United Kingdom Tour Itinerary

England & Scotland Tour Itinerary

(Inclusions in italics)

This tour for independent travellers can start at any time, can be shortened, extended or combined with any of our other tours to create a unique itinerary.

Day 1 - London:  After your long flight you will be met by your chauffeur in the arrival hall and driven in comfort to your hotel in the city centre.

Day 2 - London: Explore the city and its many famous sites in a red double-decker ‘hop-on hop-off’ bus. Watch the ‘Changing of the Guards’ at Buckingham Palace during a guided walking tour.  See the Tower, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Stroll through Hyde Park, Soho, Notting Hill, Piccadilly Circus or along the Thames.

In the afternoon choose from either the ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ or ‘Jack the Ripper’ walking tour. Enjoy High Tea at Claridge’s or a drink in a historic pub. Relax in the evening and view some of London’s attractions, the London Eye and Big Ben, from the comfort of a river cruise boat.  See London Options for extra sightseeing and extensions.

Day 3 - Windsor castle: A short train journey takes you from London to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world.

Start your visit of this historic place with a guided tour, led by the Wardens, dressed in their striking red and black livery. The tour introduces the Castle’s 900-year history as a fortress and palace, and its role today as an official residence of The Queen.

During this independent excursion to Windsor Castle visit the State Apartments, St. George's Chapel, Queen Mary's dolls' house and take a tour of the castle precinct, the royal kitchens and the tower. Watch the changing of the guard which usually takes place at 11am within the castle grounds.

Day 4 -  White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral: On this all day guided coach tour you head from London to the picturesque, historic sites of Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and Dover. Drive through Greenwich, where the world’s time is set. 

At Leeds Castle you’ll enjoy a private viewing of the picturesque 12th Century castle before the doors open to the public allowing you to experience in relative peace the full grandeur of the castle and it famous lake that surrounds it.

Then on to view the breath-taking Gothic-style architecture of Canterbury Cathedral. Afterwards you will be driven through the picture-perfect Kent countryside - known as the Garden of England, with its quaint villages and pretty landscapes - to Dover with its famous white cliffs and Dover Castle.

Day 5 - Bath: In the afternoon enjoy a coach sightseeing tour of the main attractions of this UNESCO World Heritage place, like the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge. The highlight will be a visit to the Roman Bath. Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. Walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements around the steaming pool.

Day 6 - Cruise the River Avon: Take a tranquil cruise along the River Avon between Pulteney Bridge and the charming village of Bathampton. During this leisurely cruise through the Avon Valley you can see the old toll bridge and Bathampton weir. Disembark at a quaint riverside village and enjoy traditional English fare at a local pub.

A visit to the Jane Austren Centre, Bath’s most famous resident, will provide you with an insight into life during Regency times and explores how living in this magnificent city affected Jane Austen’s life and writing. Afterwards enjoy a scrumptious cream tea on the rooftop tea room of the Jane Austen Centre.

Day 7 - Stonehenge: On this full-day coach excursion visit two of the most impressive megalithic monuments in Europe, the Cotswolds village that was voted the prettiest village in England and a traditional Wiltshire woollen village used in the filming of Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter movies.

Drive through the beautiful Wiltshire countryside to Stonehenge and on to the Avebury Stone circle. This lesser known megalithic monument is 16 times larger in area than Stonehenge and nearly 1000 years older!

Stop for lunch at Lacock National Trust Village. This wonderful village consists of properties which date from the 13th and 18th centuries. There has been no major building in Lacock in the last 200 years so you really feel as if you're stepping back into English history.

Optional days between Bath and the Lake District: Make Llandudno, the gateway to Snowdonia, your base from where to explore the north coast of Wales. This picturesque town with its famous wrought iron historic pier, pastel coloured hotels along the foreshore, spectacular marine drive carved into the sea cliffs, dramatic coast line and abundance of historic sites will enchant you.

A visit to the world famous Bodnant Garden is a must, as is a visit to the Tea Room of nearby Furnace Farm for a taste of authentic Welsh food. Foodies can try their hand during a one day cooking school and learn traditional dishes like Welsh Black beef cottage pie.

Nearby medieval Conwy with its 13^th Century castle, fortifications, ancient walls and 22 guard towers is a true gem of a place, which you will find hard to leave. Walking the various heritage trails, visiting quaint market towns or seeing how copper was mined 3,000 years ago in the Orme Copper Mine will take you on a journey into yesteryear.

Day 8 - Lake District: Spend the afternoon enjoying one of the most beautiful regions of England. Hire bicycles and explore the country lanes around the lake. Lovers of traditional English Country gardens should visit the delightful Holehird Gardens.

Day 9 - Lake District: During a half-day guided coach tour you will travel alongside Lake Windermere to Waterhead and explore the favourite places associated with Beatrix Potter. The journey will take you through the beautiful Yewdale Valley to Coniston Water for the start of a short lake cruise. Then on to visit Beatrix Potter's stone house on the Hill Top farm. The tour will then take you back to Windermere via the medieval village of Hawkshead and the beauty spot of Tarn Hows, one of the highlights of your United Kingdom tour.

Day 10 - Lake District: The full-day coach excursion will take you to the most beautiful spots of the Lake District. You will visit many lakes, mountain passes, a beautiful waterfall, Castlerigg Stone Circle and stop at the ancient township of Keswick for lunch.

Day 11 - Edinburgh: The visit to the majestic Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon will be one of the highlights of your holiday. Take a guided tour of the Royal Apartments, the Great Hall and tiny St Margaret's Chapel. Admire the Scottish Crown Jewels, which are amongst the oldest regalia in Europe and are displayed with the Stone of Destiny, the coronation seat of Scottish Kings.

Day 12 - Edinburgh: Take a walk around the decks of the Royal Yacht Britannia and catch a glimpse into the public and private lives of the Royal Family. Your visit of the Britannia will include a viewing of the State Drawing Room, The Queen's Bedroom, the Sun Lounge and the Admiral's cabin and you will also have a chance to see the working side of the ship, from the once sweltering heat of the laundry to the crew's densely packed quarters.

Discover the secrets of Edinburgh's historic past during your afternoon guided walking tour of the city's famous Royal Mile. The tour ventures down narrow passageways and into courtyards where your guide will entertain you with stories from Edinburgh's good, not-so-good and very often dramatic past.

Day 13 - Scottish Highlands: No holiday in Scotland is complete without touring the Scottish Highlands. You will be travelling on spectacular single track roads and past several lochs to Stirling Castle, which was Scotland's most important medieval stronghold.

Day 14 - Return to London: Enjoy the views of the picturesque English countryside as you take the train back to London.

Average travel time between destinations: 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The England - Scotland tour is self-guided for independent travellers and can commence at any time. Click here for more information regarding the 'self-guided' travelling concept.