Experience Overview
Experience Great Britain in all its luxuriant glory as you explore Alnwick and Edinburgh Castles. At the Tower of London, join the Yeoman Warder for a Ceremony of the Keys—a time old tradition carried out for the past 700-years, to help guard the Crown Jewels. Journey in style from Viking York to the magnificent Castle Howard for High Tea in the grand surrounds of the Grecian Hall, followed by a private tour of the castle and its grounds, after it closes to the public. In Bath join a Local Expert to visit Roman Baths, one of the greatest religious spas of the ancient world, before enjoying a spectacular lunch at The Olive Tree. This Michelin-starred restaurant serves up a mouthwatering menu of locally sourced, seasonal fare, paired with fine wines.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 3 Lunch (L)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Bath: Visit the historic Roman Baths, which draw from Britain’s only natural mineral springs and gave the Georgian city its name. This remarkably preserved historic site was once a gathering spot for Romans to bathe and socialize over 2,000 years ago.
- Bath: Visit the immersive Jane Austen Center dedicated to the writer who lived here in the early 1800s and used the city as a setting for two of her novels. Learn about her life, her works and the Regency period from entertaining actors. Choose between two carefully selected activities
- York: Embark on a leisurely guided tour to the grand York Minster, an excellent example of Gothic architecture.
- York: Get active and follow a Local Expert as you walk on the 13th century city walls and you soak up the spectacular views of River Ouse and the Old Town. Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Edinburgh: Visit the 17th century Mary King's Close with a Local Expert, walk in the footsteps of former residents and unlock fascinating stories from Edinburgh's sometimes dark past.
- Edinburgh: Try a wee dram of whisky as you embark on a tasting experience of this Scottish staple.
Additional Included Highlights
- Enjoy seamless personal assistance throughout your journey. From securing exclusive reservations, to organising transportation, your Travel Concierge ensures every aspect of your travel is tailored to your tastes and preferences.
- In select destinations, our network of Local Expert Guides will illuminate your journey on a deeper level.
- Included at all hotels.
- Hotel taxes, porterage and tips, as well as tips for included dining experiences, are included.
- Enjoy breakfast every morning, and an array of incredible dining options throughout your journey, infused with discovery and adventure.
- On days where a Relaxed Start (RS) is indicated, you can select to indulge in breakfast in bed.
- Enjoy complimentary hotel Wi-Fi. And, on select coaches, onboard Wi-Fi may also be available.
- Transfers are included on your journey start and end dates, and where additional accommodation has been booked in advance through Luxury Gold. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city as the itinerary, may be requested.
Curated Experiences
- London: You’re invited to the Tower of London to experience the Ceremony of the Keys, the oldest practiced military ceremony in the world. At your special after-hours visit you’ll get an inside look at the 700-year-old tradition that stood the tests of even the most tumultuous times.
- York: Feeling like the star of a period drama, you’ll enter the 18th century mansion for a private, after-hours tour of the house.
- Edinburgh: A Local Expert guides you around magnificent Edinburgh Castle, perched on a black basalt outcrop. Discover the site’s 900-year history and take in the spectacular panoramic views over the city’s most famous landmarks.
Exceptional Dining
- London: Dine in style at the lavish English Grill Restaurant, just across the road from Buckingham Palace. Enjoy your Welcome Dinner prepared by executive chef Ben Kelliher using only the finest English produce and the same suppliers who serve the King’s kitchen.
- Bath: Experience an exquisite Michelin-starred lunch at the Olive Tree restaurant. A fresh, seasonal menu, curated by award-winning Head Chef Chris Cleghorn, offers classic flavors combined with modern techniques. Relax in the chic, yet informal atmosphere and enjoy the best of British cuisine.
- York: Visit one of Britain's finest noble houses, Castle Howard, in an exclusive after-hours visit and enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea in the Grecian Hall.
- Edinburgh: Say farewell to Edinburgh with a final Celebration Dinner in the historic Scottish capital. Let your tastebuds be delighted with a delicious meal and raise a glass to the health of your companions and your unforgettable journey.
Magnificent Stays
- York: Housed in the iconic former headquarters of the prestigious North Eastern Railway Company, the five-star Grand Hotel & Spa places you minutes away from museums, shops and the River Ouse.
Passport Moments
- London: Your passionate Local Expert will lead you from Westminster to Piccadilly Circus as they recount fascinating tales of London and its famous landmarks. Pass by the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square as you explore the English capital.
- London: Step through history at Horse Guards Parade, the ceremonial grounds of St James's Park in the shadow of Buckingham Palace. Explore the royal stables and uncover their secrets as you marvel at the King’s majestic horses and grand carriages at The Royal Mews.
- Stonehenge: Visit the mysterious circle of upright stones, the best known prehistoric site in Europe. Experience the lives led by Neolithic builders 3,500 years ago and admire the selection of archaeological treasures that have been unearthed in this place.
- Bath: Be taken through the grand historic sights of Bath with a private orientation tour. See the majestic Royal Terrace, the inspiring architecture of Bath Abbey, and, the stately Pulteney Bridge, completed in 1774.
- Bath: Join a Local Expert for an insightful tour revealing the town's history.
- Cotswolds: Journey through the Cotswolds, one of the most quintessential and unspoiled regions of England, famous for gentle, rolling hillsides known as ‘wolds’, green river valleys and historic market towns, where time has stood still for over 300 years.
- Stratford-upon-Avon: Fans of the famous playwright, William Shakespeare, will love exploring this vibrant town where he was born. This cultural center still has many rows of attractive half-timbered houses that date back to the 16th century.
- Ullswater: Enjoy a scenic cruise on one of England's most beautiful lakes.
- Alnwick Castle: Join a Local Expert for an in-depth exploration of the 11th century castle, with its striking medieval architecture and see why it was featured in the Harry Potter films.
- Edinburgh: Wander along Princes Street with your Local Expert, past the Gothic Sir Walter Scott Monument, and continue down the old-world Royal Mile to the gates of Holyrood Palace, the principal residence of Scottish royalty since the 16th century, and the Queen’s official Edinburgh lodgings.
- Edinburgh: In true Gaelic style, meet a fabulously entertaining bagpiper, playing pipes passed down since 1888. Hear fascinating tales from the time he played for the Queen Mother, to riotous nights at Edinburgh Castle.
Personalise your day
- Bath: Visit the historic Roman Baths, which draw from Britain’s only natural mineral springs and gave the Georgian city its name. This remarkably preserved historic site was once a gathering spot for Romans to bathe and socialize over 2,000 years ago.
- Bath: Visit the immersive Jane Austen Center dedicated to the writer who lived here in the early 1800s and used the city as a setting for two of her novels. Learn about her life, her works and the Regency period from entertaining actors.
- York: Embark on a leisurely guided tour to the grand York Minster, an excellent example of Gothic architecture.
- York: Get active and follow a Local Expert as you walk on the 13th century city walls and you soak up the spectacular views of River Ouse and the Old Town.
- Edinburgh: Visit the 17th century Mary King's Close with a Local Expert, walk in the footsteps of former residents and unlock fascinating stories from Edinburgh's sometimes dark past.
- Edinburgh: Try a wee dram of whisky as you embark on a tasting experience of this Scottish staple.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19020
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles: Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator: Luxury Gold (CA)
Supplier Code: 197.987A
Starts: London, United Kingdom
Finishes: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $10,295 ($1,030 /day)
Itinerary
Your UK luxury tour begins with a private chauffeur to your five-star hotel, Rubens at the Palace. Here you are welcomed with the royal treatment from their red tail-coated doormen. Tonight, enjoy sumptuous British fare at the English Grill Restaurant.
Accommodation: The Rubens at the Palace, London.
Meals: Dinner
Hear the bells of Big Ben and admire the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. View bustling Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus before visiting the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. After the sun sets and London lights up, you’re treated to a private, after-hours tour of the Tower of London and the historic Ceremony of the Keys.
Accommodation: The Rubens at the Palace, London.
Meals: Breakfast
Savor a Relaxed Start before standing in awe of mysterious Stonehenge, Britain's best-known UNESCO World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself further into British history as you travel to Bath. Stroll the streets lined with Georgian architecture feeling as though you’ve stepped into a classic English novel.
Accommodation: Francis Hotel, Bath.
Meals: Breakfast
Personalize your day with a visit to the Jane Austen Center or visit the Roman Baths and Georgian Pump Room, Britain’s only natural hot springs. Share the highlights of your morning over locally sourced dishes at the Michelin-starred Olive Tree restaurant.
Accommodation: Francis Hotel, Bath.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Travel through a storybook of rolling hills in the Cotswolds toward Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and admire quaint Tudor cottages. Your day concludes in York where cobbled streets, classic tearooms and Gothic buildings lure you further into the past. Step back in time with your Travel Concierge and stroll The Shambles, one York's most iconic streets, with its narrow, winding lanes and charming, timber-framed buildings.
Accommodation: The Grand Hotel & Spa, York.
Meals: Breakfast
Step back into the Middle Ages in York joining an expert-led tour of the York Minster or a walk on the 13th-century city walls. Enter the stately Castle Howard through landscaped gardens before sitting down to a traditional English afternoon tea and private tour of the house.
Accommodation: The Grand Hotel & Spa, York.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Let the rugged, dramatic beauty of the Lake District envelope and inspire you as you cruise shimmering Ullswater Lake, taking in some of the best views of this region. Enjoy some northern hospitality of a typical English Pub. Later, check into the lovingly restored country house overlooking Lake Windermere.
Accommodation: Merewood Country House Hotel, Lake District.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Discover majestic Alnwick Castle’s magnificent interiors with a Local Expert before exploring Edinburgh's beautiful, walkable city. Should you visit during August, witness The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, one of the most spectacular military concerts and celebration of the history, heritage and colors of Scotland’s regiments.
Accommodation: Kimpton Charlotte Square, Edinburgh.
Meals: Breakfast
Explore the grounds of Edinburgh’s “castle on the hill,” as your guide unlocks more than 900-years of history. Personalize your afternoon visiting the 17th-century Mary King's Close or with a stimulating whisky tasting. After a private performance from a former bagpiper to the Royals, a seasonal meal of fine dishes awaits at award-winning Dine Edinburgh.
Accommodation: Kimpton Charlotte Square, Edinburgh.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bid farewell to your travel companions and continue your onward journey with transfers timed to meet your flight.
Meals: Breakfast
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