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British & Irish Voyager
Superior First
Class Hotels: 14 Day Coach Tour
Tour
Highlights:
London
Pub Welcome Dinner
Edinburgh
Twilight Tour with Dinner
Dublin’s
Shindig at the Old Jameson Distillery
Hampton Court Palace
London
& Dublin Open-top Sightseeing Bus Tours
Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage in the Lake District
Edinburgh, Stirling
& Blarney Castles
Day
1: London
Arrival & Introductory Tour
Welcome to Heathrow Airport,
London!
After immigration and baggage claim, take an independent coach transfer
to your hotel, located on Tottenham Court
Road. Coaches operate frequently. Use your London open-top hop-on
hop-off independent bus tour voucher to reach places all
around London
that appeal to you. You may choose to stay on the bus for the entire
route and enjoy the commentary. In the evening meet your guide and
fellow travellers over a welcome drink
to discuss your vacation before heading to a real English pub for
some typical food. (D)
Day
2: Hampton Court
& Leisure Time
This morning drive to Hampton Court
Palace, which is set in handsome gardens and parkland
close to the River Thames. Tour the Palace to see the Tudor Kitchens, the
great gatehouse, the orangery, the Hampton Court Vine and the maze.
Return to London
where the afternoon and evening are at leisure for independent
activities. If you did not use your independent bus tour voucher on the
previous day, you may use it to discover the heart of this vibrant
capital. The pass is valid for 24 hours. (CB)
Day
3: Cotswolds & Chester
Drive through part of the
Cotswolds, a delightful hilly region with
honey-collared stone houses, many dating back to medieval times. Stop
in Stratford-upon-Avon for a look
around on your own to see Shakespeare’s Birthplace and some of
the old black-and-white houses. Continue your drive to Chester and check
in to your hotel. Then take a walking tour to
explore the narrow old streets of Chester.
See the black-and-white Rows and walk along parts of the medieval city
walls. (CB,D)
Day
4: Lake District & Gretna Green
Travel through the
glorious Lake District to enjoy
stunning views of shimmering lakes, gentle hills and valleys. Stop in
the quaint village
of Grasmere to
visit Dove
Cottage, where William Wordsworth penned some of his most
popular lines. Also see his grave in the village churchyard. Cross the
border into Scotland
and stop at Gretna Green,
one of the world’s most popular wedding destinations. Drive
through the Borders region to Edinburgh
and your hotel in the “New Town.” In the evening take a tour of Edinburgh’s hidden gems and
dine at a waterside
restaurant in Leith.
(B,D)
Day
5: Edinburgh
Castle & City
Tour
Explore central Edinburgh this
morning, starting in the 200-year-old “New Town” with its
planned streets and elegant Georgian houses, homes of many famous
writers and inventors. See the Royal Mile where the old medieval houses
are clustered. Tour
Edinburgh Castle where
the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny are housed. The
afternoon is free for independent activities. On August 06, 13 and 20
departures watch the spectacular Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day
6: Stirling
Castle, Glen Coe
& Traditional Music
Visit the mighty Stirling Castle, captured
from the English in 1297 by William Wallace and again in 1314 by Robert
the Bruce. Drive through Callander and into
the scenic Trossachs region, called
“The Highlands in Miniature.” Stop at Kilmahog Woollen Mill, which stocks a large
selection of Scottish goods and whiskies. Travel across Rannoch Moor
and through Glencoe, notorious for the massacre of the Clan Macdonald
by the Campbells.
Check in to your lovely Highlands hotel and enhance the Highland atmosphere when a Scottish piper and step-dancer
perform for you after dinner. (B,D)
Day
7: Highlands & Loch Lomond Cruise
Travel through wonderful Highland scenery with many bodies of water. Drive
by Loch Etive and Loch Awe and through Glen Aray to the Georgian town of Inveraray
on the shores of Loch Fyne. The New Town of Inveraray was built between 1753 and 1776 by the 3rd
Duke of Argyll who decided to move the existing town to landscape his
splendid new castle
properly. Cross the mountain pass of “Rest and Be Thankful”
to Loch Lomond. Embark on a scenic cruise
to admire panoramic views of Highland peaks before driving into Glasgow for a
short orientation tour. (B,D)
Day
8: Ferry to Ireland & Dublin
Make an early start this
morning as you drive south from Glasgow
through the gentle pastoral countryside of the Southern Uplands to Cairnryan. Your tour group and coach will embark on
a short ferry
journey to Larne. Take a brief look around the city of Belfast before travelling south past the Mourne Mountains and along the east coast to Dublin. Check into
your hotel, located on the north side of the city. The evening is free
for independent dining and hotel personnel or your tour escort will
assist in finding an appealing restaurant. (B)
Day
9: Book of Kells & Shindig Evening
This morning tour Dublin city centre
in the company of a local guide to see public buildings, delightful
gardens and lively shopping streets. View elegant Georgian squares
lined with townhouses boasting collared doors. Enter Trinity College
to view the 8th century illuminated gospel manuscript of the Book of Kells
in the Old Library. The afternoon is at leisure when you may take an open-top bus
tour with a Guinness or Jameson visit. In the evening
attend a “Shindig”
at the Old Jameson Distillery. See whiskey-making processes before
dining on Irish specialties, followed by a festive entertainment
program. (B,D)
Day
10: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin
and view the green countryside as you travel through the centre of Ireland,
which has many mixed farms. Stop to view the stately church ruins atop
the Rock of Cashel, which rises high above
the surrounding plain. Continue your drive south and just a few miles
outside Cork, visit Blarney Castle to kiss the
famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills before driving through Macroom and into County Kerry,
where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Check into your hotel in
Killarney and relax before dinner. (B,D)
Day
11: Dingle
Peninsula & Blasket Experience
Today discover the scenic
Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two
movies – “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far &
Away.” Drive along the south shore and stop to admire views of
heathery mountains and the sandy stretches of Inch Beach.
Pause in Dingle before continuing to the western tip of the peninsula.
Tour the Blasket Centre
in Dunquin to learn about the Blasket Islands, inhabited until 1953 by hardy
families who eked out a living by farming and fishing. Return to
Killarney and enjoy free time to relax or take a walk. After dinner in
your hotel you may like to visit some of the cosy
pubs featuring live music. (B,D)
Day
12: Flying Boat Museum & Cliffs of Moher
Travel north to Foynes on the River Shannon Estuary to learn about
the early days of flight at the Flying Boat Museum.
This was the landing place for Pam Am Clippers from the United States and Europe.
Drive to the village of Bunratty and look
around Durty Nelly’s Pub or the Bunratty
Folk Park.
Head to the coast to view the Cliffs of Moher,
an impressive wall of rock that rises 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Continue to Galway for a
panoramic drive before checking in to your hotel, which overlooks Galway Bay. (B,D)
Day
13: 6th Century
Clonmacnoise & Dunboyne Castle
Leave Galway
and drive to the centre of the country to visit Clonmacnoise,
a monastic settlement founded in 545 AD by St. Ciaran.
See round towers, elaborately decorated Celtic crosses and the ruins of
many churches picturesquely set on the banks of the tranquil River
Shannon. Continue your drive eastward to your elegant hotel, just
outside Dublin.
Enjoy the facilities and relax for a while before joining in a farewell dinner
with your group. Savour great food followed
by some local entertainment. (B,D)
Day
14: Depart Dublin
for Home
Complimentary group
transfers are provided to Dublin
Airport to arrive
at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. After check-in, you’ll have
time to shop at the duty-free stores before the journey home. (B)
Tour runs 9 April – 29 October 2010
Departure days Friday
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Tour Dates
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Price
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9 April > 23 April
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$3290
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7 May > 21 May
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$3460
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28 May > 18 June
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$3560
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25 June > 20 August
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$3770
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27 August > 24 September
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$3560
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1 October > 29 October
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$3290
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All rates are in Australian dollars per person twin share basis
Single supplement $1095
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES
• Group
transfers on arrival at Heathrow and departure from Dublin
• Ferry
from Scotland to Ireland
•
Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
•
London & Dublin open-top bus tours
• Visit
and a drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery
•
Services of a professional driver/guide
• Local
guides in London, Edinburgh
and Dublin
•
Superior first class hotels with private bath/shower for 13 nights
• 11
full breakfasts (B) and 2 continental breakfasts in London (CB)
• 10
dinners (D) including:
- Welcome
dinner at a local London
pub
- Dinner in
waterfront restaurant in Leith, near Edinburgh
-
“Shindig” dinner and show at the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin
- Farewell
dinner at Dunboyne Castle Hotel
- 6 table
d’hôte dinners
•
Welcome get-together drink
•
Walking tour of Chester
•
Twilight sightseeing tour of Edinburgh
•
Display of Scottish piping and step-dancing in Ballachulish
• Loch Lomond sightseeing cruise
• Reserved
seats for Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 06, 13 and 20 departures
•
Sightseeing tours of Edinburgh & Dublin
•
Panoramic tour of Belfast
• Ferry
ride across the River Shannon
•
Visits and admissions to Hampton Court Palace, Dove Cottage, Gretna
Green, Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Kilmahog Woollen Mill,
Book of Kells at Trinity College, Blarney
Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Blasket Centre, Foynes
Flying Boat Museum, Cliffs of Moher and Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
•
Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
YOUR HOTELS
Stay
at the following (or similar):
Grafton Hotel, London (2 nights)
Crabwall Manor Hotel, Chester (1 night)
Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh (2 nights)
Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Ballachulish (1 night)
Menzies Hotel, Glasgow (1 night)
Jurys Croke
Park Hotel, Dublin (2 nights)
Brehon Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
Radisson SAS Hotel, Galway (1 night)
Dunboyne Castle Hotel, Dunboyne
(1 night)
Call our office 1800 336676 for any further
assistance or advice or email info@accessukholidays.com
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