Globus > FROM THE SHANNON TO THE THAMES

FROM THE SHANNON TO THE THAMES
14 Days starting from $2,479

Countries Visited:
England, Ireland, Scotland

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Length: 14 Days
Type: First Class Tour
Category: REGIONAL DISCOVERY ENGLAND
Operator: Globus
Tour Code: GU-2008
   
 
About This Tour


This wonderful 14-day journey combines scenic highlights of Ireland, North Wales, England, and Scotland into our most comprehensive British Isles vacation, with three 2-night stays. Start in Ireland with the scenic Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Blarney, the world-famous Waterford Crystal factory, and the Irish capital of Dublin. Cross the Irish Sea to Holyhead, and through North Wales to England’s historic town of Chester. In the Lake District, enjoy a relaxing cruise; while in Scotland, visit Edinburgh’s castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Duke of Roxburghe’s home of Floors Castle. Back in England, experience the unique attractions of medieval York, Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and Roman Bath. Your vacation ends with two nights in London and included city sightseeing with a Local Guide.

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing
  • SPECIALS

City Highlights
RING OF KERRY
Scenic peninsula drive

BLARNEY
Visit the famous woolen mills

WATERFORD
Tour Waterford Crystal factory with a specialist guide

AVOCA
Guided tour of the handweaving mill

GLENDALOUGH
Tour of St. Kevin’s center of Irish Christianity with a local expert

DUBLIN
Orientation drive, visit Trinity College

DUN LAOGHAIRE-HOLYHEAD
Stena Line’s High Speed Service across the Irish Sea

CHESTER
Walking tour

BOWNESS
Lake Windermere cruise

EDINBURGH
Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace

FLOORS
Visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s castle

YORK
Walking tour

STRATFORD
Picture stop at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace

BRISTOL
Orientation drive

BATH
Visit the Roman relics

STONEHENGE
Visit the prehistoric monument

LONDON
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and see the Changing of the Guard, if held

Meals
12 full English breakfasts (FB); 6 three-course dinners (D) with choice of menus and coffee, including a special welcome banquet with wine at Bunratty Castle

Hotels:
LIMERICK Hilton (SF), KILLARNEY The Brehon (SF), WATERFORD Faithlegg House (SF), DUBLIN Hilton Kilmainham (SF), CHESTER Ramada (F), EDINBURGH Mount Royal Ramada (F), YORK Ramada (F), BRISTOL Jurys (F), LONDON Hilton London Metropole (SF)
Day 1:
(Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Shannon, Ireland. To Limerick. (Sun.) After checking into your hotel, free time to relax and perhaps enjoy the hotel’s leisure amenities or explore the city. At 5 p.m. depart for Bunratty Castle for a special welcome banquet in the company of your Tour Director and traveling companions, with dinner, wine, and entertainment included. (D)

Day 3:
Limerick–Ring of Kerry–Killarney. (Mon.) A day full of splendid scenery, heading south for a stop for photos of the pretty thatched cottages in quaint Adare. At Killorglin on Dingle Bay, the setting for Ryan’s Daughter, join the famed “Ring of Kerry” for a 100-mile panoramic drive around the island’s southwestern tip. Plenty on which to focus a camera here: sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly colored farmhouses, winding lanes bordered with subtropical vegetation, and spectacular views of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View. (FB,D)

Day 4:
Killarney–Waterford. (Tue.) Across the Kerry Mountains for a visit to Blarney, renowned for its castle and magical Stone of Eloquence. Time for lunch, to walk up to the castle, and to shop for traditional Irish handicrafts. In the afternoon, proceed via Cork, Youghal, and Dungarvan to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings in 853, and visit the world-famous WATERFORD CRYSTAL FACTORY. See Reginald’s Tower on the way to your hotel. Before dinner you may want to join an optional pub tour. (FB,D)

Day 5:
Waterford–Dublin. (Wed.) Today’s northbound agenda: Enniscorthy, site of the final battle of the Great Rebellion of 1798; Ireland’s oldest HANDWEAVING MILL at Avoca; views of the Wicklow Mountains; the Glendalough VISITOR CENTER with its fascinating audiovisual show; and the ruins of St. Kevin’s center of Irish Christianity. Overnight in Dublin. Top the day with your Tour Director’s dining recommendation. (FB)

Day 6:
Dublin. (Thu.) An orientation drive in the capital includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Visit Oscar Wilde’s TRINITY COLLEGE, famous for the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells and the magnificent Old Library. Afternoon at leisure for shopping and exploring the Irish capital. Tonight, join your Tour Director for an optional dinner evening at the Guinness Storehouse. (FB)

Day 7:
Dublin–North Wales–Chester, England. (Fri.) Across the Irish Sea from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey, where a photo stop at tongue-twisting Llanfair... is a must. Follow the North Wales coast to the walled city of Chester, the historic county town on the River Dee. On your walking tour see the Roman remains, the characteristic black and white half-timbered buildings, and the two-tiered arcades called the “Rows.” (FB,D)

Day 8:
Chester–Lake District–Edinburgh, Scotland. (Sat.) Head north to the tranquil Lake District, often considered to be the finest of England’s national parks. Visit Bowness-on-Windermere and enjoy a CRUISE along the lake on an historic iron steamship, then drive over Kirkstone Pass. Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples, is the next milestone on the way through the history-steeped Lowland Hills to Edinburgh. Tonight, an optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. For departure numbers 0803 and 0817 tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (FB)

Day 9:
Edinburgh. (Sun.) A full day to enjoy this “Prince of Cities.” 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, then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (except when the Queen is in residence). Afternoon at leisure. Later, a unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, which for the Queen 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. Dinner rounds off this optional evening. (FB)

Day 10:
Edinburgh–York, England. (Mon.) A special treat: visit magnificent FLOORS CASTLE, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe. Then south past the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the abbey ruins at Jedburgh, into wild Northumberland National Park. Later, inspect a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes. Afternoon arrival 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. (FB,D)

Day 11:
York–Stratford–Bristol. (Tue.) Leave Yorkshire and its associations with James Herriot, skirting Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest. In Stratford-upon-Avon take your pictures of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE. Savor vistas of the Cotswolds on your way to quaint medieval Stow-on-the-Wold. In Bristol your orientation tour focuses on Brunel’s daring Clifton suspension bridge, SS Great Britain, and the historic harbor from where John Cabot sailed in 1497 to discover America. (FB,D)

Day 12:
Bristol–Bath–London. (Wed.) In Bath this morning see the amazing excavations of the ROMAN BATHS, then try to figure out the prehistoric mystery of STONEHENGE. Visit picturesque Salisbury with its vast cathedral, the ultimate in Early English Gothic, before arriving this afternoon in the British capital. Perhaps an optional dinner followed by a cruise on the River Thames. (FB)

Day 13:
London. (Thu.) Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes all the famous landmarks: Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace. Highlights are a visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, and the ceremonial pageantry of the Changing of the Guard, if held. Free time in the afternoon for independent activities, and this evening how about celebrating an enjoyable travel experience by taking in dinner and a West End show? (FB)

Day 14:
(Fri.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (FB)


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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
7/5/2008 - 7/18/2008
$2,479
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7/19/2008 - 8/1/2008
$2,479
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8/2/2008 - 8/15/2008
$2,519
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8/16/2008 - 8/29/2008
$2,519
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8/30/2008 - 9/12/2008
$2,499
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9/13/2008 - 9/26/2008
$2,489
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RING OF KERRY
Scenic peninsula drive

BLARNEY
Visit the famous woolen mills

WATERFORD
Tour Waterford Crystal factory with a specialist guide

AVOCA
Guided tour of the handweaving mill

GLENDALOUGH
Tour of St. Kevin’s center of Irish Christianity with a local expert

DUBLIN
Orientation drive, visit Trinity College

DUN LAOGHAIRE-HOLYHEAD
Stena Line’s High Speed Service across the Irish Sea

CHESTER
Walking tour

BOWNESS
Lake Windermere cruise

EDINBURGH
Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace

FLOORS
Visit the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe’s castle

YORK
Walking tour

STRATFORD
Picture stop at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace

BRISTOL
Orientation drive

BATH
Visit the Roman relics

STONEHENGE
Visit the prehistoric monument

LONDON
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral and see the Changing of the Guard, if held

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Book now and take $200 off per couple on any air-inclusive European Low Season Vacations.*

* Book a 2008/2009 Globus Europe Winter air-inclusive vacation on select carriers to receive the $100 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between June 4 and August 31, 2008 for travel commencing between October 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one another or any offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Save up to $600 per stateroom on 2009 Globus River and Small Ship Cruises

Discover an entirely new way to uncover the wonders of the world with river and small ship cruises. From a wine tasting adventure through the vineyards of France to island hopping in the Galapagos Islands, you’re sure to find a Globus river or small ship cruise that speaks to your heart. There’s simply no more peaceful way to sample the charming cities and awe-inspiring sights of Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos Islands.

*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $125 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 14 and August 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Do you have a large party of friends or family that wants to travel?

Right now when you book between 5 and 7 people before December 31, 2008, each passenger will save $75.* For example, book 5 passengers and receive a $375 discount, 6 passengers equals a $450 discount and 7 passengers will receive a $525 discount. With an offer like this, the world’s greatest destinations are now closer than ever!

*Book a 2009 Globus vacation for five, six or seven travelers to receive the $75 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between Jun 4 and Dec 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. Individuals must be traveling together from the same origination point to receive the discount. Not valid with any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


   
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