UK- ENGLAND, SOCTLAND
12 Nights & 13 Days
ARRIVAL IN LONDON, ENGLAND. CHECK INTO YOUR HOTEL. IN THE AFTERNOON THERES TIME TO REST OR START EXPLORING THE LIVELY BRITISH CAPITAL; UNIFORMED HOSTS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR STAY.
DAY 02 : LONDON
A FULL DAY TO ENJOY OUR EXCITING PROGRAM OF OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES. MORNING SIGHTSEEING FEATURES ALL THE FAMOUS LANDMARKS: ROYAL ALBERT HALL, KENSINGTONS SPLENDID MUSEUMS, KNIGHTSBRIDGE WITH HARRODS, THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT AND BIG BEN BESIDE THE RIVER THAMES. HIGHLIGHTS ARE A VISIT TO ST.
PAULS CATHEDRAL AND THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, IF HELD. THIS AFTERNOON YOU MAY WANT TO VISIT WINDSOR CASTLE OR THE TOWER WITH THE SPECTACULAR CROWN JEWELS, AND TONIGHT A LEISURELY CRUISE ON THE RIVER THAMES WOULD BE FUN. (B)
DAY 03 : LONDON-EXETER.
MEET YOUR TOUR DIRECTOR AND TRAVELING COMPANIONS AND DEPART AT 8:30 A.M. FOR THE WEST COUNTRY. STOP TO ADMIRE THE ORNAMENTAL GARDENS OF HAMPTON COURT, HENRY VIIIS MAGNIFICENT TUDOR PALACE.
CONTINUE WESTWARD TO SALISBURY, THE “CITY OF THE SOARING SPIRE.” CROSS THE CHALKY TERRAIN OF WILTSHIRE, PASSING STONEHENGE, ONE OF ENGLANDS MOST INTRIGUING MYSTERIES. FINALLY THE CATHEDRAL CITY OF EXETER, DEVONSHIRES HISTORIC COUNTY TOWN. (B,D)
DAY 04 : EXETER-BATH-CARDIFF, WALES.
VISTAS OF DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK ON THE WAY TO PLYMOUTH. HEAR ABOUT SIR FRANCIS DRAKE AND SEE THE MAYFLOWER STEPS WHERE THE PILGRIM FATHERS EMBARKED IN 1620. THEN MORE WEST COUNTRY SIGHTS: GLASTONBURY AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS WITH KING ARTHUR, AND ELEGANT GEORGIAN BATH FAMED FOR ITS ROMAN RELICS.
OVER THE SEVERN BRIDGE INTO WALES, WHERE AN ORIENTATION DRIVE IN ITS CAPITAL INTRODUCES YOU TO THE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: CARDIFF CASTLE, CATHAYS PARK, MILLENNIUM STADIUM AND THE STATELY CIVIC BUILDINGS. ASK YOUR TOUR DIRECTOR ABOUT TONIGHTS OPTIONAL WELSH EVENING. (FB)
DAY 05 : CARDIFF-CHESTER-LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.
HEAD THROUGH “THE VALLEYS,” WHOSE IRON ORE AND COAL WERE THE RAW MATERIALS FOR THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, TO THE BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK, LAND OF SALMON RIVERS AND THE WELSH MOUNTAIN PONY.
PAUSE JUST ACROSS THE BORDER IN LUDLOW, A PRETTY MARKET TOWN WITH AN IMPRESSIVE RUINED CASTLE. 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.”
FINALLY LIVERPOOL OF BEATLES FAME, ONCE THE DEPARTURE PORT FOR THE GREAT TRANSATLANTIC LINERS. THIS EVENING AN OPTIONAL OUTING IN THE COMPANY OF A LOCAL GUIDE BEFORE DINNER AT YOUR HOTEL. (FB,D)
DAY 06 : 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. AFTER A BREAK IN PICTURESQUE LLANGOLLEN TAKE THE ROUTE OVER HORSESHOE PASS BACK TO LIVERPOOL. YOUR TOUR DIRECTOR WILL HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS EVENING. (FB)
DAY 07 : LIVERPOOL-LAKE DISTRICT-GLASGOW.
THIS MORNING SOME OF THE BEST-LOVED SCENERY IN ENGLAND: THE MOUNTAINS, LAKES, AND VALLEYS OF THE LAKE DISTRICT ARE PRESERVED AS A FINE NATIONAL PARK.
FOLLOW THE SHORES OF WINDERMERE TO GRASMERE, HOME OF THE POET WORDSWORTH. HEADING FOR THE SCOTTISH BORDER, INSPECT A SECTION OF HADRIANS WALL, THE ROMAN COAST-TO-COAST DEFENSE AGAINST MARAUDING NORTHERN TRIBES, THEN VISIT GRETNA GREEN, WHERE THE BLACKSMITH USED TO WED RUNAWAY COUPLES. OVERNIGHT IN GLASGOW, SCOTLANDS LARGEST CITY. (FB,D)
DAY 08 : GLASGOW-INVERNESS.
ALONG THE “BONNIE BANKS” OF LOCH LOMOND AND THROUGH WILD RANNOCH MOOR INTO THE HIGHLANDS. VIA GLEN COE, WHERE THE MACDONALD CLAN WAS TREACHEROUSLY MASSACRED BY THE CAMPBELLS IN 1692 YOU REACH FORT WILLIAM BENEATH BEN NEVIS. THEN THE GREAT GLEN: VISTAS OF THE CALEDONIAN CANAL, LOCH LOCHY AND LOCH OICH. FOLLOW THE BANKS OF LOCH NESS, LOOKING OUT FOR SIGNS OF THE MYSTERIOUS MONSTER BEFORE ARRIVAL AT INVERNESS, THE HIGHLAND CAPITAL. (FB,D)
DAY 09 : INVERNESS-EDINBURGH.
VIA THE BATTLEFIELD OF CULLODEN MOOR, WITH ITS MEMORIES OF BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE, AND THROUGH HEATHER-CLAD MOORS TO ROYAL DEESIDE, WHERE THE QUEEN IS AN ANNUAL VISITOR. STOP FOR LUNCH AT BRAEMAR, HOME OF THE ROYAL HIGHLAND GAMES FOR OVER 900 YEARS.
IN THE AFTERNOON, TRAVEL VIA DUNDEE TO ST. ANDREWS, WHOSE ROYAL AND ANCIENT GOLF CLUB, FOUNDED IN 1754, HAS GIVEN US THE RULES OF GOLFING. CONTINUE THROUGH FIFE AND OVER THE MIGHTY FORTH ROAD BRIDGE TO SPEND THE NEXT TWO NIGHTS IN THE SCOTTISH CAPITAL. (FB)
DAY 10 : EDINBURGH
A FULL DAY TO ENJOY THIS “PRINCE OF CITIES.” MORNING SIGHTSEEING WITH A LOCAL EXPERT STARTS WITH AN ORIENTATION DRIVE ALONG PRINCES STREET AND THE ROYAL MILE, WITH TALES OF SOME TRULY INTRIGUING CHARACTERS: THE BODYSNATCHERS, DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, AND GREYFRIARS BOBBY. HISTORY COMES ALIVE AS YOU TOUR MIGHTY EDINBURGH CASTLE.
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 11 : EDINBURGH-YORK-ROTHERHAM, ENGLAND.
AT JEDBURGH, GLIMPSE THE HOUSE OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, AND SEE THE ABBEY RUINS, BEFORE HEADING TOWARDS THE CHEVIOT HILLS AND THE ENGLISH BORDER. CONTINUE THROUGH WILD NORTHUMBERLAND NATIONAL PARK TO YORK, ENGLANDS MOST COMPLETE MEDIEVAL CITY.
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. OVERNIGHT STAY IS AT ROTHERHAM. (FB,D)
DAY 12 : ROTHERHAM-STRATFORD-COVENTRY.
HEAD FOR THE MIDLANDS, PASSING THE ONCE-MIGHTY SHERWOOD FOREST, HOME OF THE LEGENDARY ROBIN HOOD. VISIT SHAKESPEARES STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, TAKE YOUR PICTURES OF ANNE HATHAWAYS COTTAGE, THEN EXPLORE THE TOWN AT YOUR OWN PACE.
IN HISTORIC COVENTRY, WHOSE CENTER HAD TO BE REBUILT AFTER THE DEVASTATION OF WORLD WAR II BOMBINGS, HEAR THE TALE OF LADY GODIVA AND PEEPING TOM, AND ADMIRE THE SPLENDID MODERN CATHEDRAL. (FB,D)
DAY 13 : COVENTRY-LONDON.
MOTOR THROUGH THE COTSWOLD HILLS AND ENJOY THE RURAL ATMOSPHERE OF QUAINT OLD VILLAGES, BUILT OF MELLOWED LOCAL STONE. ON TO BLADON, WHERE ENGLANDS GREAT STATESMAN, SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, LIES BURIED WITHIN SIGHT OF HIS BIRTHPLACE, BLENHEIM PALACE.
NEXT VISIT OXFORD WHERE A WALKING TOUR TAKES IN THE COLLEGES WHERE BRITAINS ELITE RECEIVE THEIR OUTSTANDING EDUCATION. 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 : DEPARTURE
TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT ON YOUR OWN.