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Britain & Ireland Discovery
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Length
24 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
London (England)
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Ends in
London (England)
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Available Tour Start Dates
APR 6, 2027 to SEP 21, 2027
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).Yes
From
Pricing listed is per person, based on double occupancy, and is the least expensive price for at least one departure date of this tour. Price is for the tour only. Additional items, including but not limited to, airfare (unless noted otherwise), travel insurance, and more, are additional.
$8,374.73
Overview
Across Britain and Ireland, you’ll journey between ancient cities, wild landscapes and places where centuries of history still sit close to the surface. Feel the warmth rising from Bath’s Roman waters, taste the roasted notes behind Ireland’s most famous stout at the Guinness Storehouse and walk the battlements of Edinburgh Castle high above the Scottish capital. Along the way, discover places steeped in history, from medieval Kilkenny and its castle to Salisbury Plain, where the monoliths of Stonehenge have stood for almost 5,000 years. In York, crooked timber-framed houses crowd the narrow Shambles, while elsewhere castles, old streets and shared stories invite you deeper into Britain and Ireland on a journey filled with history, flavor and moments of wonder.
Visited During Tour
Aberdeen (Scotland) | Adare (Ireland) | Bath (England) | Blarney Castle (Ireland) | Cardiff (Wales) | Connemara (Ireland) | Conwy (Wales) | Cork (Ireland) | Cotswolds (England) | Dartmoor (England) | Derry / Londonderry (Northern Ireland) | Dublin (Ireland) | Edinburgh (Scotland) | Eilean Donan (Scotland) | Fort William (Scotland) | Galway (Ireland) | Giant's Causeway (Northern Ireland) | Glasgow (Scotland) | Glencoe (Scotland) | Grasmere (England) | Gretna Green (Scotland) | Isle of Skye (Scotland) | Kilkenny (Ireland) | Killarney (Ireland) | Lake District National Park (England) | Limerick (Ireland) | Liverpool (England) | Loch Ness (Scotland) | London (England) | Orkney Islands (Scotland) | Oxford (England) | Plymouth (England) | Ring of Kerry (Ireland) | Sligo (Ireland) | Sligo Bay (Ireland) | St Andrews (Scotland) | Stonehenge (England) | Stratford-upon-Avon (England) | Ullapool (Scotland) | Wells (England) | Wick (Scotland) | York (England)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are Britain & Ireland Discovery tour dates available from Trafalgar. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
Tour Itinerary
Trafalgar Tour Code 908-2421
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Day
1London at Leisure
You'll arrive in London and settle into your hotel, with the afternoon free to follow the city in whichever direction appeals. You might walk beside the Serpentine in Hyde Park, or browse the polished windows and elegant boutiques of Knightsbridge. Perhaps pause in Westminster as Big Ben’s chimes sound above the traffic, or follow the Thames towards Tower Bridge and the timeworn walls of the Tower of London.
Accommodations: Thistle Marble Arch, London -
Day
2Journey through Oxford, the Cotswolds and Stratford
You’ll meet your Travel Director in London, then travel through the wooded Chiltern Hills to Oxford, where the city’s spires rise above narrow streets. In your free time, you might explore the Ashmolean, pausing over ancient Egyptian coffins, gleaming gold and painted ceramics, or browse the Covered Market as the scents of coffee, warm bread and fresh flowers mingle beneath its old roof. Continue through the Cotswolds, where pale limestone cottages and dry-stone walls line the route to Stratford-upon-Avon. Inside Shakespeare’s half-timbered birthplace, you’ll see where the bard’s life began. Later, share dinner and drinks with your Travel Director and fellow travelers.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Swan's Nest, Stratford-upon-Avon -
Day
3York’s Historic Heart: City Walls and Haunted Tales
Beyond the countryside, you’ll reach York, where ancient walls enclose streets with Roman foundations and a Viking past. York Minster’s Gothic towers stand among detailed carvings and stained-glass marking centuries of craftsmanship. Follow the cobbles into the Shambles, where crooked timber-framed houses lean across the narrow lane, then spend the rest of the day at leisure, tracing York’s twisting ‘snickelways’. After dark, perhaps join a ghost tour and hear the tales behind the city’s famously haunted reputation.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Hilton, York -
Day
4The Scenic Route to Scotland: Lakes, Peaks and Gretna Green
Passing through the Yorkshire Dales and wild Pennines, you’ll watch green valleys open into broad moorland on the way to the Lake District. Here, long stretches of water lie beneath craggy steeps and green fells in the landscape that inspired the Big Six of English Romantic Poetry. Take a pause in Grasmere, visiting Wordsworth’s grave and taking in the mountain-stone cottages scattered across the hillside. You’ll cross the Scottish border into Gretna Green, where the vows exchanged by runaway lovers echo over the blacksmith’s anvil. Continue to Edinburgh, where you might join an Optional Experience at a Scottish cultural dinner, sharing food and drink before the music starts and the ceilidh steps begin.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Clayton Hotel St Andrew Square -
Day
5Discover Edinburgh Old and New
A Local Specialist leads you on a drive along Princes Street, past the Scott Monument’s intricate Gothic stonework and the graceful crescents and classical façades of the New Town. Across the city, the Old Town takes you to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of His Majesty the King, before you enter Edinburgh Castle to see Mons Meg, the Stone of Destiny and the Honours of Scotland, their gold and jewels gleaming beneath the castle lights. The rest of the day is yours. Perhaps trace your family tartan at the Tartan Center, or spend time among the paintings of the National Gallery. On select departures, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo fills the evening with the skirl of pipes, the beat of drums and dancers moving beneath the floodlit walls of Edinburgh Castle.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Clayton Hotel St Andrew Square -
Day
6Scotland’s Whisky Country: East Coast from Fife to Aberdeen
Crossing the Firth of Forth, you'll pass through Fife and continue to St Andrews, where the Old Course meets the North Sea and centuries of golfing history begin. During your free time, you might follow the pale curve of West Sands as waves roll onto the shore, recalling the famous running scene from Chariots of Fire. Or pass through the quadrangles of St Andrews University, where Catherine and Prince William first met as students. At a local whisky distillery, breathe in the warm scent of malt, toasted grain and oak during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Continue to Aberdeen, where your 19th-century baronial mansion awaits among 30 acres of green grounds, an atmospheric place to end the day.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, Aberdeen -
Day
7Discover Scotland’s Northeast from Loch Ness to Wick’s Herring Heritage
Through Scotland’s northeast, you'll pass rippling barley fields and coastal villages before boarding your cruise on Loch Ness. Beneath your boat, the inky waters plunge to mysterious depths. At its northern end, whitewashed Bona Lighthouse marks the narrow channel towards Loch Dochfour, once guiding vessels into the Caledonian Canal. You may find yourself searching for signs of Nessie as your Travel Director shares the loch’s geology and legendary tales. Farther north, you'll reach Wick, once known as Europe’s herring capital. On the approach, watch for Ebenezer Place, recognized as the world’s shortest street at just 2.06m (6ft 7in) long.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: The Norseman, Wick -
Day
8Orkney’s Ancient Stones and Wartime Past
On the ferry across the Pentland Firth, feel the sea air and northern wind as Orkney's low green islands appear on the horizon. With your Travel Director, you'll visit the Italian Chapel, where prisoners of war painted graceful arches and fashioned delicate ironwork inside two simple wartime huts. Continue through the old Norse town of Kirkwall to Skara Brae beside the Bay of Skaill, where stone beds, cupboards and hearths remain within 5,000-year-old homes. At the Ring of Brodgar, you can pause among weathered standing stones, listening to the wind ripple through the grass and wondering at the hands that raised them thousands of years ago.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: The Norseman, Wick -
Day
9Ullapool to Skye: Highland Shores and Lochs
Between deep lochs and mountain slopes, you’ll make your way to Ullapool, where whitewashed houses cast a watchful eye and fishing boats pull playfully at their moorings. Your route continues beside Loch Carron and through Glen Carron, with wooded hills, rocky shores and sea air accompanying you towards the Isle of Skye, the largest of the Inner Hebrides. As you cross to the island, hear the story behind ‘Over the Sea to Skye’ and Flora MacDonald’s daring rescue of Bonnie Prince Charlie after Culloden. Headlands and sheltered inlets lead the way to Broadford.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: The Dunollie, Broadford -
Day
10Onto Glasgow through Valleys and Lochs
Back on the mainland, you’ll cross the causeway to Eilean Donan Castle, where three sea lochs meet beneath its weathered walls. When the water lies still, the turrets may shimmer in reflection. At the Commando Memorial, highland winds glide across the open ground as the bronze soldiers look towards Ben Nevis, visible when the cloud lifts. In Glencoe, steep ridges close around the road while your Travel Director recounts the 1692 massacre of Clan MacDonald. Beside Loch Lomond, Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Queen of Scottish Lakes’, islands rest across the broad water before you continue to Glasgow.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Radisson Blu, Glasgow -
Day
11Cross to Northern Ireland through Giant’s Steps to Derry
From the ferry, you’ll watch the Isle of Arran soften into the sea haze as the deck hums beneath you on the crossing to Northern Ireland. At the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway, Atlantic water foams between some 40,000 black basalt columns, formed by volcanic activity more than 60 million years ago. Pick your way across these geometric pillars as waves break against their dark edges. Continue to Londonderry, Northern Ireland’s only remaining completely walled city, where original 17th-century ramparts form an unbroken circuit of stone gateways, bastions and cannon.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Da Vinci's, Londonderry -
Day
12Discover Derry’s Walls, Donegal’s Stronghold and Coastal Sligo
Inside Derry/Londonderry’s cannon-topped walls, you’ll feel the wind against the ramparts as Ronan, one of the nation’s great storytellers, begins his tales. Follow steep Shipquay Street past elegant Georgian houses to the Gothic Guildhall, listening as centuries of history unfold through his words. Across the border in Donegal, visit O’Donnell’s Castle before spending time where the River Eske flows into Donegal Bay. Once the stronghold of a powerful Gaelic dynasty, the town’s riverside streets recall Ireland’s medieval past. Continue to your country retreat beside Sligo Bay, where a coastal breeze sweeps across the grounds and the water stretches towards the horizon.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Clayton, Sligo -
Day
13Winding Western Roads: Connemara, Galway and Limerick
Through Connemara, you’ll follow winding roads between the clustered lakes, sharp mountains, and open bogland that embody its ‘savage beauty’. In Galway, your Travel Director leads you into the city’s past, from the cool hush and lofty arches of St Nicholas Cathedral to the Spanish Arch, where the River Corrib meets Galway Bay and gulls call above the water. In Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President John F. Kennedy, the city’s passing voices and music add a lively note to your visit. Later, you reach Limerick, where Georgian fronts line the streets and fine threads of lace meet the playful wit of the city’s rhymes.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: The George, Limerick -
Day
14Journey from Limerick to County Kerry
In Limerick, you’ll trace the city’s past from the battlements of King John’s Castle to the quiet arches of St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Treaty Stone. Continue through Adare, where whitewashed cottages sit beneath thick thatched roofs, before the road carries you into County Kerry, long celebrated in Irish song and legend. During your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll meet John and Freda, passionate restaurant owners whose farm-to-table approach keeps every ingredient within five miles of their kitchen. Hear how nearby farms supply each dish, then savor a freshly prepared meal as warm aromas rise from the kitchen. At night your Dine-Around Evening offers you authentic and intimate dining as you choose from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants, ranging in style and ambiance.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations: Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa, Killarney, Great Southern Killarney -
Day
15Kerry’s Wild Beauty: Mountains, Lakes and Villages
Along the Ring of Kerry, you pass soaring cliffs, lake-speckled valleys and remote villages beneath Ireland’s highest mountain range. The three Lakes of Killarney lie between mountain slopes and shores, their still water lending a gentle romance to the rugged landscape. With time to yourself, why not hire a bicycle and follow the trails beside the lakes or through Killarney National Park, breathing in the cool scent of woodland and listening to the birds calling from the trees?
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa, Killarney, Great Southern Killarney -
Day
16Southern Ireland from Blarney’s Legend to Cork’s Streets
Traversing the low, rolling terrain of the Derrynasaggart Mountains, you’ll make your way to Blarney, known for the Stone of Eloquence, where garden paths lead to the ruined battlements of its 15th-century castle. You’ll continue to Cork, Ireland’s second most populous city, built where the River Lee divides around its center. You might join a city tour before checking into your hotel, crossing bridges between the river channels as reflections flicker beneath the quays and colorful shopfronts brighten the streets.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Maldron South Mall, Cork -
Day
17Castles to Capital: Kilkenny and Dublin
At Kilkenny Castle, you’ll pass beneath medieval towers and into restored Victorian rooms, where polished wood, patterned walls and deep colors replace the severity of the original Norman fortress built in 1195. Later, Dublin is yours for the evening. You might follow the city streets as music spills from a pub doorway, linger over dinner or join an Irish cabaret, where song, dance and laughter make for a memorable first night in the capital.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Trinity City, Dublin -
Day
18Discover the Georgian Squares and Guinness Story of Dublin
Inside the Guinness Storehouse, you’ll follow the craft behind Ireland’s famous stout, from the toasted aroma of roasted barley to the deep color and distinctive flavor in the glass. Then join your Local Specialist as Dublin opens out in elegant Georgian squares, along O’Connell Street and beside the neoclassical Custom House on the River Liffey. With the afternoon at leisure, you can follow whatever catches your eye, from handsome doorways and riverside streets to the warm glow of a pub window and music drifting from within.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Trinity City, Dublin -
Day
19Cross the Irish Sea to Liverpool via Conwy Castle
Across the Irish Sea, you’ll reach Wales and Conwy Castle, where eight imposing towers and high curtain walls have watched over the medieval town and estuary for more than 700 years. You’ll then head back into England for Liverpool, a city of grand waterfront buildings, red-brick warehouses and a musical legacy known around the world. Once there, you’ll follow streets shaped by music and maritime history, with the River Mersey beside you and the city’s grand waterfront recalling its seafaring past. Perhaps join an Optional Experience tracing the story of The Beatles, from the places that colored their early lives to the melodies that carried around the world.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Maldron, Liverpool -
Day
20Explore the Welsh Capital’s Cultural Heart
As you head back through the Welsh countryside and arrive in Cardiff, the Welsh capital unfolds in broad avenues and grand civic architecture. You’ll pass the University of Wales and the imposing scale of the Principality Stadium before continuing to City Hall and the National Museum, where elegant buildings with carved details speak to the city’s cultural pride. Between these and open public spaces, you can take in a capital that wears its history with a certain quiet grandeur.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Clayton, Cardiff -
Day
21England’s West Country: Roman Baths, Gothic Cathedrals and Georgian Terraces
The city of Bath awaits across the Severn Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage city of graceful Georgian terraces sweeping across the surrounding hills. Follow its elegant streets towards Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey, where carved angels climb Jacob’s Ladder across the Gothic facade. You'll then visit the remarkably preserved Roman Baths to hear mineral-rich water spilling into pools first used nearly two thousand years ago. In Somerset, you’ll step inside Wells Cathedral, where colored light filters through stained glass onto Gothic arches and intricate medieval carvings. After a day spent among warm Bath stone, ancient water and centuries of craftsmanship, you'll continue to Plymouth.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza, Plymouth -
Day
22Devon by Moorland or Harbor
For your choice experience, you can head into Dartmoor National Park, where open moorland stretches towards granite tors and the wind carries the scent of heather across the landscape. Or take to Plymouth harbor, feeling the gentle rise and fall of the water as you cruise the same waters from which the Mayflower set sail for America 400 years ago. Back in Plymouth, raise a glass of wine over dinner with your fellow travelers, lingering over good food, shared stories and the memories of everything you’ve experienced together.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza, Plymouth -
Day
23From Monoliths back to Modernity: Stonehenge to London
Across Salisbury Plain, you’ll approach Stonehenge, its immense, enduring stones standing against the open sky as they have for almost 5,000 years. Walk through this prehistoric landscape and take in the rough grain of the monoliths, the surrounding expanse of grass and the enduring mystery of a monument that still stirs the imagination. From here, return to London and take in the city’s red buses, glittering skyscrapers and regal history for one last night.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Thistle Marble Arch, London -
Day
24Bid Farewell to Britain and Ireland
Following breakfast, it's time to say goodbye as your journey through Britain and Ireland comes to an end.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
More Details
Trafalgar is informing us of the following additional details regarding their Britain & Ireland Discovery tour:
Travelers Notes
* TRIP RUN BY INSIGHT VACATIONS.* LONDON TRANSFERS: Book air with us and you will receive Complimentary transfers from and to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on arrival and departure days of the itinerary or in conjunction with pre-trip or post-trip accommodation booked through us. Guests who have made their own flight arrangements may purchase a transfer at our specially negotiated group transfer rates.* NOTE: This Trip falls under LEVEL 1. Please refer to the Deposit, Payment and Cancellations policies on our website.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on double occupancy. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Trafalgar. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Trafalgar (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.