Featured price is per person, land only, in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy, on the dates indicated and includes all taxes and fees and the Globus 5% discount

SAVE 5% per person on select 2018 Globus European Vacations

$3,200* based on October 21, 2018 departure date. Many more departure dates and tours available

Essential Britain & Ireland Overview

Spectacular scenery combined with fascinating architectural remains and energetic cities—all of this awaits you on this fabulous Britain and Ireland escorted tour. Your guided UK tour starts and ends in London with overnights in between in Newport, Wales; Waterford and Dublin in Ireland; Edinburgh, Scotland; and York, in England.

If you’re a fan of castles, you’ll enjoy your visit to Cardiff Castle, dating back over 2,000 years. Hear about its history of invasions, abductions, and conflicts, and see its fairytale towers. You’ll also visit Edinburgh Castle, dating back to the 12th century, once residence of Scottish monarchs and today home to the Scottish Crown Jewels; and Kilkenny Castle, in Ireland, built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. Even older than these castles are the Roman baths in Bath. Constructed around 70 AD, the baths are one of the best preserved Roman sites in the world. You’ll visit Stonehenge as well on this Essential Britain & Ireland tour.

You’ll also visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and the House of Waterford Crystal in Waterford, where you’ll see the highly-skilled craftsmen at work in the production of this famous crystal.

Globus has also included special experiences for you throughout this tour. For example, you’ll enjoy a traditional Irish Coffee demonstration in Waterford and a light lunch in the charming Elizabethan town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s just another way Globus brings these destinations to life on this guided tour of Britain and Ireland—a vacation of a lifetime!

Four Ways Globus Eliminates the Hassles

VIP Access
Skip the lines and get special treatment at the must-see attractions.

Perfect Hotels
We’ve done the work to find just the right hotels in just the right locations.

Tour Directors
Take your heads out of the guidebook and let expert guides make every destination fascinating.

Transportation
Leave the navigating to us – and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Essential Britain & Ireland Itinerary
Day 1 ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND
Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you. After checking into your hotel and an afternoon at leisure, we recommend our optional Taste of London excursion with dinner, followed by a guided illuminations cruise on the Thames River.

Day 2 LONDON–STONEHENGE–BATH–NEWPORT, WALES
Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart London at 8 am for a memorable day’s sightseeing. Try to unravel the mystery of prehistoric STONEHENGE. Explore the visitor center with its imaginative exhibitions, then admire the magnificence of the monument up close. At the elegant Georgian city of Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS. Then, cross the Severn River for a late-afternoon arrival in Wales. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel. Breakfast/Dinner

Day 3 NEWPORT–CARDIFF–WATERFORD, IRELAND
A morning orientation drive in the Welsh capital features all the major attractions. Take a guided tour of Cardiff Castle, and discover its history of invasions, abductions, and conflicts over the past 2,000 years. Continue along the South Wales coast to Pembroke, where your FERRY will be waiting. Cross St. George’s Channel to Rosslare on the Emerald Isle and proceed to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings in 853. After dinner this evening, enjoy an IRISH COFFEE DEMONSTRATION. Breakfast/Dinner

Day 4 WATERFORD–KILKENNY–DUBLIN
This morning, enjoy a guided tour of the HOUSE OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL, then travel on to Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s prettiest towns with medieval cobblestones and Old-World charm. Visit magnificent KILKENNY CASTLE, which overlooks the Nore River and has guarded this important river crossing for more than 900 years. The gardens, with extensive woodland paths, rose garden, and ornamental lake, create the setting for a beautiful stroll. On arrival in Dublin, top the day with an optional Irish cabaret evening including dinner, dance, song, and laughter.Breakfast

Day 5 DUBLIN
An orientation drive in Ireland’s capital city includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Oscar Wilde’s Trinity College. The afternoon is at leisure for you to explore this vibrant city. Tonight, maybe take in an optional dinner outing to the Guinness Storehouse. Breakfast

Day 6 DUBLIN–BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND–EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
On your way to Northern Ireland, cross the Boyne River, then skirt the Mountains of Mourne. In Belfast, where the Titanic was built, take in the city’s vibrant history and view the impressive City Hall. Next, board your FERRY to cross the North Channel to Cairnryan on Scotland’s southwest coast and continue through the scenic Scottish border country to Edinburgh. Tonight, relax and enjoy our optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. Breakfast

Day 7 EDINBURGH
Morning city sightseeing with a local expert introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” and the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who lived there. In the “Old Town,” drive up the narrow Royal Mile to EDINBURGH CASTLE to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The afternoon is free to enjoy the Scottish capital at your own pace. Later, a unique optional excursion: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. For departure numbers 0729 through 0819, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO, a vast spectacle of massed Scottish pipe bands that takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. Breakfast

Day 8 EDINBURGH–JEDBURGH–YORK, ENGLAND
This morning, drive past the abbey ruins at Jedburgh into wild Northumberland National Park. Later, see a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes. In York, England’s most complete medieval city, stand in awe in front of the great structure of York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. Breakfast/Dinner

Day 9 YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON
On the last leg of your journey, stop at Stratford-upon-Avon, the fascinating Elizabethan town. Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE, and enjoy a light LUNCH. On return to London at about 3:30 pm, a Shownight Theater Evening would be an incredible finale to your vacation. Breakfast/Lunch