23 Day British Isles in Depth

Check into your hotel. In the afternoon, there’s time to rest or to start exploring the lively British capital; uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.  

What’s your pleasure? Today is devoted to exploring on your own or enjoying our exciting program of optional activities. London’s calling with an optional morning sightseeing tour with a Local Guide to see the city’s famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted Horse Guards, the Prime Minister's Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. The highlight is a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral; Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, built between 1675 and 1708. This afternoon, maybe visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its spectacular Crown Jewels. And this evening, we recommend a traditional dining experience followed by a guided nighttime cruise along the Thames River to see some of the capital's most beautiful sights.  
(B)  
 

Meet your Tour Director and travel companions and depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing, including a walking tour of Oxford, one of the country’s oldest seats of learning; then, skirt the Cotswold Hills to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. Take photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and explore the town at your own pace. Stay overnight in Coventry. (B,D)  

This morning, head north to York, England’s most complete medieval city. Stand in awe in front of the great York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. Stop for the night in Newcastle, once an important hub for the wool trade and coal mining, and now a vibrant, modern city. (B)  

See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, then motor through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. Stop for photos at Jedburgh before arriving in Edinburgh. Here, sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town.” In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. No trip to Scotland is complete without an authentic Scottish evening! Join an optional night out filled with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis! For departures August 1, 8, 15, and 22, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  
(B)  
 

You have your choice of optional excursions today: this morning put on your best detective hat and get ready to decipher the cryptic symbols and spellbinding mysteries of 15th-century Rosslyn Chapel, one of Scotland's most enigmatic places. Join an optional excursion this afternoon and get the royal treatment! Discover what life was like on board Queen Elizabeth II’s floating residence during an exciting visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, followed by dinner with wine at an excellent local restaurant. (B)  

Get ready for a day of memorable sightseeing. Take the elegant Forth Road Bridge to St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing, then cross the Firth of Tay and, via Dundee and Perth, head into the Highlands, with a stop in the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor with its memories of Bonnie Prince Charlie, then via Inverness, head for your Highland destination. (B,D)  

More spectacular Scottish scenery is on board: Dornoch Firth, the Kyle of Sutherland, the Falls of Shin, the Mountains of Assynt, and Knockan Crag. Then, follow Strath Oykel for a visit to Ullapool, a remote fishing harbor on Loch Broom, before returning along Loch Glascarnoch. This afternoon, we recommend an optional excursion to join the hunt for Nessie! First visit the Loch Ness Centre before joining a cruise on the loch to hunt for the famous “water beast.” Supper rounds it all off.  (B)  

More heather-clad moors as you drive through the western Highlands all the way to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. See Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and take a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond for scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow, Scotland’s great cultural city. (B)  

On this morning’s orientation drive through Scotland’s largest city, see the fine 12th-century cathedral, imposing university buildings, and elegant Victorian architecture. Later, stop at Alloway, the birthplace of Robert Burns, before boarding the ferry for the Irish Sea, crossing to Belfast. (B)  

Take the scenic route along the Antrim Coast to awe-inspiring Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hear how millions of years ago, the more than 40,000 interlocking basalt columns were formed. Then, let the province’s story unfold as you head for the walled city of Derry. Arrive in Bundroran, tonight’s destination. (B,D)  

Travel south to Galway, a popular seaside destination and a buzzing cosmopolitan district with vibrant shops and a busy café and bar culture. Then, cross the limestone plateau of the Burren to visit the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, rising over 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Everyone’s Irish with an optional medieval banquet at an original Irish castle. Enjoy a 4-course feast with wine, then relax as your hosts dazzle you with unforgettable music and storytelling.  
(B)  
 

Travel via Adare and Tralee into County Kerry. See breathtaking scenery this afternoon on the Dingle Peninsula, where the 32-mile Slea Head drive affords magnificent vistas of the Atlantic Ocean. Expect an afternoon arrival in Killarney, your destination for the next two nights. (B,D)  

At Killorglin, join the road known as the Ring of Kerry for a 100-mile coastal panoramic drive featuring sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly painted farmhouses, winding lanes bordered with subtropical vegetation, and spectacular views of the Lakes of Killarney. Then, climb aboard a delightful optional horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to legendary Ross Castle on the shores of Lough Leane. (B)  

Discover more scenic beauty as you head into County Cork. Stop in Blarney, famous for its Stone of Eloquence, with time at your leisure to see the castle and shop for Irish crafts and handmade crystal. After lunch, drive past Cork, the country’s second-largest city. Finally, pass Dungarvan and travel along the Copper Coast to the seaside resort of Tramore. Enjoy a bit of craic (conversation) with an early evening optional excursion with authentic Irish local flavour – take a scenic drive to a traditional pub with a local musician ready to entertain you and give you wonderful memories of this beautiful country. Two drinks of your choice are included. (B,D)  
Today’s Distance: 131 mi/ 211 km  
 

On your northbound journey pause in Waterford, famous for its exquisite crystal, and visit Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s prettiest towns, with medieval cobblestone streets and Old-World charm. Continue on to Dublin, Ireland’s capital city. Learn an Irish toast or two on a popular optional outing to the legendary Taylors Irish Cabaret, featuring a delicious dinner, drinks, and outstanding Irish music, dance, and comedy. (B)  

A day in the “Fair City” starts off with an orientation drive through Ireland’s capital and includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The rest of the day is free to enjoy Dublin at leisure. This evening, raise a glass on an optional excursion to learn about the history, traditions, and brewing techniques behind one of the world's most popular beers on this fascinating tour, tasting, and dinner at Dublin's legendary Guinness Storehouse. (B)  

Take the ferry across the Irish Sea to Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey with its tongue-twisting names. Explore North Wales on the way to Caernarfon, where the castle saw the investiture of King Charles III as Prince of Wales in 1969, before arriving in Liverpool. (B)  

Experience a day dedicated to Wales as you head south through the ancient market town of Builth Wells and Brecon Beacons National Park, land of salmon rivers and the Welsh mountain pony. In Cardiff, an orientation drive in Cathays Park features its splendid civic buildings and Cardiff Castle. Experience Welsh culture at its finest during  a memorable optional excursion featuring a dinner of local specialties and wine. (B)  

Travel across the Severn Bridge to the elegant Georgian city of Bath, famed for its Roman relics. Enter into the West Country via Glastonbury and its legends of King Arthur, and wild and romantic Dartmoor with a visit to the picture-book village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Upon arrival in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, from where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. (B,D)  

Today’s excursion takes you to the pretty fishing village and former smuggler’s port of Looe. Then, follow in the footsteps of Drake, Raleigh, and the Pilgrim Fathers on an optional cruise on Plymouth Sound, one of the world’s greatest natural harbors. (B)  

An interesting day awaits   as you head into Thomas Hardy’s Wessex and a visit to intriguing, prehistoric Stonehenge. Explore the visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions, then admire the magnificence of the monument up close. Return to London in the early evening. How about celebrating the success of your tour with a night on the town? Curtain’s up with an optional escorted evening in London's theatre district, starting with a delicious dinner, followed by excellent seats at your chosen show. (B)  

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)