British Panorama

Check into your hotel. In the afternoon, there’s time to rest or start exploring the lively city of London; hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay. Spend a peaceful night in your hotel at London.

Breakfast at the hotel. You may choose to join a local guide for an optional morning sightseeing tour of the city’s famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted Horse Guards, Prime Minister's Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. The highlight is the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if you are lucky enough to see it. Later on, you may visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its spectacular Crown Jewels, and tonight, a leisurely cruise on the Thames River would be fun! Spend a peaceful night in your hotel at London.

Buffet breakfast will be served at the hotel. Meet your tour director, traveling companions and depart for a day of northbound travel. Take a break in the market town of Stamford, and 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. Local dinner is included in your package for the night. Stop for the night in Leeds.

Breakfast at the hotel. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes, then motor through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. Stop for photos at Jedburgh, with glimpses of the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, and then Melrose with its 12th-century abbey ruins and connections with Robert the Bruce. Afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. Tonight, why not join an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis? . Spend the night in Edinburgh.

Enjoy a breakfast today morning. A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning sightseeing with a local guide introduces you to the 200-year-old 'New Town' and famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the 'Old Town' drive up the narrow Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, which was once the perfect royal residence for glittering state visits and family holidays. Tour five decks and see how the Royal Family and crew of 240 lived and worked on board. For departure numbers August 6, 13, and 20, 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. Overnight in Edinburgh.

Relish a local breakfast today morning. Explore the history-steeped Lowland Hills and a visit to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Drive through beautiful scenery in the Lake District, considered to be the finest of England’s national parks. Visit Wordsworth’s Grasmere, then follow the shores of Lake Windermere. In Chester, the county on the Dee River, your walking tour includes the Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, and the two-tiered arcades called the 'Rows'. Enjoy a local dinner tonight. Overnight in Wrexham.

Breakfast at the hotel. Back in England, tour fascinating Stratford-upon-Avon, a living monument to William Shakespeare, before driving through the scenic Cotswold Hills with a stop for photos in picture-book Broadway. Overnight in Cardiff, where an orientation drive introduces you to the capital’s major attractions - Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Millennium Stadium, and the stately civic buildings. A suggestion for tonight - join an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner. Spend the night in your room in Cardiff.

Start the day with a lovely English breakfast. A day of memorable highlights with a stop first in the elegant Georgian city of Bath, famous for its Roman relics, before visiting Stonehenge, still an intriguing mystery. Explore the stunning visitor center with its imaginative exhibitions; then admire the magnificence of the monument up close. After returning to London, experience the nightlife of London. Overnight in London.

Enjoy the last breakfast on your tour. Your vacation ends here with a kaleidoscope of memories.