16 Day Icons of Britain Tour Itinerary
Day 1 : Glasgow Highlights
Start your trip at Glasgow Airport with a group transfer to your hotel, departing at 8:00 am, 10:00 am or 12:00 noon. At 2:30 pm tour Glasgow to see George Square and nearby Glasgow Cathedral and visit extensive collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Join your tour director and travel companions for a welcome drink before dinner.
(D)
Day 2 : Loch Lomond & Loch Ness Cruise
Travel alongside the famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its unsurpassed beauty, and through the deep valley of Glen Coe. Continue through Fort William and stop at the Spean Bridge Woollen Mill, which offers quality Scottish goods. At Fort Augustus embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness and continue to Strathpeffer where you can enjoy Scottish music after dinner.
(B, D)
Day 3 : Culloden Battlefield & Edinburgh Evening
Visit the Culloden Visitor Centre to learn about Bonnie Prince Charlie’s defeat in 1746. Drive to Blair Athol Distillery in Pitlochry to see how whisky is distilled and sample some. Continue south to Edinburgh and in the evening enjoy a Scottish evening with lively singing and dancing and a chance to try some traditional haggis, neeps and tatties.
(B, D)
Day 4 : Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
This morning take a guided tour around central Edinburgh, which is divided between the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian New Town and the compact medieval Royal Mile. Visit Edinburgh Castle to view the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone. On August 2 to 16 departures, seats are reserved for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
(B)
Day 5 : Gretna Green & Lake District
Journey through the Scottish Borders, stopping in Melrose and Gretna Green before driving into the Lake District National Park. See the charming hills and valleys that inspired William Wordsworth’s poetry and Beatrix Potter’s childrens’ stories. Visit The World of Beatrix Potter to see some of her characters. Check in to your elegant lakeside hotel and dine on your own.
(B)
Day 6 : Yorkshire Dales & York Ghost Walk
See heathery moors, flower-filled meadows and ancient stone villages of the Yorkshire Dales. Take a guided tour around York and walk to York Minster to visit the great medieval cathedral. Dine in the 15th century Black Swan Pub and explore narrow medieval streets on a fun ghost walking tour.
(B, D)
Day 7 : Historic Train Ride & Castle Howard
Travel on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway by vintage locomotive. Discover the picturesque harbor, winding streets and quaint buildings of Whitby on a walking tour. Tour the elaborate chambers of Castle Howard, an imposing 18th-century mansion where Evelyn Waugh’s celebrated novel, “Brideshead Revisited,” was filmed.
(B, D)
Day 8 : Brontë Parsonage & Beatles’ Liverpool
In Haworth visit the Brontë Parsonage, where Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë penned their popular novels, including “Wuthering Heights.” In Liverpool a Beatles-themed tour will show you many of the places where the “Fab Four” lived, worked, played and came to fame. After dinner, explore on your own, if you wish.
(B, D)
Day 9 : The Beatles Story & Chester
This morning visit The Beatles Story to learn more about the Beatles and their music. Take a walking tour of Chester to discover the Roman walls and black-and-white buildings. Drive to London and check in to your hotel where dinner is served.
(B, D)
Day 10 : Tower of London & City Sights
This morning take a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Nelson’s Column and lions of Trafalgar Square, Big Ben towering over the Houses of Parliament and Hyde Park. Visit the Tower of London to view the magnificent Crown Jewels, guarded by Beefeaters in distinctive Tudor uniforms. The evening is free for dining.
(B)
Day 11 : Stonehenge, Bath & Cardiff Castle Banquet
Drive to Salisbury Plain to view the huge monoliths of Stonehenge and learn about their history. Next head to Bath for a short drive to view Regency houses and Bath Abbey before visiting the Roman Baths and Pump Room. Travel into Wales to tour Cardiff Castle followed by a fun Welsh banquet.
(B, D)
Day 12 : Brecon Beacons & Snowdonia
Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff, Wales’ proud capital, to view the principal features. Drive through the Brecon Beacons National Park and continue north through charming countryside. Stop in local towns to get a flavor of the region. Take a narrow-gauge train ride through the heart of Snowdonia to admire mountain scenery. Drive to Caernarfon for your next overnight stay.
(B, D)
Day 13 : National Slate Museum & Caernarfon Castle
Today tour North Wales, starting with a visit to the National Slate Museum, which tells about the region’s former slate industry and pause for photos of Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Stop in Conwy to view its massive castle, narrow medieval streets and the smallest house in Britain. Tour the massive walls and battlements of 13th century Caernarfon Castle.
(B, D)
Day 14 : Llangollen & Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon
Drive to the charming village of Llangollen before heading across the English border for a look around the picturesque town of Bridgnorth. Drive to Stratford-upon-Avon for a panoramic tour and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace to see an exhibition about his life and work. Check in to your Tudor-style hotel.
(B, D)
Day 15 : Cotswolds & Windsor Castle
Drive through the Cotswolds and stop in Broadway, typical of the lovely old villages in the region. Take a walking tour through Oxford to learn about the city and the most famous colleges. Tour Windsor Castle, one of The Queen’s official residences, to see the State Apartments and St. George’s Chapel.
(B, D)
Day 16 : Tour Ends Heathrow Airport
Transfer to Heathrow Airport to arrive at 7:00 am or 10:00 am to check in for your flight home.
(B)
B: Breakfast; D: Dinner