9 days Britain Sampler (GE)
9 Day Tour from London to London
Even if you’re not bold enough to try bubble and squeak, haggis and tatties, or cockles and laverbread, you’ll still enjoy this perfect sampling of England, Scotland, and Wales. Our most popular tour of Britain, this tri-country introductory vacation has something for everyone. History buffs will treasure prehistoric Stonehenge, the Roman ruins of Bath and the medieval cities and towns such as York and Ludlow. Music lovers will cherish the music-festival town of Llangollen and The Beatles’ home city of Liverpool. Literary fans will relish the countryside homes of William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott. And beer and whisky connoisseurs will delight in the dimly lit pubs from London to Edinburgh and back where if you just can’t bring yourself to taste the black pudding, there’s always delicious fish and chips!
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in London, England | Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you. Free time this afternoon. |
| 2 | London, England | The Royal Treatment -- LONDON Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes sights of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Free time this afternoon. Breakfast ==Tour Highlight== HISTORIC SITES See the legendary landmarks of England’s historic capital city. Walk where voices have rung out for centuries in Parliament Square and where chimes rise high above you with the ringing of Big Ben’s quarter bells. See Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have made history. |
| 3 | London - Stonehenge - Bath | Ancient Stones & Spa Days -- LONDON Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am before departing for Stonehenge. ==STONEHENGE== Visit the prehistoric monument. (Departure 19 June: due to closure, Stonehenge visit replaced by Salisbury Cathedral visit). ==BATH== Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths. Free time the remainder of the day. 125 mi / 201 km. Breakfast, Dinner ==Tour Highlight== CULTURAL GEMS The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the “Best Spa Towns in Europe.” The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society. |
| 4 | Bath - Ludlow - Llangollen - Liverpool | Welsh Country Beauties ==LUDLOW== Visit the historic market town. ==LLANGOLLEN== Visit the picturesque town. ==LIVERPOOL== Free time the remainder of the day. 204 mi / 335 km. Breakfast ==Tour Highlight == CULTURE & TRADITION Explore the charming medieval town of Ludlow on the River Teme. Noteworthy buildings include Ludlow Castle and the impressive St. Laurence’s church. With nearly 500 buildings on the Historic England list, Ludlow’s medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered architecture inspired poet laureate Sir John Betjeman to call it "the loveliest town in England. While we include select excursions and must-see sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour. |
| 5 | Liverpool - Grasmere - Gretna Green - Edinburgh | Sonnets, Sweets & Scottish Blacksmiths ==LAKE DISTRICT== Take a scenic drive. ==GRASMERE== Visit Wordsworth’s beloved village. Sample the Globus Local Favorite original Grasmere gingerbread. ==GRETNA GREEN== See where a Scottish blacksmith performed weddings for eloping young couples. ==EDINBURGH== Free time this evening. 237 mi / 390 km. Breakfast. ==Local Favorite== TIMELESS TRADITIONS Sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere baked following an 1854 recipe invented by Sarah Nelson, the Victorian cook who invented the world famous cross between cake and biscuit. While we include select excursions and must-see sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour. |
| 6 | Edinburgh | Crown Jewels & Castle Views ==EDINBURGH== Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the New Town, the Old Town, and a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Free time this afternoon. Breakfast. ==Tour Highlight== THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Unpack your plaid! Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances included on departures July 28, August 4, 11 and 18. MUSIC & MASTERPIECES Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with a 1,100-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain". Here, you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year. While we include select excursions and must-see sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour. |
| 7 | Edinburgh - Abbotsford - Jedburgh - York | Augustine’s Monks & Medieval Markets ==ABBOTSFORD== Take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House. ==JEDBURGH== Take photos of the Augustinian abbey ruins. ==YORK== See York Minster on Globus Local Favorite a guided walk through The Shambles. 202 mi / 325 km. Breakfast, Dinner. ==Local Favorite== HISTORIC SPOT While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butcher shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, and today is a vibrant gathering place with cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies. |
| 8 | York - Stratford - Upon - Avon - London | Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare ==STRATFORD-UPON-AVON== See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace. 256 mi / 411 km. Breakfast ==Tour Highlight== A LEGEND SLEPT HERE Ah, young love! Even more true, as Shakespeare’s fiancée was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard’s wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. |
| 9 | London | Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.. Breakfast |