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Britain and Ireland Experience route map

Travel from London through the countryside to Windsor and Bath, where you can admire the Georgian architecture. Cross the Severn Estuary into Wales and continue to Cardiff.

Meals: Dinner

Enjoy a Cardiff orientation, seeing the University of Wales, Principality Stadium, City Hall and National Museum. Cardiff Castle is an optional experience. Travel through Carmarthen to Pembroke and view Pembroke Castle before taking the ferry across the Irish Sea to Ireland and continuing to Waterford.

Meals: Breakfast

Visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom, then travel to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. Continue past the Cork and Kerry Mountains and Killarney, where an optional jaunting-car ride is available, to Tralee.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Travel around the Dingle Peninsula, passing villages, fishing harbours, beaches and green countryside, with views of the Atlantic and Ireland’s most westerly point. Continue to Adare to see its thatched cottages and medieval ruins, then travel via Limerick to Shannon, where dinner is served at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is an optional experience. Drive through County Clare to Galway and see its modern cathedral, then continue to Dublin. An optional dinner and Irish show is available in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast

A Local Specialist leads a Dublin visit, including Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle. Spend the afternoon at leisure or take an optional visit to Glendalough, where a Local Specialist introduces the monastic site and the landscapes of the Garden of Ireland.

Meals: Breakfast

Take a ferry across the Irish Sea to Holyhead on Anglesey. View the station with the long name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, travel through north Wales to Liverpool, then continue to Haydock in St. Helen’s.

Meals: Breakfast

Travel through the Lake District. An optional cruise on Lake Windermere passes its northern coastline, islands and Wray Castle. Continue across the Scottish border to Gretna Green, where you learn about couples who married over the anvil. An optional traditional dinner at a local restaurant is available.

Meals: Breakfast

A Local Specialist shows you the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, and guides you along the Royal Mile and through New Town. The rest of the day is free, with optional visits to Rosslyn Chapel or Edinburgh Castle. An evening meal, singing and Highland dancing are available; tickets to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are included on certain departures.

Meals: Breakfast

Cross into England and travel to Alnwick. Alnwick Castle and Gardens are an optional experience. Continue to Heddon to see Hadrian’s Wall, then travel to Barnsley.

Meals: Breakfast

Travel to York for an orientation through its cobbled streets, seeing the Shambles, city walls and York Minster. The rest of the day is yours, with two Choice Experiences available. Dinner in York.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Travel to Stratford-upon-Avon and explore the historic streets and squares of Shakespeare’s hometown, where he was born and buried. Continue to London to farewell your Travel Director and fellow travellers.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s included

11 breakfasts and 4 dinners included as per the itinerary’s Dining Summary.
3-star stays in cherry-picked, tried-and-trusted hotels; on occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be used.
Deluxe, air-conditioned coach travel with Wi-Fi in most countries for intercity journeys.
Ferry crossings across the Irish Sea between Wales and Ireland, as outlined in the itinerary.
Expert Travel Director and professional Driver throughout the trip.
Services of a Costsaver Local Host at the recommended London hotel (if you choose to stay at this hotel).
Porterage of one suitcase per person at hotels.
Guided city sightseeing and orientation tours with Local Specialists, with audio headsets provided on included visits; entrance fees for included sightseeing experiences.

What’s not included

International flights to and from London are not included.
Airport transfers are not included unless explicitly stated; they can be purchased separately.
Travel insurance is not included and should be arranged by the traveller.
Passports, visas, and any associated fees are the traveller’s responsibility.
Meals not specified in the itinerary (including most lunches) are at your own expense.
Optional Choice Experiences and other optional activities are available at additional cost.
Gratuities for your Travel Director, Driver and Local Specialists are not included and are at your discretion.
Personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, souvenirs and phone calls are not included.

Additional information

Discover UNESCO-listed Bath, admiring creamy limestone terraces and crescents crafted from local Bath stone. See the elegant sweep of the Royal Crescent and Circus and the graceful Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon, framed by leafy parks and townhouses.

Learn how the Roman Baths complex sparked a fashionable spa culture, later perfected in Georgian times. This curated orientation spotlights symmetry, proportion, and social history, revealing why Bath became an 18th-century stage for health, leisure and refined living.

Join a guided orientation to see the Welsh capital’s civic heart. Pass the dramatic Principality Stadium, the elegant City Hall and National Museum, and the landscaped gardens that anchor Cardiff’s grand Victorian and Edwardian quarter.

Gain insight into a city that rose on coal wealth and cultural pride. From bilingual street signs to red dragon emblems, Cardiff balances modern energy with heritage treasures, setting the tone for your journey across Wales.

Pause to view Pembroke Castle, a mighty Norman fortress set on a limestone promontory above the tidal estuary. Its towers and curtain walls command the town, inviting photos from the quayside and historic streets.

Hear how this stronghold became the birthplace of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty. The castle’s rugged silhouette and strategic river setting evoke centuries of Welsh and English power struggles on Britain’s western frontier.

Cross the Irish Sea by ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare, feeling the thrum of the engines and salt air on deck. Watch the Welsh coast fall away as seabirds wheel overhead and the open water widens to the Irish horizon.

This maritime link has carried pilgrims, traders, and storytellers for centuries. Settle into the rhythm of the voyage as you approach Ireland’s southeast shores, the green fields and low headlands coming into clear view.

Visit the House of Waterford Crystal to see master craftspeople at work. In the workshops, witness molten glass gathered at the furnace and shaped with breath and precision before glassblowing and hand-cutting reveal brilliant facets.

Learn how centuries of skill and design have made Waterford a byword for fine crystal. The sparkling showrooms display statement chandeliers and intricate stemware, each piece catching the light as if animated from within.

Explore the 15th-century stronghold of Blarney Castle, climbing ivy-clad towers to the battlements. There, tradition invites you to kiss the Blarney Stone, said to bestow the storied gift of the gab.

Wander leafy grounds and atmospheric ruins that frame the castle’s silhouette. Local legends, river meadows, and ancient masonry combine to create one of Ireland’s most beloved rites of passage.

Travel the Dingle Peninsula, where emerald slopes plunge to the Atlantic and surf traces bright arcs of sand. Camera-ready viewpoints take in Atlantic headlands and sandy coves, with fishing boats bobbing in sheltered harbours.

Encounter a living Irish-speaking culture in Gaeltacht villages and fishing harbours. Story-rich landscapes and misty mountain passes reveal a wilder edge of Ireland that has inspired painters, poets, and pilgrims for generations.

Visit Adare, famed for postcard-perfect thatched cottages, riverside greens, and stone abbey ruins. Stroll the main street to photograph colorful shopfronts and traditional architecture preserved with care.

Often called Ireland’s prettiest village, Adare’s heritage streetscape reflects centuries of monastic influence and estate stewardship. The relaxed pace and crafted details make a charming contrast to Ireland’s grand castles and rugged coasts.

Pause amid the Lake District National Park, where mirror-calm waters meet bracken-clad hills and dry-stone walls criss-cross the slopes. Take in views over Windermere and stone-walled fells from lakeside or hill-foot vantage points.

This is Wordsworth country, a landscape that shaped English Romanticism and the tales of Beatrix Potter. Soft light, sheep-dotted meadows, and heather ridges create a timeless, painterly scene.

Visit Gretna Green, the village synonymous with runaway weddings. Hear how English couples once dashed across the border to marry under Scottish law at the blacksmith’s forge.

The famed anvil ceremony and tales of young love evoke a romantic chapter of social history on the Anglo-Scottish frontier. Souvenir signs and ironwork motifs nod to centuries of elopements sealed with a hammer’s ring.

Explore with a Local Specialist along Princes Street to the Scott Monument, then through the medieval Royal Mile and past the official Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Contrast Old Town closes with New Town’s neoclassical symmetry.

Hear stories of royalty, philosophers, and novelists who shaped the city’s character. Views to the castle-crowned crag and Georgian squares reveal Edinburgh’s layered identity as political capital and cultural powerhouse.

Stand before Hadrian’s Wall, the monumental frontier that once marked the edge of Rome’s empire. See stone ramparts and milecastles tracing a jagged line over Northumberland’s ridges and fields.

Gain perspective on the northern frontier of Roman Britain—engineered defenses, garrisons, and supply routes that endured wild weather and wilder history. It’s a striking encounter with Britain’s ancient past in a stark, windswept setting.

Join a curated walk to view York Minster, one of Europe’s great Gothic cathedrals, then trace the medieval city walls that encircle this storied city. Wander the narrow timber-framed lanes of the Shambles with their overhanging eaves.

Layers of Roman, Viking, and medieval history come alive in stone and cobble. It’s a compact, atmospheric showcase of northern England’s trading wealth, craft traditions, and ecclesiastical power.

See Dublin with a Local Specialist, taking in Trinity College, the soaring nave of St Patrick’s Cathedral, and the courtyards of Dublin Castle. Glimpse elegant Georgian squares lined with colorful doors and wrought-iron fanlights.

The tour reveals a capital shaped by scholarship, rebellion, and literary wit. From Viking settlement to modern creativity, Dublin’s charm lies in its lively streets, convivial pubs, and human-scale neighborhoods.

Survey Galway’s lively core and see Galway Cathedral, a 20th-century landmark of limestone and marble rising above the river. Street musicians, cafés, and shopfronts frame a city that blends heritage with youthful energy.

Hear how maritime trade, language traditions, and west-coast culture have shaped Galway’s identity. The cathedral’s dome and stonework provide a calm counterpoint to the bustle along quays and squares.

Cross the Irish Sea by ferry from Dublin to Holyhead on Anglesey, watching Ireland’s coastline recede as Wales comes into view. Views from the open deck pair sea air with sweeping skylines and passing vessels.

This storied route has long linked Celtic shores. Relax as the ship threads its course to Anglesey’s breakwaters, where mountains rise inland and lighthouse beacons guard the channel.

Catch a memorable view of the village station named Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. The playful signboard makes a fun vocabulary challenge and a unique snapshot on your journey across North Wales.

This light-hearted stop celebrates Welsh language and identity. Take a moment to pause for photos and reflection before continuing through Anglesey’s landscapes towards mainland Wales.

Explore Stratford-upon-Avon, where timber-framed houses and riverside lawns recall England’s bard. Stroll past markets and guildhalls, and see Anne Hathaway’s Cottage from the outside, a thatched emblem of Tudor romance.

Learn how Shakespeare’s birthplace and final resting place bookend a life that transformed English theatre. The town’s half-timbered facades and church spires set a scene steeped in literary heritage.

Explore Cardiff Castle on an optional visit, from Norman keep to lavish neo-Gothic apartments. Climb towers, admire gilded ceilings, and take in city views from the battlements.

Your guide reveals layers of history, from Roman walls to the 19th-century Bute family’s fantasia of patterned tiles and carvings. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Clip-clop through Killarney’s lanes and parklands by horse-drawn jaunting car, guided by a local jarvey with plenty of stories. Views of lakes, mountain slopes, and ivy-draped ruins unfold at an easy pace.

Feel the rhythm of traditional travel as hoofbeats echo under trees and along stone walls. A relaxed, nostalgic way to sample County Kerry scenery, this experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Step into the fortified halls of Bunratty Castle before wandering the open-air Folk Park, where traditional cottages, a schoolhouse, and village shops recreate 19th-century Ireland.

From great-hall tapestries to peat-smoke hearths, the site offers a tactile dive into rural lifeways and Norman lordship on the Shannon. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Celebrate with a lively evening of music, dance, and storytelling at a classic Irish dinner and show. Enjoy regional dishes while performers bring reels, ballads, and humour to the stage.

Toe-tapping rhythms and audience camaraderie capture Dublin’s generous spirit. A convivial finale to a day’s sightseeing, this experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Journey into County Wicklow to explore Glendalough, a serene valley of lakes and ruins founded by St Kevin. See the round tower, carved crosses, and ancient church sites set among forested slopes.

Monastic legends and quiet paths evoke Ireland’s early Christian era amid stirring scenery. This contemplative excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Board a boat to cruise Lake Windermere, tracing wooded shores, tiny islands, and the silhouette of Wray Castle from the water. Gentle swells and mountain backdrops frame classic Lakeland scenes.

From open decks or cozy lounges, appreciate the interplay of light and reflection that inspired painters and poets. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Gather for a traditional Scottish dinner and ceilidh, pairing local dishes with toe-tapping folk music and spirited dance. Learn simple steps as musicians set the tempo for a warm, communal night.

Tartan notes, stories, and conviviality showcase Highland culture in good company. This festive evening is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit Rosslyn Chapel, famed for its intricate stonework and enigmatic carvings. Guides illuminate green men, knights, and musical motifs that have sparked centuries of speculation.

Beyond legends, the chapel’s craftsmanship and soft light create a contemplative space on Edinburgh’s southern fringe. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Ascend the volcanic crag to step inside Edinburgh Castle. Explore battlements, the Great Hall, and vaulted rooms that guard Scotland’s Crown Jewels and Stone of Destiny.

Panoramas sweep across the city while exhibits trace royal pageantry and military history. This iconic visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Discover Alnwick Castle, a seat of the Percys for seven centuries. Courtyards, staterooms, and battlements reveal aristocratic life, while the contemporary Alnwick Gardens add fountains, topiary, and a curious Poison Garden.

Screen fame meets medieval substance in this Northumbrian powerhouse. Rich art, heraldry, and landscaped vistas make a compelling double act. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

  • 4 Dinner (D)
  • 11 Breakfast (B)
  • View the Royal Castle
  • Visit the Georgian spa town
  • See the University of Wales, Principality Stadium, City Hall, the National Museum, and view Cardiff Castle
  • Visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom
  • Kiss the Blarney Stone 
  • View the prettiest village in Ireland
  • See Galway Cathedral
  • See St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral, the Georgian Squares and Trinity College with a Local Specialist
  • Visit the Beatles’ hometown
  • Visit this picturesque region
  • Visit this town, popular with eloping couples since 1754
  • With your Local Specialist, see Princes Street, the Royal Mile and the Castle
  • View the Jedburgh Abbey ruins
  • View the remains of the Roman wall
  • See Alnwick Castle
  • View York Minster and stroll along the Shambles
  • Visit the town of Shakespeare and see Anne Hathaway’s cottage
  • Enjoy the beautiful scenery
  • Deluxe coach travel
  • Selected hotel dinners, with optional meals to purchase
  • 3-star stays
  • Bath: Admire UNESCO-listed Bath, with its elegant Georgian facades and the bimillennial Roman Baths from which the city takes its name.
  • Cardiff: Learn more about Wales’ capital and cultural hub, Cardiff, as you enjoy an orientation of this vibrant city with your Travel Director.
  • Cross the Irish Sea by ferry from Wales to Ireland, feeling the low thrum of the engines through the deck as the hull cuts through the water, leaving a churn of white wake behind.
  • Waterford: Learn how crystal is crafted at the House of Waterford Crystal during a workshop tour.
  • On your scenic drive through the Dingle Peninsula, green slopes climb towards weathered sandstone peaks as glimpses of the Atlantic appear between the hills.
  • Dublin: A Local Specialist will show you Dublin’s elegant Georgian squares, O’Connell Street and the Custom House.
  • Cross the Irish Sea by ferry, watching Ireland recede as the coastline of South Wales comes into view.
  • Gretna Green: Visit the famous spot where runaway lovers were married.
  • 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.
  • York: Your Travel Director will show you the York Minster, the city walls and the medieval Shambles during your orientation of the city.

Costsaver

Explore the royal town of Windsor, pausing along cobbled lanes to view Windsor Castle’s Round Tower and St George’s Chapel. Soak up the atmosphere around the Guildhall and historic shopfronts, and enjoy vistas along the Long Walk towards the Great Park.

Hear stories of a fortress that is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Glimpses of the Thames and ringing chapel bells set a regal backdrop as you appreciate centuries of pageantry that still shape daily life in Windsor.

Price & availability

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