8-Nights Best Of Britain from $2,845

CIE Tours

OFFER ID 1500451

2024 - 9 Day Best of Britain
Authentic Local Experiences: Enjoy reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 4 – 18 departures. Discover the rich history of Windsor and York on walking tours around these charming old towns. Visit the medieval Bamburgh Castle and enjoy views of the beach below. Trip Highlights: Blenheim Palace Cardiff Castle Edinburgh Castle Scottish Evening* Roman Baths Stonehenge Tower of London Windsor Castle *August 4 – 18 departures. Dining Experiences: 8 Breakfasts (B) and 4 Dinners* (D) *Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner. Hotels: Castle Hotel Windsor | Windsor (1) Delta Hotels by Marriott York | York (1) The Murrayfield Hotel | Edinburgh (2) Malmaison Liverpool | Liverpool (1) Clayton Hotel | Cardiff (1) 100 Quees's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection| London (2)

8 nights from $2,845 per person

Valid for new bookings deposited now – December 2024 for travel from October 13, 2024 - January 20, 2025. Please confirm with your travel advisor which trips are applicable for discount.

*Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability and airline booking guidelines. Other restrictions may apply.

Valid for new bookings deposited November 11, 2024 – November 24, 2024 for travel from January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025

*Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply.

Itinerary

CIE Tours: 2024 - 9 Day Best of Britain

Day 1 Windsor Castle, Walking Tour & Welcome Drink
Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from your Windsor hotel. Visit Windsor Castle, residence of the King and the largest inhabited castle in the world. Take a walk around this compact and historic town with your tour director. In the evening, join your group for a welcome drink; you are then free to dine independently.

Day 2 Blenheim Palace & Cotswolds Drive
Travel to Blenheim Palace, a monumental country house and home to the Dukes of Marlborough. Enjoy a scenic drive through the picturesque Cotswolds, passing through quaint towns and villages nestled in distinctive rolling hills and valleys. Travel on to York, a city founded by the Romans in the first century and a major wool trading center in the Middle Ages. (B, D)

Day 3 York Walking Tour, York Minster & Bamburgh Castle
Take a walking tour of York’s medieval streets, including the Shambles, one of the city’s narrowest alleyways. Tour Gothic York Minster, renowned for its magnificent medieval stained glass windows. Visit Bamburgh Castle, an imposing medieval fortress that is one of the largest inhabited castles in Britain. This magical castle is set high on a rocky plateau affording wonderful views along the coast. Continue to your hotel in Edinburgh, where you will enjoy an evening free to dine independently. (B)

Day 4 Edinburgh City Tour, Edinburgh Castle & Scottish Evening*
Explore central Edinburgh starting in the 200-year-old “New Town” with its planned streets and elegant Georgian houses. View Princes Street, the city’s premier shopping street, and see the Royal Mile, where medieval houses are clustered closely together. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. Enjoy a lively Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. August 4 – 18 departures experience the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B, D*)

Day 5 Lake District & Liverpool
Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired the famed children’s author Beatrix Potter. Stop in the village of Grasmere to visit the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. Enjoy a talk and tasting of this traditional spicy-sweet treat, first made 165 years ago. Head to Liverpool, a city that once dominated global trade and is now better known as the home of the Beatles. Take a short walking tour of the docks before some free time for dinner. Meet your group again to experience live music at the world-famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four got their start. (B)

Day 6 Ludlow, Tintern Abbey & Cardiff Castle
Travel through scenic Shropshire, one of the most unspoiled parts of rural England. Stop in Ludlow, a quintessentially English town, to see the castle and quaint old black-and-white houses. Continue through the lovely Welsh countryside to visit the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey. Head to Cardiff and tour the splendid Cardiff Castle, which was magnificently restored in the Victorian era. Dine at your hotel. (B, D)

Day 7 Cardiff Panoramic Tour, Roman Baths & Stonehenge
Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff with a brief walk to see the principal areas and buildings. Head to Bath for a visit to the Roman Baths, hot mineral-rich springs that have been popular since ancient Roman times. Continue on to the prehistoric circle of vast monoliths of Stonehenge at Salisbury Plain and learn about the primitive building methods used to create such an enduring monument. Arrive in London and savor dinner with your group at your hotel. (B, D)

Day 8 London Tour, Tower of London & Independent Sightseeing
Set out on a panoramic tour of central London with a local guide to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus with its statue of Eros, Nelson’s Column flanked by huge lions in Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Visit the mighty Tower of London to see the many fortresses, ravens, Beefeaters in their distinctive uniforms, and the priceless Crown Jewels. The rest of the day and evening is free for further exploring. (B)

Day 9 Tour Ends in London
Your tour ends after breakfast. (B) B: Breakfast; D: Dinner *Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner. >

Featured Destinations

Liverpool

Liverpool – just saying the name automatically brings the world’s most famous group to mind – The Beatles. Liverpool however has more to offer visitors though than just Beatles memorabilia. Located on the Irish Sea on the mouth of the Mersey River, Liverpool is one of England’s most important seaports, second only to London. A bustling port for the exchanging of goods, it is also a passenger port for those traveling to Ireland. Several churches in the city are notable; among them is the Anglican Cathedral, built in 1904 which is one of the largest ecclesiastical structures in the world. There are several museums in the city as well, the Walker Art Gallery and the Merseyside County Museum.

Excursions

Liverpool: Explore Liverpool - 8 hours

This morning, you are met as you disembark your cruise ship by your driver-guide. Begin your full day private sightseeing tour of Liverpool, once the most important centre of maritime trade in the world.

Liverpool was the European capital of Culture in 2008 as is also the birthplace of Beatles. You may like to walk through the Mathew Street to the Cavern Club, following in the footsteps of the Beatles. See the buildings known as the ‘Three Graces’, and the impressive civic buildings that were constructed as a result of the mercantile wealth. The most important of these is St. George’s Hall, that interestingly claims to be the world’s first air-conditioned building. The Walker Art Gallery houses one of the finest collections of paintings in the UK outside of London. However the two most magnificent buildings from the 20th-century in Liverpool are the cathedrals. The Anglican Cathedral built in traditional gothic style is the largest church in the UK; the Roman Catholic cathedral is a fine example of contemporary modernist architecture.

Time permitting you may also pass under the River Mersey to Port Sunlight, one of the first planned industrial villages in the world that was opened by the Lever Brothers to house their workers in better conditions. The focal point of the village is the Lady Lever Art Gallery that houses a large collection of Wedgwood Jasperware. You could also visit Speke Hall (closed Monday and Tuesday), a fine example of a Tudor half-timbered manor house that is richly decorated with wooden furniture inside.

Highlights:

Follow in the footsteps of the famous band the Beatles who grew up in Liverpool
See the impressive civic buildings, the Walker Art Gallery and the largest church in the UK

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by luxury car or minivan
An expert local driver-guide for 8 hours
Entrance fees to all sights and museums
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities

London

Cardiff

Edinburgh

Dominated by the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle, this picturesque city offers shopping on Princes Street, the grandeur of the Royal Mile, St. Giles Cathedral and historic Palace of Holyrood House, where Queen Mary lived and many Scottish kings were wed. Or venture across the moors to marvel at the scenic Highlands.

Excursions

Edinburgh: Royal Edinburgh - 8 hours

With Scotland's most famous castle dominating the city, Edinburgh provides a fantastic introduction to this magical country. This morning you will receive a warm welcome by your local guide as you disembark your cruise for your full day sightseeing tour (8 hours) by private vehicle.

You will first head up to Edinburgh Castle, where you will see the 'Honours of Scotland', or the Scottish Crown Jewels, and have the opportunity to admire striking views across the city. Drive along the Royal Mile to the imposing Holyrood Palace*, the Queen's Official Residence in Scotland.

Continue the Royal theme this afternoon, with a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Built in Scotland, and now permanently moored here, this famous ship hosted many official voyages during her working life. Your guide will bring the Royal Yacht Britannia’s intriguing history to life prior to the short transfer back to your cruise ship.

*You will tour the staterooms of the palace if no member of the Royal Family is staying here at the time.

Highlights:

Privately guided tour of Edinburgh Castle
Visit Holyrood Palace (Subject to Royal Visit)
Discover the history of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Tour Duration: 8 Hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by BMW 7 Series or similar for 1 or 2 passengers or Viano (6 passenger seats) or similar for 3, 4, or 5 passengers or Sprinter for 6 passengers.
Expert local guide for stated sightseeing 8 hours in Edinburgh
Entrance fees to all sights and museums
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities
Supplement for public holidays
Anything not specifically mentioned in the “Inclusions” list above.

Edinburgh: Introducing Edinburgh - 4 hours

York

Windsor

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

12/01/2024 - 12/09/2024

from $2,845 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $2,845 per person

Length

8 Nights

Air City

Call for airfares from your city.

Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

Prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy, subject to availability and change without notice. Taxes additional. Single supplement available. Surcharges may apply. Internal and international airfare not included. All pricing and accommodations are subject to availability. Full terms and conditions apply. Rates may vary by date of travel; please inquire for the best prices for your preferred travel dates. Itinerary and map subject to change. Prices subject to availability and changes without notice. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1500451

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Rio Grande Travel Centers, Inc.

6500 Holly Ave. NE Suite A-2
Albuquerque, NM 87113
USA

(505) 292-7044
(877) 768-7913