ESSENTIAL BRITAIN - 2010

13 days incl. travel, or 12 days from London to London (GC)

Return to England Vacations

Vacation Overview

This vacation offers a panoramic exploration of England, Wales, and Scotland. Begin with an overnight and free time in London, then head west to prehistoric Stonehenge, picturesque Salisbury, and Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Dartmoor National Park. Spend two nights in Plymouth, with an excursion to Land’s End and the seaside resort of St. Ives. North to Glastonbury of King Arthur fame and stop to see the amazing Roman excavations in Bath. Cross into Wales, with a drive through Brecon Beacons National Park and overnights in Newport and the walled city of Chester. Explore England’s scenic Lake District and Wadsworth’s Grasmere before crossing into Scotland for a stop in Gretna Green. Spend the night in Glasgow, then skirt the banks of Loch Lomond on your way to the Isle of Skye. After a stop in the Highland capital of Inverness, head south through Culloden Moor, Braemar, and St. Andrews. A 2-night stay in Edinburgh includes guided sightseeing and visits to Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. Back in England, visit the Duchess of Northumberland’s lavish Alnwick Garden, a section of Hadrian’s Wall, and medieval York. Pass along Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest on the way to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. Return to London for an overnight and the completion of your magnificent vacation.

Special Departure:
Tickets for the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo are included for tours Jul 30th through Aug 20th.

Note:
Optional London city tour and afternoon excursions to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London are available if London extra nights are reserved.

Things to see on your vacation: View Vacation Photo Slideshow

A Vacation Story Gretna Green

"There are many legends of love that surround Gretna Green – the first town encountered across the Scottish border. For centuries, Gretna Green has been synonymous with elopement and blacksmith marriages, although marriage by a blacksmith is more legend than fact. Until the 18th century, church marriages among the lower classes in Europe were almost unheard of. Instead, lower class weddings were usually looked at as “marriage by declaration.” When England passed the Marriage Act of 1754, establishing church weddings as the only legal form of marriage, a sudden industry began over the border in Scotland, where couples could still wed by declaration. Scottish “blacksmith priests” began working in pubs and inns and the eloping couples came in droves."