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Romantic Britain & Ireland route map

Meet your Travel Director at 07:45 at the hotel in London. Travel to Oxford with free time (Ashmolean Museum or indoor market). Continue via Cotswolds villages to Stratford-upon-Avon and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Dinner at a local pub.

Meals: Dinner

Drive through ‘Robin Hood Country’ to visit Lincoln. Continue to York to stroll the Shambles and see York Minster; your hotel lies within the walls facing Clifford’s Tower.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Drive through the Lake District, stopping in Grasmere to see Wordsworth’s grave. Cross the border at Gretna Green and continue to Edinburgh.

Meals: Breakfast

See the Palace of Holyroodhouse and New Town. Guided visit inside Edinburgh Castle to view the Scottish Crown Jewels, Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg. Free afternoon on Princes Street; select departures attend the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Meals: Breakfast

Cross the Firth of Forth to St Andrews for free time (University, West Sands Beach). Continue via Pitlochry, stopping at Atholl Palace and Gardens for cream tea, then on to Inverness.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Cruise on Loch Ness and hear stories of Nessie. Learn about Flora MacDonald as you cross to the Isle of Skye.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Return to the mainland. Visit the WWII Commando Memorial near Ben Nevis and stop for a photo at Eilean Donan Castle. Continue via Fort William and Glencoe; drive along Loch Lomond to Glasgow for an orientation including George Square and St. Mungo’s Cathedral.

Meals: Breakfast

Cross the Irish Sea to Belfast. City tour with Hilda covering City Hall and political murals; afternoon at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Travel past the Mountains of Mourne and through the Boyne Valley to Dublin. Visit the Guinness Storehouse.

Meals: Breakfast

Dublin sightseeing with a Local Specialist: O’Connell Street, Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Free afternoon or optional visit to Glendalough.

Meals: Breakfast

Head to Galway for free time. Cross the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre for views of the Clare Coast; continue to Limerick on the River Shannon.

Meals: Breakfast

See St. Mary’s Cathedral, King John’s Castle and the Treaty Stone in Limerick. Travel via Tralee and the Dingle Peninsula to Killarney. Enjoy a traditional Sunday roast dinner.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Circle the Ring of Kerry and pass the MacGillicuddy Reeks and the Lakes of Killarney. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience: seaweed foraging walk with John. Free afternoon; Dine-Around Evening.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Visit Blarney Castle (optional kiss the Blarney Stone). In Waterford see Reginald’s Tower and take a guided visit of the House of Waterford Crystal with an artisan meeting.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

From Rosslare take the ferry to Pembroke. Drive through Pembrokeshire and south Wales to Cardiff for an orientation including the University of Wales, Principality Stadium, City Hall and National Museum.

Meals: Breakfast

Cross the Severn Bridge to Bath for an orientation and visit to the Roman Baths. Continue to Glastonbury, then to Torquay.

Meals: Breakfast

Choose: explore Dartmoor National Park or take a Plymouth harbour cruise (Mayflower Steps, Barbican, Royal Citadel, Plymouth Hoe). Dinner with local dishes.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Cross Salisbury Plain to visit Stonehenge. Return to the hotel in London where the journey concludes.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s included

17 nights in premium regional hotels as per itinerary, including sea-view rooms in Torquay.
Travel by air-conditioned 40-seat coach with double legroom and onboard washroom; complimentary Wi-Fi on the coach and at hotels where available.
Ferry crossings across the Irish Sea (Scotland–Northern Ireland and Ireland–Wales).
Porterage: your luggage is carried and delivered to your hotel room door.
Expert Travel Director and professional Driver throughout the journey.
Personal audio headsets provided for flexible sightseeing.
All hotel tips, charges and local taxes are covered.
Loch Ness scenic cruise.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience: seaweed foraging walk on the Ring of Kerry, supporting sustainable coastal ecosystems.
Choice of experiences on the Devonshire coast: explore Dartmoor National Park or take a Plymouth harbour cruise.
Visit to Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain.
For select August departures: tickets to The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
17 breakfasts, 8 dinners and 1 traditional afternoon tea included; features include dinner at a local restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon, a traditional Sunday roast and a dine-around evening in Killarney, and a quality dinner in Torquay, plus occasional local specialty tastings from your Travel Director.
Guided sightseeing and orientations including Local Specialist-led tours in Edinburgh (including entry to Edinburgh Castle) and Dublin; Travel Director orientations in cities such as York, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bath, Galway, Limerick and Killarney.
Entrance and guided visits to key attractions: Roman Baths in Bath, Blarney Castle, House of Waterford Crystal, Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre, and the Guinness Storehouse.
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What’s not included

International flights to and from London are not included.
Travel insurance is not included and should be arranged by the traveller.
Visas and travel documentation for the United Kingdom and Ireland (if required).
Meals not specified in the itinerary, including most lunches and any dinners beyond the 8 listed.
Optional experiences and entrance fees during free time (e.g., Glendalough excursion, Killarney jaunting car ride).
Gratuities for the Travel Director, Driver and Local Specialists (at your discretion).
Personal expenses such as laundry, souvenirs, additional drinks and phone calls.

Additional information

Discover Lincoln’s cobbled cathedral quarter, where the steep hill climbs to one of Europe’s grandest Gothic cathedrals and a Norman castle guarding views over the Witham valley. Absorb the market-town rhythm as independent shops and tearooms tuck into medieval streets.

Hear how Lincoln Cathedral once held the world’s tallest spire and how the city prospered from Roman Lindum Colonia to wool-trade wealth. The mix of ramparts, vaulted stonework and lively lanes makes this a compact, character-packed stop.

Join your Travel Director to see the pinnacles of York Minster, trace the city walls, and wander the Shambles—a narrow, timbered lane where overhanging eaves nearly meet. This atmospheric walk reveals layers from Viking Jórvík to Georgian elegance.

Glance down medieval snickelways, pause at centuries-old guildhalls, and hear tales of merchants, masons and monarchs who shaped the city’s fortunes. York’s compact center rewards curious eyes with carvings, stained glass and photogenic corners at every turn.

Travel deep into the Lake District National Park, where mirror-still waters reflect fellside farms and drystone walls. In pretty Grasmere, walk past slate cottages to Wordsworth’s grave in St. Oswald’s churchyard and glimpse the landscapes that powered the Romantic imagination.

Hear how lakeland light and weather fed poems like “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” and browse local treats—from gingerbread spiced with history to cafes perfumed with fresh-roast coffee—before vistas open to Windermere and beyond.

Experience Scotland’s capital on a guided drive along Princes Street and the Royal Mile, passing the neo-classical sweep of New Town and the official Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Distinctive closes and skyline spires set a dramatic stage.

Step inside Edinburgh Castle with a Local Specialist to see the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny and mighty Mons Meg. From the ramparts, take in panoramic views that connect medieval Old Town to Enlightenment-era grandeur.

Walk the collegiate lanes of St Andrews, a windswept coastal town defined by ruins, quads and sea air. Gaze across the Old Course, birthplace of modern golf, and stroll to West Sands Beach, where the surf-lapped shoreline starred in Chariots of Fire.

Absorb a blend of academic tradition and maritime light as steeples silhouette the sky. From university closes to castle fragments set above the North Sea, St Andrews balances scholarly quiet with briny horizons.

Visit the Highland resort of Pitlochry, famed for salmon leaping the Tummel, before arriving at Atholl Palace, a Victorian baronial retreat set amid landscaped gardens. Settle in the banqueting room for a classic afternoon tea.

Savor fresh sandwiches, warm scones and Scottish shortbread while hearing how railways brought well-heeled Victorians north for clean air and pine-scented walks. The setting’s period details and hill views pair heritage with Highland hospitality.

Get your bearings in the Highland capital with a gentle orientation past the River Ness, bridges and the red sandstone profile of Inverness Castle. Streets lined with independent shops and cafes reveal a compact city shaped by trade and tradition.

Hear of clan histories and Jacobite echoes that ripple through the Highlands, and enjoy photo stops that frame church spires, riverbanks and distant glens. The setting offers a calm pause before wilder landscapes beckon.

Cruise the dark, peat-stained waters of Loch Ness, a 37-kilometer trench carved by ancient tectonics along the Great Glen Fault. Skim past forested slopes and stone towers while onboard commentary blends geology, folklore and Highland history.

Glide by landmarks such as Aldourie Castle, keep watch for diving grebes and soaring buzzards, and hear how near-zero visibility has long fueled tales of the elusive Nessie. The loch’s scale and mood steal the show in any weather.

Cross the sea to the Isle of Skye, where jagged Cuillin peaks and heather moors meet sea lochs and crofting hamlets. Hear stories of Flora MacDonald and Jacobite escape routes that stitch romance into these rugged landscapes.

Pause to photograph Eilean Donan Castle, poised on a tidal island where three lochs meet. Its battlements mirrored in calm water create one of Scotland’s most iconic scenes, set against shifting Highland light and weather.

Pause at the Commando Memorial near Fort William, where bronze figures face the massif of Ben Nevis. The sweeping outlook honors wartime training grounds and opens to classic Highland vistas of ridges and glens.

Continue through Glencoe, the ‘Valley of the Weeping’, where volcanic geology and the 1692 massacre of Clan MacDonald lend solemn weight to towering cliffs and rushing burns. Weathered rock and shifting mist create cinematic moments at every bend.

Follow the shore of Loch Lomond, Scotland’s largest freshwater loch, where birch woods, islands and broad waters unfold beside the road. Gentle bays alternate with craggy slopes, creating a tranquil counterpoint to the Highlands’ wilder edges.

Learn how songs like “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond” echo local lore, and spot walkers and pleasure boats enjoying the national park’s protected landscapes. Photo stops capture changing light, mirror-like reflections and mountain silhouettes.

Survey Glasgow’s confident Victorian grid with an easy orientation taking in George Square, its statues and grand civic buildings, before continuing to St Mungo’s Cathedral. Bold facades and broad streets reveal a city built on industry and reinvention.

Hear how shipyards and designers shaped Glasgow’s identity, from merchant wealth to the artistry of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The tour balances architectural highlights with a sense of the city’s creative pulse today.

Meet a proud Belfast local to explore the city’s changing story, from the Titanic Quarter and the giant H&W cranes Samson and Goliath to the ornate City Hall and the Big Fish at Donegall Quay.

Drive through neighborhoods where vivid political murals reflect community identities and resilience. Insightful commentary connects shipbuilding prowess, conflict and creative renewal, revealing a city focused on progress while honoring its past.

See O’Connell Street, the gracious squares of Georgian Dublin and landmarks like Dublin Castle and St Patrick’s Cathedral. A Local Specialist sketches the story of a city shaped by writers, revolutionaries and waves of migration.

Trace layers from Viking Dubh Linn to elegant red-brick terraces and iconic doorways. Along the way, hear how music, literature and conversation fuel the Irish capital’s convivial spirit.

Enter the multi-level home of Guinness to follow barley, water, hops and yeast from roasting to rich, creamy pints. Interactive exhibits chart centuries of craft and the playful world of Guinness advertising.

Learn the secrets of the perfect pour and ascend to a panoramic bar where Dublin’s rooftops spread below. The balance of brewing heritage and city views makes this Ireland’s most celebrated visitor experience.

Wander the historic heart of Galway with your Travel Director, from the Lynch Memorial Window to the medieval Church of St Nicholas, the Spanish Arch and lively Eyre Square. Street music and shop signs in Irish give the city a creative, bohemian edge.

Hear tales of merchant families, maritime trade and festivals that animate the ‘City of the Tribes.’ The compact center invites lingering for photos, crafts and cafés along cobbled streets.

Stand atop the Cliffs of Moher, where shale and sandstone rise over 200 meters above the Atlantic and kittiwakes circle on salt-laden winds. Boardwalks lead to outlooks with lighthouse and Aran Islands views.

Visit the eco-friendly exhibition centre to learn about geology, seabird colonies and the Wild Atlantic Way. Your Travel Director adds local insights as you pause to pause for photos and reflection along this storied coastline.

Gain an overview of Limerick on the River Shannon, taking in King John’s Castle, the medieval silhouette of St Mary’s Cathedral and the historic Treaty Stone. Streets and quays reveal a city balancing Georgian order with working waterfront life.

Hear how sieges, trade and literature—from Frank McCourt to contemporary arts—have shaped Limerick’s character. It’s a concise, story-rich look at Ireland’s mid-west hub.

Trace the wild edges of the Dingle Peninsula, where ocean views, sandy arcs and stone-walled fields meet the Kerry mountains. Vistas change from cliff-backed coves to broad skies streaked with Atlantic weather.

Learn about Gaelic traditions that still anchor this region, from music to the Irish language. Camera-ready stops frame headlands, beehive huts and offshore Blaskets, revealing the peninsula’s rugged poetry.

Enjoy a relaxed introduction to Killarney, where church spires, shopfronts and mountain horizons set a welcoming tone. Your Travel Director shares local stories that bring the town’s setting near lakes and parkland into focus.

Use this grounding to plan your time among trails, jaunting cars and live-music pubs. The blend of small-town warmth and lakeside atmosphere makes Killarney an enduring favorite.

Circle the legendary Ring of Kerry, a 111-mile route of dramatic coastal headlands, sheep-dotted fields and mountain passes threading the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. Lookouts reveal bays, islands and ocean light that shift by the minute.

Return via the serene Lakes of Killarney, where woodland and water reflect in pearly hues. Commentary connects archaeology, farming and folklore to the landscapes that define Ireland’s scenic southwest.

Meet John for a guided shoreline walk learning to identify edible kelps and wracks while discussing sustainable seaweed harvesting. Discover how this ancient resource supports nutrition, skincare and local livelihoods along the Wild Atlantic coast.

Your visit directly supports UN SDG 14: Life Below Water by championing education and ecosystem protection. The experience blends salty air, hands-on learning and a deeper understanding of Ireland’s fragile marine environments.

Sit down in Killarney for a comforting traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Slices of tender meat, crisp roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables arrive with rich gravy and Yorkshire pudding, a celebration of convivial weekend dining.

Learn how the ritual of Sunday lunch endures across Ireland and Britain, bringing friends together over familiar flavors. It’s a warmly local culinary pause during your time in the southwest.

Join a curated dine-around evening in Killarney, choosing from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants that showcase regional produce and warm service. Share stories of the day over seasonal menus and Irish hospitality.

This flexible format lets you savor authentic neighborhood flavors—from modern Irish plates to rustic classics—while enjoying the company of fellow travelers in intimate, characterful settings.

Enter the grounds of Blarney Castle, a 15th-century stronghold wrapped in tall trees and winding paths. Climb the battlements to kiss the Blarney Stone, said to bestow persuasive eloquence on those bold enough to lean back for a peck.

Explore gardens dotted with rock formations and listen for echoes of clan power and sieges that shaped Munster’s history. Folklore and fun entwine in this classic Irish rite of passage.

Witness artisans at the House of Waterford Crystal, where centuries of technique meet glowing furnaces and diamond wheels. Watch skilled hands cut and blow molten glass into brilliant forms as guides trace traditions from the 18th century to today.

Gallery displays reveal how pattern, light and precision create coveted pieces for palaces, sports trophies and homes worldwide. It’s an intimate look at a craft few workshops still practice.

See the Welsh capital’s highlights on an orientation past the University of Wales, the Principality Stadium, and elegant City Hall and National Museum. Rivers, parks and Victorian arcades anchor a compact, dynamic city.

Learn how coal wealth and Welsh identity shaped Cardiff’s growth, from portside docks to concert halls and sporting arenas. The tour sketches the confident modern hub of a proudly bilingual nation.

Admire the creamy crescents and terraces of Georgian Bath before entering the Roman Baths, one of Northern Europe’s best-preserved ancient bathhouses. Steam rises from the mineral Sacred Spring as you view the Great Bath, temple remains and museum exhibits.

Interpretive displays reveal bathing rituals, sacred dedications and engineering feats that sustained Aquae Sulis nearly 2,000 years ago. Outside, Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey complete a UNESCO-listed ensemble.

Explore Glastonbury, a Somerset town woven with legend, from King Arthur lore to the quest for the Holy Grail. Independent shops and cafés cluster around streets that crest toward views of the emblematic Glastonbury Tor.

Hear how pilgrimage, monastic power and modern music culture intersect here. The mix of myth-rich stories and rural scenery gives this small town an outsized aura.

Join a Local Specialist in Dartmoor National Park for a scenic exploration of granite tors, windswept moors and grazing ponies. Learn about prehistoric stone circles, clapper bridges and indigenous traditions that have shaped life on the high moor.

This is one of two included Trafalgar Choice experiences—you will select one on tour. The vast skies and elemental landscapes reveal a wilder side of Devon.

Set sail on a relaxing cruise from Plymouth Harbour, gliding past the Mayflower Steps, Barbican quays and the Royal Citadel. Commentary connects seafaring exploits, naval heritage and the journeys that shaped Atlantic history.

This is one of two included Trafalgar Choice experiences—you will select one on tour. Sea breezes and harbor views frame Plymouth’s maritime story from an inviting waterside perspective.

Walk around the enigmatic stones of Stonehenge, set on open Salisbury Plain. Audio guides and displays explore theories from astronomical calendar to ceremonial site, while the visitor center adds context through artefacts and reconstructions.

Observe how sarsens and bluestones align with solstice light and consider the engineering feats behind this 5,000-year-old monument. The setting’s windswept isolation magnifies its ancient presence.

Witness the pageantry of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, where massed pipes and drums fill the night and light projections play across the Castle Esplanade. Precision drill teams and international performers create a stirring open-air spectacle.

This experience typically operates in August and is optional at additional cost, bookable on tour. Availability varies by departure; your Travel Director will advise on seating and arrangements.

Journey into County Wicklow to the monastic valley of Glendalough, a serene landscape of lakes, round towers and ivy-draped ruins. Stroll peaceful paths while your guide shares stories of St Kevin and early Christian learning.

This excursion offers a contemplative counterpoint to city life and is optional at additional cost, bookable on tour. Expect photogenic views, quiet graveyards and a palpable sense of history amid wooded slopes.

Clip-clop through Killarney National Park by traditional jaunting car, taking in lake vistas, ancient oaks and mountain backdrops at an easy pace. Your jarvey shares local lore and points out wildlife along tree-lined avenues.

This charming carriage experience connects heritage with scenery and is optional at additional cost, bookable on tour. It’s a leisurely way to savor the park’s tranquil beauty.

Explore the storied lanes of Oxford with a guided orientation taking in the dreaming spires and colleges that shaped centuries of scholarship. Stroll past honeyed-stone quads, book-lined windows and graceful chapels while your Travel Director shares how this compact city blends medieval lanes with lively student life.

Hear about traditions from matriculation to rowing on the Isis and pause to view landmarks like the Radcliffe Camera and Sheldonian Theatre. Capture the collegiate atmosphere that made Oxford a touchstone for writers from J.R.R. Tolkien to Philip Pullman.

Visit the timbered house where William Shakespeare first drew breath and step into rooms layered with artefacts of the playwright’s life. Guides bring to life the bustle of Tudor Stratford, from glove-making to grammar school, as you wander the cottage garden’s herbs and hollyhocks.

Learn how the Bard’s words travelled from provincial stages to the Globe Theatre and beyond, and see memorabilia that charts a legacy still shaping drama, language and culture worldwide. This intimate encounter enriches any reading of Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet.

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