• 5 Dinner (D)
• 17 Breakfast (B)

• London: You’ll need Essential Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)From?January 8, 2025, UK law means that if you’re entering/transiting through border control in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland you’ll need an?Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)?before you travel. Confused? Don’t be – just read on here.
• London: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
• London: For this trip, you’ll need just two currencies – the British Pound and the Euro.
• Edinburgh: You’ll be on the road for around 2-3 hours between stops. We’ll check out some cities along the way, so that you can soak up some more of the localities in the British Isles. Either way, get ready for all the beautiful backdrops you’ll see.
• Edinburgh: You’ll cross the Irish Sea aboard a modern, high-speed ferry with comfy facilities. Best part? You’ll be able to leave the coach and explore the ferry and its food court during the 2-hour journey. We’ll hop back on the coach before disembarking.
• London: You’ll stay in a Twin share room (meaning you’ll be paired with a fellow traveller of the same gender, and will have two separate beds). If you’re booking your trip with a friend/travel companion – just let us know, so we can join your bookings and ensure you share a room. Need a lil’ more privacy? You’re welcome to opt for a single supplement if you like.

• Windsor: Walk the iconic tree-lined ‘Long Walk’ and take in the fantastic views of Windsor Castle. Keep your eyes peeled! You might even spot a royal if you’re lucky.
• Bath: Live out your Bridgerton dreams as you wander around Bath’s historic and regal architecture.
• Oxford: Wander around the quaint canals and streets of Oxford. And also the grounds of one of the most famous universities in the world!
• Stratford-upon-Avon: Explore the town that this legendary literature writer once called home. From Shakespeare’s birthplace to where we he was buried – you’ll find clues about his life scattered everywhere in this town.
• Liverpool: One for fans of The Beatles. Walk in the footsteps of the Fab Four and see all the iconic landmarks on this jaunt around Liverpool.
• York Minster: Explore this historic city and get to know its Viking and Roman roots. Check out highlights such as Clifford’s Tower and York Minster. 
• Edinburgh: Holyrood Palace. The Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle. They’re all here to fill up your memory and Insta feed. 
• Mallaig: We’ll visit Helix Park, home to The Kelpies (horse statues, standing at 100ft tall & weighing more than 300 tonnes each). It’s a wonder to behold. Plus, there’s also an adventure play park with woodlands and boardwalks for some added fun. 
• Stirling: Explore the sights of Stirling and get a selfie with the memorial to the iconic Scottish knight.
• St. Andrews: If you like golf, you’ll love St Andrews. But if you think it spoils a nice walk in the park, there’s also Swilcan Bridge.
• Loch Ness: Sit back, relax and cruise along the loch with your Contiki crew. But keep your eyes peeled and camera ready for mythical ‘Nessie’.   
• Scottish Highlands: Ever wondered how native animal species – like the Scottish Red Squirrel, Lynx and Beavers – are reintroduced into the wild? Come learn about it all from an expert (who’ll also tell you how the Caledonian pine forest is being reforested too!). Every penny you spend here will directly support Trees for Life, a TreadRight supported project.
• Blarney Castle: Your chance to kiss the Blarney Stone and get the ‘gift of the gab’. And to visit the medieval Irish castle. 
• Cliffs of Moher: These rugged, photogenic cliffs have been the star of many films, including a Harry Potter one.
• Galway: Tread the cobbles of this well-loved Irish city with your new Contiki crew. See Lynch’s Castle, Eyre Square and all the best pubs.
• Derry/Londonderry: One for the history fans. Take a look around Ireland’s only walled city, built in the 17th Century.
• Giant’s Causeway: Sure, rock formations may sound a bit dull on paper, but this quirky natural wonder has to be seen to be believed.  
• Belfast: Hang with a local guide to see all the landmarks and learn about the city’s checkered history. 

Swirl and sip as you sample single malts that range from honeyed Highlands to smoky Islay. Learn to read nose, palate and finish while comparing cask influence and regional character.

Hosts demystify age statements, peat, and blending traditions with convivial Scottish flair. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; an evening warming to the heart of whisky culture.

Ascend through brewing exhibits to learn how water, barley, hops, and yeast create Ireland’s signature stout at the Guinness Storehouse. Practice the pour and savor a pint with skyline views.

From coopers to coopers’ tools, heritage meets modern branding in a lively, sensory museum. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; cap it with the learn to pull a perfect pint ritual.

Join a guided panoramic tour from the linen warehouses of the Cathedral Quarter to the lawns of City Hall and red-brick quadrangles of the Queen’s Quarter. Pass shipyards where a maritime giant was built.

See political artwork along the Falls and Shankill as context for recent history. The contrasts of grand Victorian avenues and poignant political murals reveal a city in confident renewal.

Wander cobbled lanes into storied quadrangles where Oxford University has shaped minds for eight centuries. See the honey-stone dome of the Radcliffe Camera and the grand gateways of the Bodleian Library as you pass chapels, cloisters, and ivy-clad halls.

Absorb academic rituals and collegiate rivalries told through carved crests and worn flagstones. The atmosphere of college quads and narrow lanes captures the bridge from medieval scholarship to a living, breathing seat of learning today.

Walk through timber-framed streets to Shakespeare’s Birthplace and riverside gardens along the Avon. Absorb the ambiance of Tudor shopfronts and church spires where the Bard’s world still feels close at hand.

Glance toward Holy Trinity Church, Shakespeare’s resting place, and hear how local guilds, playhouses, and merchants shaped his times. The mix of timbered Tudor houses and calm waterside paths makes this literary pilgrimage both intimate and evocative.

Join a guided city tour revealing Liverpool’s musical heartbeat and maritime grit. Trace the Fab Four’s rise around the Cavern Quarter and admire the regenerated docks and brick warehouses clustered at Royal Albert Dock.

Hear how Atlantic trade, football fervor, and Merseybeat culture remade this port city. From sleek museums to storied streets, the tour links pop anthems with a working waterfront that still pulses with energy and pride.

Amble through lanes once trodden by Romans and Vikings to the towering York Minster. Wind along The Shambles, where leaning timber facades frame butchers’ hooks and crooked windows, then continue to the hilltop remains of Clifford’s Tower.

Learn how medieval guilds, pilgrimage, and city walls shaped York’s fortunes. The blend of medieval city walls, gothic stonework, and snug snickelways creates a living tapestry of northern English history.

Stand beside the Roman Empire’s northern edge at Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that undulates over heather moorland and craggy ridges. See turf and stone ramparts where legionaries once kept watch.

Hear about forts, milecastles & rolling moorland, and the cultures that met at this remote boundary. The windswept landscape and weathered masonry bring frontier life—and Roman Britain’s ambitions—into sharp relief.

Explore the volcanic spine of the Old Town along the Royal Mile, passing wynds and closes that tumble toward the palace forecourt. View the gates of Holyrood Palace and the dramatic skyline crowned by Edinburgh Castle.

Absorb tales of Enlightenment thinkers, Jacobite intrigue, and literary salons woven into stone tenements. The city’s layered past animates its narrow lanes and grand civic buildings at every step.

Visit Helix Park to confront the colossal The Kelpies, twin 100-foot steel horse heads shimmering over canals and towpaths. Their polished plates mirror sky and water, evoking draft horses that powered Scotland’s industrial age.

Learn how art, engineering, and folklore meet in these monumental forms. The engineering and folklore story shines as you wander boardwalks and landscaped wetlands designed for walkers and cyclists alike.

Survey battlements and cobbles below Stirling Castle and seek a photo stop with the National Wallace Monument standing high on Abbey Craig. Views sweep toward the Forth Valley and rolling farmland.

Hear how medieval kings, Wars of Independence, and market guilds cemented Stirling’s strategic importance. The skyline’s stony silhouettes tell a tale of guardianship and nation-making in the heart of Scotland.

Walk the breezy North Sea shoreline and medieval lanes of Scotland’s oldest university town. Gaze across the Old Course at St Andrews and pause by the storied Swilcan Bridge, where champions have waved farewell.

Beyond fairways, ruined cloisters and collegiate quadrangles speak to centuries of learning and worship. The blend of dunes, spires, and student life feels timeless yet vividly alive.

cruise Loch Ness past dark, peat-stained waters hemmed by pine-covered slopes. Glide toward the shattered ramparts of Urquhart Castle, a sentinel above the loch’s broad expanse.

Listen for legends of the mythical ‘Nessie’ while learning about glacial trenches and Highland clans who ruled these banks. Brisk air, distant hills, and rippling wakes set a moody Highland stage.

Meet experts restoring the Highlands at the Dundreggan Centre, where reintroducing native species and reviving the Caledonian pine forest take center stage. Walk interpretive trails that reveal habitats for red squirrels, pine martens, and raptors.

Discover how community-led conservation and the charity Trees for Life nurture Scotland’s ecological future. Your visit supports hands-on science and landscape regeneration rooted in local knowledge.

Enter medieval ramparts at Blarney Castle and, if you wish, climb the turret to kiss the Blarney Stone—the storied source of eloquence and charm. Wander lawns, ferny glades, and lake paths in the surrounding estate.

Hear the origins of the gift of the gab and how chieftains forged alliances here. The castle’s limestone keep and woodland gardens set a graceful stage for myth and history to mingle.

Stand atop the Cliffs of Moher as Atlantic surf booms below and seabirds wheel on the wind. Weathered limestone escarpments plunge 200 meters, with viewpoints stretching toward the Aran Islands.

Trace pathways to O’Brien’s Tower and look for puffins in nesting season. The scale, Atlantic swells, and cliff-edge light make this one of Ireland’s most stirring natural spectacles.

Stroll from Eyre Square into the Latin Quarter, where buskers soundtrack cobbles lined with color-washed shopfronts and snug pubs. Spot Lynch’s Castle and stone arches sheltering artisan cafés and boutiques.

Hear how merchants, Spanish traders, and folk traditions shaped this western city’s spirit. Between harborside breezes and live trad music spilling from doorways, Galway’s charm is immediate and enduring.

Circle intact ramparts on 17th-century city walls, peering toward the Guildhall and river bends that cradle this historic settlement. Cannon bastions and gatehouses frame long views across the Foyle.

Learn about plantation-era planning and later chapters of conflict and reconciliation, symbolized today by the Peace Bridge. The city’s careful masonry and layered stories reward every step.

Walk across interlocking, hexagonal stones at the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site forged by ancient lava flows. Tiers of basalt step into foaming surf beneath headlands brushed by seabreezes.

Local myths credit giants for the geometry; geology tells a volcanic tale. Either way, the hexagonal basalt columns and wild Antrim coast deliver drama at every angle.

Explore independent neighborhoods with a local as you seek out Banksy pieces and vivid large-scale murals in Stokes Croft. Hear how graffiti, galleries, and cafés shaped Bristol’s independent creative scene.

This curated wander decodes techniques, tags, and the stories behind the walls. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; availability may vary seasonally. A great primer before diving into the city’s nightlife.

Cruise the Kennet & Avon on a narrowboat gliding under stone arches and over tranquil cuttings outside Bath. Spot towpath wildlife and ironwork along leafy embankments.

Skippers share canal lore from Georgian construction to Victorian industry. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a relaxing contrast to the city’s grand crescents and terraces.

Suit up for a guided scramble up a mountain stream, tackling rocky chutes and clear pools beneath ferny banks. Clamber past mini waterfalls in a pristine Lake District beck.

Guides provide safety gear and technique coaching for this energizing outdoor challenge. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; weather and water levels determine venue and difficulty.

Join storytellers after dusk for a ghost walk threading medieval passages and churchyards. Hear of restless monks, plague houses, and spectral coaches on lantern-lit alleys.

This atmospheric ramble braids history with local legend in one of Britain’s most haunted cities. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a spine-tingling complement to daytime sightseeing.

Step inside Edinburgh Castle to see crown regalia, the Stone of Destiny, ancient battlements, and the cannon known as Mons Meg. Courtyards reveal sweeping views over spires and volcanic crags.

Guides chart royal ceremonies and sieges that shaped Scotland’s fortunes. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a rich deep dive during your time in the capital.

Put skill to the test as you try archery and axe throwing under the guidance of trained rangers. Forest clearings and Highland backdrops amplify the thrill of each satisfying thud.

Equipment and coaching are provided for a safe, confidence-building session in the wild. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a playful counterpart to the rewilding visit.

Sit down to a home-cooked Glaswegian dinner showcasing hearty Scottish flavors, then tap your foot to live traditional music shared by local performers.

Hosts share stories of neighborhood life, food heritage, and the city’s famously warm welcome. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; an intimate cultural evening in Scotland’s biggest city.

Pedal quiet streets and riverside paths on a guided cycle, spotting Georgian doors, leafy squares, and bridges spanning the Liffey. Pause in Merrion and Fitzwilliam for classic facades and ironwork.

Guides weave in tales of writers, revolution, and Docklands renewal. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a breezy way to grasp Dublin’s layout and local rhythm.

Tour historic still houses and maturation warehouses before a guided flight where you sample Irish whiskeys crafted with pot-still tradition. Learn about triple distillation and grain selection at Jameson Distillery Midleton.

Experts illuminate aging, cask influence, and blending finesse. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour during the journey south; a flavorful window into Ireland’s distilling craft.

Watch collies respond to whistles in a nimble sheepdog herding demonstration, then chat with the shepherd about traditions of hill farming and breeding.

Settle in for a hearty farmhouse lunch with locally sourced fare. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a genuine slice of rural life amid rolling green fields.

Walk with a local through the Bogside to view powerful Bogside murals that chart civil rights marches and community resilience. Stories add nuance to complex decades of conflict.

Context from those who lived it turns streets into open-air classrooms. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; thought-provoking and deeply human.

Step into soaring galleries at Titanic Belfast to trace shipbuilding from rivets to launch. Multimedia exhibits bring Edwardian design and Harland & Wolff’s engineering feats to life.

Walk the slipways where RMS Titanic was launched and reflect on stories of hope and tragedy. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; an architectural landmark anchoring the city’s maritime legacy.

Gather one last time for a convivial farewell dinner celebrating Irish flavors and fresh local produce. Expect warm hospitality and perhaps a toast to new friends.

Raise a glass and raise a final toast to the journey you’ve shared. Optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; a fitting close to your time across Britain and Ireland.

Explore Bath’s harmonious streets and terraces of honey-colored stone, pausing at the Royal Crescent and The Circus to appreciate Palladian symmetry and stately facades. Step onto Pulteney Bridge for river views framed by elegant arcades and lively boutiques.

Hear how hot springs birthed Roman Aquae Sulis and later inspired a Georgian spa resort. The city’s Georgian terraces reveal stories of society life, literary salons, and the timeless allure that still draws visitors to this UNESCO-listed showpiece.

Stroll the tree-lined avenue known as the Walk the iconic Long Walk for sweeping perspectives of Windsor Castle, the world’s oldest and largest inhabited fortress. Pause to admire the Round Tower rising over manicured lawns and red-brick streets that cluster beside the Thames.

Soak up the town’s royal atmosphere and riverside views along the Thames while hearing tales of coronations and pageantry. The castle’s silhouette anchors a setting of traditional pubs, snug tea rooms, and centuries of royal tradition.