Warwick's tourist magnet is its magnificent castle, a splendid fortress towering over the banks of the River Avon on a site first fortified by William the Conqueror in 1068. One of England's most popular attractions, the castle offers unfolding views from its mound, informative waxwork displays, a delightful Victorian Rose Garden lovingly brought back to life in 1986 after being buried under a tennis court in World War II and an island with an interesting history involving a bishop-chasing emu!
Once you've seen the castle however, there are plenty of other things to do in Warwick on your coach tour. Said to have in part inspired Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the town has a mix of historic buildings to admire and a wealth of antique and gift shops to investigate. Another popular attraction is the Lord Leycester Hospital on the High Street consisting of medieval hospital, reception rooms, living quarters, chapel and a Great Hall in which James I once dined, subsequently putting the town in debt for ten years! Don't miss the Master's Garden on your coach trip, home to a 2000-year old stone vase.
- Take a wander down Smith Street, the oldest shopping street in Warwick, largely unscathed by the 1694 fire that wiped out 450 of the town's residencies. Particularly impressive is the 1692 Landor House, where poet Walter Savage Landor used to live.