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English & Scottish Discovery
Superior First Class Hotels: 8 Day Coach Tour
Tour
Highlights:
London Pub
Welcome Dinner
Edinburgh Twilight
Tour with Dinner
Hampton Court Palace
London
Open-top Sightseeing Bus Tour
Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage in the Lake
District
Day 1: London Arrival &
Introductory Tour
Welcome to Heathrow
Airport, London! After immigration and baggage
claim, take an independent coach transfer to your hotel, located on Tottenham Court Road. Coaches operate frequently. Use
your London open-top hop-on hop-off independent bus
tour voucher to reach places all around London that appeal to you. You may choose
to stay on the bus for the entire route and enjoy the commentary. In the
evening meet your guide and fellow travellers over
a welcome drink
to discuss your vacation before heading to a real English pub for some
typical food. (D)
Day 2: Hampton Court
& Leisure Time
This morning drive to Hampton Court Palace,
which is set in handsome gardens and parkland close to the River Thames. Tour
the Palace to 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 voucher on the previous day, you may use it to discover the heart of
this vibrant capital. The pass is valid for 24 hours. (CB)
Day 3: Cotswolds & Chester
Drive through part of the Cotswolds, a delightful hilly region with honey-collared
stone houses, many dating back to medieval times. Stop in Stratford-upon-Avon
for a look around on your own to see Shakespeare’s Birthplace and some
of the old black-and-white houses. Continue your drive to Chester and check in to your hotel. Then
take a walking
tour to explore the narrow old streets of Chester. See the black-and-white Rows and
walk along parts of the medieval city walls. (CB,D)
Day 4:
Lake District & Gretna Green
Travel through the glorious Lake District to enjoy stunning views of shimmering
lakes, gentle hills and valleys. Stop in the quaint village of Grasmere
to visit Dove
Cottage, where William Wordsworth penned some of his most
popular lines. Also see his grave in the village churchyard. Cross the border
into Scotland and stop at Gretna
Green, one of the world’s most popular
wedding destinations. Drive through the Borders region to Edinburgh and your hotel in the “New
Town.” In the evening take a tour of Edinburgh’s
hidden gems and dine at a waterside restaurant in Leith. (B,D)
Day 5 :
Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
Explore central Edinburgh this morning, starting in the
200-year-old “New Town” with its planned streets and elegant
Georgian houses, homes of many famous writers and inventors. See the Royal
Mile where the old medieval houses are clustered. Tour Edinburgh Castle where the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the
Stone of Destiny are housed. The afternoon is free for independent
activities. On August 06, 13 and 20 departures watch the spectacular Military Tattoo
at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 6: Stirling
Castle, Glen Coe &
Traditional Music
Visit the mighty Stirling Castle,
captured from the English in 1297 by William Wallace and again in 1314 by
Robert the Bruce. Drive through Callander and into
the scenic Trossachs region, called “The
Highlands in Miniature.” Stop at Kilmahog Woollen
Mill, which stocks a large selection of Scottish goods and
whiskies. Travel across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, notorious for the
massacre of the Clan Macdonald by the Campbells. Check in to your
lovely Highlands hotel and enhance the Highland
atmosphere when a Scottish
piper and step-dancer perform for you after dinner. (B,D)
Day 7:
Highlands & Loch Lomond Cruise
Travel through wonderful Highland scenery with many bodies of water. Drive by
Loch Etive and Loch Awe and through Glen Aray to the Georgian town of Inveraray on the
shores of Loch Fyne. The New Town of Inveraray was built between 1753 and 1776 by the 3rd
Duke of Argyll who decided to move the existing town to landscape his
splendid new castle
properly. Cross the mountain pass of “Rest and Be Thankful” to Loch Lomond. Embark on a scenic cruise to admire
panoramic views of Highland peaks before driving into Glasgow for a short orientation tour. (B,D)
Day 8:
Homeward bound
Your tour ends today with a group
transfer to Glasgow
Airport. (B)
Tour
runs
9
April – 29 October 2010
Departure
Fridays
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Tour Dates
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Prices
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9 April > 23 April
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$1805
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7 May > 21 May
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$1920
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28 May > 18 June
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$2000
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25 June > 20 August
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$2175
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27 August > 24
September
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$2000
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1 October > 29 October
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$1805
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Rates
are in Australian dollars per person twin share basis
Single
supplement $635
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES
• Group
transfers on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing
by luxury coach throughout
• London open-top bus tour
• Services of
a professional driver/guide
• Local
guides in London and Edinburgh
• Superior
first class hotels with private bath/shower for 7 nights
• 7
breakfasts (B) (continental breakfasts in London CB)
• 5 dinners
(D) including:
- Welcome dinner at a local London pub
-
Dinner in waterfront restaurant in Leith,
near Edinburgh
• Welcome
get-together drink
• Walking
tour of Chester
• Twilight
sightseeing tour of Edinburgh
• Display of
Scottish piping and step-dancing in Ballachulish
• Loch Lomond sightseeing cruise
• Reserved
seats for Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 06, 13 and 20 departures
• Visits and
admissions to Hampton Court Palace, Dove Cottage, Gretna Green, Edinburgh
Castle, Stirling Castle, Kilmahog
Woollen Mill,
• 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):
Grafton
Hotel, London (2 nights)
Crabwall Manor Hotel, Chester (1 night)
Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh (2 nights)
Isles
of Glencoe Hotel, Ballachulish (1 night)
Menzies Hotel, Glasgow (1 night)
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