Britain & Ireland Discovery 22 Day tour from $3887     an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

A varied selection of both modern & traditional hotels in convenient or scenic locations. Of note is the superbly located Stratford Thistle hotel and the family run Belfry hotel in the heart of Waterford.

Fellow Passengers

This tour is suitable for both seasoned & first time travellers who want the most comprehensive tour of the British Isles. Perfect for those who want to  trace their family ancestry or who are English history buffs!

 Highlights

The excursion to the Orkney Islands, the enjoyable ride on the Killarney Jaunting  cars, the sound of the bagpipes at the Highland evening, plus the ever changing  shades of green of the countryside throughout the British Isles.

Excursions & Sights

• See the colleges of Oxford
• Visit Shakespeare's half-timbered  birthplace in Stratford
• Visit Wedgwood China factory
• See York Minster & the Shambles
• Visit Gretna Green
• Visit historic Edinburgh Castle
• Visit  St Andrews
• See the Clava Stone Circles Cross Culloden battlefield
• Visit  Inverness & Loch Ness drive Visit John O'Groats
• See Eilean Donan Castle
• Drive along Loch Lomond
• Visit the Giant's Causeway
• See 'Derry's walls' & Guildhall
• Visit Belleek Pottery Centre
• Visit W.B. Yeats grave
• See O'Donnell's castle in Donegal Ardara hand loom demonstration
• Visit Killybegs
• Connemara Marble Factory
• See Galway's Eyre Square
• Visit Bunratty Folk Park
• Kiss the stone at Blarney Castle
• See Kilkenny Castle
• Visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom
• Visit Dublin CastleVisit Chester's 'Rows'
• See Ludlow Castle
• See Tintern Abbey
• Visit  the Roman Baths Visit Glastonbury
• Visit Tintagel
• Visit Stonehenge

Scenic drives - Cotswolds, Lake District, Highlands,  Glencoe, Isle of Skye, Antrim coast, Ring of Kerry, Wye Valley, Severn Bridge, Dartmoor,  Bodmin Moor, Salisbury Plain

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tours in Edinburgh, Londonderry & Dublin

Orientation tours in Stratford, Oxford, York, Bath, Glastonbury, Plymouth, Glasgow, Cork, Waterford & Cardiff

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

21 full breakfasts and 12 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, Thurso, Sligo & Plymouth, plus the change of pace with two different Irish ferry crossings & pleasant driving days with frequent stops.

DAY 1 WED - LONDON - STRATFORD

We stop in Oxford before driving through the Cotswolds to visit Shakespeare's  birthplace in Stratford. Tonight, we enjoy a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Thistle. (D)

DAY 2 THU - STRATFORD - YORK

We visit the Wedgwood china factory then continue to York where we wander through  the cobbled streets of the Shambles and see the huge Minster. Hotel: Quality.  (B)

DAY 3 FRI - YORK - EDINBURGH

This morning we tour the Lake District before stopping at Gretna Green in Scotland.  Then it's on to Edinburgh. (Tonight selected departures attend the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle). Hotel: Point. (B)

DAY 4 SAT - EDINBURGH SIGHTSEEING

Our guided tour takes us inside Edinburgh Castle and down the Royal Mile past St Giles' Cathedral, to the Queen's Holyroodhouse Palace. Then we cross  over to the 18th century New Town. This afternoon is at leisure. (B)

DAY 5 SUN - EDINBURGH - NEWTONMORE

We cross the Firth of Forth on our way to St Andrews - the home of golf. Then  we continue to Perth and over the Grampian Mountains, past Blair Athol, to our hotel  in Newtonmore. Tonight we enjoy a traditional dinner with Scottish entertainment. Hotel: Highlander. (B,HD)

DAY 6 MON - NEWTONMORE - THURSO

We drive along the Spey Valley to see the Clava Stone Circles and cross the Culloden battlefield. Now we drive via Inverness and the shores of Loch Ness, before following  the coast to Thurso. Hotel: Royal. (B,D)

DAY 7 TUE - ORKNEY ISLANDS EXCURSION

This morning we drive to the most northerly town on the British mainland, John O'Groats, to board our ferry to the Orkney Islands. Here we visit the village of  Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and Kirkwall and the Italian Chapel. Then back to the mainland and our hotel. (B,D)

DAY 8 WED - THURSO - ISLE OF SKYE

Relax and enjoy the scenery of lochs and mountains as we make our way to the fishing town of Ullapool. Then it's 'over the sea to Skye' where we admire the Cuillin Hills en route to Portree. Hotel: Tongadale. (B,D)

DAY 9 THU - ISLE OF SKYE - GLASGOW

Magnificent scenery today as we pass Eilean Donan Castle, and drive through the  awe-inspiring Glencoe. We stop on the 'bonnie banks' of Loch Lomond, before arriving in Glasgow. Hotel: Marriott. (B)

DAY 10 FRI - GLASGOW - LONDONDERRY

We bid farewell to Scotland as we cross the Irish Sea with views of the Island of Aran. The scenic Antrim coast road brings us to the Giant's Causeway, before reaching our hotel. Hotel: Everglades. (B,D)

DAY 11 SAT - LONDONDERRY - SLIGO

With our guide we see 'Derry's Walls', the Guildhall and cathedral. Then we drive south into Eire to visit the Belleek Pottery Centre. We also visit the  churchyard at Drumcliff, where the Irish poet W.B.Yeats lies buried, before reaching  Sligo. Hotel: Sligo Park. (B,D)

DAY 12 SUN - DONEGAL EXCURSION

We pass Ballyshannon to see O'Donnell's Castle in Donegal. Then to Ardara for  a hand loom demonstration, before returning to Sligo via picturesque Killybegs. (B)

DAY 13 MON - SLIGO - CO. CLARE

A scenic drive through Connemara brings us to the famous marble factory. Then  we continue to Galway to see St Nicholas Cathedral, the Spanish Arch and Eyre Square. Now on to our hotel. Hotel: Clare Inn. (B,D)

DAY 14 TUE - CO. CLARE - KILLARNEY

We begin with a visit to Bunratty Folk Park, then continue via Limerick and the  town of Adare into County Kerry. On arrival in Killarney we enjoy a ride on a famous  jaunting car! Hotel: Muckross Park Hotel. (B,D)

DAY 15 WED - KILLARNEY - WATERFORD

Today we tour the spectacular Ring of Kerry then continue to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. We also see the city of Cork before reaching our hotel in  Waterford. Hotel: Belfry. (B,D)

DAY 16 THU - WATERFORD - DUBLIN

We visit the Waterford Crystal showroom this morning. Now it's on to Kilkenny  to see the Castle, before our afternoon arrival in Dublin. Hotel: Camden Court.  (B)

DAY 17 FRI - DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING

With our local guide we tour Dublin's elegant Georgian squares and visit the castle (when open). We also see the Irish President's home, O'Connell Street and historic Customs House. This afternoon is at leisure. (B)

DAY 18 SAT - DUBLIN - CHESTER

It's back across the Irish Sea today, and through North Wales to Chester. Here we see the Roman amphitheatre, cathedral, and Tudor 'Rows'. Hotel: Quality. (B,D)

DAY 19 SUN - CHESTER - CARDIFF

First to Ludlow, with its half-timbered houses and ruined castle. Then along the Wye Valley, past Tintern Abbey to Cardiff. Hotel: Hanover International. (B)

DAY 20 MON - CARDIFF - PLYMOUTH SOUND

It's over the Severn Bridge today on our way to Bath, where we visit the Roman Baths. Then we drive via Glastonbury to Plymouth to enjoy a highlight cruise on  the harbour. Hotel: China Fleet Country Club. (B,D)

DAY 21 TUE - DARTMOOR & TINTAGEL

First stop today is Princetown, in the heart of rugged Dartmoor. Then we visit King Arthur's Tintagel and return to Plymouth via Bodmin Moor. (B)

DAY 22 WED - PLYMOUTH SOUND - LONDON

We visit mysterious Stonehenge this morning, then we continue over Salisbury Plain back to London. (B)