Best of Britain (9 Day)

Windsor Castle | Walking Tour | Welcome Drink

Windsor, United Kingdom

Begin your tour at 2:00 PM at your Windsor hotel. Visit Windsor Castle, residence of the Queen and the largest inhabited castle in the world. Take a walk around this compact and historic town with your tour director. In the evening, join your group for a welcome drink; you are then free to dine independently.

Castle Hotel Windsor

Blenheim Palace | Cotswold Drive

Woodstock, United Kingdom

Travel to Blenheim Palace, a monumental “country house” and home to the Dukes of Marlborough.

York, United Kingdom

Enjoy a scenic drive through the picturesque Cotswolds, passing through quaint towns and villages nestled in distinctive rolling hills and valleys. Travel on to York, a city founded by the Romans in the first century and a major wool trading center in the Middle Ages.

Breakfast, Dinner

York Marriott

York Walking Tour | York Minster | Bamburgh Castle

York, United Kingdom

Take a walking tour of York’s medieval streets, including the Shambles, one of the city’s narrowest alleyways. Tour Gothic York Minster, renowned for its magnificent medieval stained glass windows.

Bamburgh, United Kingdom

Visit Bamburgh Castle, an imposing medieval fortress that is one of the largest inhabited castles in Britain. This magical castle is set high on a rocky plateau affording wonderful views along the coast.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Continue to your hotel near Edinburgh, where you will enjoy an evening free to dine independently.

Breakfast

Norton House Hotel and Spa

Edinburgh City Tour | Edinburgh Castle | Scottish Evening

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Explore central Edinburgh starting in the 200-year-old “New Town” with its planned streets and elegant Georgian houses. View Princes Street, the city’s premier shopping street, and see the Royal Mile, where medieval houses are clustered closely together. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. The afternoon is free to explore on your own.

Enjoy a lively Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. Note: August 6 – 20 departures experience the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.

Breakfast, Dinner

Norton House Hotel and Spa

Lake District | Liverpool

Lake District, United Kingdom

Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired Beatrix Potter’s many children’s books.

Grasmere, United Kingdom

Stop in the village of Grasmere to visit the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. Enjoy a talk and tasting of this traditional spicy-sweet treat, first made 165 years ago.

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Head to Liverpool, a city that once dominated global trade and is now better known as the home of the Beatles. Take a short walking tour of the docks before some free time for dinner. Meet your group again to experience live music at the world-famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four got their start.

Breakfast

Hilton Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Ludlow | Tintern Abbey | Cardiff Castle

Ludlow, United Kingdom

Travel through scenic Shropshire, one of the most unspoiled parts of rural England. Stop in Ludlow, a quintessentially English town to see the castle and quaint old black-and-white houses.

Cardiff, United Kingdom

Continue through the lovely Welsh countryside to visit the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey. Head to Cardiff and tour the splendid Cardiff Castle, which was magnificently restored in the Victorian era. Dine at your hotel.

Breakfast, Dinner

Clayton Hotel Cardiff

Cardiff Panoramic Tour | Roman Baths | Stonehenge

Cardiff, United Kingdom

Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff with a brief walk to see the principal areas and buildings.

Bath, United Kingdom

Head to Bath for a visit to the Roman Baths, hot mineral-rich springs that have been popular since ancient Roman times. Stop for lunch on your own in this historic spa town.

Stonehenge, United Kingdom

Then marvel at the prehistoric circle of vast monoliths of Stonehenge at Salisbury Plain and learn about the primitive building methods used to create such an enduring monument.

London, United Kingdom

Arrive in London and enjoy dinner with your group in a local restaurant.

Breakfast, Dinner

Hilton London Kensington Hotel

London Tour | Tower of London | Independent Sightseeing

London, United Kingdom

Set out on a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus with its statue of Eros, Nelson’s Column flanked by huge lions in Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Visit the mighty Tower of London to see the many fortresses, Beefeaters in their distinctive uniforms, ravens, and the priceless Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is free for further exploring.

Breakfast

Hilton London Kensington Hotel

TOUR ENDS IN LONDON

London, United Kingdom

Your program ends after breakfast.

Breakfast

• ALL guests must carefully verify the existing identification requirements for their particular travel situation DIRECTLY WITH THEIR LOCAL CONSULATES OR EMBASSIES or with a visa service, as these requirements may change. Guests without proper documentation may be denied entry and will not be entitled to a refund

• 70 days or more prior to departure: Forfeiture of deposit
• 69 - 16 days prior to departure: 30% per person
• 15 - 8 days prior to departure: 50% per person
• 7 - 1 days prior to departure: 90% per person
• On day of departure: 100% per person
• All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
• The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

• Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together.
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• A non-refundable land deposit of $250 per person is required for coach tours. Deposits are required within 5 days of making the reservation. Early booking discounts require higher deposits.
• The final payment must be made by credit card no later than 80 days prior to departure date. If payment is not received as scheduled, the reservation will automatically cancel and deposit payment become forfeit.
• Once confirmed any revision to land tours will incur a $50 handling fee per booking. If clients cancel from one tour and rebook on another tour or another date, a cancellation fee may apply. Revisions are not permitted within 14 days of departure or once documents have been issued.
• Documents will be shipped by U.P.S. ground service approximately 21 days prior to departure provided full payment has been received. If documents are required earlier, sufficient notice id required to arrange for early delivery by regular service. Late bookings will incur an express service delivery charge.