Itinerary
- Day 1
London
After arriving in London, you'll check into your hotel and have the afternoon to yourself. Uniformed staff are on hand if you need help getting your bearings or want suggestions for what to do nearby. It's a good time to rest up after travel or take a casual walk around your neighborhood to get a feel for the area.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel London West)
Optional Activities
- Explore the lively British capital on your own
- Day 2
London
Today's completely flexible. You can join an optional morning tour with a local guide to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus, or wander around London on your own. Later in the day, there's an optional visit to either Windsor Castle or the Tower of London if you want. By evening, you might consider the optional River Thames illumination cruise that includes dinner and a guided commentary on the sights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel London West)
Optional Activities
- Local Guide morning sightseeing tour - Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted horseguards, Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace
- Visit Windsor Castle
- Visit Tower of London with Crown Jewels
- Taste of London excursion with dinner and guided illumination cruise on the River Thames
Landmarks Houses of Parliament Big Ben Westminster Abbey Buckingham Palace Piccadilly Circus Windsor Castle Tower of London River Thames - Day 3
London to Plymouth
Leaving at 8 am, you'll head west into the English countryside. Stonehenge in Wiltshire is your first stop, where you'll explore the visitor center and see this iconic monument up close. From there, the route takes you through Dartmoor National Park to the small village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. By afternoon, you'll arrive in Plymouth to learn about Sir Francis Drake and the Mayflower Steps, which connect to early American history.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel London West), Hotel (Leonardo Hotel Plymouth)
Included Activities
- Visit Stonehenge and explore visitor center
- Visit Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park
- Mayflower Steps viewing and Sir Francis Drake history tour in Plymouth
Landmarks Stonehenge Dartmoor National Park Widecombe-in-the-Moor Mayflower Steps - Day 4
Plymouth to Cardiff
Starting early, you'll travel through the West Country passing Glastonbury with its connections to Arthurian legend. The route then leads to Bath, a Georgian city where you can see Roman remains and impressive architecture throughout. After crossing the Severn Bridge into Wales, you'll drive around Cardiff to see the major attractions. This evening, there's an optional Welsh cultural event featuring dinner and wine if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Leonardo Hotel Plymouth), Hotel (Mercure Cardiff North Hotel)
Included Activities
- Glastonbury sightseeing
- Bath sightseeing - Roman relics and Georgian architecture
- Cardiff orientation drive - Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Millennium Stadium, civic buildings
Optional Activities
- Welsh cultural dinner excursion with local specialties and wine
Landmarks Glastonbury Bath Severn Bridge Cardiff Castle Millennium Stadium - Day 5
Cardiff to Rosslare
The drive takes you through scenic dairy farmland to reach the seaside resort of Tenby. From there, you continue to Pembroke and board a ferry across St. George's Channel to Ireland. The crossing takes about four hours, and you'll arrive at Rosslare on the Irish coast.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Cardiff North Hotel), Hotel (Majestic Hotel)
Included Activities
- Tenby sightseeing
- Ferry crossing to Ireland
Landmarks Tenby Pembroke - Day 6
Rosslare to Killarney
Driving along Ireland's southern coast, you'll see why the country earned its nickname. Cork, Ireland's second-largest city, is your first major stop. Later, you'll head to Blarney to visit the castle and kiss the famous Stone of Eloquence if you'd like, plus browse Irish crafts and crystal in the shops. The route ends in Killarney, a popular resort town, where you'll stay for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Majestic Hotel), Hotel (Killarney Court Hotel)
Included Activities
- Blarney Castle visit including Stone of Eloquence
- Blarney shopping for Irish crafts and handmade crystal
Landmarks Cork Blarney Castle Stone of Eloquence - Day 7
Killarney
Today features the Ring of Kerry, a 100-mile scenic coastal drive starting at Killorglin. You'll take in seascapes, mountains with brightly painted farmhouses, winding lanes, and subtropical plants along the way. Ladies View offers spectacular vistas of the Lakes of Killarney. After returning to Killarney, there's an optional horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park that passes by Ross Castle.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Killarney Court Hotel)
Included Activities
- Ring of Kerry 100-mile coastal panoramic drive
Optional Activities
- Horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle
Landmarks Ring of Kerry Ladies View Killarney National Park Ross Castle Lakes of Killarney - Day 8
Killarney to Shannon
Heading to the Dingle Peninsula, you'll drive the scenic 32-mile Slea Head route with magnificent Atlantic Ocean views. The Blasket Islands are visible from here, and you'll learn about the literary heritage of the people who lived there before evacuation in 1953. Later, you'll pass through Adare with its thatched-roof cottages before reaching Shannon. An optional castle medieval banquet this evening offers a 4-course meal with wine, music, and storytelling.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Killarney Court Hotel), Hotel (Treacys Oakwood Hotel)
Included Activities
- Dingle Peninsula exploration
- Slea Head 32-mile drive with Atlantic Ocean views
- Blasket Islands viewing and history lesson
- Adare village sightseeing
Optional Activities
- Irish castle medieval banquet with 4-course feast, wine, music, and storytelling
Landmarks Dingle Peninsula Slea Head Blasket Islands Adare - Day 9
Shannon to Dublin
This morning takes a scenic route via the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren on the way to Galway, a lively seaside town known for vibrant shops, cafes, and bars. You'll have time to explore before heading across the Shannon toward Dublin. Back in Dublin this evening, there's an optional outing to Taylors Irish Cabaret that includes dinner, drinks, and live Irish music, dance, and comedy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Treacys Oakwood Hotel), Hotel (Maldron Hotel Merrion Road)
Included Activities
- Cliffs of Moher viewing
- The Burren sightseeing
- Galway sightseeing
Optional Activities
- Taylors Irish Cabaret with dinner, drinks, Irish music, dance, and comedy
Landmarks Cliffs of Moher The Burren Galway Shannon - Day 10
Dublin
Beginning with an orientation drive through Dublin, you'll see O'Connell Street lined with statues, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. The afternoon is free, so you can explore the city at your own pace. This evening, there's an optional tour at the Guinness Storehouse where you'll learn about the history and brewing techniques, plus enjoy a tasting and dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Maldron Hotel Merrion Road)
Included Activities
- Dublin orientation drive - O'Connell Street, Georgian squares, St. Patrick's Cathedral
Optional Activities
- Guinness Storehouse tour with history and brewing techniques lesson, tasting, and dinner
Landmarks O'Connell Street St. Patrick's Cathedral Guinness Storehouse - Day 11
Dublin to Liverpool
Taking the ferry across the Irish Sea, you'll reach Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey. From there, you'll explore North Wales and visit Caernarfon Castle, historically significant as the place where Charles was invested as Prince of Wales. The route continues to Liverpool, known for its Beatles heritage and its past as a major departure point for transatlantic ocean liners.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Maldron Hotel Merrion Road), Hotel (Leonardo Hotel Liverpool)
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing from Dublin to Holyhead
- North Wales exploration
- Caernarfon Castle visit
Landmarks Holyhead Anglesey Caernarfon Castle - Day 12
Liverpool to Glasgow
Today's route leads into the Lake District, often called England's finest national park and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll stop at Gretna Green, famous for its blacksmith who married runaway couples. From there, the journey continues through the Lowland Hills rich in history before reaching Glasgow, Scotland's largest city.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Leonardo Hotel Liverpool), Hotel (Moxy Glasgow Merchant City)
Included Activities
- Lake District sightseeing
- Gretna Green visit
Landmarks Lake District Gretna Green - Day 13
Glasgow to Grantown-on-Spey
Traveling through wild Scottish landscapes, you'll pass Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, and the dramatic Glen Coe. Reaching Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, you'll follow the Great Glen and the Caledonian Canal, then drive along the banks of Loch Ness, home to the legendary creature Nessie. After passing through Inverness and stopping at Culloden Moor battlefield, you'll reach your overnight destination.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Moxy Glasgow Merchant City), Hotel (Strathspey Hotel)
Included Activities
- Loch Lomond sightseeing
- Rannoch Moor viewing
- Glen Coe sightseeing
- Fort William at Ben Nevis
- Great Glen and Caledonian Canal sightseeing
- Loch Ness drive
- Inverness sightseeing
- Culloden Moor battlefield visit
Landmarks Loch Lomond Rannoch Moor Glen Coe Fort William Ben Nevis Caledonian Canal Loch Ness Inverness Culloden Moor - Day 14
Grantown-on-Spey to Edinburgh
More Highland scenery unfolds as you drive through the day with a stop in Pitlochry, a Victorian mountain resort. Continuing via Perth and Dundee, you'll cross the Tay Bridge to St. Andrews. There, you'll visit the historic Royal and Ancient Golf Club founded in 1754. The route heads through Fife and over the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. Tonight offers an optional authentic Scottish evening with traditional food, drinks, bagpipes, singers, dancers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Strathspey Hotel), Hotel (Novotel Edinburgh Park)
Included Activities
- Pitlochry sightseeing
- Perth sightseeing
- Dundee sightseeing
- Tay Bridge crossing
- St. Andrews sightseeing with Royal and Ancient Golf Club viewing
- Fife sightseeing
- Forth Road Bridge crossing
Optional Activities
- Authentic Scottish evening with traditional food, drinks, bagpipes, singers, dancers, and Ceremony of the Haggis
Landmarks Pitlochry Perth Dundee Tay Bridge St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club Forth Road Bridge - Day 15
Edinburgh
Spending a full day in Edinburgh, the morning features sightseeing through the New Town, built 200 years ago and connected to famous scientists, inventors, and writers. You'll visit the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland's Crown Jewels. In the afternoon, the Royal Yacht Britannia gives you a look at royal life aboard the former residence. Dinner follows at a local restaurant, and for some departures, tickets are included for the evening's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at excellent local restaurant (included with Royal Yacht Britannia visit))
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Edinburgh Park)
Included Activities
- Edinburgh New Town sightseeing with Local Guide
- Edinburgh Old Town exploration
- Edinburgh Castle visit with Crown Jewels
- Royal Yacht Britannia visit with dinner at local restaurant
Landmarks Edinburgh New Town Edinburgh Old Town Edinburgh Castle Royal Yacht Britannia - Day 16
Edinburgh to Leeds
Heading south to Jedburgh, you'll see the ruins of an abbey before approaching the Cheviot Hills and the English border. Northumberland National Park awaits with its wild terrain, and you'll see a section of Hadrian's Wall, the Roman structure built to defend against northern tribes. In York, England's most complete medieval city, you can visit the impressive York Minster and walk through charming streets like the narrow Shambles. The day ends in Leeds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Jedburgh abbey ruins visit
- Northumberland National Park exploration
- Hadrian's Wall viewing
- York Minster visit
- York Shambles and medieval streets exploration with Tour Director
Landmarks Jedburgh Cheviot Hills Northumberland National Park Hadrian's Wall York Minster Shambles - Day 17
Leeds to London
The route takes you to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon where you can photograph Anne Hathaway's Cottage, then explore the town on your own. After that, you'll return to London, arriving around 4 pm. This evening, there's an optional night out in London's theater district, which starts with dinner followed by excellent seats to a show of your choosing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Anne Hathaway's Cottage photo stop
- Stratford-upon-Avon exploration
Optional Activities
- Escorted evening in London theater district with dinner and theater show
Landmarks Anne Hathaway's Cottage Stratford-upon-Avon - Day 18
London
Your trip concludes this morning after breakfast, marking the end of your UK and Ireland tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast
