12-Nights England, Scotland & Wales from $3,469

England, Scotland & Wales

Day 1: ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND 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.



Day 2: LONDON Enjoy a free day in London or consider an optional morning sightseeing tour with a Local Guide to explore the city’s famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted Horse Guards, and the Prime Minister's Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. A highlight of your tour is a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece built between 1675 and 1708. This afternoon, why not visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels? This evening, we recommend a traditional dining experience followed by a guided nighttime cruise along the Thames River for a different view of some of the capital's most beautiful sights. (B)



Day 3: LONDON–OXFORD–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–SHEFFIELD Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing. In Oxford, a walking tour shows you the colleges where Britain’s elite receive their outstanding education. Then, travel through the lovely Cotswold Hills to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. Take photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and explore the town at your own pace. Continue to your overnight destination in Sheffield. (B,D)



Day 4: SHEFFIELD–YORK–JEDBURGH, SCOTLAND–EDINBURGH In York, stand in awe before York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, then travel through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. At Jedburgh, see the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey before a late-afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. No trip to Scotland is complete without an authentic Scottish evening! This evening, enjoy an optional night out that’s filled with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis!
(B)



Day 5: EDINBURGH A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town,” home to famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The afternoon is at leisure. Consider joining 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!

For August 2 and August 16 departures, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, featuring Scottish pipe bands, military displays, and cultural performances on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. (B)



Day 6: EDINBURGH–ST. ANDREWS–PITLOCHRY–CULLODEN MOOR–HIGHLANDS A day of memorable sightseeing: take the elegant Forth Road Bridge to St. Andrews, home of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club and widely regarded as the Home of Golf. Continue across the Firth of Tay and, via Dundee and Perth, head into the Scottish Highlands, stopping in the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry. Visit Culloden Moor, site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, then continue via Inverness to your Highland destination.
(B,D)



Day 7: HIGHLANDS –FORT WILLIAM–GLASGOW Look out for signs of the mysterious Loch Ness monster as you travel along Loch Ness, then proceed via Fort William, beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. Drive through Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond before arriving in Glasgow. (B)



Day 8: GLASGOW–GRETNA GREEN–LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND–LIVERPOOL Travel south through the history-steeped Lowland Hills and a visit to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Drive through beautiful scenery in the Lake District, England’s largest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. End the day in Liverpool, birthplace of The Beatles and once a major departure port for the great transatlantic ocean liners. This afternoon, consider an optional city tour with a Local Guide who brings to life the city’s historic and celebrated sites – including those connected to the Beatles. (B)



Day 9: LIVERPOOL. NORTH WALES EXCURSION A day dedicated to the mountainous beauty of North Wales. After a stop in pretty Betws-y-Coed, drive over spectacular Llanberis Pass and through Snowdonia National Park to Caernarfon, where the castle saw the investiture of King Charles III as Prince of Wales in 1969. Then, follow the coast road via the walled town of Conwy back to Liverpool. (B)



Day 10: LIVERPOOL–LUDLOW–CARDIFF, WALES First stop today is in the pretty market town of Ludlow before heading back into Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park, land of mountains, salmon rivers, and the Welsh mountain pony. Continue through “The Valleys,” whose iron ore and coal industries helped fuel the Industrial Revolution, to the Welsh capital. Here, an orientation drive introduces you to the major attractions, including Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Principality Stadium, and the stately civic buildings. Experience Welsh culture at its finest during a memorable optional excursion featuring a dinner of local specialties and wine. (B)



Day 11: CARDIFF–BATH, ENGLAND–GLASTONBURY–WIDECOMBE–PLYMOUTH Leaving Wales, cross the Severn Bridge for a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath, famed for its Roman Baths and elegant Georgian architecture, before heading into England’s West Country and Glastonbury, long associated with the legends of King Arthur. In the heart of Dartmoor National Park, visit quaint Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the ghostly setting for Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Finally, in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, from where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked for America in 1620. (B)



Day 12: PLYMOUTH–STONEHENGE–LONDON On the final leg of your journey, travel throughThomas Hardy’s Wessex and visit Stonehenge to admire the magnificence of the monument from up close and explore the visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions. Return to London around 3 pm. This evening, consider celebrating the success of your tour with a night out 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)



Day 13: LONDON Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)