Discover the best of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland on this getaway that features five 2-night stays. Your journey begins in England with visits to London, Henry the VIII’s Hampton Court gardens, Oxford, Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, and medieval York, where your Tour Director takes you for a walking tour through the narrow Shambles. Heading north, it’s on to the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands for visits of Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House, Edinburgh with its castle and Holyrood Palace, St. Andrews, Braemar, Inverness, Culloden Moor, Glasgow, Gretna Green, and a cruise on Loch Lomond. Return to England to take in the serene Lake District and the Beatles Story in Liverpool before passing through Snowdonia National Park in Wales en route to Ireland. Some of the highlights include the “Fair City” of Dublin for a visit to Trinity College, the Irish National Stud at Kildare, the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, Galway, scone baking at Rathbaun Farm, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Blarney, and the House of Waterford Crystal. Ferry across St. George’s Channel and drive to Bath to see the amazing Roman excavations. Enjoy two nights in Plymouth, including an excursion to the former smuggler’s port of Looe, then return to London via prehistoric Stonehenge and Salisbury.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in London, England. Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
Day #2 London. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if held. This afternoon, why not join an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London, and later, maybe an optional dinner followed by a cruise on the River Thames. (B)
Day #3 London–Oxford–Stratford-Upon-Avon–Warwick. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart London at 8 am for a lovely day of sightseeing: a special visit to admire the breathtaking ORNAMENTAL GARDENS of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace; Runnymede, site of the sealing of the Magna Carta; and a walking tour in the university city of Oxford. At Stratford-upon-Avon, visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE and take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
Day #4 Warwick–York. A spectacular start to the day with a special, pre-public-opening guided tour of magnificent [LF] WARWICK CASTLE. Marvel at the opulent Great Hall and State Rooms, and visit the former private apartments. Later, in York, stand in awe in front of the great Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. (B,D)
Day #5 York–Abbotsford–Edinburgh, Scotland. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, and in Jedburgh, take pictures of the abbey ruins and the house of Mary, Queen of Scots. Then, take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s newly refurbished ABBOTSFORD HOUSE, and after the tour, enjoy a [LF] CUP OF TEA and SHORTBREAD at the brand new visitors’ center. Spend the next two nights in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. Tonight, consider an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. (B)
Day #6 Edinburgh. 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). Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia to see how the Royal Family and crew of 240 lived and worked on board. Dinner rounds off this optional evening. For departures July 28 through August 18, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (B)
Day #7 Edinburgh–St. Andrews–Braemar–Inverness. Drive over the elegant Forth Road Bridge and through Fife to St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing. Then, through Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games, to BALMORAL CASTLE (when available). Overnight at Inverness, the Highland capital. (B,D)
Day #8 Inverness–Fort William–Glasgow. At CULLODEN VISITOR CENTRE, hear the story of the crushing Hanoverian victory over Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Scottish clans. Then, enjoy a day full of Highland splendor: Loch Ness with its mysterious monster, Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, Loch Linnhe, and haunting Glen Coe. Motor across wild Rannoch Moor to the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond for a CRUISE on the loch before heading south to Glasgow. (B,D)
Day #9 Glasgow–Lake District, England–Liverpool. On the way through the Lowland Hills, stop at Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Enter the beautiful Lake District and visit Grasmere, home of poet William Wordsworth. In Liverpool, visit the award-winning BEATLES STORY, an atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture, and music of the “Fab Four.” (B)
Day #10 Liverpool–North Wales–Dublin, Ireland. Cross the border into North Wales and drive to lovely Betws-y-Coed and through the incomparable landscapes of Snowdonia National Park. After a stop at tongue-twisting Llanfair..., board your FERRY at Holyhead for the crossing to Dublin. (B)
Day #11 Dublin. An orientation drive in the Irish capital includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then, visit Oscar Wilde’s TRINITY COLLEGE, famous for the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells and the magnificent Old Library. Maybe take in an optional dinner outing to the Guinness Storehouse? (B)
Day #12 Dublin–Kildare–Limerick. Across the Curragh to the IRISH NATIONAL STUD at Kildare. On the way to Limerick, see the Rock of Cashel, Tipperary, and on arrival, an orientation drive acquaints you with St. Mary’s Cathedral, King John’s Castle, and the stone where the Treaty of Limerick was signed in 1691. Tonight, an optional banquet at Bunratty Castle. (B)
Day #13 Limerick. West Coast Excursion. A breathtaking view of the Clare coast from the 668-foot CLIFFS OF MOHER, then a drive across the limestone plateau of The Burren to the port city of Galway. Next, a real Irish farm experience at RATHBAUN FARM. Try your hand at scone making, and learn from the farmer about sheep shearing and dog whistling. Afterwards, enjoy [LF] COFFEE and your SCONES, fresh from the oven. (B)
Day #14 Limerick–Adare–Ring of Kerry–Tralee. Via quaint Adare with its pretty thatched cottages, and Killorglin on Dingle Bay, 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, then spend some time in this resort town before arriving in Tralee. (B,D)
Day #15 Tralee–Blarney–Waterford. Morning visit to Blarney, renowned for its magical Kissing Stone. Time for lunch, to walk up to the castle, and to shop for traditional Irish handicrafts. In the afternoon, proceed via Cork to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings, where you join a guided tour of the HOUSE OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL. (B,D)
Day #16 Waterford–Cardoff, Wales. By FERRY from Rosslare across St. George’s Channel to Pembroke and a drive through South Wales. Tonight’s optional excursion is to Cardiff Castle for an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner. (B)
Day #17 Cardiff–Bath, England–Glastonbury–Plymouth. First this morning, Georgian Bath, with time to explore the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS, then focus on King Arthur’s Glastonbury. Visit pretty Widecombe-in-the-Moor as you head across Dartmoor to Plymouth, your destination for the next two nights. (B)
Day #18 Plymouth. Cornwall Excursion. Cross the River Tamar on your way to the pretty shark-fishing village and former smugglers’ port of Looe. Back in Plymouth, a leisurely afternoon. See the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620, and hear about Sir Francis Drake. Maybe an optional cruise on Plymouth Sound. (B,D)
Day #19 Plymouth–Stonehenge–Salisbury–London. Two sightseeing highlights on the last leg of your journey: first, try to figure out the intriguing riddle of STONEHENGE, then stroll through pretty Salisbury with its vast cathedral. Return to London around 4 pm. How about celebrating the success of your vacation by taking in one of the great West End shows? (B)
Day #20 London. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)