Elegance of Great Britain 2021

This morning arrive in to Scotland; a land of legends and romance, famed for dramatic mountains and misty lochs of the Highlands, and the cultural cities of the South. If you arrive at Edinburgh Airport, today you’ll benefit from complementary shared transfers to your Edinburgh hotel (available at 09:00, 11:00 and 13:00). After checking-in at your centrally located hotel, the rest of your first day is yours to relax or begin exploring Edinburgh before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travel companions at 17:30 for a Welcome Dinner. Enjoy this first opportunity to get to know each other over food and drink ahead of our first day exploring Scotland.

Overnight: Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh

Meals: Dinner with wine included.

On the first day of our tour together we join up with a local expert to see the highlights of the city. Sit back and relax as we drive through the 18th Century New Town, famed for its Neoclassical Adam facades and along Princes Street to the ornate Scott Memorial. Arriving in the Old Town, we enjoy a visit to the stunning Edinburgh Castle, where we can see the Stone of Destiny and Scotland’s Crown Jewels, commonly referred to as "The Honours of Scotland". The afternoon is yours free to explore the city; perhaps a visit to the National Gallery and the art treasures inside? On selected departures throughout August, you will also attend the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a spectacularly colourful mix of pipes and drums, dance and display, beautifully set against the backdrop of the Castle.

Overnight: Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh

Meals: Breakfast included.

Departing the Scottish capital, we continue our adventure together with a visit to Ardgowan Estate, beautifully set among a 10,000-acre coastal estate along Scotland’s dramatic western county of North Ayrshire. Explore the expansive house and grounds, taking in the history of the Shaw Stewart family perhaps trying to spot the resident ghost! Afterwards, delight in freshly-made, traditional Scottish tea and scones. Moving on, we visit world-famous Gretna Green to see the famous spot where runaway lovers from England crossed the border to Scotland to marry over the anvil in the blacksmith’s shop. Leaving Scotland behind us, we continue to the picture-perfect region of the English Lake District. Arriving at the hotel, dinner is served.

Overnight: Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa, Windermere

Meals: Breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner included.

Today we devote the day to the picturesque landscapes of the Lake District, famed for its rugged mountains and tranquil waters. As a result of its natural beauty, the area has become synonymous with English poetry, art and literature, providing the perfect inspiration for many famous works. First, we visit William Wordsworth’s grave at St Oswald’s Church in Grasmere; a traditional Cumbrian lake-land village. Later we enjoy a relaxing scenic cruise on Lake Windermere before embarking on a traditional steam train, travelling along the banks of the stunning River Leven.

Overnight: Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa, Windermere

This morning we enjoy a relaxed start with time to explore Windermere at leisure before we board the coach for our scenic journey over the Yorkshire Dales. We’ll pause at the quintessentially English village of Haworth where we visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum, created within the home of the Brontë family; study the iconic family’s literary legacy, and how the rugged landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales inspired their many best-selling works. Later, we make our way to historic York, one of the oldest and grandest cities in England, for our first night in the walled city. Here we enjoy a speciality home-hosted meal in Thirsk Hall.

Overnight: Hilton, York

Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine included.

Waking up in York, we spend today exploring one of Britain’s most historic and popular cities, known for its exquisite architecture and its links to the Vikings Invaders of Britain. Stroll through the town with a Local Expert to see the highlights including the towering York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and The Shambles, a quaint, cobbled street where the rickety buildings lean over the lane below. By afternoon, there will be plenty of time to further explore York independently; perhaps visit the National Railway Museum or continue picking up those souvenirs.

Overnight: Hilton, York

Meals: Breakfast included.

Today, we continue our journey South, making our first stop at the city of Lincoln, known for its stunning medieval cathedral. Here, we visit one of the finest Norman castles in England. The castle also houses a Victorian prison and one of the four original remaining copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. Moving on from Lincoln, we travel to our next overnight stay in Stratford-upon-Avon home beautifully set on the banks of the river Avon. Your hotel is located within its own private grounds just a short walk along the River Avon to the town centre famous for its wealth of black and white timber-framed buildings, synonymous with Tudor Britain.

Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Stratford, Stratford-upon-Avon

Meals: Breakfast included.

After a relaxed start, we re-group to discover how Shakespeare and his incredible, timeless works continue to delight audiences today. We walk the short distance to his birthplace, full to the brim with interesting historical artefacts and memorabilia relating to the great playwright. Come the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore further this great town; perhaps take a ride along the River Avon, or take local transport to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. In the evening, join your Travel Director for the highlight of the stay in Stratford-upon-Avon, a feast of a traditional Sunday Roast Dinner, served with fluffy Yorkshire puddings and complete with all the trimmings.

Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Stratford, Stratford-upon-Avon

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included.

This morning we depart for a truly enchanting day, travelling across beautiful, rolling Cotswolds hills, and through picture-perfect chocolate-box villages of golden stone cottages with thatched rooves. Our first stop of the day is the magnificent and grandiose Blenheim Palace, the ancestral home and birthplace of the "Greatest Ever Briton", Winston Churchill. Explore the house and gardens before we continue to the elegant Georgian town of Bath in the farming county of Somerset. Upon arrival, your Travel Director introduces you to the impressive residence of the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge, both built with the same mellow local stone found across the town.

Overnight: Bailbrook House Hotel, Bath

Meals: Breakfast included.

Today we dedicate to exploring the beautiful Regency city of Bath which enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status. The city is built above one of Britain's thermal, mineral springs. This morning you have a choice to visit the incredibly well-preserved Roman Baths or discover the town’s significance in the life and work of Jane Austen. With the rest of the day at leisure, why not soak and relax with a visit to Thermae Spa? In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a beautiful meal at the Brasserie Blanc where we can raise a glass to commend your wonderful journey, while enjoying a delicious French-inspired meal accompanied with wine.

Overnight: Bailbrook House Hotel, Bath

Meals: Breakfast and dinner with wine included.

On our final day, we depart Bath and travel across the mysterious Salisbury Plain to possibly Britain’s most iconic attraction, the pre-historic standing stones of Stonehenge. Here we view the standing monoliths themselves before visiting the interactive visitor centre where we learn about the 5,000 year old history of the site and try to unravel the mysteries of the site. After stopping to explore the beautiful cathedral city of Salisbury, we continue East to London where our journey together ends in the heart of the city. From here you can make onward travel within London or the South of England or let us know and we can add extra post-tour nights in London and onward rail travel back to Edinburgh if required.

Meals: Breakfast included.