Durham and 14 of England’s top ranked historic cities and the City of London have come together as England Originals from England’s Historic Cities (a Discover England Fund project), and are previewing their five new, hassle-free, easy-to-book itineraries.
Available as pre-built packages or as a build-your-own itineraries, the tours are aimed at international visitors and are easy and simple to book through England Original’s new website. Customers will experience England close-up as they hop on and off the train straight into the heart of the cities, during each of the five multi-destination trips. It is also possible to combine the tours, allowing customers to visit numerous cities.
Easy to complete in three to four days, Durham is one of three cities featured in the Treasure Trove Tour. Visitors following this itinerary can delve into history at Durham Cathedral and grasp hold of the sanctuary knocker, which in the Medieval period ensured criminals the right of sanctuary or protection.
Travelling South, they can discover groundbreaking York visitor experience the Jorvik Viking Centre and journey through the reconstructed Viking streets of the city. Then, visitors can head to Lincoln and explore its magnificent Gothic-style cathedral, home of the Lincoln Imp.
Working with Jonathan Foyle, England Originals has uncovered interesting historical stories about Durham and brought them to life through technology. Using the England’s Historic Cities app, customers can traverse Durham before arrival with new virtual tours that project a 3D model of the city onto a table-top in front of them. When in the city there are also nifty virtual portals that reveal Durham Town Hall, Durham Cathedral, and Durham Castle in a new light.
England Originals has also partnered with Golden Tours to develop a seamless customer booking experience. The one-stop-shop also features an array of hints, tips and ideas to help customers make the most of their visits. In addition, all products and packages are commissionable for the travel trade.
Michelle Gorman, Managing Director at Visit County Durham, said, “We’re incredibly excited to be featured in the Treasure Trove Tour and we’re really looking forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to our city, to discover our fantastic history, attractions, hotels, restaurants, shops and so much more.”
Melanie Sensicle, Chair of England’s Historic Cities, commented, “We’re delighted to be previewing these five new itineraries. England has an incredibly diverse history and these new tours are sure to capture the imagination of international visitors. Our use of story-telling and augmented reality gives a fresh, new perspective on our history, which we’re excited to share.”
Historian Jonathan Foyle said, “England is studded with ancient and beautiful cities of castles, cathedrals and myriad sites of historic events. Their variety and character can now be explored online and on foot through cutting-edge technology. For a historian, broadcaster and writer, this step-change in communication is a really exciting moment.”
The four other England Original tours are:
Thinkers and Writers Tour – Oxford, Worcester and Stratford-upon-Avon
Time Travellers Tour – Greenwich, Canterburyand Cambridge
Wall to Wall Tour – Chester, Lancaster and Carlisle
Western Wonders Tour – Truro, Bath and Salisbury
All tours will be bookable at www.visitlondon.com/englandoriginals from 30 September. Table Top Tours and virtual portals will be available on the England’s Historic Cities app from 5 November.
