Overview:
This vacation offers our most complete view of the British Isles. In England, enjoy visits to London, Canterbury, the seaside resort of Brighton, mysterious Stonehenge, Salisbury, historic Plymouth, Land’s End, St. Ives, and the Roman Baths. Stop in the Welsh capital of Cardiff and travel across South Wales, then take a ferry to the “Emerald Isle.” Visits include Waterford, Blarney, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher, Knock, Belleek, Giant’s Causeway, Belfast, and Dublin. Return across the Irish Sea and through North Wales to Liverpool in England. North through the Lake District to Scotland, with highlights that include Gretna Green, Glasgow, the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, Inverewe Garden, Inverness, pretty Braemar, St. Andrews, the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, and fairytale Floors Castle. Back in England, explore medieval York, Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and Blenheim Palace on your way back to London.
Day 1: Arrive in London, England. Uniformed Globus hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
Day 2: London. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Visit ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and see the Changing of the Guard, if held. (B)
Day 3: London-Canterbury-Brighton. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart London at 8 am. Visit CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL, and in Brighton, tour the exotic ROYAL PAVILION. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
Day 4: Brighton-Stonehenge-Salisbury-Plymouth. This morning, visit prehistoric STONEHENGE before taking a stroll in Salisbury with its vast cathedral. Continue on to Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park. Upon arrival in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. (B)
Day 5: Plymouth. Cornwall Excursion. Head through Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall to St. Michael’s Mount, rising boldly out of the sea, take your photos at Land’s End, then explore the popular seaside resort of St. Ives. (B, D)
Day 6: Plymouth-Bath-Newport, Wales. At Glastonbury, hear about King Arthur, and in Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS. Overnight is in Newport. Why not join tonight’s optional to Cardiff Castle for an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner? (B)
Day 7: Newport-Cardiff-Waterford, Ireland. A morning orientation drive in Cardiff features the castle, Cathays Park, and the stately civic buildings. Then, cross St. George’s Channel to Rosslare in Ireland and proceed to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings in 853. (B,D)
Day 8: Waterford-Blarney-Killarney. In Blarney, renowned for its magical Kissing Stone, there is time to walk up to the castle and to shop for traditional Irish handicrafts before continuing to Killarney, your Kerry base for the next three nights. (B,D)
Day 9: At Leisure in Killarney. A full day to relax or join our optional excursion that includes a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle, a boat ride to Innisfallen Abbey and across the lakes for a visit to Muckross House, returning to your hotel mid-afternoon. (B)
Day 10: Killarney. Ring of Kerry Excursion. Follow the road known as the RING OF KERRY for a 100-mile panoramic drive. Take your photos of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View. Later, join an entertaining optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets for the National Folk Theatre. (B)
Day 11: Killarney-Dingle Peninsula-Adare-Limerick. Breathtaking scenery on Dingle Peninsula. At the BLASKET ISLANDS CENTRE, learn about the way of life on the remote islands evacuated by its inhabitants in 1953. Via quaint Adare, head for the city of Limerick. Tonight’s optional recommendation: a medieval banquet. (B)
Day 12: Limerick-Cliffs of Moher-Sligo. Motor to the spectacular CLIFFS OF MOHER, rising 668 feet above the Atlantic. Via the limestone plateau of The Burren and Galway, reach Knock, a village that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Then, spend the night in Sligo. (B,D)
Day 13: Sligo-Belleek, Northern Ireland-Giant's Causeway-Belfast. A fascinating day: the grave of W.B. Yeats in Drumcliff; BELLEEK POTTERY; Derry, one of the finest examples of a walled city; then awe-inspiring GIANT’S CAUSEWAY. Overnight in Belfast. (B,D)
Day 14: Belfast-Downpatrick-Dublin, Ireland. This morning’s highlights are a “living history” orientation drive with a Local Guide and a visit to the fascinating, brand-new TITANIC EXHIBITION. Learn all about the building of the largest passenger steamship, its maiden voyage, and the tragic night of April 14, 1912. Then, travel to Downpatrick and visit the inspiring SAINT PATRICK CENTRE before you drive back again into the Republic. Why not join an optional cabaret evening with dinner, followed by dance, song, and laughter. (B)
Day 15: Dublin. Your orientation drive includes statue-lined O’Connell Street and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then, visit TRINITY COLLEGE with the famous Book of Kells. Top the day with an optional dinner evening at the Guinness Storehouse. (B)
Day 16: Dublin-Liverpool, England. Back across the Irish Sea and a scenic drive through Snowdonia National Park, over spectacular Llanberis Pass, and via pretty Betws-y-Coed to Liverpool. (B)
Day 17: 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.” Overnight is near Glasgow. (B,D)
Day 18: Glasgow-Fort William-Isle of Skye-INverness. Follow the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, and at Mallaig, board your FERRY for the crossing to the Isle of Skye. Visit the MUSEUM OF THE ISLES, then return to the mainland and trace the shores of Loch Ness on the way to Inverness. (B,D)
Day 19: Inverness. Highlands Excursion. Further into the remote Highlands for a day of spectacular Scottish scenery. Trace the shores of Loch Maree to fascinating INVEREWE GARDEN, with its subtropical plants encouraged by the warm Gulf Stream. Then, drive back to Inverness along Loch Glascarnoch. (B)
Day 20: Inverness-Braemar-St. Andrews-Edinburgh. Main features today: the battlefield of Culloden Moor, Braemar, St. Andrews, and the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. For July 15 through August 5 departures, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (B)
Day 21: Edinburgh. Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” as well as the “Old Town.” Visit EDINBURGH CASTLE and then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (except when the Queen is in residence). Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B)
Day 22: Edinburgh-York, England. This morning, visit FLOORS CASTLE, and later, pass the house of Mary, Queen of Scots. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, and in York, England’s most complete medieval city, follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. (B,D)
Day 23: York-Coventry-Stratford-Upon-Avon. In Coventry, view the splendid modern cathedral, and in Stratford-upon-Avon, take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. (B,D)
Day 24: Stratford-Upon-Avon-London. A final highlight: enjoy a guided tour of magnificent BLENHEIM PALACE, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, then explore the landscaped parkland. Return to London around 3:30 pm. (B)
Day 25: London. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
LONDON Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (SF), BRIGHTON Hilton Metropole (SF), PLYMOUTH Holiday Inn (SF), NEWPORT Hilton (F), WATERFORD Granville (F), KILLARNEY Scotts (F), LIMERICK Clarion (SF), SLIGO Radisson Blu (SF), BELFAST Stormont (SF), DUBLIN Hilton City (SF), LIVERPOOL Novotel (F), GLASGOW The Westerwood (SF) at Cumbernauld, INVERNESS Columba (F), EDINBURGH Mercure Edinburgh Princess Street (F), YORK Mercure York Fairfield Manor (F), STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Holiday Inn (SF)
Meals:
Full English breakfast (B); 10 three-course dinners (D) with choice of menus, including a welcome dinner in Brighton
Price Details:
Dates and prices do not include international air travel. When planning your trip, allow one extra day before tour date for travel between the USA and Europe.Prices based on double room occupancy.Single room supplement: $1120Triple room reduction per person: $106Extra nights per person in London:April: in single room $152, in twin room $87, in triple room $82May-October: in single room $244, in twin room $151, in triple room $143July 27 to August 12: in single room $370, in twin room $230, in triple room $220Note:
- Edinburgh Military Tattoo ticket included for departures July 15 through August 5