8-Nights Best Of Britain from $3,245

CIE Tours

OFFER ID 1541298

2025 - 9 Day Best of Britain
Authentic Local Experiences:

August 3 - 17 departures will have reserved seats for the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. All other departures will experience an exclusive Scottish Evening with dinner and traditional entertainment.
Discover the rich history of Windsor and York on walking tours around these charming old towns.
Visit the medieval Bamburgh Castle and enjoy views of the beach below.

Trip Highlights:

Blenheim Palace
Cardiff Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Scottish Evening*
Roman Baths
Stonehenge
Tower of London
Windsor Castle

*August 3 - 17 departures.
Dining Experiences:

8 Breakfasts (B) and 5 Dinners* (D)

*Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.
Hotels:

Castle Hotel Windsor | Windsor (1)
Delta Hotels by Marriott York | York (1)
DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh - Queensferry Crossing | near Edinburgh (2)
Malmaison Liverpool | Liverpool (1)
Hilton Cardiff | Cardiff (1)
100 Queen's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection| London (2)

8 nights from $3,245 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

CIE Tours: 2025 - 9 Day Best of Britain

Day 1 Windsor Castle, Walking Tour & Welcome Drink
Depart from your hotel at 2:00 PM for a visit to Windsor Castle, residence of the King and the largest inhabited castle in the world. Next, take a walking tour around this compact and historic town. In the evening, join your group for a welcome drink, then dine independently.

Day 2 Blenheim Palace & Cotswolds Drive
Travel to Blenheim Palace, a monumental country house and home to the Dukes of Marlborough. Enjoy a scenic drive through the picturesque Cotswolds, passing through quaint towns and villages nestled in distinctive rolling hills and valleys. Travel on to York, a city founded by the Romans in the first century and a major wool trading center in the Middle Ages.(B, D)

Day 3 York Walking Tour, York Minster & Bamburgh Castle
Take a walking tour of York’s medieval streets, including the Shambles, one of the city’s narrowest alleyways. Tour Gothic York Minster, renowned for its magnificent medieval stained glass windows. Visit Bamburgh Castle, an imposing medieval fortress that is one of the largest inhabited castles in Britain. This magical castle is set high on a rocky plateau affording wonderful views along the coast. Continue to your hotel near Edinburgh, where you will dine with your group.(B, D)

Day 4 Edinburgh City Tour, Edinburgh Castle & Scottish Evening*
Explore central Edinburgh starting in the 200-year-old “New Town” with its planned streets and elegant Georgian houses. See Princes Street, the city’s premier shopping district, and the medieval Royal Mile, overlooked by the imposing Edinburgh Castle. Tour the castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. Enjoy a lively Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. August 3 – 17 departures experience the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.(B, D*)

Day 5 Lake District & Liverpool
Travel through the lush hilly countryside of the Lake District; the beauty of this region has inspired many writers and poets. Visit Grasmere, a picturesque village that native William Wordsworth once called, “the most loveliest spot that man hath found.” Head to Liverpool, a city that once dominated global trade and is now better known as the home of the Beatles. Take a walking tour of the docks before free time for dinner. Later, meet your group to experience live music at the world-famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four got their start.(B)

Day 6 Ludlow, Tintern Abbey & Cardiff Castle
Travel through scenic Shropshire, one of the most unspoiled parts of rural England. Stop in Ludlow, a quintessentially English town, to see the castle and quaint old black-and-white houses. Continue through the lovely Welsh countryside to visit the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey. In Cardiff, tour the splendid Cardiff Castle, which was magnificently restored in the Victorian era. Dine at your hotel.(B, D)

Day 7 Roman Baths & Stonehenge
Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff before crossing the border from Wales to England. In Bath, visit the Roman Baths, hot mineral-rich springs that have been popular since ancient Roman times. Continue on to the prehistoric circle of vast monoliths of Stonehenge at Salisbury Plain and learn about the primitive building methods used to create such an enduring monument. Arrive in London and savor dinner with your group at your hotel.(B, D)

Day 8 London Tour, Tower of London & Independent Sightseeing
Set out on a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus with its statue of Eros, Nelson’s Column flanked by huge lions in Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Visit the mighty Tower of London to see the many fortresses, ravens, Beefeaters in their distinctive uniforms, and the priceless Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is free for further exploring.(B)

Day 9 Tour Ends in London
Your tour ends after breakfast.(B)B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner >

Featured Destinations

Liverpool

Liverpool – just saying the name automatically brings the world’s most famous group to mind – The Beatles. Liverpool however has more to offer visitors though than just Beatles memorabilia. Located on the Irish Sea on the mouth of the Mersey River, Liverpool is one of England’s most important seaports, second only to London. A bustling port for the exchanging of goods, it is also a passenger port for those traveling to Ireland. Several churches in the city are notable; among them is the Anglican Cathedral, built in 1904 which is one of the largest ecclesiastical structures in the world. There are several museums in the city as well, the Walker Art Gallery and the Merseyside County Museum.

Excursions

Liverpool: Explore Liverpool - 8 hours

This morning, you are met as you disembark your cruise ship by your driver-guide. Begin your full day private sightseeing tour of Liverpool, once the most important centre of maritime trade in the world.

Liverpool was the European capital of Culture in 2008 as is also the birthplace of Beatles. You may like to walk through the Mathew Street to the Cavern Club, following in the footsteps of the Beatles. See the buildings known as the ‘Three Graces’, and the impressive civic buildings that were constructed as a result of the mercantile wealth. The most important of these is St. George’s Hall, that interestingly claims to be the world’s first air-conditioned building. The Walker Art Gallery houses one of the finest collections of paintings in the UK outside of London. However the two most magnificent buildings from the 20th-century in Liverpool are the cathedrals. The Anglican Cathedral built in traditional gothic style is the largest church in the UK; the Roman Catholic cathedral is a fine example of contemporary modernist architecture.

Time permitting you may also pass under the River Mersey to Port Sunlight, one of the first planned industrial villages in the world that was opened by the Lever Brothers to house their workers in better conditions. The focal point of the village is the Lady Lever Art Gallery that houses a large collection of Wedgwood Jasperware. You could also visit Speke Hall (closed Monday and Tuesday), a fine example of a Tudor half-timbered manor house that is richly decorated with wooden furniture inside.

Highlights:

Follow in the footsteps of the famous band the Beatles who grew up in Liverpool
See the impressive civic buildings, the Walker Art Gallery and the largest church in the UK

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by luxury car or minivan
An expert local driver-guide for 8 hours
Entrance fees to all sights and museums
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities

London

Cardiff

Edinburgh

Dominated by the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle, this picturesque city offers shopping on Princes Street, the grandeur of the Royal Mile, St. Giles Cathedral and historic Palace of Holyrood House, where Queen Mary lived and many Scottish kings were wed. Or venture across the moors to marvel at the scenic Highlands.

Excursions

Edinburgh: Royal Edinburgh - 8 hours

With Scotland's most famous castle dominating the city, Edinburgh provides a fantastic introduction to this magical country. This morning you will receive a warm welcome by your local guide as you disembark your cruise for your full day sightseeing tour (8 hours) by private vehicle.

You will first head up to Edinburgh Castle, where you will see the 'Honours of Scotland', or the Scottish Crown Jewels, and have the opportunity to admire striking views across the city. Drive along the Royal Mile to the imposing Holyrood Palace*, the Queen's Official Residence in Scotland.

Continue the Royal theme this afternoon, with a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Built in Scotland, and now permanently moored here, this famous ship hosted many official voyages during her working life. Your guide will bring the Royal Yacht Britannia’s intriguing history to life prior to the short transfer back to your cruise ship.

*You will tour the staterooms of the palace if no member of the Royal Family is staying here at the time.

Highlights:

Privately guided tour of Edinburgh Castle
Visit Holyrood Palace (Subject to Royal Visit)
Discover the history of the Royal Yacht Britannia

Tour Duration: 8 Hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by BMW 7 Series or similar for 1 or 2 passengers or Viano (6 passenger seats) or similar for 3, 4, or 5 passengers or Sprinter for 6 passengers.
Expert local guide for stated sightseeing 8 hours in Edinburgh
Entrance fees to all sights and museums
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities
Supplement for public holidays
Anything not specifically mentioned in the “Inclusions” list above.

Edinburgh: Introducing Edinburgh - 4 hours

York

Windsor

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

03/30/2025 - 04/07/2025

from $3,245 per person

05/04/2025 - 05/12/2025

from $3,845 per person *

05/18/2025 - 05/26/2025

from $3,845 per person *

06/01/2025 - 06/09/2025

from $3,845 per person

06/08/2025 - 06/16/2025

from $4,395 per person

06/22/2025 - 06/30/2025

from $3,845 per person *

07/06/2025 - 07/14/2025

from $3,845 per person *

07/20/2025 - 07/28/2025

from $4,395 per person *

08/03/2025 - 08/11/2025

from $4,045 per person

08/10/2025 - 08/18/2025

from $4,045 per person *

08/31/2025 - 09/08/2025

from $3,845 per person

09/07/2025 - 09/15/2025

from $3,995 per person *

09/21/2025 - 09/29/2025

from $3,995 per person

10/05/2025 - 10/13/2025

from $3,545 per person *

10/19/2025 - 10/27/2025

from $3,995 per person *

11/02/2025 - 11/10/2025

from $3,795 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $3,245 per person

Length

8 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

Prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy, subject to availability and change without notice. Taxes additional. Single supplement available. Surcharges may apply. Internal and international airfare not included. All pricing and accommodations are subject to availability. Full terms and conditions apply. Rates may vary by date of travel; please inquire for the best prices for your preferred travel dates. Itinerary and map subject to change. Prices subject to availability and changes without notice. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1541298

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