Grand Tour of Britain and Ireland 2010

A 24-Day Trafalgar Tours tour starting from $4,065

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Starting Price: $4,065 Printer Friendly Page
Tour Length: 24 Days
Countries Visited: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales
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  • Book 6,10 or 12 months in advance save up to 10%
  • Young Travelers ages 5-17 save 10% off tours
  • Groups of 5 or more save 5%, 9+ one goes for free
  • Triple Room Discount available
 
More Information About This Tour:
Tour Type:
 Escorted Tour
Tour Category: Regional
Tour Operator: Trafalgar Tours
Tour Code: TT-BIGT-2010
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Cities Visited:
London, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Plymouth, Glastonbury, Bath, Cardiff, Waterford, Blarney, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Galway, Kylemore, Belfast, Dublin, Chester, Gretna Green, Glasgow, Isle of Skye, Culloden, Edinburgh, York, Coventry, Stratford-upon-Avon

You''ll feel just like a local after touring Britain and Ireland on this 24 day tour. You''ll visit many of the area''s famous sites, marvel as you are swept along visually magnificent scenic drives and experience local food specialties that vary region to region.

 

Sightseeing Highlights
  • London: Sightseeing tour.
  • Salisbury: Sightseeing tour.
  • Stonehenge: Visit the stone circle.
  • Plymouth: See the Mayflower steps.
  • Cornish Highlights: Excursion to view St.Michael''s Mount and St. Ives.
  • Glastonbury: Visit the abbey.
  • Wells: View its majestic cathedral.
  • Bath: Visit the Roman Baths.
  • Cardiff: See Cardiff Castle.
  • Waterford: Visit the crystal showroom (when open).
  • Cork: Orientation including views of St. Anne''sShandon Church.
  • Blarney: Visit the castle.
  • Killarney: Ring of Kerry drive.
  • Adare: See the prettiest village in Ireland.
  • Limerick: Orientation includes King John''s Castleand the treaty stone.
  • Cliffs of Moher: Visit the seascape towering abovethe Atlantic.
  • Galway: Orientation tour.
  • Kylemore: View the abbey.
  • Londonderry/Derry: Sightseeing includes the citywalls.
  • Giant''s Causeway: Visit this geological formationof huge basalt columns.
  • Belfast: Sightseeing includes the City Hall andQueen''s University.
  • Dublin: Sightseeing views St. Patrick''s Cathedraland visits Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.
  • Conwy: View the castle.
  • Chester: Visit this historic city.
  • Gretna Green: Visit this historic site for elopingcouples.
  • Glasgow: Orientation tour.
  • Glencoe: See the Vale of Weeping.
  • Isle of Skye: Visit the island of Bonnie PrinceCharlie.
  • Culloden: Visit the battle site.
  • St. Andrews: View the golf course.
  • Edinburgh: Castle visit, views of Holyrood House.
  • Jedburgh: View the abbey.
  • Hadrian''s Wall: View the fortifications.
  • York: See the Shambles and Minster.
  • Coventry: See the two cathedrals.
  • Stratford-upon-Avon: Visit William Shakespeare''sbirthplace.

Dining Highlights
  • 2 buffet breakfasts and 1 continental breakfast in London
  • 6 English, 8 Irish and 5 Scottish full breakfasts
  • Cream tea in Devon
  • 8 three-course dinners
  • Local highlight restaurant dinner with wine in Liverpool
  • Farewell Dinner with wine in York
  • 33 meals in total (see day-by-day itinerary)

First Class Travel Highlights
  • First Class hotel accommodation includes twin-bedded rooms withprivate facilities, all hotel service charges and tips, baggagehandling fees and local taxes.
  • Touring by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and awashroom onboard.
  • The services of one of Trafalgar''s top professional TourDirectors.
  • The services of a Trafalgar Representative at your London hotel.
  • A qualified local city guide in Londonderry/Derry, Belfast, Dublinand Edinburgh.
  • Tickets are included for the world-famous Tattoo during theEdinburgh Festival.
  • For London airport shuttle, conditions apply.
  • Ferry across the Irish Sea from Wales to Ireland and return.
  • A stylish wallet, tour documents and a Welcome on Tour book.

Airport Transfers
  • London Gateways: Transfers can be expensive,particularly between the airport and your London hotel. But whenyou book your Trafalgar tour and take advantage of our land and airpackages, we have included a FREE transfer to and from London''sairports and your Trafalgar London hotel. For passengers who havetheir own flight arrangements we offer you the opportunity topurchase inexpensive transfers to and from London''s Heathrow -Trafalgar has negotiated special rates for the Dot2Dot transferfrom London''s Heathr
  • Important - Please Note: Passengers will only beentitled to transfers to and from London Airports providing thefollowing conditions are met:
  • For included transfers: Your flights must be booked directly byTrafalgar no fewer than 21 days prior to departure. For chargeabletransfers: Your Travel Agent provides detailed flight informationto Trafalgar no fewer than 21 days prior to departure. Oncetransfers are booked they cannot be changed.
  • For London arrivals, you must stay at a London hotel booked byTrafalgar on the night of arrival and the night prior to yourdeparture date.
  • Trafalgar only includes one inbound and one outbound transfer.
  • In the event of flight delays outside of Trafalgar''s control, thetransfers will be deemed to be cancelled.
  • All transfers are based on group transfers. No refund is thereforeavailable for missed transfers, or passengers not using thisservice.
  • In the event of unforeseen events (such as road or rail works,strikes or demonstrations), Trafalgar will not be responsible fordelayed or cancelled transfers.
  • Heathrow Airport: National Express Dot2Dot willpick up and drop off in time to meet all flights to/from London''sHeathrow Airport. For guests arriving at the Dot2Dot desk after22.00 hrs please make use of the courtesy phone to arrange yourtransfer to your Trafalgar hotel.
  • Gatwick Airport: Passengers who have bookedTrafalgar''s Land and Air packages arriving at London''s GatwickAirport are provided with a Gatwick Express train voucher. TheGatwick Express train journey from Gatwick Airport to London''sVictoria Station takes 30 minutes. Guests then need to make theirway from Victoria Station to their Trafalgar hotel.
  • European Gateways: With Trafalgar all passengerswill receive complimentary arrival and departure transfers on thescheduled arrival and departure day of their tour at the timesspecified below. Please ensure your Travel Agent reserves yourflight to co-ordinate with the transfer times shown.
  • Trafalgar Bonus - Passengers who book Trafalgar''s Land+Air packageand who arrive or depart outside of these specified times on thescheduled arrival and departure day of the tour will also beprovided with a transfer.
  • Passengers arriving before or leaving after the scheduled tourdays are not entitled to a transfer but may book and purchase onethrough Trafalgar providing that they also purchase the additionalpre and/or post tour hotel night(s) from Trafalgar. Please ask forprices of transfers at the time of booking your extra nightaccommodation.
  • Land only passengers arriving or departing on the scheduled tourarrival or departure days but whose flights don''t coincide with thelisted transfer times below may also book and purchase thesetransfers. Flight details must be provided to Trafalgar not lessthan 21 days before the flight departure.

Edinburgh Tattoo: 6-28 August 2010 Tickets are included for the world-famous Tattoo during the Festival. Applicable departures 21 July-5 August.
 

Day 1 - Depart USA
Overnight flight to London.

Day 2 - Arrive London (2 nights)
Welcome to London! Hotel: Park Plaza County Hall

Day 3 - London sightseeing & at leisure
This morning we enjoy a sightseeing tour that includes many majorsights then the remainder of the day is at leisure to explore.(Buffet breakfast)

Day 4 - London - Stonehenge - Plymouth (2 nights)
We head west for Salisbury to view the cathedral, then toStonehenge, before continuing to Plymouth. Here we see theMayflower steps, point of departure for the Pilgrim Fathers, andlater we enjoy a Welcome Drink and dinner with our Tour Directorand fellow travelers. (Continental breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Copthorne

Day 5 - Cornish excursion
First to Penzance to view St. Michael''s Mount, then to St. Ives,popular artists'' haunt. Later we enjoy a traditional cream teabefore returning to Plymouth. (Full Breakfast)

Day 6 - Plymouth - Bath - Cardiff
We visit the abbey ruins at Glastonbury and see the legendary siteof King Arthur''s tomb. Then through Wells to Georgian Bath where wevisit the Roman Baths. Today our Tour Director will reveal to usthe first Hidden Treasure of our tour! Later we cross the SevernBridge to Cardiff. (Full breakfast) Hotel: Radisson Blu

Day 7 - Cardiff - Waterford
A morning orientation tour of Cardiff gives us a chance to view themighty castle. Then later, we drive through South Wales to the portof Pembroke where we board our ferry to sail to Rosslare inIreland. (Full breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: The Belfry

Day 8 - Waterford - Blarney - Kenmare (2 nights)
First we visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom before enjoying ascenic drive via Dungarvan and the fishing village of Youghal toCork where we see St. Anne''s Shandon Church. Then to Blarney Castlewhere there''s a chance to acquire the ''gift of the gab'' by kissingthe Blarney Stone. (Full breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Kenmare Bay

Day 9 - Ring of Kerry excursion
Our highlight drive around the Ring of Kerry shows us plungingcliffs, lakeland, mountains and sandy beaches. We also see DingleBay, and the South Kerry Mountains before we head back toKenmare. (Full breakfast)

Day 10 - Kenmare - Limerick - Galway
This morning we travel via the prettiest village in Ireland, Adare,on our way to Limerick on the River Shannon. Here an orientationshows us King John''s Castle, St. Mary''s Cathedral and the treatystone. Next to Galway via the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. (Fullbreakfast) Hotel: Carlton Hotel

Day 11 - Galway - Sligo
We enjoy an orientation drive in Galway city, then into the lakesand mountains of Connemara stopping first to view the Abbey atKylemore which is renowned for the beauty and tranquility of itssurroundings and gardens. We continue through Yeats'' country toSligo. (Full breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Sligo Park

Day 12 - Sligo - Londonderry - Giants Causeway - Belfast
We cross the border into Northern Ireland to Londonderry to enjoy atour showing us the city walls. Next we visit the Giants Causeway,and continue along the Antrim Coast Road through Ballycastle toBelfast. (Full breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Europa

Day 13 - Belfast sightseeing - Dublin (2 nights)
Our tour highlights the City Hall, Queen''s University and Stormont.Then we drive past Newry and Dundalk, crossing over the River Boyneat Drogheda and on to Dublin''s ''fair city''. (Full breakfast) Hotel: Maldron Cardiff Lane

Day 14 - Dublin sightseeing & at leisure
After breakfast our sightseeing tour with a local guide includes avisit of Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, Phoenix Park,St. Patrick''s Cathedral, Dublin Castle and more. Then time atleisure to perhaps shop or relax. (Full breakfast)

Day 15 - Dublin - Liverpool
We take the ferry back to Holyhead and drive to see the magnificentscenery of Snowdonia before viewing Conwy Castle. Then to Chesterwhere our walking tour includes the famous ''Rows'' and anotherHidden Treasure. Finally to our hotel in Liverpool and a localrestaurant Highlight Dinner tonight. (Full breakfast / Highlightdinner) Hotel: Jurys Inn

Day 16 - Liverpool - Lake District
We drive into the beautiful scenery of the English Lake District toour hotel. (Full breakfast / Dinner)Hotel: North Lakes / Hydro

Day 17 - Lake District - Glasgow
We stop at Gretna Green on the Scottish border, renowned foreloping couples, then on to Glasgow where our tour shows us thecathedral, George Square and the River Clyde before time atleisure. (Full breakfast) Hotel: Radisson SAS

Day 18 - Glasgow - Isle of Skye
We follow the banks of Loch Lomond to Glencoe, Vale of the Weeping.Then, past Fort William, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, before wetravel the famous road to the isles for the ferry to our hotel onthe Isle of Skye. (Full breakfast / Dinner) Hotel: Kings Arms

Day 19 - Isle of Skye - Loch Ness - Scottish Highlands
Explore the island before returning to the mainland through GlenShiel and along the banks of Loch Ness where we look out for themonster! Then to Culloden, site of the famous battle beforearriving at our hotel in the Scottish Highlands. (Full breakfast /Dinner) Hotel: Macdonald Highland Resort

Day 20 - Scottish Highlands - St. Andrews - Edinburgh (2 nights)
We drive to Pitlochry, famous for excellent salmon fishing, beforecontinuing to St. Andrews. Then on to Edinburgh via the splendidForth Bridge. During the Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh Tattootickets are included. (Full breakfast) Hotel: Holiday Inn

Day 21 - Edinburgh sightseeing & at leisure
Our guided tour includes the elegant New Town, Princes Street, theRoyal Mile, views of Holyrood House and Arthur''s Seat and enjoys aguided visit of the apartments at Edinburgh Castle. Later, perhapsenjoy an optional night out with a haggis dinner, bagpipes andScottish dancing. (Full breakfast)

Day 22 - Edinburgh - York
We travel through the Scottish Borderlands past ruined JedburghAbbey and back into England stopping at Hadrian''s Wall. Then toViking York where we will walk along the narrow cobbled street,known as the Shambles, and view the maginificent Minster. Tonightwe join our Tour Director and traveling companions for a specialFarewell Dinner together at the end of our tour. (Full breakfast /Farewell Dinner) Hotel: Hotel 53

Day 23 - York - Coventry - Stratford - London
We travel to Coventry and see its two cathedrals. We see AnneHathaway''s Cottage before reaching Stratford-upon-Avon where wevisit Shakespeares''s birthplace before finally returning toLondon. (Full breakfast) Hotel: Park Plaza County Hall

Day 24 - London - USA
Time to bid farewell as our memorable tour comes to an end. (Buffetbreakfast)

 

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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

  • London
  • Salisbury
  • Stonehenge
  • Plymouth
  • Glastonbury
  • Bath
  • Cardiff
  • Waterford
  • Blarney
  • Killarney
  • Ring of Kerry
  • Galway
  • Kylemore
  • Belfast
  • Dublin
  • Chester
  • Gretna Green
  • Glasgow
  • Isle of Skye
  • Culloden
  • Edinburgh
  • York
  • Coventry
  • Stratford-upon-Avon
 

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· Save $600 per couple ($300 per person) on air-inclusive vacations*

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· Save $300 per couple ($150 per person) on land vacations*

Plus, both offers are combinable with Early Payment Discount, so this equals an additional saving of up to approximately $1485 per couple!**

View Trafalgar 2011 Australia and New Zealand tours

Terms and Conditions: *Valid on new 2010 2011 Australia and New Zealand bookings only when full payment on entire booking (land or land/air) is made between 07/26/10 and 09/30/10. Save $600 per couple ($300 per person) good for air-inclusive bookings and $300 per couple ($150 per person) good for land-only bookings. Valid for tours departing 01/01/11 through 12/31/11. Offer is combinable with brochure discounts and Show Coupons, but not valid with other promotional offers. Not valid on Free & Easy or A La Carte tours. Offer may be withdrawn at any time and is subject to availability. Other conditions may apply. **Sample savings based on Trafalgar’s Early Payment Discount of 10% on Treasures of Australia and New Zealand tour departing 11/02/11 for two, when full payment is made by 11/01/10. CST#2077132-20

Save up to $300 per couple on North America 2011 vacations!

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Offers end September 30, 2010 – don’t delay!

Save $300 per couple ($150 per person) on tours 10 days or more (code: 150AMER11)

Save $200 per couple ($100 per person) on tours 9 days or less (code: 100AMER11)

*Valid on new 2011 North America bookings only. Full payment on land portion is due between August 9, 2010 and September 30, 2010. Travel must be completed between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Offer is combinable with brochure discounts and Show Coupons. Promotion can be booked online. Applicable for groups; subject to availability. Promotion code must be mentioned at time of booking. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability.

Trafalgar Great Ways to Save

Trafalgar offers great savings and discounts to help you stretch your money.

Past passengers save 5% off of the land on most tour itineraries.

There are also Early Payment Discount and Young Traveller Discounts just to name a few.  The early bird catches the worm, so book now - pay early - and save money!

The earlier you pay, the more you save! If you book and pay in full you'll save up to 10% off the LAND-only portion of your tour.

The earlier you pay - the more you save!

Below are our Early Payment Saving options:

Pay (min) 12 months prior to departure Save up to 10%

Pay (min) 10 months prior to departure Save up to 7.5%

Pay (min) 6 months prior to departure Save up to 5%

Please note: See individual itinerary pages for the exact value of how much you will save. All tours must be booked and paid for in full for this discount to apply. This discount does not apply to our City Break Tours, train tours, any products in our Eastern Mediterranean section and extra night accommodation. For 2010 pre-registration bookings, payments are to be made according to 2009 brochured prices. For further details, call 800-942-3301.

Travel with Family and Friend and Save!

5 or more – Save 5%: If a group of 5-8 people travels together, a discount of 5% per person applies to the LAND-only portion of your tour. So it pays to get together with your family and friends!

9 or more: If 9 or more people travel together, we offer attractive group discounts based on how many people travel. In a group of 9 passengers, 1 traveller qualifies for a 50% discount off the LAND-only portion of the tour. In a group of 16 passengers, 1 traveller qualifies for 100% discount off the LAND-only portion of the tour.

Please note: Space is limited to one group per motorcoach. These discounts are not combinable with our Travel Club Discount, any other rooming, young traveller or triple room discounts, and do not apply to our City Breaks, Greek Tours with Mediterranean cruises, Egypt, Israel, and extra night accommodation. All travelling passengers’ names must be advised to Trafalgar at the time of booking in order to qualify.

Share a Room and Save!

When travelling alone, we understand that some clients do not want to incur the expense of an additional single room supplement. With this in mind, on the majority of our itineraries, Trafalgar offers you the opportunity to purchase these tours on a room-sharing basis. We will accommodate you with a fellow passenger of the same gender on a ‘two-bedded’ basis (non-smoking rooms only). Please note that, regrettably, we cannot guarantee that room mates will be of a similar age group. Even so, it is an enjoyable way to travel and get to make new friends, and a positive way to stretch your holiday budget. If we fail to match you, we will provide a single room at no extra cost.

Please note: This service does not apply to our City Breaks, Greek Island Hopper and Best of Greece tours, Greek tours with Mediterranean cruises, train tours, Egypt, Israel and extra night accommodation.

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Book early to save! Choose one of these great offers:

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2. Book and pay in full by November 30, 2010 and save up to $600 per couple with our Pay-In-Full Discount.** See your favorite itinerary for exact savings.

3. Book and deposit by December 31, 2010 and save up to $300 per couple with our Early Booking Discount.*** For exact savings, see the itinerary page of your vacation.

*Valid on new 2011 bookings on these select tours: Highlights of China and the Yangtze; Grand China and the Yangtze; and China, Tibet and the Yangtze. Full payment must be made between 07/26/10 and 09/30/10. Travel must be completed between 01/01/11 and 12/31/11. Offer is combinable with brochure discounts (except Pay-In-Full Discount and Early Booking Discount) and Show Coupons. Offer is not applicable to groups and is subject to availability. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Other conditions may apply. **Full payment is due at time of booking and is required before 11/30/10. Actual savings will vary by itinerary. See itinerary pages for exact savings. ***Booking and deposit must be made by 12/31/10 and actual savings will vary by itinerary. See itinerary pages for exact savings.

 
 

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All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.