22 Day Britain and Ireland Indepth

Tour Description

This holiday offers our most complete view of the British Isles. In England enjoy visits to London, Canterbury, the seaside resort of Brighton, mysterious Stonehenge, historic Plymouth, and Roman Bath. See the Welsh capital of Cardiff and then take a ferry to picturesque Ireland for visits to Blarney, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, the Giant’s Causeway, Belfast and Dublin. Then it’s back across the Irish Sea, and through North Wales to the walled city of Chester in England.

Travel north to see the highlights of Scotland, including the ‘Bonnie Banks’ of Loch Lomond, the Isle of Skye, Inverewe Gardens, Inverness, pretty Braemar and elegant Edinburgh. Back in England, time to experience the towns of York and Stratford-upon-Avon before visiting Blenheim Palace on your way back to London.
Included Features

Your Hotels

Stay at the following (or similar):

• Hilton London Metropole Hotel(SF),
• Brighton Hilton Metropole (SF),
• Plymouth Holiday Inn (SF),
• Bristol Mercure Holland House (SF),
• Waterford Granville (F),
• Killarney Scotts (F),
• Limerick Clarion (SF),
• Sligo Clarion (SF),
• Belfast Hilton (SF),
• Dublin Clarion (SF),
• Chester St. David’s Park (SF) at Ewloe,
• Glasgow Thistle (F),
• Inverness Columba (F),
• Edinburgh Barceló Carlton (SF),
• York Ramada (F),
• Stratford Holiday Inn (SF)

Hotel Classifications: Deluxe (D), Superior First Class (SF), First Class (F)

Tour Includes

• CANTERBURY: Visit the cathedral.
• BRIGHTON: Royal Pavilion tour; welcome dinner.
• STONEHENGE: Visit the prehistoric monument.
• SALISBURY: Visit the cathedral city.
• PLYMOUTH: Orientation.
• CORNWALL: Take photographs of St. Michael’s Mount, visit Land’s End and St. Ives.
• BATH: Visit the Roman relics.
• CARDIFF: Orientation drive.
• FISHGUARD-ROSSLARE: Cross St. George’s Channel by ferry.
• BLARNEY: Visit the famous village.
• RING OF KERRY: Scenic peninsula drive.
• DINGLE PENINSULA: Visit the Blasket Islands Centre.
• ADARE: Admire the thatched cottages.
• CLIFFS OF MOHER: Savour the spectacular views.
• GALWAY: Orientation.
• DRUMCLIFF: Visit W.B. Yeats’ grave.
• BELLEEK: Guided tour of the pottery.
• COUNTY ANTRIM: Visit the Giant’s Causeway.
• BELFAST: Guided “Living History” tour.
• DOWNPATRICK: Visit the Saint Patrick Centre.
• DUBLIN: Orientation drive, visit Trinity College.
• DUBLIN-HOLYHEAD: Cross the Irish Sea by ferry.
• CHESTER: Walking tour.
• GLASGOW: Orientation drive.
• MALLAIG-ARMADALE: Cross the Sound of Sleat by ferry.
• ISLE OF SKYE: Visit the Museum of the Isles at the Clan Donald Centre.
• INVEREWE: Visit the subtropical garden.
• HIGHLANDS: Guided tour of a whisky distillery.
• ST. ANDREWS: Visit the home of golf.
• EDINBURGH: Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.
• FLOORS: Visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s castle.
• JEDBURGH: Take pictures of the abbey ruins
• YORK: Walking tour.
• COVENTRY: Admire the modern cathedral.
• STRATFORD-UPON-AVON: Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace.
• BLENHEIM: Guided tour of the palace.

Tour Meals

Full English breakfast (B); 12 three-course dinners (D) with choice of menus, including a welcome dinner in Brighton.

Itinerary

Day 1 London – Canterbury – Brighton.

Meet your Tour Director and travelling companions and depart at 8 am. from your London joining hotel (see your travel documents). Visit CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL, and in Brighton, tour the exotic ROYAL PAVILION. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 2 Brighton – Stonehenge – Salisbury – Plymouth.

This morning, visit prehistoric Stonehenge before taking a stroll in Salisbury wth its vast cathedral. Continue on to Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park. Upon arrival in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. (B/D)

Day 3 Plymouth. Cornwall Excursion.

Head through Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall to St. Michael’s Mount, rising boldly out of the sea, take your photos at Land’s End, then explore the popular seaside resort of St. Ives. (B)

Day 4 Plymouth – Bath – Bristol.

At Glastonbury, hear about King Arthur, and in Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS. Overnight is in Bristol, from where John Cabot sailed in 1497 to discover America. (B/D)

Day 5 Bristol – Cardiff, Wales – Waterford, Ireland.

A morning orientation drive in Cardiff features the castle, Cathays Park, and the stately civic buildings. Cross St. George’s Channel to Rosslare in Ireland and proceed to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings in 853. (B/D)

Day 6 Waterford – Blarney – Killarney.

In Blarney, renowned for its magical Kissing Stone, there is time to walk up to the castle and to shop for traditional Irish handicrafts before continuing to Killarney, your Kerry base for the next three nights. (B/D)

Day 7 At Leisure In Killarney.

A full day to relax or join out optional excursion that includes a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle, a boat ride to Innisfallen Abbey and across the lakes for a visit to Muckross House, returning to your hotel mid-afternoon. (B)

Day 8 Killarney. Ring Of Kerry Excursion.

Follow the road known as the RING OF KERRY for a 100-mile panoramic drive. Take your photos of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View. Later, join an entertaining optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets for the National Folk Theatre. (B)

Day 9 Killarney – Dingle Peninsula – Adare – Limerick.

Breathtaking scenery on Dingle Peninsula. At the BLASKET ISLANDS CENTRE, learn about the way of life on the remote islands evacuated by its inhabitants in 1953. Via quaint Adare, head for the city of Limerick. Tonight’s optional recommendation: a medieval banquet. (B)

Day 10 Limerick – Cliffs Of Moher – Sligo.

Motor to the spectacular CLIFFS OF MOHER, rising 204 metres (668 feet) above the Atlantic. Via the limestone plateau of The Burren and Galway reach Knock, a village that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Then, spend the night in Sligo. (B/D)

Day 11 Sligo – Belleek, Northern Ireland – Giant’s Causeway – Belfast.

A fascinating day today: the grave of W.B. Yeats in Drumcliff, BELLEEK POTTERY, then awe-inspiring GIANT’S CAUSEWAY. Overnight in Belfast. (B/D)

Day 12 Belfast – Downpatrick – Dublin, Ireland.

This morning’s highlight is a “living history” orientation drive with a Local Guide. Visit the inspiring SAINT PATRICK CENTRE in Downpatrick, then drive back again into the Republic. (B)

Day 13 Dublin.

Your orientation drive includes statue-lined O’Connell Street and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then, visit TRINITY COLLEGE with the famous Book of Kells. Top the day with an optional dinner evening at the Guinness Storehouse. (B)

Day 14 Dublin – Chester, England.

Back across the Irish Sea and a scenic drive through Snowdonia National Park, over spectacular Llanberis Pass, and via pretty Betws y-Coed to Chester. (B/D)

Day 15 Chester – Lake District – Glasgow, Scotland.

On your morning walking tour, see the Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, the cathedral, and the “Rows”. In Glasgow, your city drive takes in the fine 12th-century cathedral, the imposing university, and elegant Georgian Squares. (B/D)

Day 16 Glasgow – Fort William – Isle Of Skye – Inverness.

Follow the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, and at Mallaig, board your FERRY for the crossing to the Isle of Skye. Visit the MUSEUM OF THE ISLES, then return to the mainland and trace the shores of Loch Ness on the way to Inverness. (B/D)

Day 17 Inverness. Highlands Excursion.

Visit fascinating INVEREWE GARDEN with its subtropical plants, then drive along Loch Glascarnoch for the day’s final highlight visit to a WHISKY DISTILLERY. (B)

Day 18 Inverness – Braemar – St. Andrews – Edinburgh.

Main features today: the battlefield of Culloden Moor, Braemar, St. Andrews, and the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. For departure numbers 0721 through 0811 tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (B)

Day 19 Edinburgh.

Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” as well as the “Old Town”. Visit EDINBURGH CASTLE and then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (except when the Queen is in residence). Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B)

Day 20 Edinburgh – York, England.

This morning, visit FLOORS CASTLE, and later, pass the house of Mary, Queen of Scots. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, and in York, England’s most complete medieval city follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. (B/D)

Day 21 York – Coventry – Stratford-Upon-Avon.

In Coventry, view the splendid modern cathedral, and in Stratford-upon-Avon, take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. (B/D)

Day 22 Stratford-Upon-Avon – London.

Visit Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, then a final highlight: a guided tour of magnificent BLENHEIM PALACE, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Return to London around 4 pm, where the holiday ends. (B)

Dates and Prices for 2011

Dates and Prices for 2012

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Accommodation rating Represents the standard of hotel used most frequently throughout this tour

Extras Represents the individual operators suggested budget to pay for additional activities on tour (dinners,entertainment,excursions etc) NOT included in base tour price

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