British Elegance
Superior First Class
Hotels - 14 or 15 day tour
Discover the appeal of Britain with a balanced
program of leisurely sightseeing. Start and end in London and see many aspects of the British
countryside from Snowdonia National Park in Wales, England's Lake
District and the Cotswolds to the Scottish Trossachs. Visit the
ancient monoliths of Stonehenge and medieval Chester and York.
Superior first class hotels with mainly 2-night stays give this tour
a relaxed pace and most meals are included. A London theater
performance, a Scottish cabaret and Ruthin Castle Banquet will
complete your vacation.
DAY 1 SUNDAY - Depart for
London
Depart U.S. on
an overnight flight to London. Relax
with inflight meals and entertainment.
DAY 2 MONDAY - London arrival
Land in London, pass immigration control and pick up your
luggage. Transfer to your centrally located hotel in the Bloomsbury
section of London, near the British Museum and shops of Oxford Street. The
balance of the day is free to rest after your journey or do some
sightseeing on your own. In the evening meet your tour guide and fellow
travelers over a welcome drink in your hotel.
DAY 3 TUESDAY - London tour and
theater
An orientation tour of the city center will
introduce you to some of London’s famous landmarks. Start with a tour
through the historic St. Paul's Cathedral to learn about the many
monuments and events. Follow the narrow streets of the "city", London's
high finance district and see Nelson's Column and the famous lions of
Trafalgar Square. Drive through the theater district and Piccadilly Circus
and pass the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben and nearby Westminster
Abbey. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and attend "Les Miserables" in the
evening.(CB)
DAY 4 WEDNESDAY - Stonehenge and Bath
Depart London and travel west to Salisbury Plain to visit
Stonehenge, rings of prehistoric monoliths that arouse much curiosity as
to how and why primitive peoples erected such huge stones. Continue to
Bath, popular since Roman times for healing waters and revived in the
Regency period, when many elegant houses were built. Take a drive around
the town and visit the Roman Baths and Pump Room to see the hot springs.
Check into your hotel and you will have some time to explore the town on
your own before dinner.(CB, D)
DAY 5 THURSDAY - Corsham Court and
Bath
This morning take a short drive to visit Corsham
Court, a stately 18th century mansion with a splendid collection of
paintings by Flemish, Italian and English masters. Enjoy some time to look
around the village before returning to Bath by lunchtime. The afternoon is
at leisure for independent sight-seeing. You may like to walk across
Pulteney Bridge, which is lined with shops or stroll around the Circus, an
elegant circle of Regency houses and Royal Crescent, 30 houses set in a
graceful semicircle. Dine in your hotel this evening.(B, D)
DAY 6 FRIDAY - Tintern Abbey and Wales
Cross into Wales to nearby Tintern Abbey. This Cistercian
abbey was founded in 1131 and its romantic ruins have inspired many poets,
including Wordsworth. Travel along the River Wye Valley to Hay on Wye, a
renowned center for antique and second-hand bookstores. See the Victorian
spa town of Llandrindod Wells and journey through the gentle Welsh
countryside to Llangollen. Here visit Plas Newydd, home of the “Ladies of
Llangollen,” two eccentric literary ladies who were visited by many famous
writers. Drive to Chester to check into your hotel. This evening enjoy the
jollity of a medieval banquet at Ruthin Castle. (B, D)
DAY 7 SATURDAY - Chester and Caernarfon
Castle
Depart your
centrally located hotel on a short walking tour of central Chester to see
the medieval city walls and many black-and-white buildings. Motor along
the coast of North Wales, passing Conwy and its huge castle to visit
Caernarfon Castle. In 1283 Edward I built this massive fortress to show
his strength over the defeated Welsh. Travel up the Pass of Llanberis and
through Snowdonia National Park where the highest mountains in Wales are
grouped. Stop in the typical Welsh town of Betws-y-Coed before returning
to Chester in time to relax before dinner in your hotel.(B, D)
DAY 8 SUNDAY - Lake District and Edinburgh
Today drive north past Merseyside, made famous by the
Beatles in the 1960s. Travel through the Lake District, a scenic region
popular with painters and poets, especially William Wordsworth. See the
pretty towns of Windermere, Grasmere and Keswick and stop to admire the
delightful lakes shimmering between the gentle hills. Continue north
across the Scottish Border, past Gretna Green to the Moffat Woollen Mills
in the heart of the pastoral Southern Uplands. Continue north to Edinburgh
to check into your hotel, which is freshly renovated and located in the
Georgian New Town. Enjoy dinner in your hotel and perhaps take a walk
afterwards.(B, D)
DAY 9 MONDAY - Edinburgh City Tour
Today get to know the two main parts of the city center. Near
your hotel see the old medieval city around the Royal Mile. Then tour the
Georgian “New Town” with spacious houses, streets and parks. End your
morning with a visit to Edinburgh Castle which soars over the surrounding
city. The afternoon is free for independent activities. In the evening a
Scottish cabaret at Prestonfield House will introduce you to local
specialties, including haggis, neeps and tatties, followed by rousing
entertainment. (B, D)
DAY 10 TUESDAY - Wallace Monument and
Trossachs
Drive north to Stirling to visit the Wallace
Monument which honors Sir William “Braveheart” Wallace who united Scots
against English rule in the 12th century. Climb to the top of this
Victorian structure to see views of the entire area. Travel through the
Trossachs, often referred to as the “Highlands in miniature”. Rob Roy
McGregor lived in this region and visit the Rob Roy Centre in Callandar to
learn about his life. Enjoy some free time before returning to Edinburgh
where you are free to dine independently. On July 29 to August 12
departures see the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo which takes place on
the Castle Esplanade. (B)
DAY 11 WEDNESDAY - Traquair House and
York
Head south to visit Traquair House, a royal
hunting lodge until 1478. It passed to the Royal Stuart family who
enlarged it to create a family home that descendants still occupy. Drive
through the Borders Forest Park and view a portion of Hadrian’s Wall,
built by the Romans to keep out the unruly Scots. Continue south to reach
York where a walking tour around the center is the best way to appreciate
the narrow streets and medieval houses. See the Shambles where the
overhanging roofs almost form an arch across the street and end your tour
with a visit to York Minster, the largest cathedral in Britain. (B, D)
DAY 12 THURSDAY - Warwick and Anne Hathaway’s
Cottage
This morning travel south to visit Warwick
Castle. Take a guided tour to see the highlights of this huge fortress
which dates from medieval times and is also a stately home. Continue a
short distance to Stratford-upon-Avon. A few miles outside the town tour
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, owned by the family into which Shakespeare
married. Then drive into Stratford-upon-Avon and check into your hotel.
Enjoy some free time to look around the town before dinner. If you are
interested in theater you may like to check the availability of tickets to
the Globe Theatre. (B, D)
DAY 13 FRIDAY - Cotswolds and
Stratford-upon-Avon
This morning drive through the
Cotswolds, a region of profitable sheep farming during the Middle Ages.
Today it is famous for quaint villages built of golden limestone. Travel
to the villages of Stow-on-the-Wold and Broadway and stop to admire stone
houses and pretty gardens. Return to Stratford-upon-Avon to enjoy an
afternoon at leisure. The River Avon and the center of the town are very
close to your hotel. You may like to visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace to
learn about his life and times in the museum and walk through his house
which is now furnished in the style of his era. (B, D)
DAY 14 SATURDAY - Depart for Home or
London
For those of you on our 14-day program this is
the final day of your tour. Transfer by coach to Heathrow or Gatwick
Airports to arrive by 10:00 or 11:30 respectively. Lucky passengers on our
15-day tour will be transferred to the London hotel for check in and the
balance of the day is at leisure for independent activities. (B)
DAY 15 SUNDAY - Depart for U.S.
Transfer to the airport with an independent coach transfer.
Allow plenty of time to reach the airport to check in for your return
flight and perhaps do a little duty free shopping. (CB)
DEPARTURES
Departs
every Sunday from May 13 - October 7
HOTELS
Stay at the following (or similar):
• Hotel
Russell, London (2 nights)
• Hilton Bath Waterside Hotel, Bath (2
nights)
• Chester Moat House Hotel, Chester (2 nights)
• Roxburghe
Hotel, Edinburgh (3 nights)
• York Moat House Hotel, York (1
night)
• Stratford Moat House Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon (2
nights)
• Hotel Russell, London (1 night – 13 night tour option
only)
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