Itinerary
- Day 1
London
You'll check into your London hotel and then have the afternoon free to get your bearings. Consider walking along the Serpentine in Hyde Park, browsing the shops in Knightsbridge, or heading down to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London along the Thames. It's a good chance to shake off any travel fatigue and see what interests you most.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Clermont Victoria, London)
Optional Activities
- Walk along the Serpentine in Hyde Park
- Window shop in Knightsbridge
- Stroll along the Thames to Tower Bridge
- Visit Tower of London
Landmarks Tower Bridge Tower of London Serpentine Knightsbridge 
- Day 2
London to Edinburgh
This morning you'll head to the train station for a standard-class journey through the English countryside into Scotland. The route takes you through green rolling hills and villages as you make your way north. Once you arrive in Edinburgh, you'll get transferred to your hotel. After settling in, the rest of the day is yours to relax or take a walk around the city before meeting your Travel Director and the other travelers this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Apex Waterloo Place, Edinburgh)
Included Activities
- Train journey through English countryside to Scotland
- Day 3
Edinburgh
A Local Expert guides you through Edinburgh's key sights starting with a drive along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial and the neoclassical architecture of the 18th-century New Town. Then you'll head to the Old Town to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, where you can see Mons Meg, the Stone of Destiny, and the Crown Jewels. The afternoon gives you free time, so the National Gallery is worth considering. Some departures also include The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at the castle this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Modern European cuisine at a quirky bistro in Leith)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Apex Waterloo Place, Edinburgh)
Included Activities
- Guided city drive along Princes Street to Scott Memorial
- Tour of 18th-century New Town with neoclassical Adam facades
- Visit Palace of Holyroodhouse
- Explore Edinburgh Castle including Mons Meg, Stone of Destiny, and Crown Jewels
- The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (select departures)
Optional Activities
- Visit the National Gallery
Landmarks Edinburgh Castle Princes Street Scott Memorial Palace of Holyroodhouse National Gallery of Scotland Mons Meg Stone of Destiny - Day 4
Edinburgh to Lake District
You'll leave Edinburgh and travel to Ardgowan, a 10,000-acre coastal estate where Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart shows you around his family castle and shares the history of the Shaw Stewart family and their conservation work. From there, you head to Gretna Green to see the famous blacksmith's shop where couples were married in secret, then continue into the Lake District for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Castle Green, Kendal), Hotel (The Ro, Windermere)
Included Activities
- Tour of Ardgowan Estate and family castle with Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart
- Learn about Shaw Stewart family history and conservation efforts
- Visit Gretna Green blacksmith's shop
Landmarks Ardgowan Estate Gretna Green - Day 5
Lake District
Today you're spending time in the Lake District, the landscape that inspired so many English poets. You'll visit Wordsworth's grave at Grasmere churchyard, then board a boat for a cruise on Windermere to see the mountains, quiet bays, and wooded islands from the water. Later in the day, you'll climb aboard a steam train that runs along the River Leven, giving you another perspective of the scenery.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Ro, Windermere)
Included Activities
- Visit Wordsworth's grave at Grasmere
- Relaxing cruise on Windermere
- Steam train ride along the banks of River Leven
Landmarks Grasmere Windermere River Leven 
- Day 6
Lake District to York
After a leisurely morning, you're heading through the Yorkshire Dales to Haworth to visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum and learn about the famous literary family. Then you'll continue to York for the evening. There's a special Dine-at-Home Experience arranged at Thirsk Hall, a Grade II listed town house built in 1720 and expanded by York architect John Carr in 1770, where you'll have dinner with a local family.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at the historic Thirsk Hall, a Grade II* listed town house built in 1720 and extended in 1770 by York architect John Carr)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton, York)
Included Activities
- Visit Brontë Parsonage Museum
- Dine-at-Home Experience at historic Thirsk Hall
Landmarks Brontë Parsonage Museum Haworth Thirsk Hall - Day 7
York
You'll explore York, one of England's oldest cities with roots going back to Viking times in the 9th and 10th centuries. Walking within the town walls with a Local Expert, you'll see York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral in Britain. After that, you can wander the narrow, cobbled Shambles. In the afternoon you have a choice: either visit the National Railway Museum with over 300 years of railway history, or go deeper into York Minster's historical stories.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton, York)
Included Activities
- Walking tour within town walls with Local Expert
- Visit York Minster - Britain's largest medieval cathedral
- Explore the Shambles - narrow cobbled streets
Optional Activities
- Visit National Railway Museum (Insight Choice - choose one)
- Delve deeper into York Minster's historic and human stories (Insight Choice - choose one)
Landmarks York Minster Shambles National Railway Museum - Day 8
York to Cardiff
You'll start the day at Anne Hathaway's Cottage in Shottery, a 15th-century timber-framed farmhouse where Shakespeare is said to have courted his wife. Then it's on to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Shakespeare's birthplace, a Tudor house that's now a museum with original furnishings and documents. From there you'll cross into Wales and reach Cardiff, which became the nation's capital in 1955. An optional evening experience features traditional Welsh music and storytelling with locally inspired food.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Indigo, Wales)
Included Activities
- Visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage
- Visit Shakespeare's birthplace and museum
- Explore Stratford-upon-Avon
Optional Activities
- Optional Experience featuring traditional Welsh music, storytelling, and locally inspired menu
Landmarks Anne Hathaway's Cottage Shakespeare's Birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon - Day 9
Cardiff
A Local Expert walks you through Cardiff Castle, which sits on Roman foundations and was transformed in the 19th century to reveal layers of Welsh history. Your Travel Director then gives you an orientation to the city's main landmarks including the Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, Pierhead Building, and The Senedd, the Welsh Parliament building. After that, you have time to explore on your own, whether that's visiting a museum, walking along the bay, or stopping at a café.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Indigo, Wales)
Included Activities
- Guided visit through Cardiff Castle with Local Expert
- Orientation tour with Travel Director to see Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, Pierhead Building, and The Senedd
Optional Activities
- Visit a museum
- Stroll along the bay
- Explore local cafes
Landmarks Cardiff Castle Principality Stadium Wales Millennium Centre Pierhead Building The Senedd - Day 10
Cardiff to Bath
You're traveling through the Cotswold hills where you'll see golden stone villages with roses climbing the doors. Next is Blenheim Palace, a grand English Baroque building with beautiful gardens, where a historian gives you a talk about Churchill's life there. From there, you'll head to Bath, an elegant Georgian city built in an amphitheater style on the surrounding hills. Your Travel Director will show you Pulteney Bridge, built from the mellow local stone that gives the city its character.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lansdown Grove, Bath)
Included Activities
- Visit Blenheim Palace
- Talk by historian about Churchill's life at Blenheim
- Orientation to Bath including Pulteney Bridge and Royal Crescent
Landmarks Blenheim Palace Pulteney Bridge Royal Crescent Bath Abbey - Day 11
Bath
Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built around one of Britain's thermal mineral springs. You'll visit the Roman Baths, one of the best-preserved ancient bathhouses in Northern Europe, and see the Sacred Spring, the Great Bath, temple remains, and museum displays of artifacts found on site. The waters still flow here, so if you want, Thermae Spa is open for soaking and relaxation. This evening you'll join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a celebration dinner at Brasserie Blanc.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (French-inspired meal at Brasserie Blanc with Travel Director and fellow travellers)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lansdown Grove, Bath)
Included Activities
- Visit Roman Baths
- Explore Sacred Spring, Great Bath, temple remains, and museum displays
Optional Activities
- Visit Thermae Spa for soaking and relaxation
Landmarks Roman Baths Thermae Spa - Day 12
Bath to London
You're heading across Salisbury Plain to Stonehenge, the prehistoric site where megaliths have stood for up to 5,000 years, and then continuing to Salisbury in Wiltshire. You'll have time for lunch and walking around to see the tallest cathedral spire in England and observe the city's architectural mix of medieval walls, half-timbered Tudor houses, Georgian mansions, and Victorian villas. After that, you'll travel back to London where your journey concludes at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walk around Stonehenge megaliths
Optional Activities
- Lunch and explore Salisbury
- See Salisbury Cathedral with England's tallest spire
- Observe architectural timeline in Salisbury streets
Landmarks Stonehenge Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury
