The Best of England and Scotland Winter 2023/2024

We will leave London towards the northwest until we reach the university city of Oxford, where we will take a short walking tour to admire its magnificent university colleges and visit one of them. The University of Oxford is also very prestigious, the oldest in the English-speaking world. From Oxford we'll head to Stratford-Upon-Avon, a charming town on the banks of the River Avon and the birthplace of playwright William Shakespeare. In this beautiful town we will make a panoramic visit stopping for lunch. We then continue north to the walled city of Chester for a walking tour. We will leave for a panoramic visit to Liverpool, birthplace of the most famous rock band: The Beatles and European Capital of Culture in 2008. In Liverpool we find one of the largest ports in England, with the well-known "Albert Dock" area. . Dinner, bed and breakfast at the Marriott Liverpool City Center Hotel or similar.
 
 

Our tour will take us north through the Lake District, a place of inspiration for English poets and writers. Along Lake Grasmere we will cross the border with Scotland through Gretna Green, where we will have free time for lunch. We will continue north and make a short visit to the third largest city in the United Kingdom: Glasgow. Here is Buchanan Street, well known for both its Victorian architecture and its shops. Bed and breakfast at the Marriott Glasgow hotel, Jurys Inn Glasgow or similar.
 
 

We will leave Glasgow and bordering the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond we will enter the Highlands of Scotland, the place of famous family clans. We will pass through Crianlarich and arrive at Fort William, where we will have free time for lunch. In the afternoon, we will take the banks of Loch Ness in search of its ancestral host "Nessie". You can take a boat ride on Loch Ness (optional) and then we will visit the Urquhart Castle Ruins. We will depart along the shores of the lake in the direction of Inverness, where upon arrival we will take a panoramic tour. Dinner, bed and breakfast at the MacDonald Aviemore Hotel, Highland Hotel in Aviemore, Craiglynne Hotel or similar in the area
 
 

 After breakfast, we will head through mid-mountain landscapes towards Pitlochry. There we will visit a whiskey distillery, where we will learn about its preparation method and taste the Scottish national drink. We will continue our journey towards Callander and Stirling, where one of the most important confrontations of the wars of independence between Scotland and England originated. The Battle of Stirling Bridge (known from the movie Braveheart) in 1297 was William Wallace's greatest victory and made him the undisputed leader of the resistance against the English. We will visit Stirling Castle, located on a rocky promontory with impressive views. Free time for lunch. Next,
We will continue to Edinburgh, where we will make a panoramic tour of the city before our arrival at the hotel. Tonight they will have the opportunity to participate in a Scottish dinner enlivened by typical Scottish folklore (optional). Bed and breakfast at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, Holiday Inn Edinburgh Zoo, Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh, Braids Hill or similar.
 
 
 

 Free day to enjoy the charming city of Edinburgh, you will have entry to visit Edinburgh Castle on your own. Major attractions include: Holyrood Palace, St. Giles Cathedral, the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Yacht Britannia (optional). Edinburgh is considered the second most visited city in the United Kingdom, after London, and has also been the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999. The Parliament building itself is impressive, its green space in Princess Street Gardens is worth visiting. Bed and breakfast at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, Holiday Inn Edinburgh Zoo, Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh, Braids Hill or similar.
 
 
 

 We will leave Edinburgh to the south and through the undulating landscapes of the Lowlands we will make our way to Jedburgh, scene of border fights, where we will visit the remains of its Benedictine abbey. Our route will continue to the historic city of Durham, dominated by its magnificent cathedral. Free time for lunch. We will continue to York, a beautiful city of Roman origin and a long history linked to Vikings and Saxons. We will have time to take a short tour of its charming streets and you will have the opportunity to see the exterior of the largest cathedral in northern Europe. Dinner, bed and breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Harrogate, Cedar Court Hotel, Yorkshire or similar.
 
 
 

Our route will take us south to the charming university city of Cambridge, which not only rivals Oxford in its education and sport, but also in its beauty and architectural richness. We will have free time for lunch and to stroll through its university colleges and historic streets. From Cambridge we return directly to London where we will arrive around 6:00 p.m.