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ENGLAND & SCOTLAND
ENGLAND & SCOTLAND
August 16 – August 28, 2023
12 Days / 11 Nights
Cost: $5835.00 per person, double occupancy.
$500 deposit required, 100% refundable until Jan. 31, 2023; after that, refunds & cancellations per terms and conditions applies.
Day 1: Overnight flight to Edinburgh.
Day 2: Upon arrival, we will be met at the airport by our guide and private motor coach and take a brief driving tour of Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside. After checking into our hotel, we will take time to relax and then go to dinner. Dinner will be on our own.
Day 3: After breakfast, we will take a walking tour of old Edinburgh led by our local guide. We will start at Holyrood Palace, a favorite place of Elizabeth II and the British Royal Family. We will make our way up the Royal Mile where we will stop for lunch – you must try the fish and chips! We will then continue and end at Edinburgh Castle. In the evening we will enjoy a traditional Scottish dinner and show.
Day 4: Today we venture north to the Midlands to tour Stirling Castle and visit Stirling Bridge, the site where William Wallace defeated the army of Edward Longshanks (Braveheart). On our return from Stirling, we will stop to view the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, two modern marvels of Scotland. Once back in Edinburgh, there will be time to continue sightseeing and shopping along the Royal Mile. I’ll show you the best place to buy a kilt. Dinner will be on our own followed by the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo.
Day 5: We say goodbye to Scotland and take a short flight to London. Upon arrival we will meet our local guide and tour London (some walking) to get an overview of this historic city. Following the tour, we will check-in to our hotel and take a few minutes to freshen up. We will venture out for dinner on our own and then enjoy a view of London at night.
Days 6 & 7: We have two full days of seeing some of London’s most renowned sites – Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Number 10 Downing Street (the home of the Prime Minister), Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Gardens, St. James Park, Hyde Park, and Harrods Department Store. Oh yes, we will also see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, squeeze in a ride on the London Eye and visit the Tower of London. Dinner is on our own.
On day 6 we will enjoy a Medieval Banquet and Show.
On day 7, we will have an early dinner on our own. This will be the ideal time for anyone wanting to see a London play; we can help you with the arrangements.
Day 8: We will take a scenic coach ride to Stonehenge, a true wonder. Stonehenge is the oldest and only remaining monument named in the Seven Wonders of the ancient World. From Stonehenge we drive a short distance to Salisbury, a small-town originating form medieval times. Included in this excursion is a visit and entrance to Salisbury Cathedral where only one of four original manuscripts of the Magna Carta, dating from 1215, still exits. We will also go through Winchester, stop for dinner on our own, and return to London.
Day 9: Today, we travel aboard our private motor coach to the north of London. Our destination is the impressive Warwick Castle. After our self-guided tour of the castle (be sure to climb the battlements) we drive a short distance to Stratford upon Avon. Here we will visit the birthplaces of Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare. Stratford on Avon is still a quaint village that deserves time to explore, which we will. Dinner is on our own.
Day 10: Today’s highlight is a visit to Windsor Castle and the town of Windsor. Assuming we don’t get invited for lunch with the Royal Family, we will have lunch in Windsor before returning to London. Dinner is on our own.
Day 11: We will travel on our motorcoach east, to the City of Canterbury, once a small village of England that is fun to stroll through. Here we will tour the Canterbury Cathedral, home to the Archbishop of Canterbury, principal leader of the Church of England and who generally presides at official, royal events. The cathedral is most known for the site where Thomas A. Becket was murdered in 1170. After leaving Canterbury we take a short ride to Dover to view the White Cliffs of Dover before returning to London in the late afternoon. Dinner will be on our own.
Day 12: The last full day is reserved for everyone to do whatever you would like. Maybe you would like to revisit some of the places we have already seen. Romantics may want to visit Notting Hill. Those who are nostalgic may want to cross the street at Abbey Road, scene of the famous Beatles Album cover. The Sports-minded may want to play a little tennis at Wimbledon. Some may just want to wander through the streets and parks, ride in a London taxi, double decker bus or take the Tube. London also has numerous museums and many of them are free to the public:
The Victoria and Albert Museum, free
The National Gallery of art, free
The British Museum (where the Rosetta Stone has been exhibited since 1802) free
The Imperial War Museum, free
The London Transport Museum- admission about 25USD
The Churchill War Room – admission about 35 USD.
Whatever you decide on, we will be available to help you with any arrangements if needed! To end the day, we have a farewell group dinner.
Day 13: We board our late morning flight back to Charlotte.
What’s Included
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Round trip flight originating from Charlotte International airport
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All ground transportation
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Intra-country flight
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Private deluxe motor coach
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Private, guided tours
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11 nights in First Class Hotels
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A full buffet breakfast every morning
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Entrance to major sites, museums, and attractions
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2 group dinners & shows
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1 Farewell group dinner
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AND all tips-no wondering if or how much to tip
What’s NOT Included
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Passport
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All lunches and 8 Dinners
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Travel Insurance – quote available upon request. To be covered by a pre-existing condition, the full premium payment must be received within 10 days of making your trip deposit payment.
PLEASE NOTE: Travel dates may change by a few days but the itinerary will remain the same. Travel dates will be firm no later than 180 days prior to departure. A minimum of 20 guests , fully paid, 90 days prior to departure is necessary for this tour to go. If the tour cancels, for any reason, a full refund of tour cost (does not include travel insurance) will be made. Travel insurance will be available for purchase at any time up to 5 days prior to departure. To qualify for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver, the policy must be purchased within 3 days of making payment, including a refundable deposit. Insurance policies are non-refundable.