Highlights of Britain

Palaces dripping in historical intrigue. Streets thronged with iconic red buses. A bustling pub on every corner. London couldn’t be a more fitting place to embark on our tour of Britain! Begin by greeting your expert Tour Leader and the rest of your small group before we dig into our very first meal together. Uncover each other's back stories over the dinner table and say cheers to the adventure ahead!

All the world’s a stage, and all men and women merely players! Today, our stage will be the storied streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon: the esteemed birthplace of William Shakespeare. Revel in remarkable tales of his life, loves and losses on a walking tour with your Tour Leader. If there’s time, we’ll pay homage to the playwright with a visit to his grave. Make sure you spare a minute to peruse the epitaph which is supposedly a curse written by Shakespeare himself...  

This afternoon, there’s more exploring to be done in the delightful Cotswolds. We'll weave effortlessly along the region’s narrow lanes, stopping off at a few of your Tour Leader’s favourite villages. Broadway, often called the prettiest village in England, will likely be one of them. If the weather’s dry, stretch your legs with a walk through its unusually long high street, stopping for coffee and cake breaks along the way.  

Warning: not much will prepare you for the jaw-dropping beauty of Snowdonia National Park. This 823-square-mile tapestry of rugged peaks, shimmering lakes (known locally as lynns) and windswept coastline is the setting for today’s adventure – and you can expect plenty of imagination-stirring encounters. 

Your Tour Leader will decide the specific route you’ll take but you can expect it to be steeped in local history and outstanding natural beauty. Cast your eyes across soaring summits in the charming mountain town of Betws-Y-Coed. Challenge yourself to a tongue twister in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll – a village on the lovely Isle of Anglesey that’s famed for having Europe’s longest place name.  

You might also feel your heart race a little while walking across the Pontcysyllte (pronounced Pont – ker – sulth – tay) Aqueduct – a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s suspended 40 metres above the tumbling rapids of the River Dee. Then, we’ll retrace our steps back to the hotel for another sumptuous group meal and an after-dinner surprise...

Treat yourself to a full English breakfast this morning – you'll need the extra energy for a busy day of exploring extraordinary York. History echoes off every cobblestone of this incredible city. Soak up stirring stories of old during an orientation walk with your Tour Leader, slipping down enchantingly narrow Snickleways, past the crooked 13th-century cottages of the Shambles and emerging in the shadow of the monumental York Minster. 

The rest of the day is free for you to dive further into the city’s many allures. Experience Viking tales come to life in the interactive Jorvik Centre museum. Walk in the footsteps of medieval sentries on the impeccably preserved York City Walls. Or sink your teeth into a fat rascal – a traditional scone bursting with juicy currants and zesty citrus – at the quintessentially Yorkshire tearoom, Bettys.     

Our final night in York is yours to do with as you wish. The city has a fantastic independent food scene – just ask your Tour Leader for suggestions for tonight’s dinner.  

Rugged mountain fells, tarns that sparkle in the sun and forests that hum with birdsong...it's no surprise that this spectacular region has been a muse for so many literary geniuses over the centuries!  

With that in mind, it’s only fitting to start our day at Hill Top – the idyllic former holiday home of Beatrix Potter. Feel your inner child squeal with delight in the flower-filled gardens where miniature scenes from some of her most famous books nestle amongst the greenery. You can even flick through a few books (or buy some as souvenirs) in the house’s second-hand book nook. 

More inspiring vistas await us this afternoon as we explore the heart of the Lake District – allowing your Tour Leader to personalise the route with their most beloved stops. Finally, we’ll end the day soaring across Windermere on a tranquil boat cruise. Soak up the serenity of the region as dusk settles over the soaring peaks, casting fantastical shadows on the water. Is this “the loveliest spot that man hath found” as William Wordsworth wrote? We certainly think so.

We’ve got two more highlights in store for you before we round off our tour in the history-rich Scottish capital. First up is an artistic masterpiece in the form of The Great Tapestry of Scotland. Situated within its own dedicated visitors centre near the Borders, this immense tapestry (that's made up of a whopping 160 linen panels) is one of the world’s largest community art projects. Countless tales from ancient times to the present day have been adorned upon it – making it a true saga of Scottish history. 

With our creative juices flowing, we’ll move onto the intriguing Rosslyn Chapel. The eagle eyed among you might recognise it from the Da Vinci Code (both the novel and the film). We’ll inspect its intricately carved interiors, whose mysterious patterns and symbols have long baffled historians, before we board our luxury minicoach one last time. 

Edinburgh might be our tour’s final stop – but where will your journey take you next? You could continue your Gaelic chapter on our Scottish Journey tour. Or why not unlock more unexpected British experiences on our Enchanting Eastern England escape?