Best of Britain
ESCORTED - 14 days London/London from $2699 land only
YOUR TRAVEL VALUE INCLUDES:
Airport transfers in London
Twin-bedded room in hotels listed or similar; hotel taxes, service charges and tips for baggage handling
1 continental breakfast (CB); 12 breakfasts (cold buffet in London) (B); and 7 three-course dinners (D), including a Farewell Dinner with wine in York
Host service in London; professional Tour Director while touring
Private luxury motorcoach with air-conditioning, reclining seats and emergency washroom
Special features and scenic sights: Stonehenge, Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, Cornwall and Land’s End, Bath and its Roman Baths, Lake District, Scottish Highlands, Balmoral Castle, St. Andrews, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford
Guided city tours with local guides in Edinburgh and London. Tickets to the Military Tattoo on departures Jul 24
through Aug 08
Inside visits and special features as shown in the tour description including admission charges where applicable
Portfolio of travel documents
GROUP AIRPORT TRANSFERS:
ARRIVAL transfers in London Heathrow 6 a.m.-9 p.m. or London Gatwick 6 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
RETURN transfers in London Heathrow for flights departing 8 a.m.-11 p.m. or London Gatwick 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
HOTELS:
LONDON - Millennium & Copthorne at Chelsea (F)
PLYMOUTH - Jurys Inn (F)
CARDIFF - Copthorne (SF)
CHESTER - Holiday Inn South (F)
GLASGOW - Jurys Inn (F)
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - Macdonalds Highland Resort (F) in Aviemore
EDINBURGH - Holiday Inn (F)
YORK - Holiday Inn (F)
LONDON - Millennium & Copthorne at Chelsea (F)
Day 1 Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 ArrivE in London, England. at London
After checking into your hotel, the remainder of your day is at leisure.
Day 3 LONDON / STONEHENGE / SALISBURY / PLYMOUTH. at Plymouth
Meet your Tour Director and depart for Stonehenge. Then stop in Salisbury to see the magnificent cathedral, the tallest in Britain. On to Plymouth for a Welcome Drink with your fellow travelers before dinner. (CB,D)
Day 4 CORNWALL EXCURSION. at Plymouth
A tour of the city includes the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrims set off for the New World, and the citadel overlooking Plymouth Sound. Then head to Land’s End, the most westerly point of the British mainland. Drive to St. Ives, an artist colony. Take a photograph of St. Michael’s Mount, and drive across Bodmin Moor, made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn. (B)
Day 5 PLYMOUTH / GLASTONBURY / BATH / CARDIFF. at Cardiff
First stop today is Glastonbury to visit the Abbey ruins and see King Arthur’s tomb. Then on to Bath, where a tour includes a visit to the Roman Baths. Cross the Severn Bridge into Wales and its capital, Cardiff. (B,D)
Day 6 CARDIFF / TINTERN / CHESTER. at Chester
Enjoy a scenic drive along the beautiful Wye Valley, stopping to view the ruins of Tintern Abbey. Then travel on to the Tudor market town of Ludlow. Next, to Chester, where a walking tour features the Roman Walls, the cathedral and the unique shops known as the “Rows.” (B,D)
Day 7 CHESTER / LAKE DISTRICT / GLASGOW.
A day of the glorious scenery of the Lake District, as you drive along the shores of Lake Windermere. Continue north to Gretna Green, where eloping couples use to marry, and on to Scotland and the great city of Glasgow. Tonight dine on Scottish fare in a typical local restaurant. (B,D)
Day 8 GLASGOW / GLENCOE / SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS. at Edinburgh
See the Cathedral, George Square and the River Clyde on a city tour. Then enjoy a scenic drive into the Scottish Highlands. Travel along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Next is Fort William for a visit to the Commando Memorial and its breathtaking views of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Your next two nights are spent in the Highlands town and resort of Aviemore. (B,D)
Day 9 HIGHLANDS AND ISLE OF SKYE EXCURSION. at Edinburgh
This remarkably scenic day begins with a stop at Culloden Moor where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by Butcher Cumberland. Then drive along the shores of Loch Ness and stop at Urquhart Castle to see if you can spot “Nessie!” Next, journey “over the sea to Skye” before traveling toward the beautiful Cuillin Mountains. (B,D)
Day 10 SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS / BALMORAL / ST. ANDREWS / EDINBURGH. at Edinburgh
Visit Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s Scottish home, and Craithie Church where Princess Anne was married. Drive through Braemar to St. Andrews, with its famous golf course. There is plenty of time to wander through the town. Finally, cross the Forth Bridge to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. During the Edinburgh Tattoo, tickets are included. (B) NOTE: When Balmoral Castle is closed, you will visit Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the late Queen Mother.
Day 11 EDINBURGH. at Edinburgh
A morning tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Royal Mile. At the other end of this cobbled thoroughfare is Holyrood House. Enjoy a drive through New Town with its Georgian architecture. (B) Note: Tickets to the Military Tattoo are included on Jul 24-Aug 14 departures.
Day 12 EDINBURGH / YORK. at York
Travel to the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey and follow the old Roman road to a section of Hadrian’s Wall. Continue through the magnificent scenery of the Northumberland National Park to the Viking city of York. Enjoy a guided walking tour and see the Mansion House, the picturesque “Shambles” and the awe-inspiring Minster. Tonight, relish a Farewell Dinner with newfound friends. (B,D)
Day 13 YORK / STRATFORD / OXFORD / LONDON. at London
Begin the day with a scenic drive into the heart of England, passing Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame. Journey to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and see Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage. Travel through the rolling Cotswold Hills before a stop in Oxford. Enjoy a walking tour through the city where students such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Caroll once lived. Included is a guided visit to one of the colleges. (Occasionally a visit to a college may be replaced by a visit to the Sheldonian Theatre). Later, return to London. (B)
Day 14 LONDON. at London
See many of the major sights of the British capital on a morning sightseeing tour. The tour ends in central London where your afternoon is free. (B)
Day 15 DEPART LONDON. at London
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)
