Itinerary Details
Britain Sampler
Day 1ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you. Enjoy free time this afternoon.
Day 2LONDON The Royal Treatment Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes sights of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, the Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SITES See the legendary landmarks of England’s historic capital city. Walk where voices have rung out for centuries in Parliament Square and where chimes rise high above you with the ringing of Big Ben’s quarter bells. See Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have made history.
Day 3LONDON–STONEHENGE–BATH Ancient Stones & Spa Days Meet your Tour Director and travel companions to depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing. Try to unravel the mystery of prehistoric Stonehenge and explore the visitor center with its imaginative exhibitions. Cross Salisbury Plain and head for the elegant city of Bath, where you’ll see the amazing excavations of the Roman Baths. Enjoy some free time in the city before enjoying a welcome dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
125 mi / 201 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEMS The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the “Best Spa Towns in Europe.” The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society.
Day 4BATH–LUDLOW–LLANGOLLEN, WALES–LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND Welsh Country Beauties This morning, drive through the Severn Valley to the medieval market town of Ludlow before crossing the border into North Wales. Take a stroll in picturesque Llangollen, host to one of the world’s most colorful annual music festivals, before continuing on to Liverpool, hometown of The Beatles and once the departure port of great transatlantic liners. (B)
204 mi / 335 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITION Explore the charming medieval town of Ludlow on the River Teme. Noteworthy buildings include Ludlow Castle and the impressive St. Laurence’s church. With nearly 500 buildings on the Historic England list, Ludlow’s medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered architecture inspired poet laureate Sir John Betjeman to call it "the loveliest town in England."
Day 5LIVERPOOL–GRASMERE–GRETNA GREEN, SCOTLAND–EDINBURGH Sonnets, Sweets & Scottish Blacksmiths Find tranquility in the Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and experience the inspiring setting of the poet Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere. Sample [LF] original Grasmere Gingerbread before heading north for the Scottish border to Gretna Green where a Scottish blacksmith once performed weddings for eloping young couples. Continue onto Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, for some free time this evening. (B)
237 mi / 390 km
LOCAL FAVORITE
TIMELESS TRADITIONS Sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere baked following an 1854 recipe invented by Sarah Nelson, the Victorian cook who invented the world famous cross between cake and biscuit.
Day 6EDINBURGH Crown Jewels & Castle Views Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town,” and the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who lived there. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Enjoy some free time this afternoon and evening. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Unpack your plaid! Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances included on departures August 2, 9, 16 and 23.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
MUSIC & MASTERPIECES Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with a 1,100-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain". Here, you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The castle forms the background of the Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year.
Day 7EDINBURGH–ABBOTSFORD–JEDBURGH–YORK, ENGLAND Augustine’s Monks & Medieval Markets Begin your day with a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House, with its impressive collection of historic relics, weapons, and armour, as well as an extensive library with over 9,000 rare volumes. Make a photo stop at the ruined Augustinian Jedburgh Abbey as you head towards the Scottish border. In York, England’s most complete medieval city, view York Minster, [LF] then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, the Shambles. (B,D)
202 mi / 325 km
LOCAL FAVORITE
HISTORIC SPOT While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butcher shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, and today is a vibrant gathering place with cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies.
Day 8YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare Depart Yorkshire, setting of author James Herriot’s beloved “All Creatures Great and Small,” and head to Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit the legendary playwright's birthplace. Return to London around 3:30 pm. (B)
256 mi / 411 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
A LEGEND SLEPT HERE Ah, young love! Even more true, as Shakespeare’s fiancée was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard’s wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Day 9LONDON Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
