Britain Sampler

Welcome to London!

Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you. Free time this afternoon.

The Royal Treatment

LONDON: Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes sights of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Prime Minister's Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral. Free time this afternoon. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SITES: See the legendary landmarks of England's historic capital city. Walk where voices have rung out for centuries in Parliament Square and where chimes rise high above you with the ringing of Big Ben's quarter bells. See Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have made history.

Ancient Stones & Spa Days

LONDON: Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am before departing for Stonehenge.

STONEHENGE: Join a guided visit. (Departure 19 June: due to closure, Stonehenge visit replaced by Salisbury Cathedral visit).

BATH: Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths. Free time the remainder of the day. (B/D) 139 mi / 224 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURAL GEMS: The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the "Best Spa Towns in Europe." The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society.

Welsh Country Beauties

LUDLOW: Visit the historic market town.

LLANGOLLEN: Visit the picturesque town.

LIVERPOOL: Free time the remainder of the day. (B) 204 mi / 335 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURE & TRADITION: Explore the charming medieval town of Ludlow on the River Teme. Noteworthy buildings include Ludlow Castle and the impressive St. Laurence's church. With nearly 500 buildings on the Historic England list, Ludlow's medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered architecture inspired poet laureate Sir John Betjeman to call it "the loveliest town in England."

Sonnets, Sweets & Scottish Sips

LAKE DISTRICT: Take a scenic drive.

GRASMERE: Visit Wordsworth's beloved village. Sample the original Grasmere gingerbread.

GRETNA GREEN: Visit The Whisky House and taste some well-known malts.

EDINBURGH: Free time this evening. (B) 237 mi / 390 km

LOCAL FAVOURITE - TIMELESS TRADITIONS: Sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere baked following an 1854 recipe invented by Sarah Nelson, and whet your whistle with a tip of the glass at The Whisky House in Gretna Green.

Crown Jewels & Castle Views

EDINBURGH: Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the New Town, the Old Town, and a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland's Crown Jewels. Free time this afternoon.

EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO: Attend the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance. (Departures July 31 through August 21 only). (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - MUSIC & MASTERPIECES: Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with an 11,000-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain". Here, you'll find the royal regalia and Scotland's Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year.

Augustine's Monks & Medieval Markets

ABBOTSFORD: Take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford House.

JEDBURGH: Take photos of the Augustinian abbey ruins.

YORK: See York Minster on a guided walk through The Shambles. (B/D) 202 mi / 325 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SPOT: While strolling the cobblestones of York's Shambles, it's easy to imagine the medieval butcher shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter's Diagon Alley, and today is a vibrant gathering place with cheerful cafes and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies.

Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON: See Anne Hathaway's Cottage. Visit Shakespeare's Birthplace. (B) 256 mi / 411 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - A LEGEND SLEPT HERE: Ah, young love! Even more true, as Shakespeare's fiancee was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard's wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare's Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Safe travels until we meet again!

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)