tour of britain scotland

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England and Scotland Tours & Trips

Located in the UK , England neighbours Wales and Scotland and is mostly known for its many cultural experiences. The capital city of London lies on the Thames river and is a popular adventure destination, as it hosts the Tower of London, Big Ben and Parliament House. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is famous for the hilltop castle, while Glasgow offers an enticing food scene. Read here ideas for one week in Scotland and England (for seniors) , for one week in Scotland or discover the best coach/bus tour operators .

239 England and Scotland tour packages with 5,965 reviews

• In-depth Cultural

Exploring the Wonders of Britain by Train

• €50 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Highland Fling

It was a great tour and Tom was the best guide we could get!

• €75 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Coach / Bus

Best of Britain (11 Days)

This was our first trip to the UK. The tour covered all we wanted to see. The coach was comfortable and the drivers very friendly. Patricia was an excellent guide very caring and knowledgeable about the history of the UK. The Isle of Skye section needs to be rethought - a long day with not a lot of the Isle covered. The local guide at Liverpool could not be heard on the walking tour. Very satisfied with the 11 day tour and would recommend it to travelers looking to see a large area of the UK.

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Britain and Ireland Delight (Summer, 8 Days)

The hotels are good and Mat is funny and knowledgably. The whole travel is well organized and interested.

• Christmas & New Year

Real Britain (6 Days)

I booked for Real Britain trip from Tourradar...it was amazing..

Aonghus Youth

Thank you for the tour. Our Tour Guide Bella was fantastic, and our driver excellent. My only complaint would be that communication was poor prior to arrival. I had a number of times where I asked questions that were never responded to, let all be answered. That needs to be improved particularly for international tourists.

• Sightseeing

United Kingdom and Ireland ( 10 days )

England, Scotland & Wales

Awesome tour! Tour guide Oshan and driver Germaine make a great team of getting us around to wonderful sites. Oshan is very knowledgeable on the history of all the places we visited. Germaine got us through all the tight places safely and comfortably. You'll get to see all the major areas in Great Britain, from historical cities like Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Liverpool to historical sites like Edinburgh Castle, Loch Ness and Stonehenge. I personally recommend

Britain & Ireland Explorer (Classic, 13 Days)

We had a great holiday and highly recommend insight tours . We had lovely hotels and a fantastic tour guide who was very knowledgeable with places and the history.

Great Britain

Great trip. Mile and Russell were also great.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Grand Tour of Britain & Ireland

Absolutely loved that I could enjoy this tour which provided great coverage of England, Wales,Ireland and Scotland. The driver was fantastic. The guide provided wonderful history of the places but would have liked a bit more information as we passed places of interest.

Highland Experience's Scottish Choice

The guide Andy was extraordinary, kind and professional, I suggest

Essential Britain

The boat tour in Plymouth was not worth the time and neither was the boat trip to Skye. Too little time on The Isle of Skye and at Culloden. I would rather have driven to Skye and spent more time touring there. Accommodations were overall excellent. Good locations and clean. Coach was clean and the driver was excellent however there were some issues with WiFi ports working. Some did and some worked only occasionally. The tour director was average. She was friendly and kind. She wasn’t great. Not as much fun as another tour director I’ve had. One issue I had was that because I didn’t do the Edinburgh tours (I had already seen them previously), I didn’t know what time we were leaving the next morning. I left a voice message for Marge at the hotel and she never got back to me. It wasn’t a huge issue but I was surprised she didn’t get back to me. I got up early and just asked other travelers what time we were leaving when they came down for breakfast. I could have called her cell phone number but thought she would get the message at the hotel. Overall a good trip. Worth the money.

Bonnie Scotland with London

My husband and I very much enjoyed our tour through Scotland. The tour guide Tom was knowledgeable and kept us interested without drowning us in a myriad of dates and names of Kings and Queens. He was totally in control ensuring everyone was on the bus and at each event checking everything had been arranged and that our group was expected before he would let us off the bus. The Scottish driver Dave was excellent and we felt safe despite the narrow roads. On the down side, we wish we could have had more free time to explore in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The guided tours of Glasgow and Edinburgh turned out to be pointing out various buildings on way to the castle or as we drove out of the cities on our way to the day's tour highlight rather than a proper city tour. The London part was disappointing with the aspect of being part of a tour. The hotel, although nice, was over 1 1/2 hours by bus away from King's Cross station. The tour director did not take the opportunity to point out the various historic sites along the way. Many key highlights were not included in the scheduled familiarization of London bus tour such as Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Once the bus tour was over we were left to fend for ourselves. There was no concern/interest shown to ensure transportation arrangements at the end of the tour were in hand etc...a stark contrast to the Scottish part of the trip.

England and Scotland Heritage (8 Days)

Wonderful trip, everything was great

What people love about England And Scotland Tours

Tom is a great guide. Would recommend the tour.

Because my original trip was cancelled by Trafalgar to rearrange a new tour was difficult I am giving a little more tolerance as the tourist industry was smashed my amended timetable cost me a lot of money The trip if your a new first trip bus tour user it’s ok far to rushed for us experienced lots 1 hour walk around s. Then bed. ie Liverpool Glasgow I won’t do another bus tour in the UK

I really enjoyed the trip

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Best of Britain

Starting from $2,845

• The Experience
• 10 Days In 2024
• 9 Days In 2024
• 10 Days In 2025
• 9 Days In 2025

Get to know Britain on this whirlwind tour 

Trip details.

Tour start Windsor

Tour end London

Available Promotions for this tour

Booking window

01 May 2024 - 31 May 2024

Edinburgh Castle

Walk in the footsteps of soldiers, kings and queens, and even the odd pirate or two, in this medieval-era royal residence, military garrison, prison and fortress, alive with many exciting tales.

Roman Baths & Pump Room

Stop at one of the oldest spas in the world, with hot springs, built during the Roman Empire.

Tower of London

See this former royal fortress, prison, palace, and current home of the Crown Jewels.

Cardiff Castle

Visit one of the most iconic of the 600 castles that dot Wales' landscape.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Travelers on our August 8-22 departures can watch kilt-clad corps perform with drums and pipes in military precision.

Windsor Castle

Visit the Queen's magnificent home, the longest-occupied palace in all of Europe.

Marvel at the massive stone circle crafted by prehistoric people.

Blenheim Palace

Visit the gilded State Rooms with their priceless collections of portraits, tapestries and furniture, and an exhibition devoted to the palace's most famous son, Winston Churchill.

Day 1 Windsor Castle, Walking Tour & Welcome Drink

Day 2 blenheim palace & cotswolds drive, day 3 york walking tour, york minster & bamburgh castle, day 4 edinburgh city tour, edinburgh castle & scottish evening*, day 5 lake district & liverpool, day 6 ludlow, tintern abbey & cardiff castle, day 7 cardiff panoramic tour, roman baths & stonehenge, day 8 london tour, tower of london & independent sightseeing, day 9 independent london sightseeing, day 10 tour ends in london, where you’ll stay.

Castle Hotel Windsor Windsor, England

The Castle Hotel, Windsor – MGallery Hotel Collection is a 4 star luxury hotel-based in the heart...

Delta Hotels by Marriott York York, England

The York Marriott Hotel is within a 20-25 minute walking distance of York city centre and its many...

The Murrayfield Hotel Edinburgh, Scotland

The Murrayfield Hotel is an inviting retreat nestled in the heart of Edinburgh, offering a...

Malmaison Liverpool Liverpool, UK

Malmaison Liverpool is a boutique city center hotel with 130 rooms. It’s in a chic, waterfront...

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Cardiff, Wales

Enjoy your stay in one of our modern, air-conditioned rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi. You can also...

100 Queen's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton London, England

A stylish city spot, a fashionable location where history meets modernity: 100 Queen's Gate was...

Inclusive package with no hidden extras

What's included?

• Full daily breakfast and many meals*
• An evening of Scottish entertainment
• Transportation (Buses, shuttles & ferries)
• Welcome drinks with your group
• Free Wi-Fi on luxury coaches
• All entrance fees to attractions
• Comprehensive travel itinerary

*Breakfast is not included on Day 1

Our welcome gift to you

• A travel backpack
• Travel adapter
• Rain poncho
• Luggage strap and tags
• Documents wallet

From our travelers

We had a wonderful tour. All the accommodations were first class. The very first day we saw a mile long line at Windsor Castle, but our tickets were already taken care of and we went straight in with no waiting. That was the way it was at all sights on the trip. We visited the important sights and did not have to worry about booking, driving, parking, where to stay or where to eat.

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Castle Hotel Windsor, Windsor

The Castle Hotel, Windsor – MGallery Hotel Collection is a 4 star luxury hotel-based in the heart of Windsor town centre sitting magnificently opposite the Windsor Castle and Windsor Guildhall. Boasting unrivalled views of the 'Changing of the Guards' procession which marches past the doorstep of the hotel along Windsor’s picturesque main street.  A beautiful range of boutique accommodation is available at Castle Hotel ranging from charming single rooms to spacious luxury suites with spectacular views over Windsor and it’s many landmarks. Each room follows the flowing Georgian elegance of the hotel which have been beautifully decorated with a refined take on contemporary design. Complimentary accessories including White Company Noir toiletries, fluffy bathrobes, and for upgraded rooms, personal Nespresso machines are provided so that guests can truly relax during their stay. Whether it’s a boutique break, romantic getaway, wedding, or business trip, rooms are certain to delight and impress.

Castle Hotel, Windsor - MGallery Hotel Collection

• 24-hour Front Desk
• Coffee Shop
• Disabled Facilities
• Dry Cleaning
• Laundry Facilities
• Wifi in Public Areas (Complimentary)
• 24-hour Room Service
• Air Conditioned
• Cable/Satellite Television
• Coffee & Tea-making Facilities in Room
• Complimentary Bottled Water
• Daily Maid Service
• In-Room Wifi (Complimentary)
• Iron/Ironing Board
• Luggage Racks
• Private Bathroom
• Room Service
• Work Desk & Lamp

Delta Hotels by Marriott York, York

The York Marriott Hotel is within a 20-25 minute walking distance of York city centre and its many attractions including the National Railway Museum & York Minster. Our Leisure Club features a heated pool, sauna, steam room, spa bath, gymnasium & private tennis court. The Cast Iron Bar & Grill serves a varied menu and offers a wide choice of refreshments whilst offering unrivaled views of York Racecourse from its sun terrace.  

York Marriott

• Fitness Center

The Murrayfield Hotel, Edinburgh

The Murrayfield Hotel is an inviting retreat nestled in the heart of Edinburgh, offering a charming blend of comfort, convenience, and Scottish hospitality. With its prime location near Murrayfield Stadium, this boutique hotel provides cozy and beautifully appointed rooms, a delightful on-site restaurant with a fusion of Scottish flavors, and easy access to Edinburgh's iconic landmarks. The dedicated staff is committed to ensuring your stay is exceptional, embodying the genuine warmth of Scottish hospitality. 

Reception Area

• Soap/Hair Products
• Slippers/Robes

Meeting Room

Malmaison Liverpool, Liverpool

Malmaison Liverpool is a boutique city center hotel with 130 rooms. It’s in a chic, waterfront location, perfectly situated to enjoy the best of the city. There’s a state-of-the-art gym and a sleek restaurant and a bar offering stylish cocktails.

• Mini Refrigerator
• In-Room Wifi (Paid)

Clayton Hotel Cardiff, Cardiff

Enjoy your stay in one of our modern, air-conditioned rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi. You can also dine and drink in style in our contemporary restaurant and bar which boast panoramic views of the city.

Clayton Hotel Cardiff

View Restaurant & Bar

Breakfast Buffet

100 Queen's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton, London

A stylish city spot, a fashionable location where history meets modernity: 100 Queen's Gate was the former home of Victorian aristocrat William Alexander, which has been stunningly transformed into a luxury hotel. The property embraces the building's heritage and pays homage to the curious with no two rooms being the same. Boasting a prime location in the prestigious Kensington area, DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kensington sits on the doorstep of the iconic Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum. The hotel’s traditional regency-style façade compliments its contemporary interior, reflecting the elegant Kensington style. Enjoy easy access to Harrods, the designer boutiques of Knightsbridge and Portobello Market. Kensington Palace, Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall are just a short stroll away.

• Alarm Clock

See what people are saying about this trip

Paul norman fecteau, the uk tour surpassed our expectations in every way from the moment we were met at heathrow and to the very last days in london we were very pleased with the itinerary. our tour guide, peter scott, and bus driver, mark, were exceptional in making our first european experience excellent in every way. the other 25 people on the tour were all wonderful. we would certainly do another tour with cie..

Great value….saw many great sights…learned a lot of UK’s rich history…hotel accommodations were perfect….ate very well

Daniel Gerard Merritt

A great english tour.

A lot to see. Only if it was longer

CIE Tours Customer

Gareth was a helpful tour guide.

Highly Recommend this trip of a Lifetime

I loved how we were able to see so much in such a short period of time. Everything was made easy for us such as transportation to each place (as well as to and from the airport) and most of our meals (all breakfasts) were covered. I also love that it was affordable and everything was including in the price. I cannot pick a favorite place I loved it all. I wish I could have spent more time at each place but I understand it needed to be that way to fit everything in.

So much to see and do on the’Best of Britain’ tour!

Seeing so much of historical and modern Great Britain was enlightening. I can now put people and places in the country in perspective. Our guide was most helpful with this aspect. I felt the trip had great value for the money spent. Thank you!

How can we help you?

The Inclusive Advantage

Get more without spending more. CIE Tours includes every experience and most meals so you won't be hit with hidden expenses.

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England, Scotland & Wales

Select Year

Select Group Size

• Small Group

Year, Departure Type

Select small group departures (averaging 24 Tauck guests), or classic departures, and the year you would like to travel.

• 2024 Classic
• 2024 Small Group
• 2025 Classic
• 2025 Small Group

Accommodations

• Pricing & Availability
• Important Info

Uniquely Tauck

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

A choice of West End theatre during a three-night stay in London at The Savoy

Select August departure dates include the evening performance of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an extraordinary display of Scottish traditions

Two nights in Wales include a guided tour of stately Caernarfon Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and site of the investiture of the Prince of Wales

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

Royal history & architectural treasures on guided visits in Edinburgh, Stirling, Caernarfon, Blenheim & Hampton Court

In-depth insights about literary history and learned traditions at landmark sites in Chester, Stratford-upon-Avon & Oxford

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included, and hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk two to three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.

Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.

Along Europe's Scenic "Yellow Roads"

Pageantry and poetry are forever intertwined in all that is Great Britain... timeless traditions have been a hallmark of the cultural landscapes of England, Scotland and Wales for millennia – and on this journey, you become part of the story.

Dinner and a show in the west end, it's your choice of restaurant and a show in london's west end.

London's fabled West End theatre district has been the city's hub of theatrical entertainment since early in the 19th century. Often referred to as "Theatreland" today, the district comprises some 40 theatres set in or near the heart of London's West End, in such streets as the Strand, Shaftesbury Avenue and Drury Lane. During your stay in London, you'll enjoy a memorable evening in the West End with both dinner and a show at a restaurant and theatre of your choice.

Meet Carolyn Robb, former Chef to the Royal Family

On select departures – exclusive dinner presentation by carolyn robb, former executive chef to the royal family.

Carolyn Robb – co-founder of The Royal Touch and formerly Executive Chef to TRH Prince Charles and Princess Diana, gives a special farewell dinner presentation in London on select small group departures of "England, Scotland & Wales." Ms. Robb presents anecdotes from her time as Personal Chef to the royal household of TRH Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, and introduces a farewell dinner menu featuring a favorite dish of the Royal Family. Available on select departures; ask at booking.

The one... the only... The Savoy

Welcome to The Savoy... a place where history and iconic elegance mingles with new-world sophistication. A world-famous name, celebrated for sublime service, and graced by stars, dignitaries and the global jet-set… where Art Deco rubs shoulders with English Edwardian, and exceptional dining blends with contemporary cocktails. The definitive destination in the heart of London, The Savoy stands proudly on the Northbank of the River Thames. The ballet, opera and theatre of vibrant Covent Garden are just steps away, with the City, world-renowned museums and galleries, and the designer shopping of Knightsbridge and Mayfair within easy reach.

A Scottish Whisky experience

A 1,000+ year heritage....

Discovering the iconic food and drink of a destination is an important part of any comprehensive travel experience. Journey through the aromas and flavors that lead to the perfect Single Malt Whisky at the "Scottish Whisky Experience"... learning the history of Scotland's most famous export, hearing the stories behind the craft, and – of course – taste the results.

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Take The Details With You

Download day-by-day details.

All the information you need for this journey at your fingertips – day-by-day details, map, hotel descriptions, key highlights and more.

Where you stay is an important part of your journey – with Tauck, accommodations have been handpicked and carefully selected for their location and ambiance, enhancing the destinations you explore. Download accommodation details and your travel plans begin!

Tour Planner

Download the details to make planning your trip easier - including an itinerary overview, pricing based on your selected departure date and accommodations, plus protection plan costs.

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Overnight Accommodations

Extend your stay

Arrive Early

Sheraton grand hotel & spa, edinburgh.

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Swan Hotel & Spa

Newby Bridge, England

The Quay Hotel & Spa

Deganwy, Wales

Oxford, England

Nights 9-10

Hotel Indigo Bath

Bath, England

Nights 11-13

London, England

Your journey

Pricing & Availability

Pricing & Dates are not available yet. Please check back soon.

No departures found.

Try using less filters or select a different year.

Want More Detailed Information?

Request a Tour Planner

Call 800-788-7885

Accommodation Upgrade additional cost per person (limited availability):

Double – $700 Single – $1,400 Triple – $465

Upgrade to a Junior Suite at The Savoy:   You have an opportunity to purchase an upgrade to a Junior Suite at your hotel accommodation in London, The Savoy, nights 11, 12 and 13. See the Accommodation Upgrade above for the additional cost per person – see details under Accommodations  (limited availability).

About Booking This Tour

Travel Documents

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally , you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey to enter the United Kingdom; however, you do not need a visa for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of the United Kingdom to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

How to Book a Tour

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 800-468-2825 to make a reservation.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready for all members of your party:

• Tour Name and Departure Date
• Traveler's Name: First and last names as they appear on your passport or driver's license
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Email Address*
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)*
• Emergency Contact Information: Please provide the name and phone number  of a relative or friend (not travelling with you) whom we could contact during the tour in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection plan (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares

* Required Fields

Deposits & Final Payment

Deposits and fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking.

The deposit amount is $600 per person

Final Payments:

Final Payment is due to Tauck  60  days before departure for lands trips, and  120  days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Travel Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Tauck's Guest Protection

Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.
• Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection is: $559  per person

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 1, 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL .

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person 

Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan :

60 days or more before departure = $600 per person

59-8 days before departure = $900 per person

7-1 days before departure = $1500 per person

Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note:  All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Air Information and Luggage Restrictions

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

There is a smoking ban in public places throughout Scotland. The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa is a non-smoking property, with no 'smoking' rooms available.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATIONS  

If you are a resident of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to the United Kingdom. For complete vaccination and inoculation information please contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to obtain information regarding vaccinations that may be required for your journey. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here .

If you are a resident of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of the United Kingdom to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

England, Scotland & Wales involves a considerable amount of walking. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion. The castle visits at Edinburgh, Stirling and Caernarfon and the visit to Levens Hall & Gardens are challenging for those with difficulty walking as they have steep steps, cobblestone walkways and hillside gardens. Some walks can be extensive on flat terrain in places such as Stratford-upon-Avon.

PLEASE NOTE: We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list  here.

The climate of the United Kingdom is notoriously variable and changeable from day to day. Weather is generally cool to mild with frequent cloud cover and rain, but occasional settled spells of weather occur in all seasons. As a general rule, the western side of the United Kingdom is cloudier, wetter, and milder in winter, with cooler summers than the eastern side. The eastern side of the United Kingdom is drier the year round, with a tendency for summer rain to be heavier than that of winter. You will rarely experience severe or unpleasant weather for long; however, you should be prepared for rapid changes of weather in all seasons. There is good reason for weather being a major talking point in the United Kingdom!

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

The weather in the United Kingdom is moderate but unpredictable. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket and tie for men are acceptable dining attire, although not required. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available upon request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to The United Kingdom:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm functions (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

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Experience a world beyond your expectations. Choose from our award-winning vacations on virtually every continent with local favorites and off-the-beaten-path experiences only Globus can share.

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Raise your sights and set your sails for the rivers of Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa on an Avalon Waterways cruise. Elevate your cruise experience with fewer passengers, more choices, and endless possibilities.

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"What is there to not love about England. Real life castles, Princes and Princesses, stunning scenery, and historic streets lined with lively pubs everywhere you go!”

Aryan, Travel Director

Admire the British capital from the London Eye

Watch London unfurl from the iconic 135-metre height of the London Eye. The unmatched views extend in every direction, reaching Buckingham Palace, the river Thames and the famed clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. All London’s highlights in one peaceful, 30-minute rotation.

Take in the views of Britain's Lake District

Delve into Britain’s natural wonders and take in the panorama of rolling hills, rocky mountains and glittering waters of the Lake District. Abounding in outdoor opportunities from cruises to hilltop walks, you'll find serenity in this national park resting between Leeds and Glasgow.

Visit the Roman baths in Bath

Turn back the clock 2,000 years at the remarkably preserved remains of the Roman Baths. Still flowing with steaming, geothermally heated water, the ancient stone pavements reveal the culture behind the simple daily task of washing. Let time stand still staring at a spring filled with 12,000 Roman coins.

Enjoy the guided tour of Liverpool

Sink into the nostalgia of the Beatles, cruise along the Mersey River and sample real ale at the Albert Docks. A visit to Liverpool is an invitation to uncover the many layers of British culture; the UK's fifth largest city means more than the passion of its football club.

See the Stonehenge's stone monoliths

Southwest England’s soil is rich with mystery. Stand in the shadows of Stonehenge’s stone monoliths and let your imagination be sparked by the secrets of this 5,000-year history. Weighing up to 30 tonnes each, the weight of history will leave its mark on you.

Our top 5 things to do in England

Mysterious stone monoliths and preserved ancient baths prove there is so much more to see beyond the limits of London city. Let Trafalgar turn the pages of the history book that is England.

The British Museum

The British Museum is a ticket to relics that reveal some two million years of human history. Feel small standing beneath the colossal presence of Rameses II and contrast the myth and reality of Troy with the graphic world of Manga. This London highlight will take you on a journey of time travel.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum takes you on an unfathomable discovery of the formation of the solar system and its path to the present. Trace the origin of our species under the shade of a T. rex and glimpse rare meteorites straight from the surface of Mars. If this doesn’t shake you, the earthquake simulator most certainly will.

Victoria and Albert

The Victoria and Albert Museum is an encounter with the very best of human creativity in almost every medium. Here you will design your own bioplastic bag, step behind the creative lens of Christian Dior and take a literal walk in history’s shoes admiring a 2,000 strong collection spanning 3,000 years.

Best museums in England

A cultural epicentre of the planet steeped in royal heritage, the museums of England sparkle like the Crown Jewels. Let Trafalgar guide you through the very best the region has to offer.

Fish & Chips

It’s hard to separate the partnership of fish 'n' chips. Try this traditional meal both from a gourmet restaurant and a local 'chippie' wrapped in newspaper. Always with lashings of salt and vinegar on top.

Sunday Roast

Embrace the traditional English Sunday lunch with roast meats, a side of vegetables and an indulgent topping of gravy. The joy of this simple culinary experience is best served in a traditional English pub complete with football on the screen and a few stouts.

Full English breakfast

The full English breakfast is a requisite of a trip to England. A hearty plate piled with fried bacon, grilled tomatoes, buttered toast, mushrooms, eggs, beans, and black puddingis hard to resist.

Best food in England

Food is at the heart of every journey when you travel to England. This is a country of warm and hearty meals, our trips will show you the very best of it.

What to pack for England

With a high chance of experiencing four seasons in one day, an umbrella is a must when visiting England, both for rainy days and occasions when the sun beams down.

Digital maps

It's always good to have a backup of digital maps on standby when you're out exploring in your own time. Download them prior to your trip so you can reach them even when your phone is offline.

Travel adaptor

Though many hotels will have adaptors available for use, being prepared with your own will ensure you're always charged and ready to go.

A good book

With a seemingly infinite list of parks found in England, don't forget to pack a novel and immerse yourself in a good book should the occasion arise.

With days full of adventure and numerous souvenirs tempting your strolls, a day pack will ensure your hands always remain free. Split the weight across your back with a double strap bag for extra comfort.

Pack for sustainable travel

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and toiletry bottles.

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British Isles Travel - Taste of Britain & Ireland

14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS

Day 1London Tour | Tower of London

Day 2independent touring in london, day 3 windsor castle | bath, day 4 cotswold drive | shakespeare's birthplace | liverpool, day 5 lake district | windermere cruise, day 6 edinburgh castle | city tour | scotch whisky experience*.

Day 7 Glasgow City Tour | Ferry to Belfast

Take some time this morning to explore central Belfast on your own. Then learn all about Belfast's shipbuilding history and the ill-fated RMS Titanic at Titanic Belfast where you can experience the history of this ocean liner through interactive displays. In the evening, stop at The Glyde Inn for a drink and dinner with entertainment. (B, D)

Day 9Independent Sightseeing in Dublin

Day 10blarney castle | killarney, day 11sheepdog demonstration | dingle peninsula | irish night, day 12 flying boat museum | cliffs of moher, day 13 dalkey | fitzpatrick castle stay, day 14 tour ends in dublin.

• All local taxes, hotel service charges & handling of one suitcase per person
• Full daily breakfast and many meals*
• Scottish & Irish entertainment
• Transportation (Buses, shuttles & ferries)
• Welcome drinks with your group
• Free Wi-Fi on luxury coaches
• All entrance fees to attractions
• Comprehensive travel itinerary
• Doubletree Victoria  | London (2)  
• Bailrook Hotel | Bath (1)  
• Delta by Marriott Liverpool City Centre | Liverpool (1)  
• Macdonald Houston House Hotel | Edinburgh (2)  
• Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre   | Belfast  (1)  
• Croke  Park Hotel | Dublin (2)  
• The Gleneagle Hotel | Killarney (2)  
• Galmont Hotel | Galway (1)  
• Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel,  Killiney  | Dublin (1)  

Price per person sharing a twin or triple room. ONLY ONE TRIPLE ROOM IS AVAILABLE PER DEPARTURE - BOOK EARLY. Save 10% per person on coach land tour prices if you are 8 & under 17 and traveling with at least one full fare paying passenger. Airfare is available from many cities. Just ask.

Call +1-800-221-2474 9AM - 5PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time Please Email Us For Information

Cancellation Penalties: Airfare up to 100%; Land: Penalties per person apply: 70 days or longer: Forfeiture of deposit 69 - 46 days: 35% per person 45 - 8 days: 45% per person 7 - 1 days: 60% per person, On day of departure: 100% per person Travel Insurance

Price per person sharing a twin or triple room. ONLY ONE TRIPLE ROOM IS AVAILABLE PER DEPARTURE - BOOK EARLY. Save 10% per person on coach land tour prices if you are 8 & under 17 and traveling with at least one full fare paying passenger. Airfare is available from many cities. Just ask. Call +1-800-221-2474 9AM - 5PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time Please Email Us For Information

• 10 Day Small Group Ireland Tour
• 9 Day Irish Explorer
• 7 nights Tour Irish Gold
• Scottish and Irish Dream

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Grand Tour of Great Britain: Scotland, England & Wales

4.7 out of 5 stars

You have up to 60 days to get a full refund

Feel good about putting a tour on the calendar today: Enroll in AutoPay or pay in full when you book, and if you change your mind,  you’ll get your money back .†

Immerse yourself in the majesty of Great Britain.

Discover what makes Great Britain truly great as you explore this delightful island from top to bottom. Start in Edinburgh, the Georgian Scottish capital, before heading south to Wales, passing through lovely English countryside and historic cities like York and Liverpool along the way. Then it’s off to the Roman town of Bath and royal London—the perfect finishing touch on this quintessentially British experience.

Your tour package includes

• 13 nights in handpicked hotels
• 13 breakfasts
• 5 dinners with beer or wine
• 11 sightseeing tours
• Expert Tour Director & local guides

Included highlights

• Edinburgh Castle
• Alnwick Castle
• Durham Cathedral
• York Minster

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Day-by-day itinerary

Board your overnight flight to Edinburgh today.

Welcome to Scotland! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Get to know Edinburgh in all its medieval beauty on a tour led by a local expert.

• View the elegant Georgian-style New Town and the Royal Mile, two UNESCO World Heritage sites
• See the King George statue and Bute House, the official residence of the Scottish Prime Minister
• Pass the Sir Walter Scott monument
• Enter Edinburgh Castle to view the Scottish crown jewels and Stone of Scone

Spend a free afternoon in Edinburgh or add an excursion.

Please note: The order of today's activities are subject to change.

Abbotsford House & Melrose Abbey

From $109 per person

Spend a free day in Edinburgh or add an excursion.

Stirling Castle & Loch Lomond

From $115 per person

En route to Alnwick, stop for photos in Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England. Then, continue along a scenic coastal route to Alnwick for a guided tour of the historic castle and gardens before making your way to the Newcastle region.

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Head to the famed college town of Durham for a sightseeing tour.

• Stroll through the old city along the banks of the River Wear
• Enter the UNESCO-recognized Durham Cathedral, known for its Romanesque style and beautiful Norman architecture

Later, drive through the charming English countryside as you continue on to York.

Embark on a walking tour of this historic walled city with a local guide.

• Enter York Minster, home to largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world
• See the York Museum Gardens, which occupy ten acres in the city center
• View the Roman wall, the oldest section of the city’s historic fortifications
• Visit the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey and the King’s Manor

Enjoy a free afternoon in York or add an excursion.

From $125 per person

Bid farewell to York this morning as you set out for Liverpool, making a stop in Chester to explore and enjoy free time.

Tonight, sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Explore the UNESCO-recognized port city of Liverpool this morning with a local as your guide.

• View the neo-Gothic Liverpool Cathedral and the modern Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
• Pass by the Liverpool Central Library and St George's Hall
• Head to the UNESCO-listed waterfront to see the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building, and Port of Liverpool Building, known as the Three Graces
• Ascend 400 feet to the top of Liverpool's iconic St John's Beacon where you can take in panoramic views of the city skyline and surrounding areas of North Wales and Lancashire

Spend a free afternoon in Liverpool or add an excursion.

The Beatles: History & Story Museum

From $105 per person

Drive southeast through the countryside to Stratford-upon-Avon, the town of Shakespeare’s birth. Here, you’ll step inside the Shakespeare family home with your Tour Director.

Continue on to Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and enjoy a free evening.

Head out for a sightseeing tour of the largest city in Wales led by your Tour Director.

• View the medieval Cardiff Castle, located in the city center
• Take in views of the beautiful Cardiff Bay

Then, take a scenic drive along the Severn River to the town of Bath. Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

On a guided sightseeing tour, get to know the charming city of Bath, named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

• See the city’s most famous architectural sites, including the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent, and the Circus
• Enjoy free time for lunch, shopping, or visit the Bath Abbey on your own

Enjoy a free afternoon in Bath or add an excursion.

Literary Bath & Afternoon Tea

From $129 per person

Travel to London today, stopping on the way to gaze upon the vast monoliths of the UNESCO-protected Stonehenge and visit its new visitor center before heading to the medieval city of Salisbury.

• View the soaring spire of Salisbury Cathedral, then go inside to view one of the original copies of the Magna Carta
• Marvel at Salisbury’s historic architecture and wander through its charming shopping streets

With a local expert leading the way, take a guided tour of the regal landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage sites of the English capital.

• Pass the grand Trafalgar Square and Baroque-style St. Paul’s Cathedral, perched atop Ludgate Hill
• See Westminster Abbey, the setting for royal coronations and weddings
• View icons like Big Ben, the London Eye and the Tower of London
• Stop by Buckingham Palace, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard

Enjoy a free afternoon in London or add an excursion. Then, celebrate your trip at a farewell dinner this evening.

Windsor Castle

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to continue exploring London.

Enjoy a free day in London or add excursions.

Tower of London

London Eye & Pub Dinner

From $149 per person

Spend a free day in London or add an excursion.

This evening, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members.

A Day in Cambridge

From $145 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Book for just $99 down

That’s all it takes to secure your spot on tour with AutoPay. Then, pay for your trip in interest-free, monthly installments.†

Overall rating 4.7 out of 5

5 out of 5 stars

Very memorable, great people.

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Hotels, flights & FAQ

This modern hotel is located in Edinburgh’s West End. Guests enjoy the fitness center, a bar, and stylish rooms. Nearby, you’ll find Edinburgh Castle,...

This conveniently located hotel is in the heart of Newcastle. Guests enjoy the private courtyard, restaurant, and fitness center. Nearby you'll find t...

This contemporary hotel is located in downtown York. Guests enjoy a restaurant, cocktail bar, and lounge. Nearby you’ll find the York Castle Museum, Y...

This modern hotel is located in the Ropewalks neighborhood. Guests enjoy a bar, restaurant, and pool. Nearby you’ll find St Johns Beacon, Liverpool Ca...

This contemporary hotel is located in the heard of Cardiff. Guests enjoy spacious rooms, the fitness center, and restaurant. Nearby you'll Find Cardif...

This Georgian townhouse is located in the center of Bath. Guests enjoy house-baked bread and croissants, individually styled rooms, and a trendy on-si...

This upscale hotel is located in London, steps away from the St Pancras railway station. Guests enjoy on-site restaurants, the leisure club, and a fit...

• Round-trip flight for your tour
• Airport transfers at your destination
• A great price locked in today
• 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
• Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
• Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
• Find out more about flights
• In order to enter the United Kingdom, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
• There is no visa required for U.S. or Canadian citizens.
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code GTB.
• You will walk for at least 1.5 hours daily across mostly flat terrain, including paved roads and cobblestone streets, with some hills and stairs.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
• You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times.
• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Edinburgh and depart from London. A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
• Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
• All other included transportation is by private motor coach.
• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov .
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to goaheadtours.com and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
• Scottish cuisine relies on readily available ingredients like game, dairy, and fish, with little use of exotic spices. Pickled kippers and smoked salmon are popular, as well as hearty dishes like Scotch broth (stew of meat and root vegetables) and haggis (a savory pudding of sheep innards). Scotch whisky is a legendary local spirit, and Scottish ales are world-famous.
• For traditional English fare at a reasonable price, try a pub meal of fish and chips or bangers and mash. Stilton cheese, steak and kidney pie, and Cumberland sausages are also worth a try.
• Modern-day London boasts an array of diverse international restaurants. Popular options for the adventurous palate include Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Greek, and West African cuisine.Sip afternoon tea with delicious finger sandwiches and scones at Harrods for the ultimate in English tradition.
• The small country of Wales has a reputation for interesting local cuisine. Most visitors will love Welsh cakes, which resemble a mix between a cookie and a pancake, and bara brith , a sweet, dense bread. Welsh rarebit, a savory cheese sauce, is popular on bread as well as served as a dip. Seafood fans will love the ubiquity of fresh cockles (small saltwater clams) and the more adventurous should try laverbread , seaweed that’s been boiled and fried and is often served with buttered toast.
• The United Kingdom operates within 230-240 volts and uses a Type G plug with three large, flat pins.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other electrical device without a built-in converter.
• The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
• Hotels may provide hairdryers, irons and other small appliances, but these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though charges may apply.
• There is no internet access on the motor coach.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
• The United Kingdom is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is five hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it’s noon in New York, it’s 5pm on tour.
• You will use the Pound sterling on tour.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
• Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
• Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
• Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.

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Exploring Britain & Ireland

About this tour.

Travel to some of the world’s most magnificent cities and through the magical countryside of Britain and Ireland. This comprehensive journey takes you through rolling farmland and across the Irish Sea, through England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Marvel at the mystery of Stonehenge. Experience a traditional afternoon tea in London. Be mesmerized by the breathtaking landscapes of Ireland’s Ring of Kerry, the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders, and the medieval “shambles” of York. Admire the ancient Roman ruins in elegant Bath. Get acquainted with Britain’s pageantry in the royal cities of Edinburgh and London.

Your Tour Includes

• 7 Handpicked Accommodations
• 6 Choice on Tour Options

Included Highlights

• High Speed Train

Your Tour at a Glance

13 Breakfasts

Travel Style

Best time for travel, customize your tour.

Optional Excursions

Starting at $65.00

Activity Level

• Level This Tour

For specific details about this tour's activity level and other info to know before you book your trip, click here.

Extension Style

Best time for travel exploring britain & ireland featuring england, ireland, scotland and wales.

While just about any month is great to visit Great Britain and Ireland, there are a few prime times of the year for the Exploring Britain & Ireland tour. Here are some recommendations from our destination experts.

Spring: Visiting Britain and Ireland in the spring promises fewer crowds and comfortable temperatures. The countryside comes alive with flowers and shades of green.

Summer: Summer is a wonderful time to visit the region. You’ll find the countries bustling with summer activity and very welcoming.

Fall: Enjoy the turn of the season as crowds thin and the beautiful colors of fall start to appear.

Travel Styles

Highlights and inclusions.

Must-See Inclusions:

Ponder ancient mysteries at Stonehenge.

Experience the Ring of Kerry, one of the world’s great coastal roads.

• Explore the Roman Bath Museum's 2,000-year-old elaborate spas.

Visit York’s incredible Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.

Cultural Experiences:

Behold the sights of Killarney on a traditional jaunting car.

Visit an innovative 500-acre family farm in the Scottish Borders.

Enjoy an evening of traditional Irish song and dance in Dublin.

Culinary Inclusions:

Delve into Scottish culture with a whisky-inspired dinner.

Explore Wales’ rich cultural heritage at an evening of Welsh music, poetry and cuisine.

Experience a traditional afternoon tea in London.

• Afternoon Tea
• Cardiff Castle
• Choice on Tour: St. Fagan’s National Museum of History or Leisure Time in Cardiff
• Welsh Evening
• Choice on Tour: House of Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre or Walking Tour of Waterford City
• Blarney Castle
• Ring of Kerry
• Jaunting Car Ride
• Choice on Tour: Dublin City Tour by Bus or Walking Dublin City Tour
• Traditional Irish Night

Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

• *No Hassle Refunds
• Traveling Well Safety
• No booking fee, *no change fees
• Top Rated Travel Protection

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Getting Prepared

Know before you go, travel tips, enhance your tour.

• Choice On Tour

Pre and Post Night Stay

Unique Experience

Cultural Experiences

Enhance Your Trip

• Tour Extensions

Hotel-Mercure Haymarket

Hotel-Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Step into the formal world of the British Monarchy when you visit the stately and expansive Windsor Castle. His Majesty King Charles III uses Windsor as both a private home and as a Royal residence where formal duties of state are performed. Windsor’s 1,000 rooms comprise the largest inhabited castle in the world. It dates back to the 1070s, when William the Conqueror built the original wooden structure, now replaced by the grand stone edifices. Explore one of Britain’s most visited historic buildings, its precincts, and the State Apartments, which house a delightful collection of Royal art treasures. Enjoy time for lunch in the quaint town of Windsor before heading back to London. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the castle that houses so much British history and lore is not to be missed!

Explore the Roman Bath Museum's 2,000-year-old elaborate spas.

Accommodations

Arrive earlier.

Pre Night: Mercure Haymarket From $120 per night

Mercure Haymarket

Doubletree by hilton york.

Melia White House Hotel

Clayton hotel cardiff, the fitzwilton hotel, scotts hotel killarney.

Nights 10-11

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Nights 12-13

Stay Longer

Post Night: Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin From $140 per night

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British Landscapes featuring England, Scotland and Wales

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Shades of ireland.

Exploring Scotland & Ireland

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The Great Britain Tour

A Great Britain driving tour – experience all that is great about Britain on the ultimate tour of England, Scotland and Wales. See it all, from the thriving capital cities of London, Edinburgh and Cardiff to the remote Scottish Highlands, tranquil Lake District and spectacular Snowdonia National Park. Along the way you’ll experience diverse cultures and histories and see world-famous landmarks including Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, Cardiff Castle, the Cotswolds, Hadrian’s Wall, Loch Ness and Edinburgh Castle.

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Landing at London Heathrow (or Gatwick) Airport, collect your vehicle and head out in to the English countryside. Passing on to the eerie Salisbury Plain, make your way to the historic city of Salisbury itself; a charming town which is home to cobbled streets, market squares and Britain’s tallest cathedral spire which also houses Europe's oldest working clock and a copy of the original Magna Carta. Take time to explore this quintessential cathedral city before getting back on the road to visit the surrounding pre-historic sites which dot the barren plains; these include the Neolithic Old Sarum, Avebury stone-circle and of course the iconic Stonehenge. Later continue to Bath, your base for the next two nights.

Overnight: Bath

Journey details: 110 miles / 2hr 30mins (from Heathrow, via Salisbury) approx *

Today spend the day exploring historic Bath; this elegant city oozes Georgian opulence and is home to so many sites of historic importance that the entire city has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Visit architectural highlights including the Elizabethan Abbey, Pulteney Bridge and the Royal Crescent, a wealth of quality museums such as the Jane Austen exhibition and of course the spectacular Roman Baths (admission included) and Pump Room which dates back to the 1st century AD. Outside of the city, you may want to visit the nearby village of Lacock, a picture-perfect historic village, and Lacock Abbey, which were used in TV and film productions of "Pride and Prejudice" and "Harry Potter".

Meals: Breakfast included.

Taking a bridge over the Severn channel you arrive in the ancient land of Wales where you can make your way to the nation's capital city, Cardiff. Discover this cosmopolitan city from the Edwardian baroque architecture of Cathays park, the Victorian shopping arcades and the city’s stunning centrepiece at Cardiff Castle (admission included) which combines Roman and Norman history with a gloriously lavish Victorian mansion. In Cardiff Bay you'll find the National Assembly for Wales and the Millennium Centre whilst outside of the city centre you can explore St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh life and fairy-tale Victorian castle at Castell Coch.

Overnight: Cardiff, South Wales

Journey details: 60 miles / 1hr 20mins approx *

Passing north from Cardiff you may choose to follow the course of the scenic Wye Valley stopping at the stunning monastic ruins of Tintern Abbey before crossing the border back in to England to the beautiful patchwork fields of the Cotswolds. Here you can explore the quintessential English countryside of the region including quaint and eccentric chocolate-box villages with eccentric names such as Broadway, Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold. Stunning historic sites you can visit include Snowshill Manor and Garden or the 13th century Hailes Abbey. Later continue to Chipping Campden, your base for the next two nights.

Overnight: Stratford-upon-Avon, Cotswolds

Journey details: 145 miles / 3hrs 15mins approx (travelling via the Wye Valley) *

Today explore the picturesque medieval town of Stratford-upon-Avon. This charming place is synonymous with Tudor timberwork buildings, open greens and boats bobbing on the River Avon and a wealth of heritage sites dedicated to the town’s most famous resident William Shakespeare. Explore heritage sites including Shakespeare's Birthplace (admission included), Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's Farm. After visiting Stratford you may choose to explore the East Cotswolds where you can make your way to the University city of Oxford and visit Churchill's magnificent baroque mansion at Blenheim Palace in the charming Cotswolds town of Woodstock.

Today continue north and return across the border in to North Wales. Pass through the traditional Welsh town of Llangollen, home to a stunning aqueduct which transports canal boats 150ft above the valley floor. Then onward in to the glorious mountain scenery of the Snowdonia National Park before heading to the North Wales Coast and the hidden gem at Conwy, a quaint medieval harbour town of cobbled streets and dominated by the stunning 13th century castle at Conwy Castle. Continue to nearby 19th century seaside resort of Llandudno where you can enjoy a stroll along the promenade and admire the elegant Victorian architecture.

Overnight: Llandudno, North Wales

Journey details: 160 miles / 3hrs 30mins approx *

Today enjoy a scenic drive along the North Wales coast and cross the border back in to England and take the opportunity to visit one of two charming cities of Northern England; Liverpool or Chester. Liverpool was designated as European City of Culture in 2008 and is home to two cathedrals, dozens of listed buildings, the famous Albert Docks and a wealth of Beatles Heritage including Matthews Street, the Cavern Club, Penny Lane and the Beatles Story Exhibition. A short onward drive brings you to the contrasting city of Chester, this Roman town is home to Roman City walls and gate towers, the stunning excavated Roman Amphitheatre, an impressive medieval cathedral and the unique Tudor Facaded "Rows". By afternoon, continue North in to the scenery of the English Lake District.

Overnight: Lake District

Journey details: 160 miles / 3hrs approx *

Today is dedicated to exploring some of England’s most spectacular natural beauty in the Lake District. Discover the lakes, their surrounding fells, woodlands, stone walls and quaint lake-land villages such as Windermere and Grasmere. Take a steam-boat ride on Lake Windermere or climb Scafell Pike, the highest point in England to enjoying breath-taking views. This region is a haven for walkers, hikers, budding artists and photographers or those simply looking for a tranquil boat trips or lazy drives soaking up the scenery. Possible cultural visits include Wordsworth’s Rydal Mount and Dove Cottage along with Beatrix Potter’s Hilltop Farm and a host of historic country houses.

Continuing North cross the ancient border between England and Scotland and make a stop at Birdoswald Roman Fort visitor centre to uncover the secrets of Hadrian’s Wall. Then pass through the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders to reach the thriving Scottish city of Glasgow. Soak up the modern Scottish vibe as you explore the city from the Victorian monuments and impressive town hall façade of George Square, to the bustling Sauchiehall Street ideal for your Scottish shopping. The stunning Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis are well worth a visit whilst in the fashionable West End you can visit the renowned Kelvingrove Park and Museum.

Overnight: Glasgow

Journey details: 150 miles / 2hrs 40mins approx *

Today embark on a magnificent journey through Scotland’s raw natural beauty, passing firstly along the banks of Loch Lomond and through the scenery of the Trossachs National Park and then across the desolate and awe-inspiring Rannoch Moor. After passing through Glen Coe valley, site of the infamous clan battle, take lunch in port town Fort William on the stunning west coast overlooking Loch Linhe. Then continue through the Great Glen along the windswept banks of the eerie Loch Ness keeping an eye out for the renowned monster Nessie and perhaps stopping to visit to the weather-beaten ruin of Urquhart Castle perched overlooking the loch. Arriving in Inverness, capital of the Highlands, time-permitting explore the city and its hilltop castle and museum.

Overnight: Inverness, Scottish Highlands

Journey details: 175 miles / 4hrs 15mins approx (travelling via Fort William) *

Today make your way south through the heart of Scotland towards Edinburgh. On route south you may choose to stop in charming Victorian town of Pitlochry where you can visit the magnificent Blair Castle or tour the Blair Athol Scotch Malt Distillery. Later arrive in historic Stirling home of the towering Wallace Monument erected in dedication to the Great Scottish Hero "Braveheart" William Wallace; after exploring the cobbled old town climb to Stirling Castle which, once the Royal Seat of Scotland, rivals that of Edinburgh for its historic significance and beauty. By evening continue to the Scottish Capital city of Edinburgh.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Journey details: 180 miles / 3hrs 45mins approx (travelling via Stirling) *

Today you can dedicate to exploring Edinburgh. Discover this magnificent city from the winding streets of the cobbled old town to the wide avenues of the opulent Georgian new town before visiting the Queen’s residence at the Palace of Holyrood House. Enjoy the national museums and galleries in the shadow of the Burns Monument before strolling through Princes Street Gardens or climbing to Arthur's Seat for spectacular views over the city. You may choose to head for the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith Docks or view the modern Scottish Parliament building before climbing the Royal Mile to the city's centrepiece at the magnificent Edinburgh Castle (admission included), home to the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny and St Margaret's Chapel.

Returning South, drive through the mellow hills of the Scottish Lowlands where you could stop at the Rosslyn Chapel or Melrose Abbey. Then once again in English territory make your way through the rustic landscapes of Yorkshire to the grandiose city of York itself, home to a wealth of historic and cultural sites from the cobbled Shambles, Britain’s first shopping street, to Viking heritage at the Jorvik Centre. Stroll along the remaining medieval city walls, gates and towers or visit the National Railway Museum, current home of the Flying Scotsman, before enjoying York’s undoubted highlight at the iconic York Minster, northern Europe’s largest gothic cathedral.

Overnight: York

Journey details: 200 miles / 4hrs approx *

Dedicate today exploring outside of the city, where you’ll find yourself in another area of outstanding natural beauty with the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors on your doorstep. Explore the Quaint Yorkshire towns of Harrogate and Skipton, visit James Herriott country and the Bronte Parsonage where the famous literary sisters created their works. Historic sites of note include the World Heritage Site at Fountains Abbey and Water Gardens and the Impressive Castle Howard (admission included), an elegant manor house which you may recognise from the small-screen as it has featured in several television productions including Evlyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

Making your way south today, you may choose to stop in Lincoln to see the beautiful cathedral before continuing to the glorious university city of Cambridge where you can explore labyrinthine cobbled parades and squares and marvel at the intricate architecture of world-renowned colleges including Kings College, Trinity College and Christ’s College. Take a stroll along the Backs, extensive parklands behind the university or take a punt on the river with one of the resident students. You may choose to visit the Cambridge American Cemetery just west of the city, the nearby Duxford Imperial War Museum before continuing South and returning your vehicle to Heathrow (or Gatwick Airport). Make your way in to the city using the extensive public transport network.

Overnight: London

Journey details: 230 miles / 4hrs 30mins approx *

Having returned your vehicle, today London is yours to explore on foot or by public transport. This magnificent city is a thriving metropolis with a vibrant modern culture and rich history and heritage. Explore world renowned sights including Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, St Pauls Cathedral, Trafalgar Square and the London Eye on the banks of the River Thames. Culture vultures will delight in some of the world’s most prestigious museums and galleries including the Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum whilst Oxford Street, Covent Garden and the West End make for unrivalled shopping opportunities.

This morning, enjoy a final breakfast in your hotel before checking out. You may have a chance for some last-minute souvenir shopping or sightseeing (luggage can be stored at your hotel) before making your way back to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airports to check-in for your return flight to your home nation.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

Bath Abbey, Bath, Somerset, England

Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales

Bibury, Cotswolds, England

Shakespeare's House, Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Llangollen, North Wales

Chester, England

Lake Windermere, Lake District, England

Hadrian's Wall, northern England

Inverness, Highlands, Scotland

Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland

Panoramic view of Edinburgh castle from Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland.

York Minster, York, England

Yorkshire Dales National Park, England

Cambridge, England

Tower Bridge, London, England

*Journey times and distances are estimates and are based on the direct route between the start location and end location for each day of the itinerary, where applicable. They do not include detours or stops for sightseeing.

What's included?

• 16 nights accommodation (suggested accommodations listed below).
• Full cooked regional breakfast each morning.
• 15 days car rental (outside of London, collect and return London Airport) inclusive of all mandatory taxes, insurances and charges.
• Roman Baths
• Cardiff Castle (includes tour of the Victorian Mansion)
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace
• Castle Howard
• Historic Scotland Explorer Pass (7 days consecutive pass) offering admission to over 70 historic sites and castles across Scotland including Stirling & Edinburgh castles.
• English Heritage Pass (9 days consecutive pass) offering admission to over 100 historic attractions and castles across England including Stonehenge & Hadrian’s Wall.
• Shipment of your personal travel document and information pack containing all travel vouchers/tickets, printed copy of your itinerary, overview driving map and our own travel information and tips.
• Toll-free calls (from USA and Canada) to your Britain vacation specialist whilst planning your trip.
• Expert assistance during the planning of your trip and local out-of-hours number for use during travel.

Our Selected Lodging

• The Bird Hotel (or similar), Bath x 2 nights
• Lincoln House Hotel (or similar), Cardiff x 1 night
• Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa (or similar), Stratford-upon-Avon x 2 nights
• St George's Hotel (or similar), Llandudno x 1 night
• Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel (or similar), Lake District x 2 nights
• Sherbrooke Castle Hotel (or similar), Glasgow x 1 night
• Kingsmills Hotel (or similar), Inverness x 1 night
• The Bonham (or similar), Edinburgh x 2 nights
• The Grand (or similar), York x 2 nights
• The Kensington (or similar), London x 2 nights

Wherever possible we select characterful accommodation representative of the destination where you're staying. We regularly personally visit and quality-check hotels across the country. The hotels listed are a representative selection of just some of the properties we work with, ask your consultant for their personal favourites and recommendations. Read more about the accommodation we offer by clicking here .

Optional Extras

• Add express rail transfers or private car transfers for travel from your London Airport to central London.
• Enjoy a City Sightseeing open-top bus tour of many destination cities.
• Purchase overseas heritage passes for England, Wales and Scotland for admission to selected historic sites on your itinerary.
• Enjoy a Scottish themed evening including dinner and entertainment in Edinburgh.
• Enjoy a traditional Welsh Banquet in the grounds of Cardiff Castle in Cardiff.
• Enjoy a West End performance with theatre tickets in London.

Customize this tour!

• Add extra nights in any of your destination cities to explore further (suggested Cardiff, Llandudno, Inverness or York).
• Add other overnight destinations on your itinerary such as Chester, Fort William or Cambridge.
• Combine this tour with one of our other Britain self-tours.
• Stay in a combination of traditional hotels or upgrade to a night or two in a castle or manor house hotel!
• Trip Insurance – we ask that our guests purchase suitable cover in case planned travel is affected or disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances. More information on the benefits of trip insurance can be found here .
• Flights – adeo Travel do not book air travel but are happy to offer advice on where to seek competitive airfare.
• Meals and/or sightseeing other than that outlined above.

Departure Dates 2023/2024

This self-guided tour is customizable and can be taken at any time throughout the year and starting and ending on any day of the week - simply let us know your preferred dates of travel!

Pricing 2023/2024

From GBP £3,045 per person (based on two people travelling). Single supplements apply for single occupancy rooms, please ask for a quotation for details.

Pricing above is representative pricing of this tour - this pricing is based on travel in shoulder-season (April/October) with two people sharing a twin/double room, staying in the sample accommodations as listed and sharing a compact automatic vehicle. Our proposals are always based on live availability and pricing which may fluctuate based on a range of factors and inclusions. For a direct quote for your preferred dates of travel please  contact us .

Pricing Notes

• Above pricing is an estimated "from" price based on shoulder-season travel (April/October). As this tour can be taken at any time pricing will vary dependent on departure day, date of travel, selected accommodations etc.
• Above pricing is based on suggested accommodations listed however please note that we can tailor your specific quote to accommodate your budget and preferences.
• Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room and one vehicle with automatic transmission.
• Prices are for land only travel and do not include flights.
• Prices are in GBP£ currency for approximate amounts in other currencies please contact us for a quotation.

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Crowning Beauty

Pack your tweed and tartans for a Cosmos tour of Britain! From the castles and cathedrals of London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff to the charming pubs on every corner, you’ll experience the best of England, the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands, and the enchanting villages and valleys of Wales. Visit prehistoric Stonehenge, the battlefield of Culloden Moor, Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, and The Beatles’ home city of Liverpool. Our Great Britain tours conquer the must-sees, with a generous serving of new discoveries for good measure.

Britain Highlights

The majestic city of York is a place where medieval history meets modern-day delights. When you walk along York’s ancient city walls and get cosy in its pubs, you’ll enjoy the perfect blend of past and present.

The postcard-perfect remote fishing village of Ullapool provides a quiet getaway along the shores of Lochbroom in the Northern Highlands of Scotland. Situated among mountains and rocky coasts, breathe in the surrounding natural beauty on a day spent traversing the Scottish countryside.

Interestingly juxtaposed between an ancient fort and a modern waterfront, Wales’ compact, multicultural capital certainly packs a punch. See the city’s major attractions on an orientation drive, including Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, and Millennium Stadium.

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From Castles To Roman Ruins: 10 UNESCO Sites To Explore In Britain

• The United Kingdom has the eighth most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, with a total of 33 sites across the country.
• Many of the British World Heritage Sites are cultural sites, such as cathedrals, castles, and ancient ruins.
• These sites offer unique and significant historical and architectural attractions, from the oldest church in England to the iconic Stonehenge and Tower of London.

The United Kingdom has the eighth most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world (it has a total of 33 sites across the country). The United Kingdom has a few natural sites, while most of them are cultural sites.

This list will be limited to just the sites in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales but not Northern Ireland - so the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland does not make the list). Here are ten of the British World Heritage Sites worth visiting around the country, from Scotland's remote St. Kilda island to Westminster Abbey in London .

Related: Here Are 10 Ancient Roman Walls To Have On Your Bucket List

Canterbury Cathedral & St Martin's Church, England

St Martin's Church has its origins in the Roman period and is now regarded as the oldest church in England (taking its present form during the Anglo-Saxon period).

The nearby Canterbury Cathedral is one of the largest and most important cathedrals in England and the seat of the Church of England (the UNESCO listing also includes the historic St Augustine's Abbey).

• Date Inscribed: 1988

Frontiers Of The Roman Empire, England & Scotland

The Frontiers of the Roman Empire include both the famous stone Hadrian's Wall in northern England and the lesser-known earthen Antoine Wall deep in Scotland.

Hadrian's Wall was first built in 122 AD, and the Antonine Wall in 142 AD. The Romans withdrew back to Hadrian's Wall soon after building the Antonine Wall, and it remained the frontier until the Romans left Britain.

• Date Inscribed: 1984

The City Of Bath, England

The small southern English city of Bath is remarkable for both its excellent Georgian architecture (from when Bath was a very fashionable destination for the English elite) and for its well-preserved Roman baths.

Today, visitors come to see the Roman baths and enjoy one of the most atmospheric cities in England.

• Date Inscribed: 1987

Related: What To Know About The Roman Bath In Algeria Still In Use 2,000 Years Later

The Heart Of Neolithic Orkney, Scotland

The Orkney Islands are remote islands off the northern coast of Scotland with their own identity.

These windswept northerly isles are famous for their excellent Neolithic (Stone Age) ruins that include a henge, chambered tombs, a village, and the oldest known standing house in Northern Europe (the Knap of Howar).

• Date Inscribed: 1999

The Palace Of Westminster, England

The Palace of Westminster is more than just one of the best UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK (not just Britain). It is among the most iconic buildings in England (it hosts the Houses of Parliament and has Big Ben).

The UNESCO listing also includes the neighboring Westminster Abbey, which has been a royal abbey for around a thousand years. The abbey is the resting place of many English and British monarchs and is where they are coronated (most recently, King Charles III in 2023).

• Date Inscribed: 1987 (modified in 2008)

St Kilda Island, Scotland

St Kilda is more than a ghost town; it is a ghost island. The remote Scottish island was inhabited for more than 2,000 years before finally becoming abandoned in 1930.

Today, the isle preserves many of the old ruins and is an important hotspot for seabirds (notably, it has the world's largest gannet colony and around 136,000 pairs of puffins).

• Date Inscribed: 1987 (modified 2005 and 2008)

Related: Ghost Town? Meet St Kilda - Scotland's Ghost Island!

Stonehenge & Avebury, England

It should come as little surprise that Stonehenge is a UNESCO site - it is perhaps the most famous Neolithic site in the world.

But Stonehenge is not alone; it is one of many ancient Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in the vicinity (the Avebury Henge is even older).

• Date Inscribed: 1986 (modified 2008)

The Tower Of London, England

The Tower of London is one of the most famous Medieval castles in England. It was first started by none other than William the Conqueror (who conquered England in 1066).

The Tower is today among the best UNESCO sites in Britain, serving as a museum that is open to the public. Visitors can also see the precious Crown Jewels in the Tower as they tour it.

Related: History Of The Tower Of London, Where You Can See The Crown Jewels

The Castles Of King Edward in Gwynedd, Wales

When people think of great Medieval castles, they are likely thinking of a fortress like the four English castles built by King Edward in northern Wales (the English king in the movie Braveheart ). These four castles were built between 1272 and 1307 with the intention of subduing Wales under English rule.

Today, they are considered some of the best military architecture of Medieval England. The Castles are preserved as Harlech, Conwy, Caernarfon, and Beaumaris.

• Date Inscribed: 1986

Blenheim Palace, England

Blenheim Palace is said to be the greatest palace in Britain and is open to the public. It is the only non-royal and non-episcopal country house in England to have the title of the palace and is the residence of the 1st Duke of Marlborough.

It is one of the best UNESCO Heritage Sites in Britain and is recognizable by many as it is a favored filming location for many movies and series.

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Peter Oosterhuis, noted player and broadcaster, dies at 75

Photo: Dom Furore

Peter Oosterhuis had a memorable career—three of them in fact—the sum of which echoed a movie title, a wonderful life until it slowly was eroded by an insidious disease. Oosterhuis died Thursday, one day shy of his 76th birthday and 10 years after having been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

Born just outside London, Oosterhuis compiled an impressive playing record that included everything but a major championship. When he quit playing competitively, he became a club professional for a time at the prestigious Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, then eventually found his niche as a broadcaster—first for Sky Sports, then Golf Channel and finally with CBS Sports, where he worked until his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2014.

Oosty, as he was frequently and affectionately called, won tournaments all over the world. His lone PGA Tour victory in 343 official starts came in the Canadian Open in 1981, where he beat Jack Nicklaus, Bruce Lietzke and Andy North by a stroke. The $76,000 first-place check was more than he had earned in any previous season.

He also won seven European Tour events. Meanwhile, he tied for third in the 1973 Masters, finished second in the British Open the following year, tied for second in the British Open in 1982, and had two top-10s in the U.S. Open (1975 and 1977).

Oosterhuis won on the PGA and European Tour and played in six straight Ryder Cups.

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Oosterhuis also played on six straight Great Britain & Ireland or European Ryder Cup teams, all of which lost to the U.S. teams. On two occasions, he led his team in points, and he remains tied for the all-time lead in most singles victories with six.

His second career, though not a long one, was as a club professional, first at Forsgate Country Club in Jamesburg, N.J., before moving to Riviera Country Club.

“I’ll tell you why I left the job at Riviera,” Oosterhuis told Golf Digest’s Guy Yocom of his departure in 1993. “I met Roothie [Ruth Ann], who was a member, and we fell in love and got married. There is nothing clubs dislike more than the idea of a romance between the pro and a member, so I fell into disfavor with some of the more staunch people in charge there.”

FROM THE ARCHIVE: You can expect Peter Oosterhuis to win, but not to conform (1975)

He soon took a job as a broadcaster for Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, the start of a third career that gave him a profile higher than even that he had experienced as an accomplished golfer.

In 1995, Oosterhuis was offered a job with a new television entity called the Golf Channel, to serve as an analyst on its European Tour events, working alongside Renton Laidlaw.

“For 2½ years he and the wry Scottish anchor, Renton Laidlaw, have conducted a civilized dialogue, in back-of-the-church voices, while watching golf balls veer and wobble on bumpy European greens,” John Garrity wrote for Sports Illustrated. “Oosterhuis's voice—precise, preternaturally calm and authoritative—is the one that after an hour or so seems to be generated from somewhere in your own head. Says Laidlaw, ‘It's very listenable, a voice you never get tired of.’”

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In 1997, CBS Sports gave Oosterhuis a tryout, installing him in the 14th hole tower at the Masters and the PGA Championship, which led to his being offered a full-time position in the fall of 1997.

“I was a fan of his before a lot of people at CBS even found out about him,” CBS golf anchor Jim Nantz told David Feherty. “It’s hard for athletes to step in and sound like a trained broadcaster. If you didn’t know better, you’d think Oosty had been doing this all his life.”

He was a fixture for CBS Sports golf telecasts for the following 17-plus years, even occupying the analyst’s chair next to Nantz when Ken Venturi began to scale back the number of tournaments he worked. Then came the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

“During the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla,” Nantz told Golf Digest, “Gary McCord asked me, ‘Have you noticed something amiss with Peter? He doesn't seem himself.’ No, not at all, I said. Gary said, ‘Well, keep an eye on him during dinner tonight, and let’s talk tomorrow.’ I watched and listened to Peter closely and didn't pick up on anything. That, after being close to my father throughout his struggle with Alzheimer's. Soon after that, it become more apparent that Peter was struggling. Alzheimer's is such an insidious disease. I'm using every tool at my disposal to fund the research necessary to help Peter. In fact, he's being treated by a team of doctors at the Nantz Center.”

Nantz’s father was a victim of Alzheimer’s, leading his son to start the Nantz National Alzheimer Center in Houston.

“Shortly after I was diagnosed, I got a call from Jim Nantz,” Oosterhuis told Golf Digest in 2014. “His first words were, ‘this can’t be true’ … I’ve always felt close to Jim,18 years doing TV together created a close relationship, but he took it another step. He could sense that Roothie and I were completely lost, confused, and a little scared. He told me some things that were so caring and compassionate. Then he immediately arranged for us to travel to Houston and get checked out more thoroughly.

“It started like this. I’ve had OCD since I was a young man. I used to keep super-detailed logs of every shot at every tournament…When I moved to commentating, the OCD worked to my advantage. I’d study facts, statistics and tendencies and then run them into my commentary. A couple of years ago, I found I was coming up blank on this information. When an OCD person can’t obsess the way he used to, he starts to obsess about his inability to obsess … So I went to a neurologist here in Charlotte, and in July of 2014 I got the diagnosis: early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.”

Oosterhuis with his wife Roothie. (Photo: Dom Furore)

Oosterhuis retired to a quiet, private life with wife Roothie at their home in Charlotte, N.C., alas, waiting out the inevitable, the conclusion to what indeed was a wonderful life.

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Why Mahler's Second Symphony makes mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill beam

Karen Cargill has certainly scored successes at some of the opera world’s most prestigious venues like New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Great Britain’s Glyndebourne Festival. The Scottish mezzo-soprano even goes so far as to call herself a “stage animal.”

But most of Cargill’s time is devoted to symphonic concerts, and that’s just the way she likes it. “I love my orchestra work. It just feeds my soul. I love the fast pace of coming in for a week and really working at a high, high level to create these wonderful pieces,” she said from Philadelphia, where she was recently performing with that city’s famed orchestra.

She will return to the United States for a set of concerts May 23-25 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, serving as soloist in Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (1888-93), often referred to as the Resurrection Symphony, a work she has performed many times.

“It’s a piece that means so much to me,” she said. “In any troubled times, we can find solace in music, and this is one of those pieces that speaks directly to the human condition and that sense of community, that sense of togetherness that we need to feel and don’t always feel. It speaks to there being a greater purpose in life. It’s one of my top five pieces, not only to sing but to listen to.”

Cargill is a particular fan of the Auferstehn (resurrection) section when the chorus enters about halfway through the final movement. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a performance,” she said,” where I haven’t had a beaming smile on my face at the end as I sing with the chorus, because of that mass choir and orchestra and everyone making music at the highest level and just throwing themselves into this huge beast of thing. I think that’s one of the great powers of music, the sense of community of bringing people together to make it, and the sense of bringing people together to listen to it.”

"I don’t think I’ve ever been in a performance . . . where I haven’t had a beaming smile on my face at the end as I sing with the chorus, because of that mass choir and orchestra and everyone making music at the highest level and just throwing themselves into this huge beast of thing."

The CSO announced in April that Neeme Järvi will lead these concerts, substituting for Esa-Pekka Salonen, who withdrew for personal reasons (he is to receive the distinguished 2024 Polar Music Prize in Stockholm on May 21). The 86-year-old Estonian-born conductor, who has a discography of more than 400 recordings, made his CSO debut in 1985 and most recently led the orchestra in December 2017.

Cargill has never worked with Järvi, but she knows his work well, because he served as principal conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 1984-88 and has returned to the ensemble many times since. “He’s someone I really respect,” she said, “so I’m very happy to be able to  make music with him. Really looking forward to that.”  

The mezzo-soprano grew up in Arbroath, a seaside town on Scotland’s east coast. “My house was always full of music when I was growing up, but it was never full of classical music. It was not something that my parents were into or knew anything about,” Instead, they were fans of the Beatles, Wings and Boney M., and when Cargill was just 2 or 3, she could already sing some of the songs of those pop groups.

Indeed, she showed enough talent that an aunt recommended to her parents that she take vocal lessons, which she started when she was 8 or 9 with a local teacher. She performed folk songs and competed in local music festivals, “I loved the way it made me feel to make music, the way it made me feel to sing,” Cargill said.

"I loved the way it made me feel to make music, the way it made me feel to sing."

After graduating from high school, she chose to remain in her native Scotland for music studies, enrolling at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in Glasgow. “I wanted to do it in a quiet way,” she said, “where I could really discover who I was as an artist and not feel the pressure of being in a big city like London.” She has lived in Glasgow her entire adult life except for a student exchange year in Toronto, Canada, and some time early in her career in London.

The big turning point for her came in 2002 when she was a joint winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award, an honor named for the famed English contralto, who died at 41 from cancer at the height of her career. Winners of the annual competition in Leeds have included such notable singers as bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and soprano Kate Royal. “This was my entry into the London scene,” she said. “And it was an intense period, and I’m very grateful for that. It opened an awful lot of doors for me.”

Cargill made her Scottish Opera debut in 2007 as Rosina in The Barber of Seville, and she has returned regularly to the form since. But she limits herself to one or two staged productions a year because such projects demand multiple weeks for rehearsals and performances, and she is “quite protective” of her family life.

Last summer, she appeared in Francis Poulenc’s 1956 opera The Dialogues of the Carmelites at the Glyndebourne Festival. “It’s a piece that I’m obsessed with,” she said, noting that she also performed it as a student in Toronto and returned to it with the Metropolitan Opera in 2019, a production that also included such famed singers as mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and soprano Karita Mattila.

She had high praise for Glyndebourne’s take, which was staged by Australian director Barrie Kosky, who is based at the Komische Oper Berlin. “This production was a real look into who I was as an artist,” she said. “Barrie is someone who really gives an artist space to explore who the character is as they want to portray them, and he helps you create this beautiful rounded person.” She will be back at Glyndebourne this summer in Richard Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde .

“When we came for Ravinia, I brought my husband and son, and we had a week in Chicago,” she said. “I just love it there.”

Cargill has not presented any solo recitals since the COVID-19 pandemic. “I haven’t really gotten my sea legs back for recitals,” she said. But she is beginning to work with her longtime collaborator, British pianist Simon Lepper, on a new such program. She likes to take her time crafting recitals, which she believes should reflect where she is both musically and personally in her life.

As noted, though, orchestral concerts continue to dominate her schedule. Cargill’s May engagement with the CSO will be her subscription series debut. “I’m very excited,” she said. The mezzo-soprano made just one previous appearance with the ensemble in 2016 at the Ravinia Festival, joining James Levine, the series’ longtime music director, who was making his first return appearance since leaving his post 23 years earlier.

Cargill has fond memories of that 2016 visit, which included an architectural boat tour and an array of other activities. “When we came for Ravinia, I brought my husband and son, and we had a week in Chicago,” she said. “I just love it there.”

The former classical music critic of the Denver Post, Kyle MacMillan is a Chicago-based arts journalist.

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