For expert help planning your Britain vacation, call a travel specialist at 1-800-942-3301
| BRITAIN and IRELAND IN DEPTH
A 26-Day tour starting from $4,319
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| This 26-day vacation offers our most complete view of the British Isles. In England, enjoy visits to London, Canterbury, the seaside resort of Brighton, mysterious Stonehenge, historic Plymouth, and ancient Bath. See the Welsh capital of Cardiff, then take a ferry to picturesque Ireland for visits to Waterford, Blarney, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, the Giant’s Causeway, Belfast, and Dublin. Back across the Irish Sea and through North Wales to the walled city of Chester in England. Travel north to see the highlights of Scotland, including the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, the Isle of Skye, Inverewe Gardens, Inverness, pretty Braemar, and elegant Edinburgh. Back in England, time to experience the towns of York and Stratford-upon-Avon before visiting Blenheim Palace on your way back to London. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
City Highlights LONDON Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and see the Changing of the Guard, if heldCANTERBURY Visit the cathedralBRIGHTON Royal Pavilion tourSTONEHENGE Visit the prehistoric monumentBATH Visit the Roman relicsCARDIFF Orientation driveWATERFORD Guided tour of the Waterford Crystal factoryBLARNEY Visit the famous woolen millsRING OF KERRY Scenic peninsula driveDINGLE PENINSULA Visit the Blasket Islands CentreCLI FFS OF MOHER Savor the spectacular viewsBELLEEK Guided tour of the pottery factoryCOUNTY ANTRIM Visit the Giant’s CausewayBELFAST “Living History” tour with a Local GuideDOWNPATRICK Visit the Saint Patrick CentreDUBLIN Orientation drive, visit Trinity CollegeCHESTER Walking tourGLASGOW Orientation driveISLE OF SKYE Visit the Museum of the IslesINVEREWE Visit the subtropical gardenHIGHLANDS Guided tour of a whisky distilleryEDINBURGH Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood PalaceFLOORS Visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s castleYORK Walking tourSTRATFORD Picture stop at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplaceBLENHEIMGuided tour of the palaceFERRIES Cross the Irish Sea Fishguard-Rosslare and by Stena Line’s High Speed Service Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead and cross the Sound of Sleat from Mallaig to Armadale on the Isle of Skye Meals 24 full English breakfasts (FB); 12 three-course dinners (D) with choice of menus and coffee, and a welcome drink before dinner at your hotel in Brighton Hotels: LONDON Novotel London West (F), BRIGHTON Hilton Metropole (SF), PLYMOUTH Holiday Inn (SF), NEWPORT Hilton (F), WATERFORD Fitzwilton (F), KILLARNEY Scotts (F), LIMERICK Hilton (SF), SLIGO Clarion (SF), BELFAST Hilton (D), DUBLIN Clarion (SF), CHESTER St. David’s Park (SF) at Ewloe, GLASGOW Thistle (F), INVERNESS Columba (F), EDINBURGH Carlton (SF), YORK Novotel (F), STRATFORD Holiday Inn (SF), LONDON Ramada Hyde Park (F)
Day 1:
(Sun.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2: Arrival in London, England. (Mon.) Uniformed Globus Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay. Day 3: London. (Tue.) After a hearty English breakfast, morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, and the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if held. Free time in the afternoon for independent activities or to join an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its fabulous Crown Jewels. Tonight, maybe an optional dinner followed by a cruise on the River Thames? (FB) Day 4: London–Brighton. (Wed.) Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart London at 8 a.m. Drive through the orchards of Kent to visit CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL, where you hear about the Black Prince and Thomas à Becket. Stop in the quaint town of Battle, site of William the Conqueror’s decisive victory in 1066, on the way to the Regency seaside resort of Brighton for a tour of the exotic ROYAL PAVILION, the lavish oriental palace built for the Prince Regent in the early 1800s. Before dinner tonight join your Tour Director for a toast to happy touring with a congenial group. (FB,D) Day 5: Brighton–Plymouth. (Thu.) Catch glimpses of Arundel Castle on the way to picturesque Winchester with its magnificent cathedral, burial place of novelist Jane Austen of Pride and Prejudice fame. Visit prehistoric STONEHENGE before entering the glorious West Country with a stop at the picturebook village of Widecombe in the Moor as you head across wild and romantic Dartmoor. Upon arrival in Plymouth, where the next two nights are spent, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. (FB,D) Day 6: Plymouth. Cornwall Excursion. (Fri.) A day full of West Country sights as you head through Daphne Du Maurier’s Cornwall. After viewing St. Michael’s Mount, rising boldly out of the sea, take your photos at Land’s End, then follow the Atlantic Coast strewn with its derelict tin mines and recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before exploring the popular seaside resort of St. Ives. Back in Plymouth, your Tour Director will arrange an optional evening visit to a local inn for dinner. (FB) Day 7: Plymouth–Bath–Newport, Wales. (Sat.) At Glastonbury hear about its associations with King Arthur. In the elegant Georgian city of Bath see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS. Cross the Severn Road Bridge for a late afternoon arrival in Wales. (FB,D) Day 8: Newport–Cardiff–Waterford, Ireland. (Sun.) A morning orientation drive in Cardiff features the castle, Cathays Park, and the stately civic buildings. Cross St. George’s Channel to Rosslare in Ireland and proceed to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings in 853. (FB,D) Day 9: Waterford–Killarney. (Mon.) A fascinating visit to the worldfamous WATERFORD CRYSTAL FACTORY, then via the port city of Cork to Blarney, renowned for its magical Stone of Eloquence. Time here to visit the castle and shop before continuing to Killarney, your Kerry base for the next three nights. (FB,D) Day 10: Killarney at Leisure. (Tue.) A full day to relax. There are plenty of things to do: your Tour Director will help you plan. If you feel a little adventurous we recommend joining our optional excursion that includes a fun-filled, horsedrawn jaunting car ride through the National Park to Ross Castle; a boat ride to Innisfallen Abbey and across the lakes to Muckross House. After lunch on your own the excursion continues with a visit to the house and gardens, returning to your hotel mid afternoon. (FB) Day 11: Killarney. Ring of Kerry Excursion. (Wed.) Start a scenic day with a drive to Killorglin on Dingle Bay, the setting for Ryan’s Daughter, and join the spectacular “Ring of Kerry” for a 100-mile panoramic drive around the island’s southwestern tip. Take your photos of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View. Later, join an entertaining optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets for the National Folk Theatre. (FB) Day 12: Killarney–Dingle Peninsula–Limerick. (Thu.) Breathtaking scenery on Dingle Peninsula, where the 32-mile Slea Head drive affords magnificent Atlantic Ocean vistas. At the BLASKET ISLANDS CENTRE learn about the way of life on the remote islands evacuated by its inhabitants in 1953. Via quaint Adare with its pretty thatched cottages head for the city of Limerick. Tonight’s optional recommendation: a medieval banquet. (FB) Day 13: Limerick–Sligo. (Fri.) Motor to the spectacular CLIFFS OF MOHER, rising 668 feet above the Atlantic. Via the limestone plateau of The Burren you reach Galway and hear about the infamous Lynch Stone, commemorating the day Mayor James Lynch Fitzstephen hanged his son for murder. Pass through the region featured in the film The Quiet Man and visit Knock, a village that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Spend the night in Sligo. (FB,D) Day 14: Sligo–Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Sat.) A fascinating day today: the grave of native son and poet W.B. Yeats in Drumcliff; BELLEEK POTTERY FACTORY, renowned for its exquisite cream-colored Parian china; then let the province’s story unfold as you head for awe-inspiring GIANT’S CAUSEWAY composed of thousands of strangely symmetrical basalt columns jutting out to sea. Overnight at the vibrant modern city of Belfast. (FB,D) Day 15: Belfast–Dublin, Ireland. (Sun.) This morning’s highlight is a “living history” orientation drive through the city, brought to life by your Local Guide. Follow the shores of Strangford Lough to Downpatrick and visit the inspiring SAINT PATRICK CENTRE. Drive in the lee of the Mountains of Mourne to Newry and cross once more into the Republic. Landscapes strewn with Ireland’s typical round towers line the route to the Irish capital. Tonight, take your Tour Director’s dining recommendation. (FB) Day 16: Dublin. (Mon.) Your orientation drive in the “Fair City” includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then a highlight visit to TRINITY COLLEGE with the famous Book of Kells. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Top the day with an optional dinner evening at the Guinness Storehouse. (FB) Day 17: Dublin–Chester, England. (Tue.) Back across the Irish Sea from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey, where a photo stop at tongue-twisting Llanfair... is a must. On your walking tour in the walled city of Chester, see the Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, the cathedral, and the two-tiered shopping arcades called the “Rows.” (FB,D) Day 18: Chester–Lake District–Glasgow, Scotland. (Wed.) Focus now on the tranquil Lake District, and after a break in William Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere head north for the Scottish border. On the way through the history-steeped Lowland Hills, visit Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. In Glasgow, your city drive takes in the fine 12th-century cathedral, imposing university buildings, and elegant Georgian Squares, built by the wealthy tobacco barons. (FB,D) Day 19: Glasgow–Isle of Skye–Inverness. (Thu.) Follow the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond and enter the Highlands. Proceed via Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, and Fort William, then follow the “Road to the Isles.” At Mallaig board your ferry for the crossing to the Isle of Skye, where you visit the MUSEUM OF THE ISLES at the Clan Donald Centre. Return to the mainland and later watch out for the monster as you trace the shores of Loch Ness on the way to the Highland capital. (FB,D) Day 20: Inverness. Highlands Excursion. (Fri.) Further into the remote Highlands for a day of spectacular Scottish scenery. Trace the shores of Loch Maree to INVEREWE GARDEN, with subtropical plants encouraged by the warm Gulf Stream. Follow the trails created by Osgood Mackenzie more than 120 years ago. Drive along Loch Glascarnoch for the day’s final highlight visit to a MALT WHISKY DISTILLERY. Ask your Tour Director for this evening’s dining suggestions. (FB) Day 21: Inverness–Edinburgh. (Sat.) Main features today: the battlefield of Culloden Moor; vast expanses of heather in the Grampian Mountains; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games; St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, has given us the rules of golfing; finally over the elegant Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. Tonight an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers and the Ceremony of the Haggis. For departure numbers 0716 through 0806 tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (FB) Day 22: Edinburgh. (Sun.) Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” and famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” drive up the narrow Royal Mile to EDINBURGH CASTLE to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels, then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (except when the Queen is in residence). The afternoon is free to enjoy this “Prince of Cities” at your own pace. Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, which for the Queen was once the perfect royal residence for glittering state visits and family holidays. Tour five decks and see how the Royal Family and crew of 240 lived and worked on board. Dinner rounds off this optional evening. (FB) Day 23: Edinburgh–York, England. (Mon.) This morning, visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s FLOORS CASTLE, and later pass the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the abbey ruins at Jedburgh. Through wild Northumberland National Park to inspect a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes, and south to York, England’s most complete medieval city. Stand in awe in front of the great structure of York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. The afternoon is free to relax and enjoy the city at your own pace. (FB,D) Day 24: York–Stratford. (Tue.) Skirt Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest on the way to Coventry. Here listen to the tale of Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom and view the splendid modern cathedral which rose from the rubble of severe World War II bombings. In Stratford-upon-Avon take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. (FB,D) Day 25: Stratford–London. (Wed.) Drive through the lovely Cotswold Hills to quaint medieval Stow-on-the-Wold. A final spectacular highlight: enjoy a guided tour of magnificent BLENHEIM PALACE, home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and afterwards time to explore the Capability Brown landscaped parkland. After returning to London around 4 p.m., how about celebrating the success of your vacation by taking in a West End show? (FB) Day 26: (Thu.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (FB)
LONDON Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and see the Changing of the Guard, if heldCANTERBURY Visit the cathedralBRIGHTON Royal Pavilion tourSTONEHENGE Visit the prehistoric monumentBATH Visit the Roman relicsCARDIFF Orientation driveWATERFORD Guided tour of the Waterford Crystal factoryBLARNEY Visit the famous woolen millsRING OF KERRY Scenic peninsula driveDINGLE PENINSULA Visit the Blasket Islands CentreCLI FFS OF MOHER Savor the spectacular viewsBELLEEK Guided tour of the pottery factoryCOUNTY ANTRIM Visit the Giant’s CausewayBELFAST “Living History” tour with a Local GuideDOWNPATRICK Visit the Saint Patrick CentreDUBLIN Orientation drive, visit Trinity CollegeCHESTER Walking tourGLASGOW Orientation driveISLE OF SKYE Visit the Museum of the IslesINVEREWE Visit the subtropical gardenHIGHLANDS Guided tour of a whisky distilleryEDINBURGH Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood PalaceFLOORS Visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s castleYORK Walking tourSTRATFORD Picture stop at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplaceBLENHEIMGuided tour of the palaceFERRIES Cross the Irish Sea Fishguard-Rosslare and by Stena Line’s High Speed Service Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead and cross the Sound of Sleat from Mallaig to Armadale on the Isle of Skye
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| Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||