Itinerary

Day 1:
Fri. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2:
Sat. ARRIVAL IN LONDON, ENGLAND. Check into your hotel. In the afternoon there’s time to rest or explore the lively British capital; uniformed Hosts are available to help you make the most of your day.

Day 3:
Sun. LONDON-EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 a.m. for a day of northbound travel heading for the Scottish border and capital city of Edinburgh. Dinner is included tonight at your hotel. (B,D)

Day 4:
Mon. EDINBURGH. A full day to enjoy this “Prince of Cities.” Morning 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. Afternoon at leisure. Don’t miss our optional Scottish night out featuring Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis. For departure numbers 0803, 0810, and 0817, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of massed Scottish pipe bands which takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. (FB)

Day 5:
Tue. EDINBURGH-AVIEMORE. A day of memorable sightseeing: St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games for over 900 years; and Royal Deeside, where the Queen is an annual visitor. At a whisky distillery, let your guide explain the ancient art of converting barley, water, and yeast into a heart-warming liquor. Spend the night at Aviemore in the Cairngorm Mountains. (FB,D)

Day 6:
Wed. AVIEMORE-ISLE OF SKYE-OBAN. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor, then pause in the Highland capital of Inverness before tracing the shores of Loch Ness, looking out for the mysterious monster. More heather-clad moors as you drive through the western Highlands to take your photos of picture-perfect Eilean Donan Castle before crossing the bridge from Lochalsh onto the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye. The route back to the mainland is by ferry across the Sound of Sleat to Mallaig. Follow the “Road to the Isles,” pausing at Glenfinnan, the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s standard was raised in 1745, and Fort William, then skirt the shores of lovely Loch Linnhe on the way to the pretty fishing port of Oban. (FB,D)

Day 7:
Thu. OBAN. EXCURSION TO THE ISLES OF MULL AND IONA. Take the ferry to the Isle of Mull. Land at Craignure and enjoy the scenic drive to the departure point of the passenger ferry across to the beautiful and fascinating Isle of Iona. This is the burial place of many Scottish kings and chiefs, including Macbeth. And it is here that in 563 A.D. St. Columba established one of the first Christian monasteries in the British Isles. Time to visit the cathedral and explore the religious settlement before returning to Oban. Your Tour Director will have dining suggestions for this evening. (FB)

Day 8:
Fri. OBAN-GLASGOW. Cross the spectacular Pass of Brander, and from Inveraray take the road known as “Rest and Be Thankful” to the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, the most famous loch of all. In Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, your orientation city tour takes in the fine 12th-century cathedral, imposing university buildings, and elegant Georgian squares built by the wealthy tobacco barons. Time for last-minute shopping before bidding farewell to your traveling companions over dinner at your hotel. (FB,D)

Day 9:
Sat. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT FROM GLASGOW ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (FB)

Dates & Prices

Visits to Edinburgh Castle, tickets for Edinburgh Military Tattoo (departure numbers 0803, 0810, 0817), St. Andrews, Braemar, Culloden Moor, Inverness, Fort William, Oban, the Centre of Celtic Christianity on the Isle of Iona, Inveraray, Glasgow
 

Itinerary

Day 1:
Sun. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2:
Mon. ARRIVAL IN LONDON, ENGLAND. Check into your hotel. In the afternoon there’s time to rest or start exploring the lively British capital; uniformed Hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.

Day 3:
Tue. LONDON. A full day to enjoy our exciting program of optional activities. 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. This afternoon you may want to visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with the spectacular Crown Jewels, and tonight a leisurely cruise on the River Thames would be fun. (B)

Day 4:
Wed. LONDON-STRATFORD-LEEDS. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 a.m. for a memorable day’s sightseeing. Head for Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon to take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, then explore the town at your own pace. After lunch, visit Coventry, whose center had to be rebuilt after the devastation of World War II bombings, and hear the tale of Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom before admiring the splendid modern cathedral. Finally, head northwards out of the Midlands, passing the once-mighty Sherwood Forest, home of the legendary Robin Hood, to tonight’s destination. (B,D)

Day 5:
Thu. LEEDS-YORK-EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. In 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. Continue through wild Northumberland National Park and inspect a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes. Then cross the Scottish border and at Jedburgh glimpse the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, and see the abbey ruins. Late afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. For departure numbers 0730 through 0820, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned Military Tattoo. (FB)

Day 6:
Fri. EDINBURGH. A full day to enjoy this “Prince of Cities.” Morning 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. Afternoon at leisure. A suggestion for this evening: join your Tour Director for a traditional Scottish night out with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis. (FB)

Day 7:
Sat. EDINBURGH-AVIEMORE. A day of memorable sightseeing: St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games for over 900 years; and Royal Deeside, where the Queen is an annual visitor. Spend the night in the Highland resort of Aviemore. (FB,D)

Day 8:
Sun. AVIEMORE-ISLE OF SKYE-GLASGOW. Via the battlefield of Culloden Moor, and Inverness, the Highland capital, skirt Loch Ness as you drive to Lochalsh and the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye. The route back to the mainland is by ferry across the Sound of Sleat to Mallaig, then breathtaking scenery all the way to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was treacherously massacred by the Campbells in 1692, and a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond are scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow. (FB,D)

Day 9:
Mon. GLASGOW-LAKE DISTRICT-LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND. 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. Visit Wordsworth’s Grasmere, then follow the shores of Lake Windermere. End the day in Liverpool of Beatles fame, once the departure port of the great transatlantic liners, and European Capital of Culture in 2008. (FB,D)

Day 10:
Tue. LIVERPOOL. NORTH WALES EXCURSION. A day dedicated to the mountainous splendor of North Wales. Follow the coastal road via the walled town of Conway to Caernarvon, where the castle saw the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. Then a scenic drive through Snowdonia National Park, over spectacular Llanberis Pass and via pretty Betws-y-Coed. Time to relax back in Liverpool. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for this evening. (FB)

Day 11:
Wed. LIVERPOOL-CHESTER-CARDIFF, WALES. In Chester, the historic county town on the River Dee, your walking tour includes the Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, and the two-tiered arcades called the “Rows.” Pause 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, 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. Ask your Tour Director about tonight’s optional Welsh evening. (FB)

Day 12:
Thu. CARDIFF-BATH, ENGLAND-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, 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. (FB,D)

Day 13:
Fri. PLYMOUTH-LONDON. On the final leg of your journey, take in Thomas Hardy’s Wessex; views of the intriguing prehistoric monument of Stonehenge; and Salisbury with its vast cathedral, the ultimate in Early English Gothic. Return to London around 4 p.m. How about celebrating the success of your tour with a night out on the town? (FB)

Day 14:
Sat. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)

Dates & Prices

Visits to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, Coventry, Hadrian’s Wall, Jedburgh, Edinburgh Castle, tickets for Edinburgh Military Tattoo (departure numbers 0730 through 0820), St. Andrews, Braemar, Culloden Moor, Inverness, Fort William, Glasgow, Gretna Green, Grasmere, Liverpool, Caernarvon, Ludlow, Bath, Glastonbury, Widecombe in the Moor, Plymouth, Salisbury; orientation drive in Cardiff; walking tours in York, Chester