This vacation offers a panoramic exploration of England, Wales, and Scotland. Begin with an overnight and free time in London, then head west to prehistoric Stonehenge, picturesque Salisbury, and Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park. Spend two nights in Plymouth, with an excursion to Land’s End and the seaside resort of St. Ives. Travel north to Glastonbury of King Arthur fame and stop to see the amazing Roman excavations in Bath. Cross into Wales for an overnight in Cardiff and a drive through Brecon Beacons National Park to Chester. Then journey to Liverpool, where you’ll visit the Beatles Story. Explore England’s scenic Lake District and Wordsworth’s Grasmere before crossing into Scotland for a stop in Gretna Green. Spend the night in Glasgow, then skirt the banks of Loch Lomond on your way to the Isle of Skye. After a stop in the Highland capital of Inverness, head south through Culloden Moor, Braemar, and St. Andrews. A 2-night stay in Edinburgh includes guided sightseeing and visits to Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. Back in England, choose between a visit to Alnwick Castle or to the lavish Alnwick Garden. Then see a section of Hadrian’s Wall and medieval York. Stop in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon to see his birthplace. Return to London for an overnight and the completion of your magnificent vacation.

Special Departure:
Tickets for the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo are included for select departures.

Day 1 Arrive in London, England
Uniformed hosts will be waiting to welcome you. After checking into your hotel and an afternoon at leisure we recommend our optional Taste of London excursion with dinner followed by a guided illumination cruise on the River Thames.

Day 2 London-Stonehenge-Salisbury-Plymouth
Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart London at 8 am. First, visit prehistoric STONEHENGE before taking a stroll in picturesque Salisbury with its vast cathedral. Continue on through Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, and head for quaint Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park. The next two nights are spent in Plymouth, home of historical figures such as Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 Plymouth. Cornwall Excursion
A day full of West Country sights as you head through Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall. After viewing St. Michael’s Mount, take your photos at Land’s End before exploring the popular seaside resort of St. Ives. Back in Plymouth, how about an optional evening visit to a local inn for dinner. (Breakfast)

Day 4 Plymouth-Glastonbury-Bath-Cardiff, Wales
At Glastonbury, hear about its associations with King Arthur, and in elegant Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS with time to explore further on your own. Stay the night in Cardiff, the Welsh capital. Tonight’s optional is to Cardiff Castle for an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner. (Breakfast)

Day 5 Cardiff-Llandrindod Wells-Chester, England-Liverpool
Your journey through Wales takes you north along the Taff Valley and Brecon Beacons National Park, and via Llandrindod Wells to Chester. On your walking tour, see the Roman remains, the characteristic black and white half-timbered buildings, and the famous two-tiered arcades called the “Rows.” Spend the night in Liverpool; you may wish to join an optional city tour this evening. (Breakfast)

Day 6 Liverpool-Lake District-Glasgow, Scotland
Start the day with a guided tour of the award-winning BEATLES STORY, an atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture, and music of the “Fab Four.” Later, focus on the tranquil Lake District, considered to be the finest of England’s national parks. After a break in Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere, head north for the Scottish border and stop at Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Overnight in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 7 Glasgow-Isle of Skye-Inverness
Follow the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, then proceed via Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, Fort William, and the “Road to the Isles.” At Mallaig, board your FERRY for the crossing to the Isle of Skye, where you visit the MUSEUM OF THE ISLES at the Clan Donald Centre. Return to the mainland and trace the shores of Loch Ness on the way to the Highland capital. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 8 Inverness-Braemar-St. Andrew-Edinburgh
Main features today: the battlefield of Culloden Moor; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games; St. Andrews; and over the elegant Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. Tonight, an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. For July 27 through August 17 departures, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (Breakfast)

Day 9 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. (Breakfast)

Day 10 Edinburgh-Alnwick, England-York
This morning at ALNWICK CASTLE the choice is yours: visit the CASTLE itself, the opulent ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, or explore ALNWICK GARDEN, where the fountains and waterfalls are a breathtaking feature. Next, pass a section of Hadrian’s Wall on your way to York, England’s most complete medieval city. Here, stand in front of the great structure of York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 11 York-Stratford-Upon-Avon-London
On the last leg of your journey, stop at Stratford-upon-Avon to take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. On return to London at about 3:30 pm, a Shownight Theater Evening would be an incredible finale to your vacation. (Breakfast)

Day 12 London
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

INCLUDED FEATURES

Stonehenge
Visit the prehistoric monument

Salisbury
Visit the cathedral city

Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Take a stroll in the quaint Dartmoor village

Plymouth
Welcome dinner

Cornwall
Take photographs of St. Michael’s Mount, visit Land’s End and St. Ives

Bath
Visit the Roman relics

Llandrindod Wells
Visit the former Welsh spa town

Chester
Walking tour

Liverpool
Guided tour of the Beatles Story

Grasmere
Visit Wordsworth’s village

Gretna Green

Mallaig-Armadale
Cross the Sound of Sleat by ferry

Isle of Skye
Visit the Museum of the Isles at the Clan Donald Centre

Braemar

St. Andrews
Visit the home of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club

Edinburgh
Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace

Alnwick
Visit the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland or explore the spectacular garden

York
Walking tour

Stratford-Upon-Avon
Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace

Note:
Optional London city tour and afternoon excursions to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London are available if extra London nights are reserved.
Edinburgh Military Tattoo ticket included for departures July 27 through August 17.

INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

MEALS
Full English breakfast; 4 three-course dinners with choice of menus, including a welcome dinner in Plymouth

SUPERIOR HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class
LONDON Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (SF), PLYMOUTH Holiday Inn (SF), CARDIFF Barceló Cardiff Angel (F), LIVERPOOL Novotel (F), GLASGOW Thistle (F), INVERNESS Columba (F), EDINBURGH Barceló Carlton (SF), YORK Novotel (F), LONDON Hilton London Metropole (SF)

Optional Excursions

Important Note: the following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation as they are the excursions that are being offered for this vacation in the current travel year. These optional excursions might or might not be offered next year, as well as new optional excursions might be offered. Information about what optional excursions will be offered for your vacation will be available later this year into next year. If no example excursions are listed, please check back later.

Here's a list of optional excursions you can enjoy during your vacation. Whether it's a special dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site, optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus, they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to them.

Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided might be in a foreign currency.

CITY: Edinburgh

Royal Yacht Britannia and Dinner
A visit on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, now moored at Leith docks, is followed by dinner with wine and coffee at a local restaurant.
Approximate value: GBP £49 per person

Rosslyn Chapel
Take a short trip from Edinburgh to visit Rosslyn Chapel, featured in the best selling novel The Da Vinci Code.
Approximate value: GBP £19 per person

Scottish Evening April 1 - October 31
No visit to Scotland's capital city would be complete without joining a Scottish evening with dinner, wine and a show featuring singers, dancers, bagpipers and the Ceremony of the Haggis.
Approximate value: GBP £55 per person

CITY: Liverpool

Evening City Tour
In the company of a local guide, visit the magnificent cathedral, hear about the legendary Beatles, and enjoy a drink of your choice at a historic Gin Palace.
Approximate value: GBP £19 per person

CITY: London

Tower of London and Crown Jewels Afternoons daily
Let your guide bring the 900-year-old Tower Of London to life before you inspect the fabulous Crown Jewels. Afternoons daily.
Approximate value: GBP £37 per person

Afternoon Excursion to Windsor Castle Daily
Enjoy your guided visit to the Queen's favorite residence, the largest inhabited castle in the world. The highlight is the newly refurbished state rooms.
Approximate value: GBP £37 per person

Buckingham Palace & the Royal Mews Afternoons daily July 23 to October 3
First a guided visit to the Royal Mews to see the magnificent gold coach, then admire over 20 grand rooms in the palace used by the Queen for state occasions.
Approximate value: Please check back later per person

A Taste of London Daily April to October
Ideal for your arrival day, this guided evening excursion combines a traditional London pub experience with a relaxed, night-time river cruise, viewing some of the capital's most beautiful illuminated sights. Enjoy a three-course dinner at an historic London pub in the City of London.
Approximate value: Please check back later per person

Shownight - Billy Elliot (Mondays - Thursdays)
A marvelous evening in London's theater district starts with a gourmet dinner at The Bank restaurant in Westminster followed by best seats at the Victoria Palace Theatre to see the original London staging of the inspirational musical Billy Elliot.
Approximate value: Please check back later per person

Shownight - Wicked (Mondays - Thursdays)
A marvelous evening in London's theater district starts with a gourmet dinner at The Bank restaurant in Westminster followed by best seats at The Apollo Victoria Theatre to see the sensational London production of Wicked.
Approximate value: Please check back later per person

CITY: Newport

Welsh Evening
Dinner with wine and entertainment are included in this uniquely Welsh evening.
Approximate value: GBP £55 per person

CITY: Plymouth

Tales Of Dartmoor Pub Supper
Head into wild and romantic Dartmoor for legends and tales of superstition while you enjoy two drinks of your choice and a tasty pub supper.
Approximate value: GBP £39 per person