UK Holiday including Wales, Scotland & Ireland – 31 Days

Day 1: Tuesday 25 July, 2017
Australia – Dubai
(On flight/ D at hotel)

Departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth we will join our evening Emirates flight to Dubai.

Day 2: Wednesday 26 July, 2016
Dubai

On arrival in Dubai we will be met and transferred to our hotel. We have arranged an early check-in on arrival with the remainder of the day at leisure. You might like to take a trip to the world famous Dubai Mall, the Spice Market, or just relax in the hotel.

Overnight: Dubai.

Day 3: Thursday 27 July, 2017
Dubai – London

Today we will continue our flight into London where we will be met and transferred to our centrally located London hotel. This vibrant city has so much to offer with Samuel Johnson famously declaring in 1777, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

Overnight: London

Day 4: Friday 28 July, 2017
London Sightseeing

To start our tour of the UK we will take in the major sights of London with a full day guided tour. Today we will visit Sir Christopher Wren’s stunning St Paul’s Cathedral, explore the notorious Tower of London and enjoy a cruise on the River Thames. Among the other included sights are Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square. Tonight you may like to enjoy a play or show at
London’s West End (details will be made available on tour).

Overnight: London

Day 5: Saturday 29 July, 2017
London – Windsor Castle – Stonehenge – Salisbury

After breakfast we will leave the hustle and bustle of London and drive westwards to Windsor where we will visit Windsor Castle, the largest (13 acres) and oldest ccupied castle in the world. The castle has been the family home to British kings and queens for over 1,000 years and it’s where Her Majesty The Queen chooses to spend most of her private weekends. If the Royal Standard flag is flying from the Castle’s Round Tower, the Queen will be in residence.

This afternoon we will travel back to Neolithic times when we visit Stonehenge – one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe. Travel onto our hotel in Salisbury.

Overnight: Salisbury

Day 6: Sunday 30 July, 2017
Worship in Salisbury Cathedral – Plymouth

This morning we will enjoy the chance to attend a worship service in the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral. Built in the 13th Century it is considered one of the most significant examples of early English architecture with the tallest church spire (123m), the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain. View the world’s oldest working clock (from AD 1386) and the best surviving original copy of Magna Carta.

From Salisbury we travel to Plymouth via Lyme Regis. Lyme Regis is famous for featuring in Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” as well as being part of the Jurassic Coast (a World Heritage Site), noteworthy for the many fossils found in its cliffs and beaches. In Plymouth we will explore the historic Barbican and view the Mayflower Steps, from which the Pilgrims sailed to the New World.

Overnight: Plymouth

Day 7: Monday 31 July, 2017
Plymouth (Cornwall Excursion)

On today’s excursion we travel through beautiful Cornwall to enjoy the scenery of Land’s End Peninsula, the most westerly point of the English mainland. Visit St. Michael’s Mount, a huge medieval abbey and castle on a granite island rising out of the sea to a height of 230 feet. Cornwall’s rugged coastline was historically famous for smuggling and shipwrecks. This is not hard to imagine as we travel along a stretch of the Atlantic Coast to the popular
seaside resort of St. Ives before returning to Plymouth.

Overnight: Plymouth

Day 8: Tuesday 1 August, 2017
Plymouth – Port Isaac – Bath

We farewell Cornwall today but only after visiting Port Isaac, a small, picturesque fishing village famous as the home of TV’s “Doc Martin”. We travel to Glastonbury and visit the ancient ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. Christians claim that the Abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century whilst medieval monks asserted Glastonbury was Avalon, the burial place of King Arthur.

This afternoon we will travel to Bath where we will see the amazing excavations of the Roman Baths before you have the opportunity for self exploration of this delightful, Georgian resort town.

Overnight: Bath

Day 9: Wednesday 2 August, 2017
Bath – Cardiff – Swansea

This morning we will leave England and journey into Wales where we will enjoy a city tour of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Highlights include Cardiff Bay, Cathays Park and an outside view of Cardiff Castle. This afternoon we will travel along the breathtaking Welsh coast to our overnight stop Swansea. Explore the historic Mumbles area with its historic lighthouse (1794) and Victorian Pier.

Overnight: Swansea

Day 10: Thursday 3 August , 2017
swansea – Irish Sea – Waterford

Today we travel to Fishguard and then cross St. George’s Channel to Rosslare in Ireland before proceeding to Waterford for a city orientation tour. Waterford was originally founded as a stronghold by the Danish Vikings in 853 but today is famous for its crystal.

Overnight: Waterford

Day 11: Friday 4 August, 2017
Waterford – Killarney

This morning we will tour the Waterford Crystal Factory to see how this world renowned crystal is made. Continuing along the Irish coast we will arrive in Blarney and visit its castle and its magical Kissing Stone. We continue onto Killarney, your Kerry base for the next two nights.

Overnight: Killarney

Day 12: Saturday 5 August, 2017
Killarney (Ring of Kerry Excursion)

Follow the road known as the Ring of Kerry for a 160km spectacular panoramic drive through a mystical and unspoilt region of Ireland. Take your photos of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View and marvel at the many “gems” to be found on “The Ring”. Later, join an entertaining evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets for the National Folk Theatre.

Overnight: Killarney

Day 13: Sunday 6 August, 2017
Killarney – Limerick

This morning we will enjoy a local Protestant Irish worship service before we take a short trip to nearby Innisfallen Island. Home to the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey and impressive archaeological remains dating from the early Christian period with a monastery founded 640 A.D and the site occupied for 850 years. This afternoon we continue onto Limerick and tonight we will enjoy a special medieval banquet & show.

Overnight: Limerick

Day 14: Monday 7 August, 2017
Limerick (West Coast Day Excursion)

Our excursion today will take us along the picturesque West Coast of Ireland. Along the way you will see the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher before we continue to Galway for a city tour. Enjoy some free time to explore before returning to Limerick.

Overnight: Limerick

Day 15: Tuesday 8 August, 2017
Limerick – Dublin

Before leaving Limerick we will visit King John’s Castle before travelling (not a long way) to Tipperary to visit the Rock of Cashel. We travel onto the Irish Capital, Dublin, where tonight we will enjoy a traditional Irish dinner at the Guinness Storehouse.

Overnight: Dublin

Day 16: Wednesday 9 August 2017
Dublin – Liverpool

After breakfast it is time to bid farewell to Ireland as we cross the Irish Sea and arrive in Liverpool, a historic maritime city most famous as the home of “The Fab Four”. On arrival we will enjoy a city tour which will include the award-winning “The Beatles Story” where you will learn all things Beatles.

Overnight: Liverpool

Day 17: Thursday 10 August, 2017
Liverpool – Lakes District – Glasgow

Today we head north and travel through the famous Lakes District, considered one of the most beautiful parts of Britain. We will enjoy a cruise along the full length of glorious Lake Windermere before we continue north into Scotland, overnighting in Glasgow.

Overnight: Glasgow

Day 18: Friday 11 August, 2017
Glasgow – Fort William

This morning a local guide will show us around Glasgow on a walking tour so we can immerse ourselves in the city’s rich history. Afterwards we head north along the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest fresh water lake in Britain. Continue across Rannoch Moor, and further into the Highlands to notorious Glencoe, where the Campbells treacherously slaughtered the MacDonalds in 1692.

Continue through rugged landscape to Fort William, situated near the foot of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain.

Overnight: Fort William

Day 19: Saturday 12 August, 2017
Fort William (Isle of Skye Excursion)

Another great day as we visit the Isle of Skye which epitomises Scotland’s wild Celtic appeal. Pass the famous Eilean Donan Castle, stunningly located on its rocky promontory, admire the scenic Cullin Hills and visit the island’s main town Portree.

Overnight: Fort William

Day 20: Sunday 13 August, 2017
Fort William – Jacobite Steam Train

This morning we will have the chance to enjoy a local worship service in this second largest town in the Highlands. This afternoon we will enjoy one of the great railway journeys of the world – the Jacobite Steam Train. This 135km round trip takes you past a list of impressive extremes. Starting near the highest mountain it visits Britain’s most westerly mainland railway station (Arisaig), then passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain (Loch Morar), and the shortest river in Britain (River Morar) before finally arriving next to the
deepest seawater loch in Europe – Loch Nevis. This sure to be a day you will long remember.

Overnight: Fort  William

Day 21: Monday 14 August, 2017
Fort William – Inverness

Our route today takes us along the shores of infamous Loch Ness, legendary home of “Nessie”. We will stop and visit the Loch Ness Monster Visitors Information Centre before continuing onto Inverness, capital of the Highlands. Tonight we are treated to dinner and traditional Scottish Dancing and singing with bagpipes. Haggis anyone?

Overnight: Inverness

Day 22: Tuesday 15 August, 2017
Inverness – Edinburgh – Edinburgh Military Tattoo

This morning, we visit Culloden Moor and re-live the final bloody battle of the Jacobite Rising through its interactive exhibition. We will view the many turreted Braemar Castle before continuing on to visit the historic ruins of the castle of the Archbishops of St Andrews. We will travel across the Forth Road Bridge, spanning the Firth of Forth, to Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh. Tonight is one full of excitement as we enjoy a performance of the worldrenowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Day 23: Wednesday 16 August, 2017
Edinburgh

Today a local guide introduces us to the 200-year-old “New Town” as well as the “Old Town.” We will visit Edinburgh Castle and then explore Holyrood Palace (the British monarchs official Scottish residence) located at the bottom of The Royal Mile. In the afternoon we will board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years, during which time it sailed over 1,600,000km around the world. Tonight we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Edinburgh

Day 24: Thursday 17 August, 2017
Edinburgh – York

We begin our journey south, and along the way we visit Floors Castle, and pass Jedburgh, the house of Mary, Queen of Scots. Driving down into England we will be at the northern edge of the Roman Empire where we will view a section of Hadrian’s Wall before travelling onto York. Historic York is England’s most complete medieval city and our local guide will take us through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. We will also visit
York Minster, the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe.

Overnight: York

Day 25: Friday 18 August, 2017
York – Stratford on Avon

From York we continue south to Coventry. here we view the splendid modern cathedral built within the bombed ruins of the 14th Century Gothic church. Onto Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the greatest writer in the English language, William Shakespeare. Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and the adjoining Shakespeare Centre.

Overnight: Stratford on Avon

Day 26: Saturday 19 August, 2017
Stratford on Avon – Oxford – Canterbury

Today we journey onto Oxford, a University town since the 12th Century. On the outskirts of Oxford is Woodstock where we will enjoy a guided tour of magnificent Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. It is then time to continue to Canterbury, a cathedral city which was a major pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages. Its medieval centre, with cobbled streets and timberframed houses, is encircled by ancient walls that were originally built by the Romans. Iconic Canterbury Cathedral, founded in 597 A.D., is the headquarters of the Church of England and we have arranged to stay in stylish rooms within its grounds – a truly unique and memorable last stop on our UK and Ireland holiday.

Overnight: Canterbury Cathedral

Day 27: Sunday 20 August, 2017
Worship at Canterbury Cathedral

Wake up this morning with a stunning view of Canterbury Cathedral. After breakfast we will enjoy a worship service in the Cathedral. This afternoon is at leisure to allow you time for any last minute purchases or sightseeing. Tonight we will enjoy a farewell dinner in the Refectory Restaurant.

Overnight: Canterbury Cathedral

Day 28: Monday 21 August, 2017
Canterbury – Dubai

After breakfast we will begin our return journey as we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Dubai. On arrival in Dubai you will be transferred to the hotel.

Overnight: Dubai

Day 29: Tuesday 22 August, 2017
Dubai

Today is at leisure, you might like to take advantage of an optional tour (details provided on tour) or just relax in the hotel.

Overnight: Dubai

Day 30: Wednesday 23 August, 2017
Dubai – Australia

This morning you will be transferred from the hotel to Dubai airport for our return flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth.

Day 31: Thursday 24 August, 2017
Arrive Australia

Morning arrival in Australia.