8 Day Best of Britain
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive London & Windsor
Start
your tour at Heathrow Airport with a transfer to your hotel in Windsor. In the
afternoon visit Windsor Castle, residence of The Queen and the largest inhabited
castle in the world. See the lavishly decorated State Apartments and courtyards.
In the evening meet your tour director and trip participants over a welcome
drink to discuss your itinerary before dining in your hotel. (D)
Day 2 : Oxford & York Walking
Tours
Drive to Oxford where a walking tour is the best way
to get around the town and see some of the colleges. Oxford University is the
oldest university in the English-speaking world with 38 colleges and is the
setting for many movies and TV programs, including Harry Potter films and the
Inspector Morse Mystery series. Pass the Bodleian Library, the largest
university library in the UK. Drive through the lovely Cotswolds region to York
for a walking tour through narrow medieval streets to see black and white
half-timbered houses with overhanging upper floors. Walk along the Shambles, the
oldest street where houses almost meet in an archway. View the exterior of the
stately York Minster, which towers over the old city. Check in to your hotel and
relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 3 : Alnwick Castle & Scottish Cabaret
Evening
Travel north to visit Alnwick Castle, the second largest
inhabited castle in England. Dating back to 1096, the Castle has been home to
the Percy family, Dukes of Northumberland, since 1309. Walk
through the lavish State Rooms packed with a stunning array of art,
portraits and furniture collected over the years by generations of owners.
The Alnwick Garden has been developed recently to show beautifully landscaped
gardens and magnificent architecture, brought to life with water. Drive through
the magnificent hills and pastoral valleys of the Scottish Borders to Edinburgh
and your hotel near the Royal Mile. In the evening dine at a
Scottish cabaret show with bagpipes, dancing and song. (B, D)
Day 4 : Edinburgh Castle & Guided City Tour
Explore central Edinburgh this morning, starting in the
200-year-old “New Town” with its planned streets and elegant Georgian houses
where many famous writers and inventors lived. See the Royal Mile where the
medieval houses are clustered closely together with some as high as 11 floors.
Tour the massive Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the
Stone of Destiny and enjoy great views right across the city. The afternoon is
free for independent activities. You may like to visit some of the many museums
or browse in the little shops along the Royal Mile. On August 04 to 18
departures watch the spectacular Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 5 : Lake District & Beatles' Liverpool
Stop in Gretna Green, the first village across the border from
England where since 1754 young couples have crossed into Scotland to be married
at the Old Blacksmith's Shop. It is still a popular wedding place to this day.
Drive through the Lake District, a region associated with Beatrix Potter. See
stunning views of lakes, gentle hills and valleys. Stop in Grasmere where
William Wordsworth penned some of his popular lines and you can see his grave in
the village churchyard. Continue to Liverpool where a Beatles-themed tour will
show you places associated with their music. Check in to your centrally-located
hotel and after dinner you may head to the world-famous Cavern Club. (B, D)
Day 6 : Tintern Abbey & Cardiff Castle
Drive south through Shropshire, one of the most unspoiled parts
of rural England and close to the Welsh border. Stop in Ludlow, a town that can
trace its origins back 900 years, to see the huge castle and old black-and-white
houses. Continue south through the lovely Welsh countryside to visit the
picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey, founded in 1131, in the River Wye Valley. It
was a prosperous Cistercian abbey which grew and thrived until it was dissolved
by order of King Henry VIII in 1536. In the 18th century it became a popular
haunt of the poet, William Wordsworth. Continue to Cardiff, the youngest and
fastest-growing capital city in Europe. In the heart of the city visit Cardiff
Castle, which dates back nearly 2,000 years. See the 19th century fairytale
apartments with ornate decorations and then enjoy a great Welsh banquet right in
the Castle. (B, D)
Day 7 : Roman Baths & Stonehenge
Take a
panoramic tour around the highlights of Cardiff including the older Victorian
buildings as well as the iconic Millennium Centre. A short drive will bring you
to the spa city of Bath, popular for its natural hot springs with the Romans
2,000 years ago and again in the 18th century Regency period. View the stately
mansions of Queen's Square, the Pulteney Bridge and many other fine Regency
buildings. Visit the Roman Baths and Pump Room, wonderfully preserved after two
millennia, with hot springs still sending out healing waters. At Salisbury Plain
marvel at the prehistoric circle of vast monoliths of Stonehenge and learn about
the primitive builders who managed to create such an enduring monument. Continue
into London and check in to your hotel. (B)
Day 8 : Tour Ends Heathrow Airport
Take a
transfer to Heathrow Airport in time for check in formalities. (B)
B: Breakfast; D: Dinner