9 Days London to Edinburgh – Small Private Group Journey.
Highlights Include: Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Eton College, Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Royal Yacht Britannia, Scone Palace, Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace.
This Custom Luxury group itinerary is ideal for travelers interested in the English Monarchy and Britain’s Royal heritage.
Specially customized for small private groups of 8 to 16 guests.
A Royal Journey
DAY 1 ARRIVE LONDON, ENGLAND: Upon arrival at the London Heathrow airport, you will be met by your Tour Director and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in London, where you will be assisted with check-in. The remainder of your day is free.
DAY 2 ROYAL WESTMINSTER: Breakfast at hotel. Today you will be met by a London Guide who will take you on a tour of the City of Westminster where you will see the sites associated with the Royal Family. Start in Parliament Square where you will visit Westminster Abbey, the National Church of England and scene for many state occasions including Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953 following her accession to the throne in February 1952, and the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011. From here you will continue past the iconic Houses of Parliament and Downing Street into Whitehall. This street was once the site of Whitehall Palace built by King Henry VIII. Subject to availability, you will visit the only part of the palace to survive, the Banqueting House, built by Inigo Jones and decorated by Peter Paul Rubens. At the top of Whitehall is Trafalgar Square where you turn into the Mall, the royal route that leads to Buckingham Palace. On the north side of the Mall is Clarence House, the official London residence of King Charles III during the renovations to Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace, the administrative headquarters of the King in London, is one of the most iconic sites in the world. You may be able to take a tour of the opulent state apartments where many functions are held each year. At other times, you may visit the King’s Gallery where important items from the Royal Collection are on display, and the Royal Mews where the ceremonial carriages are maintained. (B)
DAY 3 LONDON: Breakfast at hotel. Your guide and luxury coach will be waiting to meet you for a further full day sightseeing tour. Today you will visit the Tower of London, the ancient royal fortress guarding the City of London. Here the Yeoman Warders – the ‘Beefeaters’ – guard the dazzling Crown Jewels that are still used for royal ceremonies to this day. Visit the White Tower, the central and oldest block of the complex; then see the reconstruction of the Medieval Palace that aims to show the style in which the medieval kings of England would have lived when they had apartments at the Tower. You will also visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, the baroque masterpiece that was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. It has also been used for state occasions, most notably the wedding of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
This afternoon, you may visit Kensington Palace, where you can take time to explore the state apartments of this ornate house that was a favorite royal home before Buckingham Palace was chosen to be the official residence. It was also here where Diana, as Princess of Wales lived her last years. After your tour of the palace, take a walk across Kensington Gardens to visit the fountain that was created in her memory. (B)
DAY 4 THE COTSWOLDS – ROYAL ASSOCIATIONS: Breakfast at hotel. Today you will be taken on a full day excursion with your driver-guide into the rural English countryside that lies to the west of London. Your destination is the Cotswold Hills, one of the most picturesque regions of England where little villages built out of the honey-colored local limestone pepper the countryside. You will visit Cirencester, the center of the Cotswolds and home to the Royal Agricultural College, and then pass Avening, the village where Gatcombe Park, the home of Anne, Princess Royal, is located. You will stop in Tetbury, one of the most attractive of the towns in the region that is known for its myriad of antiques shops. It is very close to Highgrove House, now belonging to William, the Prince of Wales and where Princes William and Harry spent time during their childhood. Visit the Highgrove Shop, where a wide range of organic foods and other items are on sale. You will take a southern route back to London, on which you will pass by Marlborough College, the private school where Kate Middleton was educated; you will then travel by the quaint village of Bucklebury in Berkshire which is Kate’s hometown. (B)
DAY 5 WINDSOR AND ETON – FLIGHT TO EDINBURGH: This morning you will leave your London hotel with your driver-guide and head west out of London to Windsor, the town to the west of London that has long been associated with royalty. You will enjoy a tour of Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world, and Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite residence in England. Visit the State Apartments, including St. George’s Hall that has been beautifully reconstructed following the fire of 1992. Here you will see Queen Mary’s Doll’s House, a stunning miniature house with beautiful furnishings and fittings. You will also see the beautiful St. George’s Chapel, the home of the Order of the Garter and one of the royal sepulchres in England.
This afternoon you will cross the River Thames to visit Eton College, the famous private school that was attended by Princes William and Harry. On your tour of the college you will see the School Yard and the grandiose chapel, built in perpendicular Gothic style. You will also visit the Museum of Eton Life where you can see how the school has evolved since its foundation by King Henry VI in the 15th century. At the end of your visit to Eton you will transfer to nearby Heathrow Airport for your flight to Edinburgh. Upon arrival at Edinburgh airport, you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel in Edinburgh, where you will be assisted with check-in. (B)
DAY 6 ROYAL EDINBURGH: This morning, you will meet an expert local guide for a full day sightseeing tour of Scotland’s capital city, on which you will see the landmarks that are associated with the city’s royal heritage. You will first head up to Edinburgh Castle, where you will see the ‘Honours of Scotland’, or the Scottish Crown Jewels, and obtain stunning views of the city. You will then continue down the Royal Mile to St. Giles Cathedral, home to the Order of the Thistle of which King Charles III is the head. The lower end of the Royal Mile is called the Canongate; here you will see the royal church in Edinburgh, the venue of the wedding of Zara Phillips, the King’s niece. At the end of the Royal Mile, and opposite the magnificent Scottish Parliament building, is Holyrood Palace, the King’s Official Residence in Scotland. (You will tour the staterooms of the palace if no member of the Royal Family is staying here at the time.)
This afternoon, you will drive down to the city docks at Leith, where you will board the former Royal Yacht Britannia, now permanently moored here. Built in Scotland, this ship was used by the Royal Family for many official voyages during Queen Elizabeth II’s working life. See the elegant staterooms where she hosted dinners. You will see the intimate private quarters where the Royal Family relaxed, and also the ‘behind the scenes’ areas where the crew lived and worked. (B)
DAY 7 SCONE & ST. ANDREWS: Today you will have a full day excursion to the north of Edinburgh with your driver-guide. Cross the mighty Forth Bridge and head to Scone Palace, home of the Earls of Mansfield. In the grounds of the palace is Moot Hill, the ancient coronation place of the Scottish kings, who sat on the Stone of Destiny during the ceremony. This stone was taken to Westminster Abbey by the English King Edward I, but is now housed in Edinburgh Castle. You will then cross over the River Tay into the region known as Fife. On the far eastern side of Fife is the delightful town of St. Andrews that overlooks the North Sea. This town is known throughout the world as the home of golf, it was here that the first modern golf course developed. However St. Andrews was originally the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, and you will visit the ruins of the cathedral, destroyed during the Reformation. The town is also the home of Scotland’s oldest university, and it is here that Prince William and Kate Middleton met while they were both students at the university. Take time to explore the quadrangles that house the present university departments and facilities before returning to Edinburgh. (B)
DAY 8 STIRLING & LINLITHGOW: Your final day of touring with your driver-guide will take you to the west of Edinburgh along the valley of the River Forth. Your destination is Stirling, the strategic site at a bridging point on the river where both William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace and Robert the Bruce defeated the English armies during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Stirling Castle developed as one of the most important royal fortresses in Scotland; it boasts a fine Great Hall, and a Chapel Royal where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned when just an infant.
On your return back to Edinburgh you will visit the ruins of Linlithgow Palace. With a delightful setting on the banks of a lake, and a convenient location between Edinburgh and Stirling, this was one of the favorite residences of the Stuart Kings of Scotland. It was here that Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542; although it is now a ruin, the stout remains indicate how majestically the medieval monarchs of Scotland lived. (B)
DAY 9 DEPART EDINBURGH: You will be transferred to Edinburgh airport for your departure flight. (B)
Customize to Suit
The above suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Inclusions
- Private airport transfers in London on Day 1 and Edinburgh on Day 9
- Twin-bedded rooms in 4-or 5-Star hotels; hotel taxes, service charges and baggage handling
- 8 breakfasts
- Services of an English-speaking local travel expert
- Travel by private, luxury, air-conditioned mini-coach
- Flight from London to Edinburgh
- Sightseeing, special features and scenic highlights as indicated in the itinerary, including admission charges
- Portfolio of travel documents
- 24-hour emergency customer service while in England and Scotland
Private Departures
Please Call 1-800-818-8455 for Group Rates on this Custom Group Journey
This suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Group Discounts
On custom journeys, discounts vary depending on group requirements. Typically, travel with a group of 20 and the 21st traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land portion of the vacation price. A second traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land on a group of 40 paying passengers.
*Per person prices are land only and based on two people sharing a room. Above dates represent “land start” date. Air: Please note that airfares are not included in the prices above. Journeys Connect can quote you the lowest possible GROUP airfare available on the day that you book. Minimum of 10 seats from same gateway. Less than 10 air seats will require full payment at time of booking. Single Room Supplement: On Request. Triple Room Reduction: On Request. Group discounts cannot be combined with our Triple Room discounts. Not valid on Specialty, Customized Vacations or River Cruises, optional extensions, extra nights, airfares, taxes and fees, flight supplements, or airport transfers. Other restrictions may apply. All passengers’ names must be advised before the discount is applied. *Group discount is on a twin-share basis only.
Contact Journeys Connect
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