Britain & Ireland Explorer 13 Day tour from $2183    an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

The hotels on this tour vary from modern conveniently located hotels like the  Quality in York and the Burlington in Dublin, to the family run Highlander Hotel  in Newtonmore and traditional Crown & Mitre in Carlisle.

 Fellow Passengers

The experienced & the first time travellers will enjoy this tour as it is  a comprehensive introduction to the highlights of England, Scotland & Ireland – especially for those with a love for the history & traditions.

Highlights

The Scottish experience with the beautiful cruise on Loch Lomond & the sound of the bagpipes at the highland evening, the unhurried pace & beauty of Ireland plus the delights of the English countryside.

 Excursions & Sights

• Visit Shakespeare's half-timbered birthplace in pretty Stratford-upon-Avon
• Enter  York's medieval city walls to see the Minster & the tilting houses of the 'Shambles'
• See  Durham's Castle and fine Romanesque Cathedral
• See Jedburgh's ruined Abbey
• Visit Edinburgh Castle, New Town & drive the Royal Mile to Holyroodhouse Palace
• Visit  St Andrews to see the famous golf course
• Visit Caithness Glass Factory
• Tour a Whisky Distillery, including a taste
• Drive through dramatic Glencoe
• See  part of the Roman built Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald
• See Lanercost
• Priory Stop in the scenic Lake District town of Grasmere to visit Wordsworth's grave
• See Chester's 'Rows' & city walls
• Visit Dublin Castle & see the  Customs House
• Visit Ireland's National Stud & Japanese Gardens
• See the Rock of Cashel Kiss the stone at Blarney Castle
• Visit Waterford  Crystal showroom
• See Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and Castle
• Cross the mighty Severn bridge
• Visit the Roman Baths and pump rooms in Bath
• Visit prehistoric  Stonehenge

Scenic drives - English Lake District, Ring of Kerry, Scottish Highlands, Grampian Mountains

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tours in Edinburgh & Dublin

Orientation  tours in Stratford, York, Durham, Chester, Bath, & Waterford

Insight's First Class Services

• Escorted by a professional Tour Director
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Free Airport transfers when booking our London hotel (ask for details)

Quality Dining

Traditional Highland Dinner with Scottish entertainment

12 full breakfasts and 6 three course evening meals with choice, or buffets, plus tea or coffee

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

Well paced tour with two night stays in Edinburgh, Dublin & Tralee; plus the variation in pace with the two different Irish ferry crossings to Dublin and  from Rosslare.

DAY 1 LONDON - YORK

A warm welcome from your Tour Director this morning! We drive through the Oxfordshire  countryside into the 'heart of England' to Stratford-upon-Avon, beautifully located beside the river Avon. Here we visit the birthplace of the Bard, William Shakespeare, before heading north to York, the ancient capital of Viking Britain. History unfolds before us as we pass the crooked houses of the 'Shambles' to reach the Minster, England's largest medieval cathedral. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Drink with your fellow travellers. Hotel: Quality. (D)

DAY 2 YORK - EDINBURGH

First stop this morning is a visit to the beautiful city of Durham where we see the castle and the fine romanesque cathedral. Now we cross the wild Northumberland moors into Scotland. We pass Jedburgh Abbey and the house of the ill-fated Mary  Queen of Scots on our way to the elegant capital of Edinburgh, for our two night  stay. Hotel: Roxburghe/Royal Terrace. (B)

DAY 3 - EDINBURGH SIGHTSEEING

On our guided tour, we visit the castle dominating the city from its rocky crag. We also drive down the Royal Mile, past the venerable St Giles' Cathedral, to see  the Queen's Holyroodhouse Palace before crossing over to the 18th century New Town. This afternoon there is time to shop on elegant Prince's Street. (This evening selected  departures enjoy the Military Tattoo - a colourful mixture of historic battles  and modern military manoeuvres complete with pipes and drums.) (B)

DAY 4 EDINBURGH - HIGHLANDS

We cross the Firth of Forth to St Andrews, where golf was born in the 15th century.  Then to Perth, to visit the famous Caithness Glass Factory. Next we visit a whisky  distillery where the local water, the finest malt, and age old skills combine to  produce a 'wee dram' which we'll be able to taste! Then over the Grampian Mountains  for a warm highland welcome in Newtonmore. Tonight we enjoy a highlight dinner with haggis, bagpipes and traditional dancing. Hotel: Highlander. (B,HD)

DAY 5 HIGHLANDS - CARLISLE

Mountains and glens greet us this morning, as we drive through dramatic Glencoe. Then it's down to the 'bonnie' banks of Loch Lomond to board our highlight guided cruise on one of Scotland's most beautiful lochs. We then continue south  through Glasgow into the Southern Uplands of Scotland before crossing the border to our hotel in Carlisle. Hotel: Crown & Mitre. (B,D)

DAY 6 CARLISLE - CHESTER

Our first stop is at one of Britain's most impressive Roman monuments -  Hadrian's Wall. We pause for a photo opportunity at Birdoswald, passing the beautiful  Lanercost Priory. Then it's on to the Lake District, whose combination of fells,  lakes and valleys has made it the best loved scenery in England. We stop in Grasmere,  where the poet William Wordsworth is buried, before continuing to Chester. Hotel:  Quality. (B,D)

DAY 7 CHESTER - DUBLIN

We step back into Roman times this morning in Chester. We see the ancient encircling walls and the remarkable 13th century black and white galleried 'Rows', now shopping arcades. We now continue into Wales. We glimpse the massive Conwy Castle before crossing the Menai Straits to pass through the world famous village with the very  Welsh and unpronounceable name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!  Next stop is Holyhead from where we 'sail across the sea' to Ireland and its capital, Dublin for our two night stay. Hotel: Burlington. (B)

DAY 8 DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING

Today our local guide shows us Dublin's elegant Georgian squares, and the equally  impressive Castle, which we visit (when open). We also see the Irish President's  home in Phoenix Park, famous O'Connell Street and the historic Customs House. The afternoon is at leisure to shop in elegant Grafton Street, or continue sightseeing?  Tonight, an Irish cabaret show and dinner is an option. (B)

DAY 9 DUBLIN - TRALEE

Today we drive to County Kildare, Ireland's premier thoroughbred horse country,  for a guided tour of the National Stud. We also admire the adjoining Japanese Gardens. Now we view one of the great sights of Ireland, the Rock of Cashel. Then across  the rolling pastures which encircle Tipperary, immortalised in the famous song!  Tonight, we enjoy plenty of Irish hospitality in Tralee. Hotel: Abbey Gate. (B,D)

DAY 10 RING OF KERRY EXCURSION

Our excursion today takes us around the magical Ring of Kerry. We venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lake lands and remote villages, and, above all, Ireland's highest mountain range; The MacGillicuddy Reeks. A sense of the unhurried  pace of Irish life surrounds us as we view the three peaceful Lakes of Killarney.  Before returning to Tralee you might wish to take a ride with the locals on one of Killarney's jaunting cars? (B)

DAY 11 TRALEE - WATERFORD

We cross the rugged Derrynasaggart Mountains to Blarney, where we visit the woollen mill and the ancient castle, where we'll never be lost for words after kissing the  famous 'Blarney Stone'. Then on through the scenic port of Dungarvan to Waterford.  Here, we admire the sparkling display of crystal and then on to our hotel for the night. Hotel: Dooleys. (B,D)

DAY 12 WATERFORD - CARDIFF

This morning we drive to Rosslare to take the ferry across the Irish Sea to Pembroke.  Then we continue past the valleys of South Wales to the Welsh capital, Cardiff, famous for its imposing Castle and the new Millennium Stadium. Hotel: Hanover International. (B)

DAY 13 CARDIFF - LONDON

Today we drive across the Severn bridge, spanning the Bristol channel between  England and Wales, then on to Bath with its Georgian streets and crescents, where  we visit the Roman Baths. Now over Salisbury Plain to stop and visit the mysterious megaliths of Stonehenge. From here we're bound for London where our tour ends. (B)