2020 Taste of Britain & Ireland - 14 Days/13 Nights

TASTE OF BRITAIN & IRELAND 14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS / 21 MEALS

Day 1: LONDON ARRIVAL & TOUR
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your London hotel. Take a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.

Day 2: TOWER OF LONDON & CITY SIGHTS
Discover London’s attractions on your own with an open-top, Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Enjoy a choice of routes and walking tours. You might visit the Tower of London to view the Crown Jewels, or visit Kensington Palace, former home of Princess Diana. The evening is free to explore and dine on your own.
(B)

Day 3: WINDSOR CASTLE & BATH
Take a panoramic tour of Windsor before visiting Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the Queen’s official residences to see the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel, the site of Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle. Enjoy some free time for lunch and then travel to Bath. Visit the Roman Baths for a tour to discover why these hot mineral-rich springs have been popular since Roman times.
(B, D)

Day 4: COTSWOLDS DRIVE & SHAKESPEARE BIRTHPLACE
Take in the gentle hills of the Cotswolds, renowned for its pretty cottages and colorful gardens. Stop in a typical lovely old village in the region. Visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to see an exhibition about his life and work, before walking through the house where he was born. Travel on to Liverpool and spend the evening exploring its rich pop-music history with dinner on your own.
(B)

Day 5: LAKE DISTRICT & SCOTTISH EVENING
Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired Beatrix Potter’s children’s books. Embark on a cruise along Lake Windermere, England’s largest natural lake. Over the Scottish border, stop at the Famous Blacksmiths Shop in Gretna Green before traveling towards Edinburgh. Enjoy a traditional dinner and ceilidh at your hotel in Edinburgh.
(B,D)

Day 6: EDINBURGH CASTLE & CITY TOUR
Explore central Edinburgh, including the 200-year-old “New Town” with elegant Georgian houses and the Royal Mile where medieval houses are clustered closely together. Tour Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. The rest of the day is free to explore and dine on your own. On August 7 – 21 departures, experience the world famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
(B)

Day 7: GLASGOW CITY TOUR & FERRY TO BELFAST
Travel to Glasgow for a city tour. Enjoy some free time in the city for lunch on your own. Proceed on to Cairnryan on Loch Ryan and take a short ferry ride to Ireland.
(B, D)

Day 8: TITANIC BELFAST & THE GLYDE INN
Take some time this morning to explore central Belfast on your own. Then learn all about Belfast’s shipbuilding history and the ill-fated RMS Titanic at Titanic Belfast where you can experience the history of this ocean liner through interactive displays. In the evening, stop at The Glyde Inn for a drink and dinner with entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 9: DUBLIN WALKING TOUR & HOP-ON, HOP-OFF BUS
Tour Dublin independently, on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Use your voucher to visit your choice of one of Dublin’s top attractions: Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or GPO Witness History. In the evening, dine at one of the many restaurants or pubs that Dublin has to offer.
(B)

Day 10: BLARNEY CASTLE & KILLARNEY
Visit Blarney Castle and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” then drive through Macroom and into the mountainous scenery of Killarney. After dinner at your hotel, you might want to find a “singing bar” for some entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 11: DINGLE PENINSULA & IRISH NIGHT
Visit the Dingle Peninsula, made famous by the movies “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far & Away.” Take in spectacular views from Slea Head at the western tip. Enjoy some free time to explore Dingle on your own. Later, head to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for an Irish night featuring dinner and traditional entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 12: FLYING BOAT MUSEUM & CLIFFS OF MOHER
Visit Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, which recalls the early days of air travel. Foynes is the home of Irish coffee, so you’ll learn how to make one and enjoy a sample. Ferry across the River Shannon Estuary to view the Cliffs of Moher. Later explore the village of Doolin for lunch on your own. Take a brief panoramic tour around Galway’s city center with a local guide.
(B, D)

Day 13: RATHBAUN FARM & FITZPATRICK CASTLE STAY
Begin the day with a gentle walking tour of all the important sights of Galway. Visit Rathbaun Farm to watch trained dogs herding sheep and enjoy tea and scones. Stroll around Dalkey, an elegant suburb of Dublin, home of such luminaries as Bono and the late writer Maeve Binchy. Spend the night in an elegant castle hotel in Dublin and enjoy a special farewell dinner.
(B, D)

Day 14: TOUR ENDS IN DUBLIN
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020 itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theater, and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 7 – 21 departures.
• Discover how a small Irish village played a pivotal role in establishing commercial transatlantic passenger flights at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

Trip Highlights:

• Windsor Castle

  British Music Experience

  The British Music Experience is the newest addition to Liverpool's colourful music offering, moving to its permanent home in the first-class passenger lounge of the iconic Cunard Building.
• Roman Baths
  Blair Athol Distillery Blair Athol Distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. After enjoying a leisurely conducted tour, you can mull over the distinctive character of the finished article as you sip your dram of Blair Athol 12 Year Old.
• Cliffs of Moher
• Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace
• Blarney Castle
  
  

  Blarney Castle

  Built nearly 600 years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, this stronghold has been attracting attention ever since. Millions have flocked to Blarney to kiss the legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of the tower, making it one of Ireland’s greatest treasures.

• Titanic Belfast

  Titanic Belfast

  Opened in April 2012 to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of this iconic ship, this new visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic from conception and construction right through the maiden voyage and tragic ending.
• Tower of London or Kensington Palace

  Tower of London

  Founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England, the tower has played an important part in English history for the past millennium. See the White Tower, dating from 1078, view the priceless Crown Jewels and learn about all the monarchs associated with the Tower.

Dining Experiences:

• 13 breakfasts (B), and 8 dinners (D) including a Scottish evening in Edinburgh, The Glyde Inn, and Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

Hotels:

• GB-LON-HIT | London (2 nights)
• GB-BAT-ACB | Bath (1 nights)
• GB-LIV-HIL | Liverpool (1 night)
• GB-EDI-MAL | Edinburgh (2 nights)
• NI-BEL-HCC | Belfast (1 nights)
• IE-DUB-JCP | Dublin (2 nights)
• IE-KER-TBR | Killarney (2 nights)
• IE-GAL-MEY | Galway (1 night)
• IE-DUB-FCA | Dublin (1 night)