15 Day British & Irish Grandeur

British & Irish Grandeur 15 Days / 14 Nights

For single tour rate, please add AU$1,729 single room supplement to featured price.

Itinerary

Day 1: London Arrival & TourYour vacation starts at your London hotel at 2:00 pm when you meet your tour director. Head out on a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Meet your tour director and fellow travelers for a welcome drink and discuss your trip before sitting down to dinner.(D)

Day 2: Tower of London & City SightsToday you may schedule your London sightseeing as you wish on an open-top bus tour around the many famous landmarks. There are a number of different bus routes as well as a walking tour and a cruise on the River Thames. Visit either the Tower of London to view the magnificent Crown Jewels or Kensington Palace, home of Princess Diana. You are free to choose a restaurant to dine independently.(B)

Day 3: Shakespeare’s Birthplace & YorkDrive north through the picturesque Cotswolds region to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace to see an exhibition about his life and work. Enter the house where he was born to see rooms furnished as they would have been in his day. 2016 commemorates the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Take a little free time before traveling north to your hotel in York.(B, D)

Day 4: Alnwick Castle & Edinburgh EveningTake a walking tour around York to appreciate narrow streets and medieval houses and view the stately York Minster. Head north to visit Alnwick Castle, the second largest inhabited castle in England. View the lavish State Rooms with a stunning array of artifacts and walk through Alnwick Garden. Travel through the Northumberland National Park and on to your hotel near Edinburgh where you’ll experience a Scottish Evening with bagpipes and fun music.(B, D)

Day 5: Edinburgh Castle & Guided City TourDiscover Edinburgh’s highlights on a city tour. See the elegant Georgian “New Town” with spacious streets and the compact medieval city along the Royal Mile. Tour Edinburgh Castle to view the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. Also enjoy splendid views of central Edinburgh. The rest of the day is free for independent activities. On Aug 07 to 21 departures, experience the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.(B)

Day 6: Titanic Belfast & Ballygally Castle StayThis morning will be an early start as you drive to Cairnryan for a short ferry ride to Belfast. Take a panoramic tour to see the highlights, including Victorian buildings, the impressive City Hall and the shipyards where RMS Titanic was built in 1912. Visit Titanic Belfast to learn about this ill-fated famous liner through state-of-the-art displays. Continue to historic Ballygally Castle Hotel in time for dinner and your overnight stay.(B, D)

Day 7: Giant’s Causeway & Derry WalkTravel along the scenic coastal route of the Nine Glens of Antrim and visit the Giant's Causeway, hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Continue to Derry for a walking tour around the medieval city walls with a local guide. Drive south to your Victorian hotel located on Dublin Bay, a few miles from the city.(B)

Day 8: Dublin Tour & Taylor’s Three Rock PubThis morning tour central Dublin to see spacious Georgian squares and streets, landmark public buildings and graceful townhouses. Take a guided walking tour of Trinity College’s campus and view the priceless Book of Kells. The afternoon is free and enjoy dinner at Taylor’s Three Rock Pub followed by a show with Irish music and dance.(B, D)

Day 9: Cliffs of Moher & KillarneyThis morning drive through central Ireland to view the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast. These magnificent cliffs extend for five miles and rise to heights of almost 700 feet. The offer wonderful views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. Take a ferry across the River Shannon Estuary to reach Killarney and check in to your centrally-located hotel.(B, D)

Day 10: Ring of Kerry & SheepdogsDrive to the delightful town of Kenmare for a look around and savor a casual lunch. Travel along part of the awesome Ring of Kerry route to view spectacular scenery at Moll’s Gap and at Ladies’ View. Stop at a sheep farm watch trained dogs herding sheep before returning to Killarney where the evening is free.(B, L)

Day 11: Blarney Castle & Waterford CrystalVisit the famous Blarney Castle this morning to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence” and shop at the Blarney Woollen Mills. Travel to Waterford and at the House of Waterford Crystal see how glass is blown and cut by master craftspeople and view a collection of amazing trophies. In the evening take a gentle walking tour with a local guide to discover the history of this old port city.(B, D)

Day 12: South Wales & Welsh Evening in CardiffDepart Waterford early this morning to catch the ferry from Rosslare to South Wales. Journey through South Wales, where coal used to be mined, to Cardiff, capital of Wales. Tour Cardiff Castle, developed in Roman times and transformed into an elaborate 19th century Gothic-style residence. Head to a Welsh evening for dinner and typical Welsh music and entertainment.(B, D)

Day 13: Roman Baths & StonehengeThis morning drive to Bath, popular for its natural hot springs with the Romans 2,000 years ago and again in the 18th century. Tour the Roman Baths and Pump Room, well preserved after two millennia and renowned for hot springs. Drive to Salisbury Plain to view the prehistoric circle of vast monoliths at Stonehenge. Continue to London and check in your hotel.(B)

Day 14: Extend your Stay in Londonhave a full day at leisure. You may use your vouchers for an open-top bus tour and visits to either the Tower of London or Kensington Palace, if you did not use them on day 2.(B)

Day 15: Tour Ends Heathrow AirportYour tour ends after breakfast.(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner