Best of Britain

Tour begins at 2:30PM 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 and dinner. (D)

Travel to Blenheim Palace, a monumental country house and home to the Dukes of Marlborough. 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. (B, D)

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. 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. Continue to your hotel near Edinburgh, where you will enjoy an evening free to explore and dine independently. (B)

Explore central Edinburgh on a panoramic tour 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 Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. August 8 - 22 departures experience the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B, D*)

Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired Beatrix Potter's many children's books. 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. 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 famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four got their start (B)

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

Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff with a brief walk to see the principal areas and buildings. Head to Bath for a visit to the Roman Baths, hot mineral-rich springs that have been popular since ancient Roman times. Take time to explore on your own in this historic spa town. 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. In London, the evening is free to explore and dine in one of the city's many restaurants. (B)

Set out on a panoramic tour of central London with a local guide 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, ravens, Beefeaters in their distinctive uniforms, and the priceless Crown Jewels. The rest of the day and evening is free for further exploring. (B)

Enjoy a day of independent sightseeing in London by Hop-On, Hop-Off bus and tour around the many famous landmarks as you please. You can choose from a number of different routes, including a walking tour and a cruise on the River Thames. (B)

Your program ends after breakfast. (B) B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner >