Christ Church England Itinerary 2025

May 25 and May 26, Days 1 & 2 – Travel from USA, Arrive in Oxford, UK
Depart USA, arrive LHR

After arriving early we transfer to Oxford, home of the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The overwhelming majority of Christian leaders within England have been trained for ministry between Oxford and its collegiate sister city of Cambridge. After checking in at our hotel we will rest after our long journey until our orientation and opening dinner together. (D)

May 27, Day 3 – Oxford

In the morning we will tour Christ Church College with its magnificent Great Dining Hall, and begin our walk through the history of the faith in England. After lunch in the heart of Oxford, we will discuss C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings on our way to Magdalen College where Lewis taught for 29 years. Along the way we will visit the Martyr’s memorial and hear about three of Anglicanism’s key founding leaders: Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer.  After dinner we will attend a beautiful Evensong service at Christ Church College. (B / L / D)

May 28, Day 4 – Cotswolds & Oxford

This morning will present an opportunity for morning prayer at Pusey house, the birthplace of the Oxford movement that saw a rebirth of “high” church that still influences Anglicanism today. Then we’re off to the village of Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, the quintessentially English villages of honey-colored stone, markets, and breath-taking landscapes. In the afternoon we’ll return to Oxford for a free afternoon strolling through the town. A visit to Blackwell’s, the oldest bookstore in Oxford, is not to be missed! (B / D)

May 29, Day 5 – Durham

After a morning-long journey into Northern England and a brief stop for lunch, we will arrive in Durham. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this 11th century cathedral is considered the finest Norman building in Europe. Here we hear the stories of Cuthbert, Oswald and Bede. After some free time, evensong, and dinner, we lodge in Durham tonight. (B / D)

May 30, Day 6 – Lindisfarne

This morning we journey north to Lindisfarne where we visit Holy Island, a tidal island off the Northumbrian coast (our schedule to cross the causeway is determined by tide schedule). St. Aidan was sent here as a missionary from Iona and established a monastery here in 630 AD that is now a series of breathtaking ruins. This is considered by religious and non-religious as the most sacred place in all England. After lunch we make our way back to Durham for free time before dinner together in the heart of the town. (B / L / D)

May 31, Day 7 – York & London

Today we make our long morning trek to London, stopping for a visit to York along the way.  We will visit York Minster, the largest medieval church in England and possibly the oldest Christian community in Britain, a staggering example of Gothic architecture. After a quick lunch in York we’ll continue on the road and make our way to London, checking into our hotel at Paddington station in the evening. Dinner is right around the corner as we prepare to embrace the beauty of London. (B / L / D)

June 1, Day 8 – London

On the Lord’s Day we join in Sunday worship at All Souls Langham Place, where John Stott, perhaps England’s greatest preacher and evangelist, served from 1945 until his death in 2011. This active church in the heart of London will give us a picture of a contemporary growing English church. For lunch we will enjoy that British tradition of a Sunday Roast before catching a comedic slapstick matinee in the West End. The evening is free to enjoy London at your leisure. (B / L )

June 2, Day 9 - London

Our day begins with a visit to the infamous Tower of London, with a tour by a Beefeater guard including a viewing of the Crown Jewels. Take time to explore the noble and at times gruesome history of the Tower, and understand the prominent place it holds in the British identity. Travelers will then be free for the rest of the day. Suggested activities include Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, and especially a visit to several unique London shops including Fortnum & Mason and Floris,the official royal suppliers for tea and perfume respectively. (B)

June 3, Day 10 - Canterbury

The final day of our journey takes us to Canterbury and to tour the Cathedral which has served as the mother church for the English dating back to the 6th century. After a brief lunch in town we will visit St Augustine’s Abbey, the location where Augustine of Canterbury established a missionary church, taking communion together in the ruins. We’ll trace the legacy of the English saints from their first start there to the modern day, and return to London recalling our own place in God’s magnificent story. (B / L / D)

June 4, Day 11 - Departure to USA

Return to the United States with our faith deepened and our hearts full of the stories of the English saints who have gone before us. (B)