Curious Kent: Beneath The Surface NEW TOUR AT CHATHAM DOCKYARD
Monday 15 February 2027 to Thursday 18 February 2027
£530pp
- Destination
- Itinerary
- Full inclusions
- Hotel
- Booking request
Why visit Kent? Spark your curiosity in a county steeped in military and maritime history. Be wowed by the grandeur of the revolutionary ships at the Historic Dockyard Chatham - including the steam-sail vessel, HMS Gannet - and experience a refined way of living as you step inside the newly restored rooms of The Commissioner's House! Discover a hidden world shaped by war and experience a side of Kent’s history that you simply can’t see from the surface during a guided tour of one of Britain's most remarkable underground networks at The Ramsgate Tunnels.
What do our customers say? "Driver was exceptional, very approachable and attentive at all times. Rope making talk at Chatham was informative" • "We enjoyed every visit" • "All excellent, well organised" • "A brilliant itinerary"
Why visit with Shaws? In 2024 99% of our holiday customers said they would book again and 99% also said they would recommend us to a friend. In 2025 passengers rated our holidays 4.7/5 for value for money and we've earned the same 4.7/5 star rating on Google reviews. Shaws Coaches has a strong reputation for a dependable service, with a proven track record for punctuality and professionalism. Our friendly booking team and highly-rated tour drivers are ready to welcome you.
Holiday insurance. We always recommend taking out adequate holiday insurance, that's why we’ve partnered with Everywhen & David Oliver Associates who offer cover specifically designed for your coach holiday. To get a quote or purchase a travel insurance policy through David Oliver Associates, call 01371 705159 or click here.
Tour code: A3535
Monday
En route to the hotel, stretch your legs in Kent’s county town - Maidstone. Take a winter stroll along the historically important River Medway, shop in the stylish open-air centre at Fremlin Walk and be sure to spend time in Maidstone Museum (free entry) where you can get up close to a huge and diverse global collection featuring everything from an Egyptian Mummy to Anglo-Saxon jewellery. Warm up with complimentary tea/coffee on arrival at the hotel.
Tuesday
A morning in the delightful walled-city of Canterbury is like walking into an English storybook. Independents, in timber-framed buildings, thrive along the cobbled streets and medieval lanes, making this compact city a window shoppers’ paradise! It’s free entry to The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge where you can discover everything from an ancient Egyptian mummified cat to the original Bagpuss! This afternoon, experience a Deep Shetler Explorer Tour inside the UK’s largest civilian Air Raid Shelter at the Ramsgate Tunnels. An experienced guide will share incredible and heartwarming wartime stories from inside ‘Tunnel Town’ – a place that hundreds of families called home and where thousands of people took shelter during WWII. Note – the underground tour is approx. 0.8 miles, lasts 1.5 hours and is on one level throughout, the floor surface is solid but slightly uneven in places – sturdy, waterproof footwear and warm clothing recommended, no toilets on site (public toilet 50 yards away).
Wednesday
There’s so much to see at The Historic Dockyard Chatham that we’ve allowed a full day to experience all the attractions at a pace that suits you. For 400 years it was a bustling Royal Navy Dockyard, and after closing in 1984 is has been beautifully preserved as one of Kent’s must-visit attractions. Step inside the newly restored Commissioner’s House and discover hidden details during a guided tour. A £3.8m project has revealed elegant dormer windows, a magnificent ceiling painting from HMS Royal Sovereign and even a playing card from the 1800s hidden beneath the floorboards of this refined Georgian home. Visit The Ropery to see where rope that rigged Nelson’s HMS VICTORY was made, gaze up at the giant sails of HMS GANNET and maybe dare to delve inside a submarine!
Thursday
We’ve got Great Expectations for this morning as we pause for a wander in Charles Dickens territory - Rochester. It’s donation entry to England’s second oldest Cathedral and you’ll find many tempting independents along the High Street. For a small entry fee you can also see the tallest Norman keep in the country at Rochester Castle, hear tales from Dickens’ life at The Guildhall Museum and visit Britain’s only museum of Huguenot History above the Visitor Centre!
- 3 night stay with breakfast
- 3 course dinner with tea/coffee each evening
- Entry to the Historic Dockyard Chatham with a guided tour of the newly opened Commissioner's House and a guided tour of The Ropery
- Deep Shelter Explorer Tour at The Ramsgate Tunnels
- Free time in Rochester, Canterbury & Maidstone
- Tea/coffee on arrival at the hotel
- Porterage
- All travel including home collection*
- International Passenger Protection
- Reserved coach seat
- 18kg suitcase pp
- Executive touring coach featuring a refreshment station, reclining seats, reading lights, curtains, foot and arm rests, toilet, safety belts, air suspension and individual air-flow control
- An experienced, friendly, highly-rated and professional tour driver
- Friendly booking team on hand to answer any questions you might have in the run up to your holiday
- HALF PRICE DEPOSITS! Just £25pp when you book by 30 Nov 2026 (balance due 8 weeks prior to departure)
- LOYALTY DISCOUNT! Book 3 holidays (in any calendar year) and save £15pp, book 4+ and save £20pp, just let us know in special requests that you'd like to redeem your discount
- SAVE £10pp by meeting the coach at Maxey, Stamford Bus Station or Peterborough Extra Services
- Book soon to guarantee no single supplement, available on a limited number of rooms
- *Providing you live in Stamford, Peterborough, The Deepings, Bourne, Spalding, March, Uppingham, Whittlesey, Oakham, Guyhirn, Chatteris, Warboys, Wood Walton and most of the villages between them and Maxey (we're happy to collect from outside of our free pick-up area with a small additional charge)
- *We’re pleased to offer home collection from the Welwyn area following our successful partnership with Reg’s Coaches. Departures from Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Codicote, Woolmer Green, Knebworth, Hatfield, Stevenage and many of the nearby villages incur a small supplement of £30pp. We’re happy to pick up outside these areas, please enquire
Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa, Chatham 
- Situated between the Downs and the coast, it’s a great location for exploring Kent
- Well furnished and smartly styled
- Rated 4.1/5 by Shaws customers in 2025
- Ensuite bedrooms with TV hairdryer, phone, desk, trouser press or ironing facilities, complimentary tea/coffee tray & free WiFi
- Restaurant, bar, patio and inner courtyard
- Includes access to the indoor pool, sauna and steam room
- Beauty treatments available (extra charge)
- All singles are double for sole
- Lift to all floors
ACCESS: Limited ground floor rooms and walk-in showers
Ask us about upgrades which may be available at a supplement