12 Day Wonders of Britain and Ireland

Tour Description

Experience the Britain and Ireland of a simpler time. We visit the medieval castles and churches that have stood for centuries, admire Ireland’s breathtaking Ring of Kerry, and stand in awe before the mysterious Stonehenge.

Tour Highlights

• Runnymede: See the Magna Carta Memorial.
• Windsor: See the Castle.
• Stonehenge: Visit the ancient stone circle.
• Salisbury: View the Cathedral.
• Bath: Visit the Roman Baths.
• Cardiff: View Cardiff Castle.
• Waterford: Visit the Crystal Showroom (when open).
• Blarney: Visit to the Castle.
• Ring of Kerry: Scenic drive around the beautiful Peninsula.
• Adare: See the prettiest village in Ireland.
• Limerick: Orientation tour.
• Galway Bay: Beautiful views across the ocean.
• Dublin: View St. Patrick’s Cathedral and visit Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.
• Chester: Walking tour of the historic city.
• Gretna Green: Visit the town where eloping couples would marry.
• Edinburgh: Castle visit and views of Holyrood House.
• Jedburgh: View the Abbey ruins.
• Hadrian’s Wall: View the ancient Roman fortifications.
• York: Orientation including the Minster and the ‘Shambles’.
• Coventry : View the Cathedrals.
• Stratford-upon-Avon: Visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and see Anne Hathaway’s cottage.
• Bladon: See Sir Winston Churchill’s grave.
• Oxford: Visit one of the famous University’s Colleges (when open).

Your Hotels

Stay at the following (or similar):

• Park Inn City Centre, Cardiff
• Days Hotel, Waterford
• Kenmare Bay, Kenmare
• Radisson SAS, Limerick
• Mespil Hotel, Dublin
• Jury’s Inn, Liverpool
• Holiday Inn, Edinburgh
• Holiday Inn, York
• Hilton, Warwick

First Class Travel Highlights

• First Class hotel accommodation includes twin-bedded rooms with private facilities, all hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes.
• Touring by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and a washroom onboard.
• The services of one of Trafalgar’s top professional Tour Directors.
• The services of a Trafalgar Representative if you stay at our recommended London hotel.
• A qualified local city guide in Dublin and Edinburgh.
• Tickets are included for the world-famous Tattoo during the Edinburgh Festival.
• Ferry across the Irish Sea from Wales to Ireland and return.
• A stylish wallet, tour documents and a Welcome on Tour book.
• For London airport shuttle service, conditions apply.

Dining Highlights

• 4 English, 5 Irish and 2 Scottish full breakfasts
• Cream tea in Yorkshire
• 2 three-course dinners
• Local highlight restaurant dinner with wine in Liverpool
• Farewell dinner with wine in Warwick

Edinburgh Tattoo 6-28 August 2010

• Tickets are included for the world-famous Tattoo during the Festival. Applicable to departures 1-17 August.

Itinerary

Day 1 London – Stonehenge – Bath – Cardiff

A warm welcome from our Tour Director as we leave London and drive to Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed and then through Windsor Great Park and past Windsor Castle. Then on to the mysterious stone circle at Stonehenge for a fascinating visit before stopping in Salisbury with a chance to view the beautiful cathedral. We continue to the elegant Georgian streets of Bath where we tour the Roman Baths before crossing the Severn Bridge to Cardiff, capital of Wales. This evening, we enjoy a Welcome Drink with our Tour Director. Stay: Park Inn City Centre

Day 2 Cardiff – Pembroke – Waterford

This morning after breakfast we will see Cardiff Castle before driving across South Wales via Carmarthen. Next we head to Pembroke to view the castle, birthplace of Henry VII of the Tudor Dynasty. Here we board our ferry for Rosslare in Ireland. On our arrival we drive to Waterford for dinner and overnight. (B/D) Stay: Days Hotel

Day 3 Waterford – Blarney – Kenmare

Today our first stop is a visit to the Waterford Crystal Showroom; afterwards we drive along the splendid southern coast through the fishing port of Youghal and Cork. Nearby, we visit Blarney Castle – so that you can kiss the stone and acquire the ‘gift of the gab’. From here we continue over the Cork and Kerry Mountains to Kenmare. We dine at our hotel this evening. (B/D) Stay: Kenmare Bay

Day 4 Kenmare – Ring of Kerry – Limerick

This morning we drive around the Ring of Kerry, a wonderful landscape hewn by the last Ice Age with some of the most beautiful and unspoilt coastline in Ireland and Ireland’s highest mountains. Then north to County Limerick through Adare, the prettiest village in Ireland, and crossing the mighty Shannon to our hotel in Limerick. Why not enjoy an Irish ceilidh tonight? (B) Stay: Radisson SAS

Day 5 Limerick – Galway – Dublin (2 nights)

After a full Irish breakfast this morning we will have the chance to visit Bunratty Castle and folk park. Then we drive across County Clare en route to view Galway Bay. We stop in Galway then head across Ireland’s rich farmland to Dublin, Ireland’s capital. (B) Stay: Mespil

Day 6 Dublin sightseeing and at leisure

This morning’s sightseeing tour of Dublin’s ‘fair city’ with a local guide shows us Trinity College and the astoundingly beautiful Book of Kells, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Phoenix Park and the Georgian Squares. We learn that Dublin’s population is growing faster than many other European cities. The rest of your day is at leisure. You may wish to take an optional excursion to an ancient monastic site this afternoon. For your last night in Ireland, why not join your fellow-travelling companions at an Irish cabaret this evening? (B)

Day 7 Dublin – Liverpool

Today we will enjoy a crossing on the world’s largest passenger ferry across the Irish Sea, with magnificent views of Dublin Bay. We arrive in Holyhead on the Welsh Island of Anglesey. Cameras at the ready as we see the station with the longest name in the world, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwlllantysiliogogogoch. Passing by the Snowdonia National Park we travel on to Chester where we enjoy a walking tour which includes the Roman walls, the ‘Rows’ and an interesting Hidden Treasure. Then on to our hotel in Liverpool, home of the Beatles, and enjoy a Highlight Dinner in a restaurant tonight. (B/HD) Stay: Jurys Inn

Day 8 Liverpool – Lake District – Edinburgh (2 nights)

We travel to the English Lake District and we stop in pretty Grasmere to see the home of William Wordsworth in the village on the lake. Our next stop is at Gretna Green just across the Scottish border, the place where eloping couples could marry against their parents’ wishes. Finally on to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, for our two-night stay. During the Festival, we include tickets to the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo. (B) Stay: Holiday Inn

Day 9 Edinburgh sightseeing and at leisure

Morning sightseeing with a local guide includes a visit of the apartments in the castle and views of Holyrood House by Arthur’s Seat. We will also drive along elegant Princes Street with its views on to the Crag and Tail on which the castle and Royal Mile are built, and we will see the impressive monument to Sir Walter Scott. Edinburgh’s New Town will also be included on our sightseeing tour. (B)

Day 10 Edinburgh – York

Through the Scottish Borderlands and across the River Tweed we stop to see the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey and then enjoy the view at Carter Bar. Driving into the Northumberland National Park we inspect a section of the Emperor Hadrian’s Wall at Heddon and then cross the River Tyne at Newcastle. Soon we stop to enjoy a delicious cream tea. Next on to York where our walking tour shows us the Shambles and other parts of the city finishing at York Minster, before continuing to
our hotel. (B) Stay: Holiday Inn

Day 11 York – Coventry – Shakespeare Country

This morning we drive into the heart of England, passing close by Sherwood Forest, associated with the legendary Robin Hood, to the city of Coventry. Here we see the two cathedrals – one bombed during the second World War and the other built to replace it like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. We’ll also see the statue of Lady Godiva before enjoying a Farewell Dinner at our hotel tonight. (B/D) Stay: Hilton Warwick

Day 12 Shakespeare Country – Stratford – Oxford – London

Today we see Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage en route to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare’s birthplace. Next a scenic drive through the Cotswolds to the little churchyard at Bladon to see Sir Winston Churchill’s grave. Our final stop en route to London is at Oxford, the oldest university city in the British Isles. We will enjoy a guided walk around one of the famous colleges to get a real taste of student life here before our journey leads us back to London, where we must bid farewell to our Tour Director and touring friends as our tour comes to an end. (B)

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Dates and Prices for 2012

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D deluxe | SF superior first | F first | MF moderate first | ST superior tourist | T Tourist