British
& Irish Grandeur
Deluxe
& Superior First Class Hotels: 14
Day Coach Tour
Tour
Highlights:
Scottish Cabaret Dinner Show
Taylor’s
Three Rock Evening
with Irish Traditional Music
Walking Tours
around Historic York & Derry
London & Dublin Open-top
Sightseeing Bus Tours
Hampton Court Palace
Edinburgh Castle
Giant’s Causeway
Ring of Kerry
Day 1:
Traditional Open-Top Independent Tour
Welcome to Heathrow
Airport, London! After immigration and baggage
claim, take an independent coach transfer to your hotel, located near the
Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Coaches operate
frequently. Relax in your hotel or take an independent open-top bus tour to
reach places that appeal to you. The bus stops near your hotel and you may
stay on the bus for the entire route or get on and off. In the evening meet
your guide and fellow travellers over a welcome drink
to discuss your vacation before dining together in your hotel. (D)
Day 2: Hampton Court Palace
& Gardens
This morning tour Hampton Court Palace,
which is set in handsome gardens and parkland close to the River Thames. See
the Tudor Kitchens, the great gatehouse, the orangery, the Hampton Court Vine
and the maze. Return to London
where the afternoon and evening are at leisure for independent activities. If
you did not use your independent bus tour pass (valid for 24 hours) on the
previous day, you may use it to explore this vibrant capital. (CB)
Day 3: Cambridge & York
Walking Tour
Drive north to visit the university
town of Cambridge.
See some of the famous colleges, including King’s College,
and the Mathematical
Bridge over the River
Cam. Head north to York
for a walking
tour to appreciate narrow streets and medieval houses, which
contain centuries of history. The stately York Minster, with towers and stained glass, is the
highlight of the walk. Check in to your hotel in York, located in a quiet area yet within
walking distance of the historic centre. (CB,D)
Day 4:
Borders Country & Abbotsford House
Drive north and view a portion of
Hadrian’s Wall before crossing the Scottish border at Carter Bar,
where you have sweeping views of the Cheviot Hills.
Stop in Jedburgh, a charming Borders town with romantic
abbey ruins. In Melrose
visit Abbotsford
House, Sir Walter Scott’s home until his death in 1832,
where he wrote most of his novels. View impressive collection of historic
relics and a library with over 9,000 rare volumes. Drive to Edinburgh and experience lively Scottish
entertainment as you dine at a traditional cabaret. (B,D).
Day 5: Edinburgh Castle & Guided City Tour
Discover Scotland’s capital on a
tour around the city centre. See Princes
Street, the main shopping thoroughfare which
divides the elegant Georgian “New Town” from the compact medieval
city. Tour Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown
Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. Also enjoy splendid views of
central Edinburgh.
The afternoon is free for independent sightseeing or shopping. On departures
on August 08 and 22, experience the colourful Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
(B)
Day 6:
Giant’s Causeway & Derry
This morning will be an early start
as you depart Edinburgh and drive Cairnryan to take a short ferry ride to Larne in Northern Ireland.
Drive along the “Nine Glens of Antrim,” with views of mountains,
valleys and coastline. Visit the Giant’s Causeway,
hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. The
enormous rocks have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn McCool.
Continue to Derry for your overnight stay.
(B,D)
Day 7: Ulster Folk
Park & Dublin
This morning join a local guide for a
short walking
tour around the ancient city of Derry, surrounded by the medieval city
walls. Near Omagh visit the Ulster American Folk Park to
see many cottages and traditional skills. The Park traces the story of Ulster emigrants and shows how rural
lifestyles in both Ireland
and America
in Colonial times. Travel south to Dublin
where the evening is free. (B)
Day 8:
Book of Kells & Taylor’s Three Rock Pub
Take a morning tour around central Dublin, with spacious
Georgian squares and streets, landmark public buildings and graceful
townhouses. Tour
Trinity College
to see the campus and view the Book of Kells in the Old Library. The afternoon is free
and you may take an open-top bus tour with a Guinness or Jameson visit.
Enjoy dinner at Taylor’s
Three Rock Pub followed by an upbeat show with Irish music and
dance. (B,D)
Day 9:
Rock of Cashel & Killarney
Depart Dublin and drive south through pleasant
farming country. Visit the Rock of Cashel, where Brian Boru
was crowned King of Munster in 977. See the 12th century
highly-decorated Cormac’s Chapel, the large
cruciform cathedral and a round tower. Continue to the famous town of Killarney and check into
your lovely centrally-located hotel with state-of-the-art pool and spa
facilities. (B,D)
Day 10:
Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Embark on the Ring of Kerry tour for
constantly-changing vistas of mountains, open Atlantic
Ocean, beaches and cliffs. As you travel, enjoy plenty of breaks
to admire the natural beauty. View the Essence of Kerry audio visual show
near the Gap of Dunloe. Visit the Skellig Experience
to learn about early Christian monks who created a community on the rocky
offshore islands and about the prolific bird life today. Stop at Moll’s
Gap for panoramic views before returning to Killarney. (B,D)
Day 11:
Blarney Castle & “Titanic”
Walk
Visit the famous Blarney Castle
this morning and climb to the ramparts to kiss the “Stone of
Eloquence.” Travel through the outskirts of Cork
city to Cobh, the port town which was the
last scheduled stopping place for the “Titanic.” Take a brief walk
with a local guide to see places associated with that fateful journey. Drive
along the south coast via Youghal to Wexford for dinner and overnight stay.
(B,D)
Day 12:
Ferry to South Wales & Bath
It’s an early start today as
you depart Wexford for a short drive to Rosslare to catch the ferry to
South Wales. Journey through pleasant
farming country and along the southern part of Wales,
passing former coal mining valleys and the built-up areas around Cardiff. Drive across
the River Severn
Bridge into England to Bristol. Check into your hotel, located in
the heart of the city and relax before dinner. (B,D)
Day 13:
Roman Baths & Stonehenge
This morning explore Bath,
popular for its natural hot springs
with the Romans 2,000 years ago and again in fashion in the 18th
century Regency period. Visit the Roman Baths and Pump Room,
wonderfully preserved after two millennia and drive around the stately
mansions of the Royal Crescent
and Queen’s Square. Drive to Salisbury Plain to view the prehistoric
circle of vast monoliths at Stonehenge.
Continue into London
and check in to your hotel once again. (B)
Day 14:
Depart for Home
As today is departure day, travel to Heathrow Airport by group coach transfer and
allow plenty of time for check in formalities. Transfers to and from Gatwick Airport can be arranged at additional
cost. (CB)
Tour run 18 April – 3 October
2010
Departs Sunday each fortnight
|
Tour Dates
|
Price
|
|
18 April
|
$3460
|
|
2 May > 16 May
|
$3650
|
|
30 May > 25 July
|
$3805
|
|
8 August > 22 August
|
$4035
|
|
5 September > 19 September
|
$3805
|
|
3 October
|
$3560
|
All rates are in Australian
dollars pre person twin share
Single supplement $1075
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES
• Group
transfers on arrival and departure from Heathrow Airport
• Sightseeing
by luxury coach throughout
• Round trip
ferry transportation between Britain
& Ireland
• London
& Dublin open-top bus tours
• Visit and a
drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery
• Services of
a professional tour director
• Local
guides in London, Edinburgh
& Dublin
• Deluxe and
superior first class hotels with private bath/shower for 13 nights
• 10 full
breakfasts (B) and 3 continental breakfasts in London (CB)
• 9 dinners
(D) including:
- Welcome dinner in London
-
Scottish cabaret and dinner in Edinburgh
-
Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment at Taylor’s Three Rock Pub
- 6
table d’hôte dinners
• Welcome
get-together drink
• Walking
tours of York and Derry
• Reserved
seats for Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 08 and 22 departures
•
“Titanic” walking tour of Cobh
• Visits and
admissions to Hampton Court Palace, York Minster, Abbotsford House, Edinburgh
Castle, Giant’s Causeway, Ulster American Folk Park, Book of Kells at
Trinity College, Rock of Cashel, Essence of Kerry, Skellig
Experience, Blarney Castle, Roman Baths & Pump Room and Stonehenge
• Deluxe flight bag, ticket
wallet, luggage tags & strap
•
All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per
person
YOUR HOTELS
Stay
at the following (or similar):
Mercure
Bankside Hotel, London (2 nights)
Marriott
Hotel, York (1 night)
Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh (2 nights)
Everglades
Hotel, Derry
(1 night)
Royal
Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (2 nights)
Killarney
Plaza Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
White’s
Hotel, Wexford (1 night)
Radisson
Blu Hotel, Bristol (1 night)
Mercure
Bankside Hotel, London (1 night)
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