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Day 1 Departure
Overnight flight to London

Day 2 Arrival in London, England.
Uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.

Day 3 London
After a hearty English breakfast, morning sightseeing with a professional London guide includes all the famous landmarks: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace and the area’s splendid museums, Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, and Westminster Abbey. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, if held. Free time in the afternoon for independent activities or to join an optional excursion to Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its fabulous Crown Jewels. Tonight maybe an optional dinner followed by a cruise on the River Thames?

Day 4 London-Bath
Enjoy a memorable day of sightseeing. First admire the ORNAMENTAL GARDENS of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace. Then westward to Salisbury with its magnificent cathedral, the ultimate in Early English Gothic. Via the intriguing prehistoric monument of STONEHENGE head for the elegant Georgian city of Bath, where you see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS. Some groups continue on to nearby Bristol for overnight stay. Before dinner join your tour director for a toast to happy touring with a congenial group.

Day 5 Bath-Stratford-North Wales-Chester
Savor vistas of the Cotswolds on your way via the medieval market town of Stow-on-the-Wold to Stratford-upon-Avon. Time here to see SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE and for pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. The afternoon is dedicated to North Wales. Take a stroll in picturesque Llangollen, home of an annual international contest for poets and minstrels. Spend the night at Chester, the historic county town on the River Dee.

Day 6 Chester-Edinburgh, Scotland
This morning’s walking tour includes the Roman remains, black and white half-timbered buildings, the cathedral, and the two-tiered shopping arcades called the "Rows." Focus now on the tranquil Lake District, considered to be the finest of England’s national parks. After a break in pretty Bowness-on-Windermere and a drive over Kirkstone Pass, head north for the Scottish border. On the way through the history-steeped Lowland Hills, stop at Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Evening arrival in the Scottish capital.

Day 7 Edinburgh
A full day to enjoy this "Prince of Cities." Morning sightseeing with a local expert starts with an orientation drive along Princes Street and the Royal Mile, and tales of some truly intriguing characters: the Bodysnatchers, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Greyfriars Bobby. History comes alive as you tour mighty EDINBURGH CASTLE and the Queen’s HOLYROOD PALACE. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 8 Edinburgh-York, England
First on today’s agenda is Sir Walter Scott’s ABBOTSFORD HOUSE, where Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott often guides our tours herself. Melrose Abbey and the ruins at Jedburgh are pointed out on the way to the English border and Northumberland National Park. South now to 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.

Day 9 York-London
Leave Yorkshire and its associations with James Herriot, and drive through the richest farmland in Britain for a highlight visit to BELVOIR CASTLE. The stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland houses one of England’s finest private art collections. Finally visit the beautiful university city of Cambridge, one of the country’s oldest seats of learning. Return to London around 4 p.m.

Day 10
Your homebound flight arrives the same day.