A round–up of UK tours from Martin Randall Travel

Music in the countryside: Country House Opera. 19-23 June 2011. Enjoy three prestigious music festivals, featuring Mozart’s Così fan tutte ‘up close and personal’ at the exquisite Longborough theatre, Verdi’s powerful Rigoletto and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, as well as Vivaldi’s rarely-performed La Verità in Cimento. This tour stays at Oxford’s loveliest hotel and a country house outside Winchester, allowing time to explore these historic cities, and for debate and discussion of the music with a cultural historian. The venues are as diverse as the music, from little Longborough to the grounds of the Getty estate at Wormsley Manor and Grange Park, a Greek-style ‘temple’ in Hampshire. Price per person is £2,240 including four opera tickets, accommodation, meals with wine and the lecturer’s talks.

Theatre and English History: Shakespeare and his World, 19-25 July 2011. Beginning in Stratford, this tour includes the revival of Shakespeare's 'lost play', Cardenio, and productions of Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice at the newly-opened Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In London we see Richard III at the Old Vic, where a winning combination of Sam Mendes directing Kevin Spacey makes this the most sought-after ticket in town, before seeing Doctor Faustus and All's Well That Ends Well at the Globe. Visits include Warwickshire villages associated with Shakespeare and his family, Stratford and London sites and special access to folios at Eton College’s library. Charles Nicholl, acclaimed author and broadcaster, accompanies throughout. Price per person: £2,240 includes accommodation, most meals with wine, talks and theatre tickets.

Walking and the Romans: Hadrian’s Wall, 19-25 June and 11-17 September 2011. The history and archaeology of the largest Roman construction in northern Europe, parts of which are only accessible by foot, is the focus of this 7-day tour. Excursions from coast to coast include all the major Roman sites and relevant museums, including Newcastle’s Great North Museum. The carefully-planned days offer a balance between archaeological study and walking out in the magnificent countryside, accompanied by leading Roman history academics. The tour’s one hotel base, a Jacobean-style mansion, offers many comforts including spa facilities to rejuvenate any weary limbs. Price per person is £1,720 including accommodation, meals with wine, admissions and the lecturer’s talks.