17 Days ~
England ~ Scotland ~ Wales ~ Ireland
Tour Pace
A well paced tour with two-night stays in the contrasting cities of Edinburgh, Dublin and Killarney; plus a variation in pace with two different Irish ferry crossings to Dublin and from Rosslare.
DAY 1 – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to London.
DAY 2 – ARRIVE LONDON
Welcome to London! On arrival you are transferred to your London tour hotel.
Hotel: Thistle Marble Arch.
DAY 3 – LONDON SIGHTSEEING
Your half day sightseeing tour shows you Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The afternoon is free to explore or shop. (B)
DAY 4 – LONDON – YORK
After a warm welcome from your Tour Director, drive through the Oxfordshire countryside into the ‘heart of England’ to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit the birthplace of the Bard, William Shakespeare. Head north to York, the ancient capital of Viking Britain, and see history unfold before your eyes as you pass the crooked houses of the ‘Shambles’ to reach York Minster, England’s largest medieval cathedral. Settle into the hotel with a Welcome Drink with your fellow travelers.
Hotel: Quality. (CB,D)
DAY 5 – YORK – EDINBURGH
Stop off in Durham to see the castle and the fine Romanesque cathedral before moving on to see Hadrian’s Wall, Britain’s most impressive Roman monument. Cross the wild Northumberland moors into Scotland, passing Jedburgh Abbey and the house of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots en route to the capital of Edinburgh, your base for two nights.
Hotel: Royal Terrace. (B)
DAY 6 – EDINBURGH SIGHTSEEING
A guided tour visits the castle which dominates the city from its rocky crag, and drives down the Royal Mile, past the venerable St Giles’ Cathedral, to see the Queen’s Holyroodhouse Palace before crossing over to the 18th century New Town. The afternoon provides time to shop on Princes Street. Tonight, selected departures enjoy the Military Tattoo – a colorful mixture of historic battles and modern military manoeuvres, complete with pipes and drums. (B)
DAY 7 – EDINBURGH – HIGHLANDS
Cross the Firth of Forth to St Andrews, where golf was born in the 15th century, before heading to Perth to visit the famous Caithness Glass Factory. Later, visit a whisky distillery where the local water, the finest malt and age-old skills combine to produce a ‘wee dram’ for you to taste. Cross the Grampian Mountains for a warm Highland welcome at your hotel in Newtonmore. Enjoy a Highlight Dinner with haggis, accompanied by the sound of the bagpipes.
Hotel: Highlander. (B,HD)
DAY 8 – HIGHLANDS – LAKE DISTRICT
Mountains and glens greet you as you drive through dramatic Glencoe. On the ‘bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond’ you’ll board a guided Highlight cruise on one of Scotland’s most beautiful lochs. Afterwards, continue south through Glasgow into the Southern Uplands of Scotland before crossing the border to arrive at your hotel in the beautiful English Lake District.
Hotel: Windermere Hydro. (B,D)
DAY 9 – LAKE DISTRICT – WARRINGTON
Time to enjoy the beauty of the Lake District, its fells, lakes and valleys combining to make it one of England’s best loved regions. There is time take a cruise on Lake Windermere, before stopping in Grasmere where the Lakeland poet William Wordsworth is buried. Then it’s on to Warrington for the evening.
Hotel: Daresbury Park. (B,D)
DAY 10 – WARRINGTON – DUBLIN
Step back into Roman times in Chester, where you will see the city’s ancient encircling walls and its remarkable 13th century black and white galleried ‘Rows’, now shopping arcades. Continue into Wales, glimpsing the massive Conwy Castle before crossing the Menai Straits to pass through the world-famous village with the very Welsh name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. From Holyhead, sail across the sea to Ireland and its capital, Dublin, for a two-night stay.
Hotel: Quality/Academy Plaza. (B)
DAY 11 – DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING
A local guide will show you Dublin’s elegant Georgian squares and the impressive castle, which you will visit (if open). Also see the Irish President’s home in Phoenix Park, famous O’Connell Street and the Customs House. The afternoon is yours to shop in Grafton Street or to continue sightseeing. In the evening, consider an Irish cabaret show and dinner. (B)
DAY 12 – DUBLIN – KILLARNEY
Drive to County Kildare, Ireland’s premier thoroughbred horse region, for a guided tour of the National Stud, and admire the adjoining Japanese Gardens. View one of the great sights of Ireland, the Rock of Cashel, as you cross the rolling pastures which encircle Tipperary, which is immortalised in the famous song, before continuing on to Killarney.
Hotel: Killarney Avenue & Towers. (B,D)
DAY 13 – RING OF KERRY EXCURSION
An excursion takes you around the magical Ring of Kerry, a world of towering cliffs, lush lake lands and remote villages. Pass through Ireland’s highest mountain range, and enjoy a sense of the unhurried pace of Irish life as you reach the three peaceful Lakes of Killarney. Later, perhaps take an optional ride with the locals on one of Killarney’s jaunting cars. (B)
DAY 14 – KILLARNEY – WATERFORD
Cross the rugged Derrynasaggart Mountains to Blarney, and visit the woollen mill and the ancient castle, where you’ll never be lost for words after kissing the famous Blarney Stone. Travel on through the scenic port of Dungarvan to Waterford, where you can admire a sparkling display of crystal before settling into your hotel for the night.
Hotel: Dooleys. (B,D)
DAY 15 – WATERFORD – CARDIFF
Drive to Rosslare to take the ferry across the Irish Sea to Pembroke. Continue past the valleys of South Wales to the Welsh capital, Cardiff, famous for its imposing castle and the brilliant Millennium Stadium.
Hotel: Copthorne. (B)
DAY 16 – CARDIFF – LONDON
Cross the Severn bridge, spanning the Bristol channel between Wales and England, then on to the Georgian streets of Bath where you visit the Roman Baths. Cross Salisbury Plain to visit mysterious Stonehenge before returning to London.
Hotel: Thistle Marble Arch. (B)
DAY 17 – RETURN TO USA
Your tour ends with transfers to the airport. (CB)
