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These Great Tour Features Are Included
Excursions & Sights
* Visit Shakespeare's half-timbered birthplace in pretty Stratford-upon-Avon
* Enter York's medieval city walls to see the Minster & the tilting houses of the 'Shambles'
* See Durham's Castle and fine Romanesque Cathedral
* See part of the Roman built Hadrian's Wall
* See Jedburgh's ruined Abbey
* Visit Edinburgh Castle, New Town & drive the Royal Mile to Holyroodhouse Palace
* Visit St Andrews to see the famous golf course
* Visit Caithness Glass Factory
* Tour a Whisky Distillery, including a taste
* Drive through dramatic Glencoe
* Stop in the scenic Lake District town of Grasmere to visit Wordsworth's grave
* See Chester's 'Rows' & city walls
* Visit Dublin Castle & see the Customs House
* Visit Ireland's National Stud & Japanese Gardens
* See the Rock of Cashel Kiss the stone at Blarney Castle
* Visit Waterford Crystal showroom
* See Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and Castle
* Cross the mighty Severn bridge
* Visit the Roman Baths and pump rooms in Bath
* Visit prehistoric Stonehenge
Scenic drives
* English Lake District, Ring of Kerry, Scottish Highlands, Grampian Mountains
Guided City Tours
* In depth sightseeing tours in Edinburgh & Dublin
* Orientation tours in Stratford, York, Durham, Chester, Bath, & Waterford
Insight's First Class Services
* Escorted by a professional Tour Director
* Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
* First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
* Travel bag, document wallet, map book journal and information pack
* Free Airport transfers when booking our London hotel (see Savings page)
Quality Dining
* Traditional Highland Dinner with Scottish entertainment
* 12 full breakfasts and 6 three course evening meals with choice, or buffets, plus tea or coffee
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ITINERARY
Tour Pace
Well paced tour with two night stays in the contrasting cities of Edinburgh, Dublin & Tralee; plus the variation in pace with the two different Irish ferry crossings to Dublin and from Rosslare.
DAY 1 – LONDON – YORK
A warm welcome from your Tour Director this morning! We drive through the Oxfordshire countryside into the 'heart of England' to Stratford-upon-Avon, where we visit the birthplace of the Bard, William Shakespeare. Then we head north to York, the ancient capital of Viking Britain. History unfolds before us as we pass the crooked houses of the 'Shambles' to reach the Minster, England's largest medieval cathedral. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Drink with your fellow travellers. Hotel: Marriott. (Three or four course table d'hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 2 – YORK – EDINBURGH
First stop this morning is a visit to the city of Durham where we see the castle and the fine romanesque cathedral. We see an interesting section of Hadrian's Wall, Britain's most impressive Roman monument, before crossing the wild Northumberland moors into Scotland. We pass Jedburgh Abbey and the house of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots on our way to the elegant capital of Edinburgh, for our two night stay. Hotel: Point. (Full breakfast)
DAY 3 – EDINBURGH SIGHTSEEING
On our guided tour, we visit the castle dominating the city from its rocky crag. We also drive down the Royal Mile, past the venerable St Giles' Cathedral, to see the Queen's Holyroodhouse Palace before crossing over to the 18th century New Town. This afternoon there is time to shop on elegant Prince's Street. (This evening selected departuresenjoy the Military Tattoo – a colourful mixture of historic battles and modern military manoeuvres complete with pipes and drums.) (Full breakfast)
DAY 4 – EDINBURGH – HIGHLANDS
We cross the Firth of Forth to St Andrews, where golf was born in the 15th century. Then to Perth, to visit the famous Caithness Glass Factory. Next we visit a whisky distillery where the local water, the finest malt, and age old skills combine to produce a 'wee dram' which we'll be able to taste! Then over the Grampian Mountains for a warm highland welcome in Newtonmore. Tonight we enjoy a highlight dinner with haggis, accompanied by the sound of the bagpipes. Hotel: The Highlander. (Full breakfast, Speciality Highlight Dinner)
DAY 5 – HIGHLANDS – LAKE DISTRICT
Mountains and glens greet us this morning, as we drive through dramatic Glencoe. Then it's down to the 'bonnie' banks of Loch Lomond to board our highlight guided cruise on one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs. We then continue south through Glasgow into the Southern Uplands of Scotland before crossing the border to arrive at our hotel in the stunning English Lake District. Hotel: Windermere Hydro. (Full Breakfast, Three or four course table d’hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 6 – LAKE DISTRICT – CHESTER
This morning we have time to enjoy the beauty of the Lake District, whose combination of fells, lakes and valleys has made it the best loved scenery in England. There is time maybe to take a cruise on Lake Windermere, before we stop in Grasmere where the Lakeland poet William Wordsworth is buried. Then we continue to our hotel in Chester. Hotel: Hoole Hall. (Full Breakfast, Three or four course table d’hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 7 – CHESTER – DUBLIN
We step back into Roman times this morning in Chester. We see the ancient encircling walls and the remarkable 13th century black and white galleried 'Rows', now shopping arcades. We now continue into Wales. We glimpse the massive Conwy Castle before crossing the Menai Straits to pass through the world famous village with the very Welsh and unpronounceable name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch! Next stop is Holyhead from where we 'sail across the sea' to Ireland and its capital, Dublin for our two night stay. Hotel: Burlington. (Full breakfast)
DAY 8 – DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING
Today our local guide shows us Dublin's elegant Georgian squares, and the equally impressive Castle, which we visit (when open). We also see the Irish President's home in Phoenix Park, famous O'Connell Street and the historic Customs House. The afternoon is at leisure to shop in elegant Grafton Street, or continue sightseeing? Tonight, an Irish cabaret show and dinner is an option. (Full breakfast)
DAY 9 – DUBLIN – TRALEE
Today we drive to County Kildare, Ireland's premier thoroughbred horse country, for a guided tour of the National Stud. We also admire the adjoining Japanese Gardens. Now we view one of the great sights of Ireland, the Rock of Cashel. Then across the rolling pastures which encircle Tipperary, immortalised in the famous song! Tonight, we enjoy plenty of Irish hospitality in Tralee. Hotel: Abbey Gate. (Full Breakfast, Three or four course table d’hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 10 – RING OF KERRY EXCURSION
Our excursion today takes us around the magical Ring of Kerry. We venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lake lands and remote villages, and, above all, Ireland's highest mountain range; The MacGillicuddy Reeks. A sense of the unhurried pace of Irish life surrounds us as we view the three peaceful Lakes of Killarney. Before returning to Tralee you might wish to take a ride with the locals on one of Killarney's jaunting cars? (Full breakfast)
DAY 11 – TRALEE – WATERFORD
We cross the rugged Derrynasaggart Mountains to Blarney, where we visit the woollen mill and the ancient castle, where we'll never be lost for words after kissing the famous 'Blarney Stone'. Then on through the scenic port of Dungarvan to Waterford. Here, we admire the sparkling display of crystal and then on to our hotel for the night. Hotel: Dooleys. (Full Breakfast, Three or four course table d’hote or buffet style dinner)
DAY 12 – WATERFORD – CARDIFF
This morning we drive to Rosslare to take the ferry across the Irish Sea to Pembroke. Then we continue past the valleys of South Wales to the Welsh capital, Cardiff, famous for its imposing Castle and the new Millennium Stadium. Hotel: Jury's Cardiff. (Full breakfast)
DAY 13 – CARDIFF – LONDON
Today we drive across the Severn bridge, spanning the Bristol channel between England and Wales, then on to Bath with its Georgian streets and crescents, where we visit the Roman Baths. Now over Salisbury Plain to stop and visit the mysterious megaliths of Stonehenge. From here we're bound for London where our tour ends. (Full breakfast)
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