Itinerary Details
England, Scotland & Wales
Day 1 ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND Check into your hotel. In the afternoon, there’s time to rest or to start exploring the lively British capital. Uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
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Day 2 LONDON Enjoy a free day in London or consider an optional illuminating morning sightseeing tour with a Local Guide to explore the city’s 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. A highlight of your tour is a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece built between 1675 and 1708. This afternoon, why not visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its spectacular Crown Jewels. This evening, we recommend a traditional dining experience followed by a guided nighttime cruise along the Thames River for a different view of some of the capital's most beautiful, illuminated sights. (B)
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Day 3 LONDON–OXFORD–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LEEDS Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing. In Oxford, a walking tour shows you the colleges where Britain’s elite receive their outstanding education. Then, travel through the lovely Cotswold Hills to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. Take photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and explore the town at your own pace. Your overnight destination is Leeds.
Today’s Distance: 251 mi/ 404 km (B,D)
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Day 4 LEEDS–YORK–JEDBURGH, SCOTLAND–EDINBURGH In York, 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. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, then motor through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. Then, at Jedburgh, see the abbey ruins before a late-afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. No trip to Scotland is complete without an authentic Scottish evening! Join an optional night out that’s filled with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis!
Today’s Distance: 217 mi/ 349 km (B)
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Day 5 EDINBURGH A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town,” home to famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Afternoon at leisure. Get the royal treatment this afternoon, and discover what life was like on board Her Majesty's floating residence during an exciting visit of the Royal Yacht Britannia, followed by dinner with wine at an excellent local restaurant! For departures July 28, August 4, 11 and 18, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of amassed Scottish pipe bands that takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. (B)
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Day 6 EDINBURGH–ST. ANDREWS–PITLOCHRY–CULLODEN MOOR–INVERNESS–STRATHPEFFER A day of memorable sightseeing: take the elegant Forth Road Bridge to St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; then, cross the Firth of Tay and, via Dundee and Perth, head into the Highlands, with a stop in the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor with its memories of Bonnie Prince Charlie, then, via Inverness, head for your Highland destination.
Today’s Distance: 221 mi/ 335 km (B,D)
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Day 7 STRATHPEFFER–FORT WILLIAM–GLASGOW Look out for signs of the mysterious Loch Ness monster and proceed via Fort William, beneath Ben Nevis. Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond are scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow.
Today’s Distance: 176 mi/ 283 km (B)
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Day 8 GLASGOW–GRETNA GREEN–LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND–LIVERPOOL South through the history-steeped Lowland Hills and a visit to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Drive through beautiful scenery in the Lake District, considered to be the finest of England’s national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. End the day in Liverpool, of Beatles fame, once the departure port of the great transatlantic liners. Feel the beat of Liverpool with an optional city tour this afternoon where a Local Guide brings to life the city’s historic and celebrated sites – including those connected to the Beatles.
Today’s Distance: 240 mi/ 386 km (B)
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Day 9 LIVERPOOL. NORTH WALES EXCURSION A day dedicated to the mountainous beauty of North Wales. After a stop in pretty Betws-y-Coed, drive over spectacular Llanberis Pass and through Snowdonia National Park to Caernarfon, where the castle saw the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. Then, follow the coast road via the walled town of Conway back to Liverpool.
Today’s Distance: 185 mi/ 298 km (B)
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Day 10 LIVERPOOL–LUDLOW–CARDIFF, WALES First stop today is in the pretty market town of Ludlow before heading back into Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park, land of salmon rivers and the Welsh mountain pony. Finally, head through “The Valleys,” whose iron ore and coal were the raw materials for the Industrial Revolution, to the Welsh capital. Here, an orientation drive introduces you to the major attractions: Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Millennium Stadium, and the stately civic buildings. Experience Welsh culture at its finest during this memorable optional excursion featuring a dinner of local specialties, wine, and spirited folkloric entertainment.
Today’s Distance: 194 mi/ 312 km (B)
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Day 11 CARDIFF–BATH, ENGLAND–GLASTONBURY–WIDECOMBE–PLYMOUTH Leaving Wales, cross the Severn Bridge for a visit to the elegant Georgian city of Bath, famed for its Roman relics, before heading into the romantically scenic West Country and Glastonbury with its King Arthur associations. In the heart of Dartmoor National Park, visit quaint Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the ghostly setting for Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Finally, in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620.
Today’s Distance: 197 mi/ 316 km (B)
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Day 12 PLYMOUTH–STONEHENGE–LONDON On the final leg of your journey, take in Thomas Hardy’s Wessex and visit prehistoric Stonehenge to admire the magnificence of the monument from up close and explore the visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions. Return to London around 3 pm. How about celebrating the success of your tour with a night out on the town? Curtain’s up with an optional escorted evening in London's theatre district, starting with a delicious dinner, followed by excellent seats at your chosen show.
Today’s Distance: 218 mi/ 351 km (B)
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Day 13 LONDON Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
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