Best of Britain

Your tour begins 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.

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 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. August 7 – 21 departures experience the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B, D*)

Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired the famed children’s author Beatrix Potter. 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 world-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. 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. Stop for lunch 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. Arrive in London and enjoy dinner with your group in a local restaurant. (B, D)

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)

Take in a day of independent sightseeing in London as you tour by Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. With several routes to choose from, see the iconic sights as you please, at your own speed. Big Ben, Westminster, Picadilly Circus – the city awaits you. (B)

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