Alnwick
Alnwick is a charming town in Northumberland. Visitors are drawn to Alnwick Castle, a popular filming location, and the award-winning Alnwick Garden with its Grand Cascade and Poison Garden. Other highlights include Barter Books, located in a Victorian railway station, as well as cobbled streets filled with independent boutiques and cozy local pubs.
Escape to the charm of Alnwick with a relaxing coach holiday that takes you straight into the heart of Northumberland. History is everywhere here, with the magnificent Alnwick Castle stealing the spotlight as the home of the Duke of Northumberland and a favorite filming spot for Harry Potter and Downton Abbey. Just a stone's throw away is the award-winning Alnwick Garden, where you can marvel at the Grand Cascade or explore the delightfully mischievous Poison Garden. The best part? You can leave the stress of the road behind, settle into your seat, and simply enjoy the views while we handle the driving.
Once you arrive, there is so much to discover. Bookworms will fall in love with Barter Books, a sprawling secondhand bookstore housed in a stunning Victorian railway station and the birthplace of the iconic "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. You can also spend your time wandering cobbled streets, popping into independent boutiques, or warming up with a hearty lunch in a cozy local pub. With our friendly drivers, comfy coaches, and a carefully planned itinerary, it’s the perfect way to experience the magic of Northumberland.
Coach tours visiting Alnwick
Christmas in Northumberland
by Shearings
Make your Christmas one to remember on this wonderful festive break in the North East with visit to Bamburgh Castle at Christmas.
Where you’ll stay
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Royal Station Hotel ★★★★
Book your coach tour stay at the Royal Station Hotel and enjoy flawless service, complimentary Wi-Fi, and convenient on-site parking from the moment you arrive. Settle into a comfortable guestroom, start each morning with breakfast on the premises, and unwind at the hotel bar. everything you need for a relaxing, memorable visit.
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🧳 Arrival
Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then on to Newcastle and our hotel for four nights. We enjoy a mulled wine with a mince pie on arrival to get us into the Christmas spirit. A delicious 3-course dinner will be served in the Empire restaurant.
Meals: Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Alnwick, Bamburgh Castle and Cream Tea
After breakfast, we journey further north to explore the highlights of stunning Northumberland. We make a stop at Alnwick where you will have some free time to explore this historic town or grab a coffee in one of its cafés.
The highlight of today is an included visit to Bamburgh Castle which is dressed for Christmas. The views of the coastline are breathtaking from the ramparts and you can truly appreciate the splendour of this stunning part of the world.
We return to the hotel in the afternoon to enjoy a cream tea. You will then have free time to either relax before dinner or explore Newcastle as your hotel is located in the heart of this fascinating city. An included glass of fizz is waiting for you this evening before your 3-course meal. After your meal, you will be treated to Christmas classics by one of the local choirs. For those who wish to attend midnight mass, St John The Baptist Church is a few minutes walk from the hotel and a mug of hot chocolate will be waiting for you on the return to the hotel after the service.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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☕ At Leisure
Day at Leisure
Merry Christmas! After breakfast why not relax in the hotel before a traditional 3-course Christmas lunch is served. Watch the Kings Speech in one of the multiple lounge rooms. A 2-course finger buffet will be served in the evening and there will be board games to enjoy with your fellow passengers.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Durham
After breakfast, we will visit historic Durham, famous for its cathedral and university. Enjoy the Boxing Day sales in the many high street shops or enjoy a stroll around the historic centre.
This evening after dinner, enjoy music from across the decades.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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🏡 Departure
We depart the hotel this morning, filled with magical Christmas memories, and return home.
Meals: Breakfast
Holy Island and Northumbrian Coast
by Shearings
Uncover the rugged beauty of the Northumbrian Coast, famed for its golden sands, history and mystery, and visit the impressive Holy Island.
Where you’ll stay
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Leonardo Newcastle ★★★★
Set on the south bank of the River Tyne, the Leonardo Hotel Newcastle Quayside is a comfortable and convenient base for exploring the best of Newcastle and Gateshead.
Many of its spacious rooms enjoy lovely views over the Tyne and its famous bridges, and you're just a short stroll from the Quayside's shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions. With a riverside restaurant, on-site coffee bar, and easy access to the city centre and transport links, it's a welcoming spot to relax after a day of sightseeing.
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🧳 Arrival
Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then on to Newcastle for a four-night stay.
Meals: Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Holy Island* and Seahouses
This tiny, 2-sq mile island packs a lot in with religious significance dating back centuries.
Connected to the mainland by a causeway that is only accessible at low tide, Lindisfarne is much the same as when St. Aidan founded a monastery here in 635 AD.
We then return via Seahouses, a delightful Northumberland Coast village.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Durham and Newcastle
Explore Durham, in the ‘Land of the Prince Bishops’, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grand Norman-era Cathedral dominates the landscape and there is a plethora of delightful shops and cafés to enjoy in the cobbled streets.
We then return to Newcastle for an afternoon at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Alnwick and Northumbrian Coast
Today we visit Alnwick, home to an impressive castle and gardens and is bursting with pretty streets and interesting shops, such as Barter Books, one of the largest second-hand bookshops in Europe.
We then take a scenic drive along the beautiful Northumbrian Coast. With wide, sandy beaches, quaint villages, and impressive castles, this stretch of coastline is some of the most beautiful in the country.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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🏡 Departure
Return home.
Meals: Breakfast
Places of Interest
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is a medieval fortress and Italianate palace in Northumberland. This second-largest inhabited castle in England attracts film fans with Harry Potter broomstick lessons and visitors with its art-filled apartments. Nearby, the Alnwick Garden features the Grand Cascade and a guarded Poison Garden.
Perched above the River Aln in Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is a stunning medieval fortress and the second largest inhabited castle in England, following Windsor. It has served as the ancestral home of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, for over seven hundred years, ever since Henry de Percy acquired it in the early 1300s. Beyond its imposing towers and walls, the interior has evolved over the centuries into a lavish Italianate palace.
The castle is a major draw for movie buffs, especially after featuring in the early Harry Potter films; guests can even try their hand at broomstick lessons in the outer bailey. Inside, the apartments are filled with exquisite art, furniture, and porcelain. Right next door, the Alnwick Garden impresses visitors with its rushing Grand Cascade and a mysterious, guarded Poison Garden full of lethal plants.
Image Attribution
- Alnwick Castle — (Photo by Jeffrey Zhang on Unsplash )
- Alnwick Castle — (Photo by Swati Kedia on Unsplash )
- Durham cathedral and the city skyline — (Photo by Jeffrey Zhang on Unsplash )
- Lindisfarne Castle — (Photo by Graham Durham on Unsplash )