tea served with local Jersey cream.

Continue your journey to London through open countryside, bringing your trip through Devon and Cornwall to a close. (B) Stay: The Tower

Say a fond farewell to your traveling companions at the end of a wonderful vacation, as you prepare to return home with treasured memories. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Discover Windsor, St. Ives, Plymouth, Bath
  • Visit The ancient stone circle at Stonehenge, the artists' colony of St. Ives, Buckfast Abbey in Buckfast, the Roman Baths in Bath
  • View Windsor Castle, the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth

Be My Guest

  • Wiltshire: Meet Mr and Mrs Bryant on their riverside farm in the Frome Valley. Enjoy home-baked scones with local Jersey cream in their 15th-century house and garden. Hear stories of farm life, local heritage and the beloved Jersey cows over a traditional cup of tea.

Dive Into Culture

  • Buckfastleigh: Visit Buckfast Abbey, a Benedictine monastery built on the site where monks have lived and prayed for over 1,000 years.

Iconic Experience

  • Stonehenge: Walk around the strange and awe-inspiring megaliths that have reputedly stood for 5,000 years.
  • Windsor: Explore the iconic British town of Windsor on an orientation tour with your Travel Director. Discover the town's historic charm as you stroll through its picturesque streets and learn about its royal heritage.
  • St. Ives: Visit St. Ives, one of the United Kingdom's most popular seaside resorts.
  • Tintagel Castle: See the ruins of Tintagel Castle set against the dramatic Atlantic coastline.
  • Lynmouth: Enjoy a visit to the quaint village of Lynmouth and admire its delightful natural setting.
  • Bath: Admire UNESCO-listed Bath, with its elegant Georgian facades and the bimillennial Roman Baths from which the city takes its name.

Make Travel Matter®

  • Cornwall: Visit the Eden Project, a former clay pit transformed into a thriving global garden. Hear the story behind this unique ecological attraction, then enjoy time to explore its vast Biomes, walk through the lush indoor rainforest and take in thought-provoking art installations. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 & 13: Quality Education and Climate Action.

  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • London: The services of a Trafalgar Local Host when you stay at Trafalgar's recommended London hotel
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • Must-see sightseeing
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • Optional Experiences (Additional Cost) and free time
  • On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized

  • 7 Breakfasts (B)
  • 2 Dinners (D)

  • Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
  • Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included

Operator

Trafalgar
 (1,001) Reviews
Total No. of Tours & Cruises262
We are the world’s leading and most awarded travel brand spanning all 7 continents of the globe. From the iconic to the unexpected our guests connect to the real depth of the places we go. They will break bread with the locals at our exclusive Be My Guest experiences and unlock local secrets of our Travel Directors and more Local Specialists. Everything is taken care of, so they travel with true ease and get the real thing without worrying about a thing.

We consider how we can positively impact the communities we engage with. Through our JoinTrafalgar initiatives powered by TreadRight, guests don’t just leave footprints on the ground, but leave a lasting legacy for the betterment of locals and the future of their communities.

It’s 72 years of destination experience and feedback from over 5 million happy guests that fuels our innovation to continually delivery simply the best holidays.
Must-sees to Local Secrets
Must-sees to Local Secrets

You’ll enjoy the icons and hidden gems with a Local Specialist by your side. Read more

Connect with Locals
Connect with Locals

With one on every itinerary, Be My Guest ensures your journey is truly one-of-a-kind, wherever it takes you. Read more

Stay With Stories
Stay With Stories

Find yourself overnighting in accommodations with stories as rich as the destinations you’re exploring. Read more

Trip Reviews (15)

Trafalgar Reviews
Reviews 15 Reviews
Average Rating 4.6 out of 5
5 Star
67%
4 Star
27%
3 Star
7%
2 Star
1 Star
Best of Devon and Cornwall 5 , TAS, Australia, Jun 2023
This tour is the best of Cornwall and Devon. We needed to adjust our expectations as we were disappointed that the we did not spend 2 days/1 night in Cornwall. There is a lot of time on the coach where you double back which adds about an hour per day on the coach and less time available for the stops. As an example, we visited Bath (which was fantastic) read more but then drove through Bath to the hotel (30 min drive each way to Bristol) then back through Bath the following morning to set off on the journey with a return back through Bath to the hotel in Bristol and then back through Bath the following morning.

I would suggest that the trip perhaps reduces the number of stops (farms and villages) to enable time at key tourist attractions - many people on the tour wanted to tour the Windsor Castle but we didn't have enough time. My expectation was perhaps unrealistic - Stop at Windsor, Bath and head down to Cornwall. St Ives was great, it would have been good to have had an overnighter in Cornwall and perhaps even include St Isacc which is well known and would give us a good feel of two coastal villages in Cornwall. St Michael's Mount was amazing but 2 1/2 hours on the coach for a 20 minute stop - not really enough time to do anything.

I have done many tours in the UK over the course of the last 6+ weeks and was surprised to be told about the expectations of gratuities each day. They were not mentioned in my other tours by other operators. The hotels were good, but as mentioned above I would have preferred to have stayed in Cornwall and would have been happy to stay in an airBnB to enable an overnighter in Cornwall. Overall, the trip was ok, most likely I will hire a car and head off down to Cornwall on my next visit.
Well organised from start to finish   4 , New South Wales, Australia, May 2023
This is the 2nd time we have booked through Global Journeys and our contact Hannah has been wonderful! It is always great to get the same person to deal with again.

The tour with Trafalgar was our first time and we found the short tour to Devon & Cornwall to be exactly perfect. Our Tour director Hannah and bus driver Steph were absolutely the best read more to deal with and they looked after the whole bus load of 47 tourists really well. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Trafalgar again. There was a good mix of people from Australia, US, UK and NZ.
Wonderful coach trip through South England, Cornwall and Devon. 5 , QLD, Australia, Jul 2019
Comfortable coach, terrific driver and wonderful guide made our trip so much more of an adventure. The other guest were friendly and happy to be travelling with us all together. This trip was educational and fun. We visited historic sites, historic buildings and ate at some old old pubs and restaurants, learning at the same time of their history. The read more farm visit was rewarding and the meal was delicious. Everything was done for us and we had leisure time to wander cathedrals and villages. The optional excursions were incredible. Would take another of these coach trips in a heart beat.
Amazing Devon and Cornwall 3 , Australia, Jun 2019
I arrived at the London Reception Centre to join the tour. I was warmly greeted by the staff and the Tour Director. A great start. A good number also joined there, which was excellent. My previous trips had started badly. A great group of people from several countries including singles travelling.

The second two hotels we stayed in weren’t as good read more and the breakfasts were somewhat lacking. The Hilton in Bristol was wonderful. I had room service one night and it was excellent. All the included activities were well thought out and excellent. The optional activities were excellent too.

The weather was wet and cold during the trip even though it was the beginning of summer. I recommend you take a good waterproof jacket. I was thankful I included my daughter’s at the last minute. The tour director, Maria Holzamer, made sure everyone was included and welcome and her commentary was knowledgeable. She and the coach driver went above and beyond to help one passenger who had mobility issues.
A wonderful holiday 7 , WA, Australia, Jun 2016
For the most part my trip with Trafalgar booked through Global Journeys was excellent. All sight seeing destinations were covered.except one and that was out of Trafalgar's hands. Our tour guide went out of her way to make this up to us. Our coach driver was excellent. Only one accommodation a bit below par.
Very satisfied with the overall experience 5 , VIC, Australia, Sep 2015
Very satisfied with the overall experience, but as l have traveled on other UK journeys l felt that this tour did visit quite a number of sites l had already seen. Would have really liked to visit more of what Devon & Cornwell had to offer that other tour don't. Such as all those small seaside villages, more of Dartmoor etc. More sightseeing could read more have been included on some of the days as well as some of the visits to places were too long eg; St Ives & Bath. One must also be mindful that some travelers are still quite fit and able to cope with greater paced days.
Thoroughly enjoyable experience all round! 3 , QLD, Australia, Sep 2015
A thoroughly enjoyable experience all round! We appreciated our agent, Yvonne Brookes' excellent service and our Trafalgar tour director Maria exceeded our expectations with her knowledge of the area and interesting commentary throughout!
Well worth it despite difficult terrain in some villages 5 , QLD, Australia, Jun 2015
Overall the tour was well worth it despite difficult terrain in some Cornish villages. The Tour Director (Maria) was quite entertaining with sometimes hilarious historical stories which may or may not be true. Coach was spacious as there were only 20 on the tour and everyone was friendly. We needed to keep a brisk pace getting up and down some of the read more cobbled narrow streets and we could have done with more explanation about this aspect prior to the tour. We were, however, given the impression that this wouldn't be a problem for any of us. Wasn't always the case, but we all managed it. If anything, I would suggest that the corrugated mattress I had on the first night in Bideford be swapped in favour of a better hotel. The other hotels at Plymouth and Bristol were good. I would recommend this tour because of the beautiful scenery and interesting historical background to many of the places visited.
A must-do tour 6 , QLD, Australia, May 2015
This was a fast-paced tour that packed a lot into a short time over a considerable distance. Consequently, crucial timing was often hampered by traffic restraints resulting in less time at our destinations. On our visit to Buckfast Abbey, motorway gridlock prompted our driver/director to take a previously untried route along B roads through beautiful read more countryside and villages - a serendipitous detour, but then just half an hour or so at the Abbey. St Ives and Polperro were a joy to visit in glorious sun that brought crowds of half term holidaymakers to their beaches. Beware the aggressive seagulls, though, that were ever ready to swoop on unguarded food. We were warned! Plenty of time in Bath was a bonus for my Jane Austen loving daughter who indulged her Sense and Sensibilities in the dedicated museum. There is never enough time to absorb all this beautiful small city has on offer, but a very formal wedding in the cathedral and some strangely dressed male dancers performing something between a Morris dance and a cheer leaders' routine were welcome extras.

The stunning and contrasting scenery of the South West makes this a must-do tour for anyone wanting an informative and in-depth overview of the area. I can highly recommend it. Not wanting to be 'picky' about this and understanding that tour directors have the ongoing issue of getting everyone back on the coach on time, I didn't feel it necessary for our director to have us all chant the return time, parrot fashion, after her before disembarking. We were, after all, pretty much sensible adults and not a bunch of primary schoolchildren. Thanks to Yvonne at Global Journeys for her efficient handling of our travel and tour bookings - done on fairly short notice. Much appreciated.
We got to see quite a lot 1 , Australia, Aug 2014
The tour covered a lot of ground. We got to see quite a lot. The accommodation was great. Maybe the name should be changed to 'Best of England's West Country' as we spent considerable time in places outside of Devon and Cornwall (e.g. Bath and Bristol), but that was fine by me.
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Embark on an unparalleled UK adventure with Trafalgar. Discover the essence of England, from its historic castles to bustling London streets. Ireland unveils its poetic Emerald Isle allure with sweeping landscapes, vibrant culture, and joyful encounters. Scotland, a "wee" country steeped in Viking and Royal history, offers dramatic coastlines, medieval more Edinburgh, and misty glens. Trafalgar's expertly curated tours immerse you in the heart of these captivating destinations.

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Monday 13 Apr 2026 13 Apr 26 London
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Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Trafalgar. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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