GSGWM'S London & Poacher

Step outside your hotel for a stroll through the heart of the English-speaking world. In this city of nearly seven million, you'll see everything from 12th-century fortifications to modern skyscrapers, royal parks to street art. Your Tour Director will lead you to some of the most famous sites. Walk along the Thames River. Cross Trafalgar Square. See bustling Piccadilly Circus. Pass trendy shops and cafés in Bohemian Soho on your way to Covent Garden, a 13th-century fruit and vegetable garden transformed into a maze of narrow streets and pedestrian walkways burgeoning with street performers, open-air markets and boutiques.

See Trafalgar Square, often used for community gatherings and political demonstrations.

Visit the National Gallery, which contains an unrivaled collection of Western art spanning seven centuries, from the late 13th to the early 20th. The largest portion of the collection is devoted to the Italians, including works by da Vinci, Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto and Botticelli; but the collection also features works by the Spanish giants El Greco, Goya and Velázquez. The Flemish-Dutch school is represented by Brueghel, Jan van Eyck, Vermeer, Rubens and Rembrandt; and there is also an immense French impressionist and post-impressionist collection that includes works by Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir and Cézanne.

Visit Piccadilly Circus, a shopping and entertainment area brightly lit with video displays and neon signs.

Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and with the Royal Opera House, which itself may be referred to as "Covent Garden". The district is divided by the main thoroughfare of Long Acre, north of which is given over to independent shops centered on Neal's Yard and Seven Dials, while the south contains the central square with its street performers and most of the historical buildings, theatres and entertainment facilities, including the London Transport Museum and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Leicester Square is perfectly situated in the heart of London's West End, with Trafalgar Square to the south, Piccadilly Circus to the west, Covent Garden to the east, and China Town to the north.

Attention all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts! Make your visit to London extra special with a visit to Pax Lodge, the Scouts’ third world center located in northwest London. Located right by the International Headquarters of WAGGGS, the Pax Lodge will welcome you for a self-guided tour and regularly hosts international events, parties and scout challenges. No two visits will be the same!

Participate in a pinning ceremony where each participant will receive a pin from the Pax Lodge, the Girl Scouts’ third world center located in northwest London. Situated right by the International Headquarters of WAGGGS, the Pax Lodge will welcome Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all around the world.

Join a licensed local guide for an in-depth look at London, from the royal haunt of Buckingham Palace (the official London residence of King Charles III) to the slightly more democratic Speakers’ Corner of Hyde Park, where anyone can pull up a soapbox and orate to his heart’s content. You’ll see the changing of the guard (season permitting), the clock tower of Big Ben with its 14-ton bell, and Westminster Abbey, where almost every English king and queen since William the Conqueror has been crowned. After a stop at the Houses of Parliament, continue on to the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral, the masterpiece of London architect Christopher Wren.

Visit the National Gallery, which contains an unrivaled collection of Western art spanning seven centuries, from the late 13th to the early 20th. The largest portion of the collection is devoted to the Italians, including works by da Vinci, Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto and Botticelli; but the collection also features works by the Spanish giants El Greco, Goya and Velázquez. The Flemish-Dutch school is represented by Brueghel, Jan van Eyck, Vermeer, Rubens and Rembrandt; and there is also an immense French impressionist and post-impressionist collection that includes works by Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir and Cézanne.

Note cost of meal is not included: One of the best ways to truly experience a culture is to shop, and eat, like a local! Grab your shopping list and blanket and head to the local food market to scour the aisles for some regional specialties. See what the locals are buying, try some new foods and then head to a public park to eat your goodies and do some serious people-watching.

Visit prehistoric Stonehenge, built in 3,000 BC, a mysterious monument of four concentric rings of hefty stones, believed to be a sacred place of worship or some type of calendar. Like a Jane Austen novel come to life. Bath was England's most fashionable spa town in the 18th century. Everyone who was anyone headed to this town on the River Avon to "take the waters" and attend the theaters. Today you'll visit Roman baths, sweeping Georgian-style terraces and buildings made from the honey-hued stone, and art galleries, shops and restaurants.

Nothing’s more British than fish and chips—there are eight fish and chip shops (“chippies”) for every McDonald’s in the country. Head to an authentic pub with your Tour Director for a taste of this national food, generally served with malt vinegar.

Explore the oldest English-speaking university in the world. Founded in 1096, Oxford got a big attendance boost in 1167, when a tiff between the English and French kings caused all English students to be expelled from the University of Paris. Many came back to Oxford, and since then the university has been home to many of England’s most illustrious thinkers and writers, including Sir Walter Raleigh, Roger Bacon -- and Dr. Seuss. With a local guide tour Brasenose College, one of the 39 colleges that make up the university.

Afternoon tea started in England in the 1840s when The Duchess of Bedford wanted a small bite between lunch and dinner. What started out as just tea and a small snack quickly grew in popularity when she invited friends, until it became a social gathering for the wealthy social class. You’ll get to sit down to this very British experience and enjoy a selection of savouries, scones with clotted cream and jam, an assortment of cakes, and of course tea!

Walk along the Thames river in one of London's most popular and vibrant neighborhoods: the South Bank. Spot the National Theatre and the historic pubs, stop to view the London Eye from the tree-lined walkway, and pause to watch one of the area’s famous street performers.

Borough Market is a historic, bustling food hub in London, offering a vibrant mix of artisanal goods, fresh produce, and international flavors in a lively atmosphere. Whether you're sampling local delicacies or soaking in its rich heritage, it's a must-visit for food lovers.

Vendors hocking sandwiches. Spectators sitting in the open air, exposed to the hot sun or cold rain. People cheering and heckling the players. Sounds more like a typical day at the ballpark than a performance of a Shakespearean play. In Elizabethan England the Globe Theatre was a lively place, and this 1990s reconstruction strives to be as authentic as possible. Learn how modern-day actors deal with the rowdy groundlings (working in simulated daylight means actors can see—and react to—each and every audience member), how the costumers hand-sew antique fabrics to create the clothing, how designers cope with the very minimalist Elizabethan standards for scenery and props, and how directors take advantage of the unique conditions to break down the idea that “Shakespeare equals stuffy.” Please note that the workshop is restricted to students and a limited number of accompanying adults. Adults who are not able to participate will be offered a guided tour of The Shakespeare Globe as a substitute activity.

Enjoy a Thames River Cruise, a relaxing way to view many of London's most magnificent sights. Our trip will take us past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and under the famous Tower Bridge.

The history of Indian food in Britain is now almost four hundred years old and today the country is home to some of the best Indian food in the world. Today, traditional meals like Fish & Chips are matched in popularity by curry dishes. Sit down to a delicious authentic Indian meal for dinner tonight. Taste different dishes with fragrant spices to understand why Indian food is one of the nation's favorites.

Don’t forget your credit cards as you pay a visit (and a hefty markup) to the world’s most famous luxury store. With over one million square feet of selling space in over 330 departments, Harrods most certainly lives up to its motto—Omnia Omnibus Ubique, All Things for All People, Everywhere. You’ll find clothes, electronics, sporting goods, toys, housewares, furniture and some very high-end jewelry. Of course, if you don’t measure up to Harrods dress code, you may find yourself left out in the cold.

End with a night at the theater. You'll see a play in the West End, the British version of Broadway, with London's 40-or-so professional theaters, as well as restaurants, shops and cafés. Please note that theater performances may be moved to alternate days due to availability.

Enjoy a meal at the first hard Rock Cafe, a legendary place for rock'n'roll fans around the world.