Discover York’s medieval core as you view the soaring west front of York Minster, stroll a stretch of the medieval city walls and wander the narrow timbered lanes of the Shambles. Stone gargoyles, jettied facades and crooked eaves create an atmosphere straight from an illuminated manuscript.

Uncover layers of history from Roman Eboracum to Viking Jórvík and the wealth of later guilds. Your Travel Director points out vantage points, market nooks and stories that connect this compact city’s sacred, civic and mercantile pasts.

Visit storied Gretna Green, where the clang of the blacksmith’s anvil once sealed runaway marriages just over the Scottish border. Step into the village byways and hear how romance, rebellion and a quick dash north converged here.

Learn the tale of England’s 1754 Marriage Act and why young couples fled to this famed forge for swift vows “over the anvil.” The rustic setting and keepsake displays bring centuries of elopement legend vividly to life.

Survey Glasgow’s contrasts on an orientation drive, from the solemn nave of Glasgow Cathedral to the shipbuilding legacy along the River Clyde. In George Square, statues and grand civic facades frame the city’s confident Victorian skyline.

Absorb stories of merchants, engineers and modern creatives that shaped Scotland’s largest city. Medieval stone, red-sandstone palazzi and glassy new builds chart a dynamic evolution from industrial powerhouse to contemporary cultural capital.

Explore Scotland’s capital with a Local Specialist, tracing the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse towards the dramatic ramparts of Edinburgh Castle high on its volcanic crag. Contrast Old Town wynds with the airy geometry of the New Town’s crescents and squares.

Hear how Enlightenment thinkers, Jacobite intrigue and festival culture forged Edinburgh’s character. Elegant facades, skyline spires and views to Arthur’s Seat reveal a city shaped by intellect, royalty and rugged geology.

Cruise by ferry across the Irish Sea from Scotland to Northern Ireland, watching headlands fade while gulls wheel in the slipstream. Step onto the outer deck for brisk air and wide coastal views as the horizon shifts from Scottish cliffs to Antrim shores.

Settle in with a hot drink and let the steady hum of engines mark your passage between islands. This classic maritime route connects two Celtic chapters of your journey with ease and scenic calm.

See the shipyard where RMS Titanic was built as you pass the Titanic Quarter and the towering Samson and Goliath cranes. In the city center, admire Belfast City Hall and pause at the shimmering mosaic of the Big Fish beside the River Lagan.

Hear how industry, innovation and renewal have reshaped Belfast. Murals glimpsed along the way speak to complex history, balanced by creative energy, lively markets and handsome Victorian streetscapes.

Discover Dublin with a Local Specialist, circling elegant Georgian squares and the fanlit doors that frame them. View St Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral and the historic courtyards of Trinity College from the outside, with time to note their differing stones and spires.

Cross bridges over the River Liffey and hear how writers, revolutionaries and musicians shaped the city’s wit and warmth. Street buskers, copper-domed churches and bookish quads add texture at every turn.

View Kilkenny Castle and its riverside lawns before wandering the city’s Medieval Mile, where craft shops, towers and stone facades meet over the River Nore. The blend of Norman bulk and lively streets gives the town a distinctive rhythm.

Hear how a 12th-century fortress evolved into a graceful residence. St. Canice’s round tower, butter-slips and traditional pubs reflect centuries of faith, trade and social life in Ireland’s “Marble City.”

Step behind the scenes at the House of Waterford Crystal to watch glass blown, cut and polished by master cutters. As facets catch the light, the distinctive ring of crystal fills the workshop and showroom.

Learn how centuries-old techniques, revived in the 18th century and refined today, shape chandeliers, stemware and trophies coveted worldwide. Precision, patience and practiced hands turn molten clarity into sparkling heritage.

Sail by ferry across the Irish Sea from Ireland to South Wales, crossing the historic St George’s Channel. Watch cliffs and coves slip by as seabirds ride the wind and the light shifts across open water.

Relax indoors or breathe the salt air on deck as you chart a storied route between Celtic coasts. The crossing is a tranquil interlude before Welsh valleys and castle silhouettes come into view.

Take in the Welsh capital’s landmarks, from the steel arc of Principality Stadium to the white Portland stone of City Hall and National Museum Cardiff. View the storybook towers of Cardiff Castle rising above Bute Park’s treetops.

Discover how coal wealth and maritime trade fueled a city that now pulses with culture and sport. Grand boulevards, Victorian arcades and a spirited waterfront set the tone for modern Cardiff.

Walk through honey-coloured streets to the sweeping curve of the Royal Crescent and the elegant arches of Pulteney Bridge. View the exterior of the Roman Baths and the Abbey’s fan vaulting rising above the cobbles.

Hear how hot springs drew Romans, then Georgians who fashioned a spa city of symmetry and society. UNESCO-listed stonework, graceful facades and leafy squares capture Bath’s serene, timeless charm.

View Windsor Castle from the outside, noting the commanding Round Tower and long curtain walls that crown the hill. Stroll the River Thames embankment and cobbled lanes lined with royal warrant shopfronts.

Hear how the world’s oldest and largest inhabited castle has anchored royal life for nearly a millennium. Green lawns, chiming chapel bells and Eton’s rooftops across the water complete the regal setting.

Cruise Lake Windermere, gliding past wooded shores, slate boathouses and the mirrored silhouettes of the Lakeland fells. Watch sailboats tack across the water as stone villages slip by the rail.

Hear tales of Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth, whose words and drawings were shaped by this pastoral landscape. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Step inside Edinburgh Castle atop Castle Rock, exploring Crown Square, the regal apartments and the storied Great Hall. From the ramparts, scan rooftops to Arthur’s Seat and the Firth of Forth.

Discover the Stone of Destiny, medieval battlements and centuries of royal intrigue collected within these volcanic walls. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Visit Rosslyn Chapel, a 15th-century jewel famed for dense stone carvings, green men and the twisting grace of the Apprentice Pillar. Candlelit shadows and sculpted arches lend the nave a hushed, enigmatic beauty.

Hear stories of the Sinclair family, Templar myths and Renaissance craftsmanship that still captivates scholars and visitors. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Enjoy a convivial Scottish dinner near Stirling, with the skirl of bagpipes setting the mood and views towards Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument. Sample local dishes paired with stories of clans and campaigns.

Expect crowd-pleasing flavors—think haggis with neeps and tatties—served alongside music and good humor. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Join a local guide to explore political murals along the Falls and Shankill roads and the imposing Peace Walls that once divided communities. Street art, gates and memorials create a vivid open-air gallery.

Hear first-hand accounts of The Troubles, the Good Friday Agreement and the city’s ongoing reconciliation. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Celebrate Irish culture with an Irish dinner and show featuring lilting ballads, energetic step dancing and toe-tapping reels. Raise an Irish coffee as musicians and storytellers fill the room with warmth.

Expect hearty fare and lively performances that chart Ireland’s wit, resilience and love of song. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Walk the compact Viking Triangle, passing medieval lanes and the stout silhouette of Reginald’s Tower from the outside. Conclude in a timeworn tavern to raise a pint where sailors and storytellers once gathered.

Absorb a thousand years of trade, conquest and craft embedded in Ireland’s oldest city. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Enter Cardiff Castle to scale the Norman keep for skyline views, then tour the opulent Victorian apartments where carved wood, stained glass and gilded ceilings dazzle at every turn.

Uncover Roman roots beneath medieval stone and 19th-century fantasy by architect William Burges above. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Follow a local specialist guide through Cardiff’s Victorian and Edwardian covered arcades to sample Welsh flavours: warm Welsh cakes, seaweed-rich laverbread, artisan cheeses and sweet bara brith.

Stories of miners, markets and modern makers season each bite, revealing how tradition meets today in the capital’s food scene. This optional experience is at additional cost and is bookable with your Travel Director on tour.

Explore Stratford-upon-Avon’s Tudor heart as you join an orientation walk past timber-framed fronts and crooked gables. Pause along Henley Street to view Shakespeare’s Birthplace from the outside and trace the riverbank paths beside the River Avon, where willows trail the water and swans drift past boathouses.

Hear how this modest market town nurtured the playwright born in 1564, and how today’s Royal Shakespeare Company keeps his words alive. Photogenic lanes, shop signs and church spires reveal centuries of craft, commerce and theatrical tradition.

• 9 Breakfast (B)
• 2 Dinner (D)

• Visit the town of Shakespeare’s birth
• View York Minster and the Shambles
• View Glasgow Cathedral and George Square on your orientation tour
• Sightseeing with your Local Specialist to see Princes Street, the Royal Mile and the Castle
• See the Big Fish at Donegall Quay, the Titanic Quarter, the Samson and Goliath cranes and Belfast City Hall, along with the city’s murals throughout.
• Sightseeing with your Local Specialist to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral and Trinity College
• View Kilkenny Castle and gardens
• Visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom
• See the University of Wales, Principality Stadium, City Hall, the National Museum and view Cardiff Castle
• Visit the Georgian spa town
• View the Royal Castle

• Deluxe coach travel
• Selected hotel dinners, with optional meals to purchase
• 3-star stays

• York: Your Travel Director will show you the York Minster, the city walls and the medieval Shambles during your orientation of the city.
• Gretna Green: Visit the famous spot where runaway lovers were married.
• Glasgow: See the grand public buildings of Glasgow, including George Square. 
• Edinburgh: Explore the city with your Local Specialist as you travel along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial, the neoclassical Adam facades of New Town and the official Scottish residence of the King, Palace of Holyroodhouse.
• Cross the Irish Sea by ferry, watching Scotland recede as you travel towards the shores of Northern Ireland.
• Dublin: A Local Specialist will show you Dublin’s elegant Georgian squares, O’Connell Street and the Custom House.
• Waterford: Learn how crystal is crafted at the House of Waterford Crystal during a workshop tour.
• Cross the Irish Sea by ferry, watching Ireland recede as the coastline of South Wales comes into view.
• Cardiff: Learn more about Wales’ capital and cultural hub, Cardiff, as you enjoy an orientation of this vibrant city with your Travel Director.

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