Isle of Portland & Dorset Delights

Day 1

We depart and head south towards Dorset. We arrive at our hotel this afternoon, located in a prime position on the Isle of Portland, where you'll enjoy a stunning panoramic vista over Chesil Beach, Lyme Bay and Portland Harbour.

Day 2

We start the day with a drive along Chesil Beach, an eighteen-mile stretch of pebble beach that joins Portland to the mainland, towards Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens. Benefitting from its own microclimate in a sheltered woodland valley on the Jurassic Coast, this is no ordinary garden. This world-renowned botanical paradise is home to over six thousand unique species of plants from around the globe. We later return to our hotel for a free afternoon to explore the Isle of Portland. Just four miles long by a mile-and-a-half wide, this tiny island is brimming with wildlife and rocky coastal scenery. Our hotel is situated near the Portland Heights Beacon, offering magnificent views of the bay below, as well as a sculpture of Olympic rings erected for the 2012 London Games.

Day 3

After a leisurely start this morning, we begin this afternoon with a visit to Portland Bill Lighthouse Visitor Centre. These former lighthouse keepers' dwellings feature fun and informative maritime displays and interactives about this famous lighthouse, which has stood majestically for the last hundred years. After our visit, we head to the wonderful town of Weymouth. Regularly voted as one of Europe's top ten beach destinations, Weymouth is home to beautiful golden sands and a pretty harbourside. The rest of the day is at leisure in nearby Weymouth, with its stunning golden beaches, miles of level promenade and a pretty working harbour.

Day 4

Today's full-day excursion takes us to the Isle of Purbeck and Norden Station, where we board our train for a delightful ride on the Swanage Railway. This heritage railway operates full-size steam and diesel passenger trains along the line through to picturesque Corfe Castle and down to the Victorian seaside town of Swanage. Upon your arrival in Swanage, enjoy free time to explore this nostalgic resort, home to a magnificent heritage pier and clifftop castle.

Day 5

This morning, we bid our hosts farewell and visit the vibrant town of Dorchester, the famous county town of Dorset and the birthplace of author and poet Thomas Hardy. From here, we begin our journey home.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner