Essential Britain (GC)

12 Day Tour from London to London

2019 Tour Details View 2020 Tour Details »

On this Essential Britain tour you’ll experience some of Britain’s most fascinating towns as you travel through England, Wales, and Scotland stopping for overnights in London, Plymouth, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh, and York. Plus, part of the charm of traveling through Britain is seeing the marvelous scenery and on this Britain tour you’ll get the opportunity to witness some of its most scenic areas. You’ll cruise on Plymouth Sound, one of the world’s great natural harbors; visit the former smugglers’ port of Looe; drive through Brecon Beacons National Park, with its dramatic landscapes; explore England’s tranquil Lake District, England’s largest and finest natural park; visit the Isle of Skye, with some of Scotland’s best scenery; and trace the shores of Loch Ness.

On this tour to Britain, you’ll also travel to some of the charming towns. In Bath, you’ll explore the excavations of the Roman baths, used over 2,000 years ago for bathing and socializing. In Chester, you’ll enjoy a walking tour of this city famed for its Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, and famous two-tiered arcades. In Liverpool, take a journey into the life of the Beatles. Walk through York’s quaint streets with your Tour Director, who will bring York and all of Britain alive with first-hand, in-depth knowledge throughout your tour. Globus also brings these destinations to life with out-of-the-ordinary experiences—such as a wedding re-enactment at Gretna Green and original Grasmere gingerbread in Grasmere—arranged just for you.

Majestic scenery, fascinating towns, special treats, an expert Tour Director bringing these destinations to life, and so much more are offered on this spectacular Britain vacation. Be sure to grab your camera so all you have to do is sit back and relax as you experience these wonderful destinations.

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Destinations & Sightseeing

STONEHENGE

Visit the prehistoric monument

PLYMOUTH

Welcome dinner;

Plymouth Sound cruise

CORNWALL

Visit the fishing village of Looe

BATH

Visit the Roman relics

BUILTH WELLS

Visit the ancient market town

CHESTER

Walking tour

LIVERPOOL

Visit the Beatles Story

GRASMERE

Visit Wordsworth’s village;

try original Grasmere gingerbread

GRETNA GREEN

Take part in a wedding re-enactment

MALLAIG-ARMADALE

Cross the Sound of Sleat by ferry

PITLOCHRY

Visit the Victorian mountain resort

ST. ANDREWS

Visit the home of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club

EDINBURGH

Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace (when available)

ALNWICK

Visit the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland or explore the spectacular garden

YORK

Walking tour

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

Take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace

Headsets throughout the tour except London.

Notes:

July 27 through August 17 Departures–Edinburgh Military Tattoo ticket included

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

City of Bath
Forth Road Bridge
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Stonehenge

Transportation:

Motorcoach; Plymouth Sound cruise; ferry to the Isle of Skye. Free Wi-Fi available on your motorcoach and in most hotel lobbies.

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Full English breakfast daily; 4 three-course dinners with wine and choice of menus, including a welcome dinner in Plymouth

Itinerary

Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

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 illumination cruise on the Thames River.

Day 2 LONDON–STONEHENGE–PLYMOUTH

Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and depart London at 8 am. First, try to unravel the mystery of prehistoric STONEHENGE. Explore the visitor center with its imaginative exhibitions, then take the shuttle to the stone circle and admire the magnificence of the monument up close. Continue on through Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, and head to Plymouth where you spend the next two nights. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 3 PLYMOUTH. CORNWALL EXCURSION

A day full of West Country sights as you head to Poldark’s Cornwall and to the pretty fishing village and former smugglers’ port of Looe. Then, follow in the footsteps of Drake, Raleigh, and the Pilgrim Fathers with a CRUISE on Plymouth Sound, one of the world’s great natural harbors. Back in Plymouth, why not join an optional excursion into Dartmoor National Park for an evening of storytelling at a local pub?

Breakfast

Day 4 PLYMOUTH–GLASTONBURY–BATH–CARDIFF, WALES

At Glastonbury, hear about its connection to King Arthur, and in elegant Bath, see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS, with time to explore further on your own. Stay the night in Cardiff, the Welsh capital. You might want to join an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner tonight.

Breakfast

Day 5 CARDIFF–BUILTH WELLS–CHESTER, ENGLAND–LIVERPOOL

Your journey through Wales takes you north along the Taff Valley and Brecon Beacons National Park, and via the ancient market town of Builth Wells to Chester. On your walking tour, see the Roman remains, the characteristic black and white half-timbered buildings, and the famous two-tiered arcades called the “Rows.” Spend the night in Liverpool; you may wish to join an optional city tour this afternoon.

Breakfast

Day 6 LIVERPOOL–GRASMERE–GRETNA GREEN, SCOTLAND–GLASGOW

Start the day with a visit to THE BEATLES STORY, an atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture, and music of the “Fab Four.” Later, focus on the tranquil Lake District, recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Take a break in Wordsworth’s beloved Grasmere and try original GRASMERE GINGERBREAD. Then, head north for the Scottish border and stop at Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples, and take part in a WEDDING RE-ENACTMENT. Overnight in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 7 GLASGOW–ISLE OF SKYE–INVERNESS

Follow the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond, then proceed via Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, Fort William, and the “Road to the Isles.” At Mallaig, board your FERRY for the crossing to the Isle of Skye, the largest island of the Inner Hebrides and famous for its dramatic landscapes. Return to the mainland and trace the shores of Loch Ness on the way to the Highland capital.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 8 INVERNESS–CULLODEN—PITLOCHRY–ST. ANDREWS–EDINBURGH

Main features today: the battlefield of Culloden Moor; the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry; St. Andrews; and over the elegant Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh. Tonight, consider an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. For departure numbers July 27 through August 17, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO.

Breakfast

Day 9 EDINBURGH

Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” and the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who lived there. In the “Old Town,” visit EDINBURGH CASTLE to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels, then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (when available). Later, a unique optional excursion: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, once the perfect royal residence for glittering state visits and family holidays. Dinner rounds off this optional evening.

Breakfast

Day 10 EDINBURGH–ALNWICK, ENGLAND–YORK

This morning at ALNWICK CASTLE, the choice is yours: visit the CASTLE itself, the opulent ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, featured in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, or explore ALNWICK GARDEN, with its breathtaking fountains and waterfalls. Next, make your way to York, England’s most complete medieval city. Here, stand in front of the great structure of the Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 11 YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON

On the last leg of your journey, stop at Stratford-upon-Avon to take pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. On return to London at about 3:30 pm, a Shownight Theater Evening would be an incredible finale to your vacation.

Breakfast

Day 12 LONDON

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast

Tour Director

With Globus, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ANA SHAW

Escorting tours for more than 5 years

Escorting tours for more than 5

“I have always loved to share my passion and knowledge for the British Isles with friends from all over the world, showing them first my home town and then my country. Great Britain and Ireland offer you all you could imagine and more; hear about it whilst you admire their outstanding natural beauty.”

Accommodations

London

Plymouth

Cardiff

Liverpool

Glasgow

Inverness

Edinburgh

York

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

London

Plymouth

Cardiff

Liverpool

Edinburgh

London

A Taste of London

A traditional dining experience followed by a nighttime cruise along the Thames River, viewing some of the capital's most beautiful illuminated sights.

Price Range: $$

Shownight

A wonderful escorted evening in London's theater district starts with a delicious dinner, followed by excellent seats at your chosen show.

Price Range: $$$

Plymouth

Tales Of Dartmoor Pub Supper

Head to the heart of Dartmoor. After driving across misty moors you arrive in Princetown where your local expert will regale you with stories, myths and legends from the land of the Hound of The Baskervilles. Enjoy two drinks of your choice and a tasty pub supper.

Price Range: $$

Cardiff

Welsh Evening

Experience Welsh culture at its finest during this delightful evening of food, wine, and traditional entertainment.

Price Range: $$

Liverpool

City Tour

Enjoy a detailed introduction to the splendid city of Liverpool on this entertaining private guided tour. Along the way, visit the magnificent cathedral, admire stunning historic civic buildings, hear about the legendary Beatles, and discover the city's glorious maritime history.

Price Range: $

Edinburgh

Scottish Evening with Bagpipers and Ceremony of the Haggis

No visit to Scotland's capital city would be complete without joining a Scottish evening with dinner, wine and a show featuring singers, dancers, bagpipers and the Ceremony of the Haggis.

Price Range: $$

Royal Yacht Britannia Excursion and Dinner

Enjoy a visit to the former Royal Yacht Britannia, which was used on over 700 overseas visits and sailed over a million nautical miles, and discover what life was like on board Her Majesty's floating residence. Later dinner with wine and coffee at an excellent local restaurant is included.

Price Range: $$

Private Touring

Private Touring: Globus European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Globus tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience.

For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party.

Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $2,204*
18 guests in a party: $584*

Contact Globus or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Globus Private Touring.

* Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2019 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.

Know Before You Go

These Know Before You Go travel tips are designed with you in mind, with helpful hints to help you prepare for and enjoy your escorted vacation. They are your guide to getting ready and contain general information on travel documentation, customs, and the country/countries you will be visiting, including budgeting, transportation, climate, languages, and much more. With Globus, you benefit from our experience.

ENGLAND TRAVEL INFO

EUROPE TRAVEL INFO

SCOTLAND TRAVEL INFO

WALES TRAVEL INFO

* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Globus).