A Taste of Britain

8 days, various departures

Begin your trip in London, where you will spend the morning sightseeing with a professional London guide. See all the famous landmarks, including Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, and of course the ceremonial pageantry of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. In the afternoon, enjoy free time for independent exploration, or an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London.

The next day, travel north to the beautiful university city of Cambridge, one of the country’s oldest seats of learning; Belvoir Castle, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, which houses one of England’s finest private art collections. Enjoy a walking tour of York’s maze of quaint mediaeval streets, including the narrow Shambles, and explore the treasures of the York Minster.

Continuing your journey north, you’ll stop at Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defence against marauding northern tribes. Enjoy the vistas of wild Northumberland National Park on your way to the Scottish border, then the Jedburgh Abbey ruins, and a glimpse of the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, before a fascinating visit to Sit Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House.

In Edinburgh, the elegant capital city of Scotland, take in an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis, or the world-renowned Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of massed Scottish pipe bands, which takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. Continue your explorations with a tour of the 200-year-old “New Town” and a trip up the narrow Royal Mile of the “Old Town” to Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels.

Then you’ll travel through the history-steeped Lowland Hills. Visit Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples, back south to England to the tranquil Lake District, often considered the nation’s finest national park, where you’ll take a break in Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere. Later, on your walking tour of the walled city of Chester, see the Roman remains, the black and white half-timbered buildings, and the two-tiered arcades called the “Rows”.

Moving south again on your final day, visit the Wedgwood Factory to learn the story of the world-renowned china and its production process, with an opportunity to shop for Wedgwood gifts. In Stratford-upon-Avon, take your photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace, and stroll through the picturesque town. Skirting the Cotswold Hills, return to London to celebrate your tour with an evening cruise on the Thames.