Great Britain 7 DAY TOUR

XGB16

TOUR ROUTE: London – Yorkshire – Edinburgh – Highlands – Liverpool – Cardiff – Bath - London

7 DAYS GREAT BRITAIN TOUR SUMMARY The dramatic history, gorgeous scenery, and centuries of culture will welcome you, as you tour the countries of Great Britain! Starting in London, you'll begin your UK coach holiday by travelling to Cambridge, home of that venerable, stately university. After visiting Yorkshire, the coach heads up to Scotland, allowing for some historical sight-seeing on the way, before arriving in Edinburgh. With a free day in Edinburgh, you'll be able to explore and experience all that Scottish hospitality has to offer, before travelling north to see the more rugged highlands. Next, we head to Liverpool, perfect for football and Beatles fans, and from there, it's on to Stratford-upon-Avon for theatre devotees. Your last day will take you to the famous Roman baths in Bath, and on to the ancient mysteries of Stonehenge. All too soon, your UK coach trip will carry you back to London, full of memories of amazing places, people, and experiences.

ITINERARY Day 1 – London - Yorkshire Welcome to your tour of Great Britain! Today, you will fill your lungs with fresh, English countryside air, as you depart the city of London, and head to where the grass is greener. Arriving in Cambridge, your first adventure will have you punting along the river in traditional style, taking in the stunning scenery and epic, historical buildings in the most relaxing way. Simply wonderful! The afternoon sees you continuing your rural journey towards York, a mecca for history buffs and lovers of fine architecture and culture. Your walking tour offers fascinating insights, stories and history of the city. Tonight, you will enjoy dinner in a traditional English pub - plenty of choices on the menu, including English favourites such as fish and chips or bangers and mash (delicious sausages and creamy mashed potatoes). Included Experiences: Cambridge River Punting. We visit this historic city renowned for its leading university. Savour the history and marvellous views as we punt along the river. Walking tour of York. Take a walking tour round this historic walled city with your tour leader. Dinner in a traditional English pub Accommodation - Ibis Budget Leeds Day 2 - Edinburgh Which will win your heart today: history or nature? From dawn till dusk, you will stand in places of historical battles, religious significance, ancient architecture and royal ruins, surrounded by breath-taking scenery and views that will make you rub your eyes in disbelief. Your first stop of the day is the iconic Hadrian’s Wall. Built by hand in 122 AD, its creation is extremely significant in the history of Great Britain, and it is one of the most visited cultural landmarks in the UK. Not too far away lies the border town of Jedburgh. Famed for its links to royalty and historical warfare, you will have an opportunity to explore the city and take in the amazing architecture, which speak for populations passed. The

Jedburgh Abbey ruins are incredible, and a visit is highly recommended. As you journey through Southern Scotland, relax and enjoy the beauty of the landscape drifting past. The city of Edinburgh is waiting for you, so be ready to embrace it with both arms. Your tour leader will take you on an evening guided walking tour that will help you get your bearings of this historic city, with stories oozing out of every cobble and doorstep. Time to enjoy some Scottish hospitality! Included Experiences: Photo stop at Hadrian's Wall. Visit Hadrian’s Wall on the border between England and Scotland. Visit to Jedburgh. Located on the border between Scotland and England, Jedburgh has a long history of royal connections and historic warfare. Explore the Abbey ruins and soak up the centuries of history in this amazing place. Edinburgh Walking Tour. Arrive in the capital of Scotland, and experience the sights and sounds as your tour leader takes you on an evening walking tour of this magnificent city. Accommodation - Ibis Budget Edinburgh Park Day 3 – Edinburgh – Free Day Don’t waste a minute! Today, you are free to explore the city as you wish, and there is so much to see and do. Known as the cultural capital of Scotland, Edinburgh is blessed with stunning grey stone buildings, along with architecture, art galleries, memorials and higher education faculties. Take a step back in time, and wander around the authentic, unchanged cobbled streets of the Royal Mile, and meander down to the Grass Market, to a row of pubs where public hangings used to ‘entertain’ the crowds. Edinburgh Castle is well worth the entry fee, and requires a few hours to explore and learn about Scottish history and royalty - there are wonderful views from the top! For those wishing to shop for souvenirs, Princes Street attracts shoppers from all over the world. The city comes alive at night, in the bars and pubs in the city centre. In the evening, why not enjoy a pint or a traditional whisky with the locals, or explore the city on a guided Ghost Tour that allows explore the secret, underground passages underneath the streets of the Royal Mile, and visit the local graveyards under the ‘brawd bricht moon licht nicht’ (superb, bright, moonlit night)! Accommodation – Ibis Budget Edinburgh Park Day 4 - Highlands Just over halfway through your Great Britain tour, you are now heading north to the Scottish Highlands, where we offer you an optional excursion that could change your life! Embark on a 1 hour cruise of Loch Ness, (home to ‘Nessie’ the Loch Ness Monster - see if you can spot her and take in the impressive ruins of Urquhart Castle as you drift past on your boat ride. Once back on the road, prepare for boldness and the symbol of the highlands. Rising out of the ground like a waking giant, behold the grandeur of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Whilst in the region, you will visit Glencoe – a spectacular Glen (Scottish for a deep valley in the Highlands) where the massacre of Glencoe took place in 1692 - one of the most fascinating yet saddest stories encompassing Scotland’s history. Your day will wind down with a wellearned whisky tasting at one of Scotland’s oldest, licensed whisky distilleries in Fort William, before continuing on to your hotel in the Scottish Highlands. Enjoy your final evening in this amazing country. Included Experiences: Whiskey Tasting, Highlands Scenic Drive Whiskey tasting at one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries in Fort William. As we head back south behold the grandeur of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, and Glen Coe, a spectacular glen with a fascinating history. Optional: Cruise on Loch Ness

Prepare for your breath to be taken away by the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands. You’ll have some free time where you may choose to embark on a cruise of Loch Ness – see if you can spot Nessie and the ruins of Urquhart Castle! Accommodation: Hotel Arrochar Hotel Espalanade in Dunoon Gleddoch House Hotel Langbank Royal Marine Hotel Dunoon Day 5 - Liverpool As your heart sinks at the thought of leaving Scotland, be reassured that there are exciting adventures to be had today in England! Your Great Britain tour will take a twist into modern history, as you head across the border, bound for Liverpool - the home of The Beatles and two world-famous premier league football clubs! On the way, you can soak up the last of the Scottish landscape, before reaching the picturesque Lake District for a lunch stop – the views are simply stunning! Once you have arrived in Liverpool, you will be shown the sights on our guided coach tour of the city. For football fans, Anfield Football Stadium (home to Liverpool FC) will excite. For Beatles fans., there are a myriad of locations that were significant to developing the world-class pop act, which shaped modern music as we know it. Home to Paul, John, George and Ringo, Liverpool inspired such timeless classics including ‘Strawberry Fields’ and ‘Penny Lane’. Upon checking in at the hotel, head to one of the many local pubs. Can’t get enough of Beatlemania? ‘The Cavern’ isn’t far away, and is a pub where identity of The Beatles was formed. Included Experiences: Visit to the Lake District of England. Here, you will have free time for a comfort stop in the beautiful village of Keswick (or similar), in the Lake District. Liverpool driving tour. Take a driving tour and see the Albert Dock, Anfield football stadium and a variety of locations connected to the Beatles. Accommodation - Ibis Liverpool Day 6 - Cardiff Theatre, literature and history buffs, unite! Upon leaving Liverpool, you shall be escorted to the birthplace of William Shakespeare - Stratford-upon-Avon. A guided walking tour will allow you to explore the quaint, historical village, and then you shall have free time to explore on your own. There are numerous Shakespearean attractions and fascinating historical locations to visit. For those who wish to delve into the life of Shakespeare more intimately, we can arrange an optional excursion for you to visit the home where he grew up as a child, where he also lived with his wife when they were newlyweds. Famous writers such as Charles Dickens, John Keats, Walter Scott and Thomas Hardy have also visited this dwelling. Sliding into south Wales, we take a photo stop at Caerphilly Castle, a medieval fortification built in the 13th Century, ranked the second largest castle in the UK. Surrounded by artificial lakes, not only is the architecture a sight to behold, but it was also a ground-breaking design back in its day. Heading onwards to the Welsh capital of Cardiff, you have an evening in which to enjoy the local nightlife on offer. Included Experiences: Visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare. You will have free time to wander the city and visit the Shakespearean attractions. Caerphilly Castle Photo stop. On our way to Cardiff we stop off for a quick photo stop at this impressive 700-year old castle.

Visit to Cardiff. We continue on to the Welsh capital where you have some free time to spend the evening as you wish.

Optional Excursion: Visit the house where William Shakespeare was born, grew up and played. He ate meals in the hall and he slept and dreamt in these rooms. Shakespeare also spent the first five years of married life in this house with his new wife, Anne Hathaway. Other famous writers have also visited here, including Charles Dickens, John Keats, Walter Scott and Thomas Hardy. Accommodation: Premier Inn Cardiff North Ibis Budget Cardiff Centre Ibis Bristol Temple Meads Novotel Bristol City Centre Day 7 – Bath - London This is the last day of your British Tour, and there is no sign of slowing down! The road from Cardiff to London is littered with history, stunning scenery and architectural delights. First stop for the day is Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring some of the finest architecture in Europe. Join us on a guided walking tour of the town, and learn about the historical significance of the region, including the natural hot springs that supply the Roman baths - visited by over 1 million international tourists every year! Continuing on the last legs of your journey, you have an optional excursion that could have you unravelling one of the worlds’ greatest mysteries. Stonehenge - need we say more? You have the opportunity to witness an ancient and awe-inspiring structure, which has baffled scientists, tourists and historians for centuries. As you board your coach for the last time on your Great Britain tour, take this chance to exchange contact details and share photos with new friends and fellow travellers, before you alight at your last stop in London. Included Experience: Bath Orientation tour. Your tour leader will point out all the main attractions of Bath, so you can make the most of your time here. Optional Excursions: Bath pump house. Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, and undoubtedly one of the highlights is the Roman Baths. Around Britain's only hot springs, the Romans built the finest religious spa in northern Europe. This great temple and bathing complex still flows with natural hot water. The extensive remains and a Roman museum of international significance lie beneath the Pump Room and Abbey Church Yard in the centre of Bath. Visit Stonehenge. We continue onto Stonehenge, an ancient and awe inspiring structure which has mystified tourists and historians alike for centuries, where you will have the option to walk round the ancient stone circle.

7 DAYS GREAT BRITAIN TOUR INCLUDES:         

6 nights’ accommodation in twin rooms. Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room. 6 Breakfast & 4 Dinners 15 Experiences (including guided walking tours, orientation tours plus other exciting experiences. Public transport used during sightseeing tours (Not on free days) Modern air-conditioned motor coach with reclining seats. Services of your tour leader, who will be on hand with advice and tips to ensure that you get the most from your trip. You can also book any optional excursions that are available during your tour with your tour leader (while on tour). All taxes and fees Experienced tour leader Sightseeing as described

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:     

International flights Insurance: All types Any visa’s that may be required Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry Any others expenses which are not mentioned at the included section

Optional Excursions * Please note that Optional Excursions can only be purchased from your Tour Leader while on tour. ** Optional Excursions are not included in the booking price.

ROMAN BATHS  

Price: approx. € 13.50 City: Bath Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, and undoubtedly one of the highlights is the Roman Baths. Around Britain's only hot springs, the Romans built the finest religious spa in northern Europe. This great temple and bathing complex still flows with natural hot water. The extensive remains and a Roman museum of international significance lie beneath the Pump Room and Abbey Church Yard in the centre of Bath. LOCH NESS CRUISE

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Price: approx. £ 13.50 City: Loch Ness Visit the home of the mysterious Loch Ness monster and enjoy a 1 hour cruise on the loch. Take in the sights and enjoy the serene surroundings. Have your cameras at the ready as you may even spot old Nessie.

STONEHENGE  

Price: approx. £ 14 City: Stonehenge Join the many that have seen the prehistoric, mysterious circle of upright stones in southern England. With Construction on the great monument beginning 5,000 years ago; it’s amazing to see that the famous stones still stand today. SHAKESPEARE'S HOUSE

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Price: approx. £15.90

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City: Stratford-Upon-Avon Visit the house where William Shakespeare was born, grew up and played. He ate meals in the hall and he slept and dreamt in these rooms. Shakespeare also spent the first five years of married life in this house with his new wife, Anne Hathaway. Other famous writers have also visited here, including Charles Dickens, John Keats, Walter Scott and Thomas Hardy. *** Accommodation is subject to change.