 Your
Day-by-Day Itinerary |
Day 1 – Sat: Depart
U.S. for London
Depart U.S. on your overnight flight to London. Relax with
meal and entertainment services.
Day 2 – Sun: London
at Leisure
Welcome to London! After immigration and baggage claim, take
an independent coach transfer to your hotel, conveniently
located near Hyde Park and Oxford Street. Coaches operate
frequently. For the balance of the day you are free to rest,
use the health facilities in your hotel or explore London
a little. The British Museum, shops of Oxford and New Bond
Streets, Hyde Park and Piccadilly are all within walking distance.
In the evening meet your guide and fellow travelers over a
welcome drink to discuss your vacation.
Day 3 – Mon: Tower
of London & City Sights
This morning tour central London to see famous landmarks including
Piccadilly Circus, Nelson’s Column and lions of Trafalgar
Square, Big Ben towering over the Houses of Parliament and
Hyde Park. Visit the Tower of London to see the magnificent
Crown Jewels, guarded by the Beefeaters in distinctive Tudor
uniforms. Also see the White Tower, completed in 1097, together
with many other fortresses. Spend the afternoon and evening
on your own to sightsee, shop, dine or see a West End show.
(CB)
Day 4 – Tue: Cambridge
& York
Drive north into the countryside to visit the university town
of Cambridge. Stop to see some
of the famous colleges, including King’s College, and
the Mathematical Bridge over the River Cam. Head north to
York to take a walking tour to appreciate the narrow streets
and medieval houses, which contain centuries of history. The
stately York Minster, with towers and stained glass, is the
highlight of the walk. Continue your journey through Yorkshire
to your delightful country manor house hotel in Guisborough.
(CB, D)
Day 5 – Wed: Borders
Country & Abbotsford House
Head north passing the industrial center of Newcastle-on-Tyne,
through the Northumberland National Park and charming Borders
scenery to Jedburgh. Stop for a while to look around this
charming town with romantic abbey ruins before driving to
Melrose. Visit Abbotsford House, Sir Walter Scott’s
home, where he wrote most of his novels and lived until his
death in 1832. The house has an impressive collection of historic
relics and a library with over 9,000 rare volumes. Drive to
Edinburgh for an introduction to Scottish culture and food
at a traditional cabaret. (B, D)
Day 6 – Thu: Edinburgh
Highlights
Discover Scotland’s capital on a tour around the city
center. See Princes Street, the main shopping thoroughfare
which divides the elegant Georgian “New Town”
from the compact medieval city. Tour Edinburgh Castle to see
the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. Also
enjoy splendid views of central Edinburgh. The afternoon is
free for independent sightseeing or shopping. On departures
from August 4 to 18, experience the colorful Edinburgh Military
Tattoo. (B)
Day 7 – Fri: Lake
District & Chester
Journey through the Southern Uplands and stop at Moffat Woollen
Mills with its wide array of Scottish goods. Continue south
through the hills and valleys of the Lake District and stop
to explore the delightful town of Grasmere. Continue to Chester
where a walking tour will include “The Rows,”
medieval arcaded shops, as well as discovering the original
medieval walls, Roman ruins and Chester Cathedral. Drive to
your hotel, which is set on 750 acres and offers spa facilities
and a swimming pool to relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 8 – Sat: North
Wales & Dublin
This morning see some of the charming Welsh countryside as
you drive through farmlands and picturesque villages and along
the coast road. You will catch sight of the majestic peaks
of Snowdonia, the highest mountains in Wales. Cross to Anglesey
Island by bridge and onto
the tiny island of Holyhead. Take a short ferry crossing to
Dublin and say farewell to your British tour director and
driver as you transfer to your hotel. The evening is at leisure
to explore nearby pubs or restaurants. (B)
Day 9 – Sun: Dublin
Tour & Merry Ploughboy Pub
Use your open-top bus voucher this morning to explore Dublin
on your own. At 2:00 pm meet
your Irish tour director and your fellow travelers for a tour
of central Dublin with a local guide.
See Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed and
rows of Georgian houses with
gaily-colored doorways. Stop at Dublin Castle for a guided
tour through the elegant State
Apartments. Return to your hotel and in the evening drive
to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a
great dinner of Irish specialties, which is followed by a
lively show of traditional Irish songs and intricate step-dancing.
(B, D)
Day 10 – Mon: Blarney
Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the center of Ireland, stopping
to view the stately church
ruins atop the Rock of Cashel. Nearby visit a farmhouse to
sample some freshly-baked scones with tea and learn about
farm life. Continue your drive south to visit Blarney Castle
and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also
visit the Blarney Woollen Mills, where you can find quality
Irish-made goods. Drive into County Kerry where the scenery
becomes more mountainous to Killarney, picturesquely set beside
lakes and mountains. Check into your hotel and relax before
dinner. Afterwards you may like to head to a “singing
pub.” (B, D)
Day 11 – Tue: Ring
of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Today embark on the Ring of Kerry drive – a winding
route with breathtaking sights of mountains and coastal views.
Stop near the Gap of Dunloe to see “Essence of Kerry,”
an audio-visual presentation. As you travel, there will be
plenty of stops for photos. Visit the Skellig Experience to
learn about the life of early Christian monks who inhabited
the rocky offshore islands. Drive through Cahirciveen and
Waterville and stop to walk around Sneem, where brightly-painted
houses are grouped around the central green. Stop at Moll’s
Gap for a panoramic view before returning to Killarney where
the evening is free. (B)
Day 12 – Wed: Cliffs
of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Drive to Tarbert for a ferry ride across the River Shannon
Estuary. Continue to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall
of limestone that reaches 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
Drive to Bunratty to check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, located
very close to Bunratty Castle and Folk
Park. If you wish, you may visit the Folk Park, have a drink
in the 200-year-old Durty Nelly’s
Pub or shop at the Bunratty Mills. In the evening head to
Bunratty Castle for a memorable
medieval-style feast. During and after the meal the lords
and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative
of the Middle Ages. (B, D)
Day 13 – Thu: Shannon
Airport or Dublin
Clients on the 13-day tour will take a group transfer to nearby
Shannon Airport where your
tour concludes at 10:30 am. Passengers on the 14-day tour
will drive through the outskirts of
Limerick and through the midland region of Ireland to Kildare.
Here visit the Irish National
Stud and Japanese Gardens. You can learn about horse breeding
and see some of the valuable animals before touring the lovely
Japanese Gardens, considered the best in Europe. Drive to
the north side of Dublin city and you are free this evening
for independent activities and dining. (B)
Day 14 – Fri: Depart
from Dublin Airport
A shuttle service will take you from your hotel to Dublin
Airport – times will be given to you once on tour. After
check-in, you’ll have time to shop at the duty-free
stores before U.S. Immigration pre-clearance and boarding
your flight for the journey home. (B)
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