England, Scotland and Wales

•   TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS! In-depth exploration of the scenic treasures of Great Britain as Tauck takes you along Scotlands bonnie Loch Lomond to the English Lake District, seaside Portmeirion in Wales, the charming Cotswolds, Bath, Oxford and London

Day 1: Arrive Edinburgh
Welcome to Edinburgh! A transfer is included from Edinburgh Airport to your first night’s hotel, the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh. Your hotel is situated right in the heart of Edinburgh, nestled in the shadow of historical Edinburgh Castle. We invite you to join us tonight for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, Scotland
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Sightsee Edinburgh
On a city sightseeing excursion with a local Scottish guide, you’ll visit the majestic Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh (subject to closure). Step back in time as you explore Edinburgh Castle, dating back to the 12th century, and spend the afternoon exploring at leisure. Tours departing August 7 through August 23 will attend an outdoor evening performance of the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo, one of Scotland’s most highly anticipated annual traditions.
Overnight: Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, Scotland
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Stirling / Loch Lomond / Glasgow
Sitting atop a volcanic crag surrounded by steep cliffs, Stirling Castle dominates the town below it; in fact, the town grew up around the castle! Visit this fine example of Scottish Renaissance architecture containing structures from the 14th through 18th centuries, where Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned in 1543. Cruise Loch Lomond aboard Tauck’s private boat, and take a tour of Glasgow, on the River Clyde, Scotland’s largest city. Return to Edinburgh for dinner à la carte at your hotel.
Overnight: Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, Scotland
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Hadrian's Wall / Lake District
Head south from Edinburgh bound for the English Lake District; en route, visit the remnants of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans across Britain in the 2nd century AD – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and have lunch. Your accommodations for the next two nights are located at The Langdale Hotel, situated on a classic 35-acre Langdale Valley estate in the heart of the Lake District, within one of England’s largest national parks; enjoy a barbecue dinner tonight.
Overnight: Langdale Hotel & Spa, Langdale, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch dinner

Day 5: Levens Hall / Around the Lakes
Start your day with a visit to Levens Hall & Gardens (subject to closure), an Elizabethan estate dating from 1350, renowned for its topiary garden begun in 1694; the manor house is adorned with 16th-century oak panelling, ornate Italian plasterwork, stained glass and wall coverings of Spanish leather. After lunch, continue exploring Lake District towns like Bowness, Lake Windermere and Grasmere – which poet Williams Wordsworth called “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”
Overnight: Langdale Hotel & Spa, Langdale, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Chester / Portmeirion, Wales
Originally built by the Romans, medieval Chester’s layout still follows the Roman pattern; its ancient defensive walls create a pleasant walk around the old city center. Continue on to Portmeirion, Wales, for a two-night stay; this idyllic coastal village is renowned for its mix of Italianate pastel-colored architectural styles and landscape designs. Once a Victorian villa, the Hotel Portmeirion overlooks Cardigan Bay from its own peninsula, and was a key location in the 1960s TV series, The Prisoner.
Overnight: Hotel Portmeirion, Portmeirion, Wales
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 7: Caernarfon / Along the Welsh Coast
Venture to Caernarfon for a guided tour of its 13th-century riverside castle, built by King Edward I, where the investiture of the Prince of Wales takes place. Return along the Atlantic coast to Portmeirion for free time and an à la carte dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Hotel Portmeirion, Portmeirion, Wales
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Stratford-Upon-Avon / Bath
After traversing the Welsh countryside, cross back into England and arrive in the lovely riverside town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, revered throughout the world as the hometown of William Shakespeare. Tauck includes admission to sites associated with the town’s famous favorite son – ranging from his birthplace to Holy Trinity Church, where both the playwright and Anne Hathaway are buried – which you can visit at your leisure. Continue on through the bucolic English countryside this afternoon to the beautiful city of Bath for a two-night stay at the elegant Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath.
Overnight: Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 9: Experience the Best of Bath
Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa and developed more than a thousand years later into a lavish resort by the 18th-century British aristocracy, Bath today reigns unequaled as a magnificent Georgian townscape crafted from native limestone, and architecturally ranks among Britain’s finest cities. A guided tour visits the famous Roman baths – which the city’s Georgian occupants never knew existed, as the Roman-era structures were not unearthed until excavations during Victorian days – and views the Royal Crescent, the Circus and other major sights. The rest of the day and evening are free to enjoy Bath as you wish.
Overnight: Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath, England
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10: Stonehenge / Oxford
After departing Bath and crossing the vast Salisbury Plain, you’ll see them looming out of a sea of grass and grazing sheep – the mysterious monoliths of Stonehenge, England’s oldest prehistoric monument and one of the world’s wonders; possibly dating back 5,000 years, the ancient stone circle’s origins are still debated today. Travel to Oxford for a guided walking tour of esteemed Oxford University – the oldest university in the English-speaking world – and a two-night stay in town at the historic Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Oxford; spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Oxford, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 11: Blenheim Palace / The Cotswolds
Gain insights on the life, career and legacy of famed 20th-century British statesman Sir Winston Churchill with visits to his stately birthplace – Blenheim Palace, a 2,100-acre Oxfordshire estate with grounds and gardens by the famed “Capability Brown,” now home to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough – and to his final resting place in Bladen. Explore the rolling landscapes of the Cotswolds, stopping in one of the charming villages for lunch on your own. Join us back in Oxford for dinner.
Overnight: Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Oxford, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 12: Windsor Castle / On to London
A drive through the Berkshire countryside brings you to one of England’s most important addresses – Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world, and home to British royalty for over 900 years; your tour includes St. George’s Chapel, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the State Apartments (schedule permitting). Continue on to London for two nights in the historic heart of the legendary British capital at The Royal Horseguards.
Overnight: The Langham, London, England
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 13: Westminster Abbey / Private Evening
Begin a memorable day in London with a visit to Westminster Abbey, burial place of Britain’s monarchs since the 11th century. More guided sightseeing includes Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, #10 Downing Street and Green Park. Tonight, a private dinner at the Tower of London is followed by your witnessing the 700-year-old tradition of the Ceremony of the Keys – in which the Chief Yeoman Warder and members of the guard secure the Tower for the night! (Note: Accessing the Tower requires walking on cobblestones and up steps.)
Overnight: The Langham, London, England
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 14: Journey Home
Tour ends: London. Fly home anytime. A transfer from The Royal Horseguards to Heathrow Airport is included. Allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/24/2012 - 6/7/2012	$5,690
5/31/2012 - 6/14/2012	$6,490
6/7/2012 - 6/21/2012	$6,490
6/14/2012 - 6/28/2012	$6,490
6/21/2012 - 7/5/2012	$6,490
7/5/2012 - 7/19/2012	$6,490
8/7/2012 - 8/21/2012	$5,890
8/9/2012 - 8/23/2012	$5,890
8/14/2012 - 8/28/2012	$5,890
8/16/2012 - 8/30/2012	$6,690
8/21/2012 - 9/4/2012	$5,890
8/23/2012 - 9/6/2012	$5,890
8/30/2012 - 9/13/2012	$5,890
9/4/2012 - 9/18/2012	$5,890
9/6/2012 - 9/20/2012	$6,490
9/13/2012 - 9/27/2012	$6,490
9/18/2012 - 10/2/2012	$6,490
9/20/2012 - 10/4/2012	$6,490
9/27/2012 - 10/11/2012	$6,490
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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