130th Anniversary of the novel Dracula with Dacre Stoker

Day 1 Friday, 28 May (D) The Grand Dracula Jubilee & Stoker Gathering Our celebratory journey begins as we arrive in the hauntingly beautiful seaside town of Whitby. The grand Jubilee officially commences in the afternoon, soon after you've checked in. We gather in the lobby for a welcome drink hosted by your jubilee host Dacre Stoker enjoying the view of the Abbey ruins. As the afternoon light begins to fail, we make our way on a pleasant walk through the narrow streets towards the Royal Crescent, mentioned in the novel Dracula. Dinner is served in the vicinity of the ballroom where the Grand Stoker Gathering takes place. We will all be guests of this historic gathering, celebrating the 130th anniversary of Dracula together with passionate gothic literature fans, many joining in Victorian costumes. Feel free to bring your own gothic attire or simply a vampire-esque accessory to fire up the evening. Mr. Stoker will will entertain the audience about his ancestor's life, his research and writing. Day 2 Saturday, 29 May (B, D) Whitby Abbey & Town Tour We continue unearthing the enduring legacy of the Count, beginning with a morning exploration of the skeletal remains of Whitby Abbey. Walking up the famous 199 steps, pausing for evocative readings by Dacre, from the pages of Dracula passing by the harbour where the doomed Demeter came ashore. At St. Mary's Churchyard, Dacre helps us discover very headstones that sparked his great grand-uncle's imagination. A few hours free time in Whitby allow for own explorations, maybe a visit to the Whitby Museum or the Captain Cook Museum. After a convivial dinner in the building that hosted the library where Bram Stoker first read about Vlad the Impaler, we round up our last evening in Whitby with a torch-lit guided walk of the town.