Overview
Part of the charm of exploring through Britain is seeing the spectacular scenery, and on this Britain tour, you’ll get the opportunity to witness some of its most scenic areas. Travel through Northumberland National Park, with its wide-open spaces and views...read more of endless beauty; Brecon Beacons National Park, with its dramatic landscapes; Dartmoor National Park; and incomparable Snowdonia National Park in Wales, with picturesque villages, mountains, and lakes. Drive through the serene Lake District, England’s largest and finest natural park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On your way to Glasgow, admire some of Scotland’s most stunning scenery, including vast areas of unspoiled wilderness and gorgeous lochs (lakes).
On this Britain tour, you’ll also travel to some of Britain’s charming towns. In Stratford-upon-Avon, explore the town that Shakespeare called home and get a glimpse into life in 16th-century England. Walk through York’s quaint streets with your Tour Director and marvel at England's most complete medieval city. In Bath, explore the elegant city famed for its excavations of the 2,000-year-old Roman baths. In Plymouth, see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. Enjoy an orientation drive in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and sightseeing in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital.
These are just some of the many highlights of this value-minded Britain tour through England, Scotland, and Wales.
Itinerary
Check into your hotel. In the afternoon, there's time to rest or to start exploring the lively British capital. Uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
Enjoy a free day in London or consider an optional illuminating morning sightseeing tour with a Local Guide to explore the city's famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister's Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. A highlight of your tour is a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral; Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece built between 1675 and 1708.
This afternoon, why not visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its spectacular Crown Jewels. This evening, we recommend a traditional dining experience followed by a guided nighttime cruise along the Thames River for a different view of some of the capital's most beautiful, illuminated sights. (B)
Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing. In Oxford, a walking tour shows you the colleges where Britain's elite receive their outstanding education. Then, travel through the lovely Cotswold Hills to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon. Take photos of Anne Hathaway's Cottage and explore the town at your own pace. Your overnight destination is Sheffield. Today's Distance: 251 mi/ 404 km (B/D)
In York, stand in awe in front of the great structure of York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. See a section of Hadrian's Wall, then motor through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. Then, at Jedburgh, see the abbey ruins before a late-afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. No trip to Scotland is complete without an authentic Scottish evening! Join an optional night out that's filled with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis! Today's Distance: 217 mi/ 349 km (B)
A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town,” home to famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland's Crown Jewels. Afternoon at leisure.
Get the royal treatment this afternoon, and discover what life was like on board Her Majesty's floating residence during an exciting visit of the Royal Yacht Britannia, followed by dinner with wine at an excellent local restaurant! For select departures, tickets are included for tonight's performance of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of amassed Scottish pipe bands that takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. (B)
A day of memorable sightseeing: take the elegant Forth Road Bridge to St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; then, cross the Firth of Tay and, via Dundee and Perth, head into the Highlands, with a stop in the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor with its memories of Bonnie Prince Charlie, then, via Inverness, head for your Highland destination. Today's Distance: 221 mi/ 335 km (B/D)
Look out for signs of the mysterious Loch Ness monster and proceed via Fort William, beneath Ben Nevis. Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond are scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow. Today's Distance: 176 mi/ 283 km (B)
South through the history-steeped Lowland Hills and a visit to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Drive through beautiful scenery in the Lake District, considered to be the finest of England's national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
End the day in Liverpool, of Beatles fame, once the departure port of the great transatlantic liners. Feel the beat of Liverpool with an optional city tour this afternoon where a Local Guide brings to life the city's historic and celebrated sites – including those connected to the Beatles. Today's Distance: 240 mi/ 386 km (B)
A day dedicated to the mountainous beauty of North Wales. After a stop in pretty Betws-y-Coed, drive over spectacular Llanberis Pass and through Snowdonia National Park to Caernarfon, where the castle saw the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. Then, follow the coast road via the walled town of Conway back to Liverpool. Today's Distance: 185 mi/ 298 km (B)
First stop today is in the pretty market town of Ludlow before heading back into Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park, land of salmon rivers and the Welsh mountain pony.
Finally, head through “The Valleys,” whose iron ore and coal were the raw materials for the Industrial Revolution, to the Welsh capital. Here, an orientation drive introduces you to the major attractions: Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Millennium Stadium, and the stately civic buildings. Experience Welsh culture at its finest during this memorable optional excursion featuring a dinner of local specialties and wine. Today's Distance: 194 mi/ 312 km (B)
Leaving Wales, cross the Severn Bridge for a visit to the elegant Georgian city of Bath, famed for its Roman relics, before heading into the romantically scenic West Country and Glastonbury with its King Arthur associations. In the heart of Dartmoor National Park, visit quaint Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the ghostly setting for Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles. Finally, in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. Today's Distance: 197 mi/ 316 km (B)
On the final leg of your journey, take in Thomas Hardy's Wessex and visit prehistoric Stonehenge to admire the magnificence of the monument from up close and explore the visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions. Return to London around 3 pm. How about celebrating the success of your tour with a night out on the town? Curtain's up with an optional escorted evening in London's theatre district, starting with a delicious dinner, followed by excellent seats at your chosen show. Today's Distance: 218 mi/ 351 km (B)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Walking tour of Oxford
- Visit to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon
- Walking tour of York
- Guided city sightseeing in Edinburgh with admission to Edinburgh Castle and Scotland's Crown Jewels
- Admission to The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance (2026: August 3, 10, 17 and 24 departures)
- Visit to Gretna Green
- Scenic drives through the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia National Park, and the Lake District
- Orientation drive in of Cardiff
- Free time in the Georgian city of Bath
- Admission to Stonehenge and Visitor Centre
- The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.
- Full English breakfast daily, 2 Dinners
- London: Novotel London West (First-Class)
- Sheffield: Leonardo Hotel Sheffield (First-Class)
- Edinburgh: Novotel Edinburgh Park (First-Class)
- Strathpeffer: Ben Wyvis Hotel (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Glasgow: Maldron Hotel Glasgow (First-Class)
- Liverpool: Leonardo Hotel Liverpool (First-Class)
- Cardiff: Mercure Cardiff North Hotel (First-Class)
- Plymouth: Leonardo Hotel Plymouth (First-Class)
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
- This tour requires some uphill walking on rough terrain at Edinburgh Castle which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs.
- Headsets available on tour except for London.
Enjoy inside visits to the UK's must-see sites with a great mix of included excursions, free time and affordable value. Read more
Cosmos build free time into every one of their vacations, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Read more
Cosmos' easy going, fun-filled and multilingual Tour Directors and Local Guides love exploring as much as you do. Read more
Trip Reviews (26) View All Most Recent 'England, Scotland & Wales' Reviews
I would like to thank Georgie for handling my booking and being very quick in communication via email, the documents arriving in plenty of time. Highly recommended Global Journeys and highly recommended this tour to see the highlights of UK so you can return to spend more time in areas you liked the most.
You were obliged to take up the optional tours listed as there was limited access or options of other things to do close to the hotel and you were too far out of the city to explore on your own. Basically we were just driven from hotel to hotel rarely stopping for a photo stop. Our tour guide did give us some of the local history of the area but when arriving at the hotel didn't give any information about what was available to do or see by yourself in the area. We did see what we wanted to see and enjoyed ourselves overall.
Our... read more Tour Director, Suzie, was one of the best we've ever encountered and provided us with the background and history of every town and site we visited. If you want to get a taste of what England, Scotland and Wales has to offer - this is the tour. Booking with Global Journeys was very easy and Hannah has always been very efficient and keeps us informed about our trip.
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Cosmos Worldwide (2025-26)
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A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Inquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Cosmos. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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