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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to Ireland.
DAY
2 ARRIVE DUBLIN (2 NIGHTS)
You will be met at the airport by your tour manager/guide
board your own private coach and taken to your hotel in Dublin.
Founded by the Vikings, Dublin is the vibrant modern capital
of Ireland, but it still retains the aura of old world Europe.
After time to relax, your guide will take you on an introductory
Guided Walking Tour to orient you to the city. We will
stroll in St. Stephen's Green, the loveliest of Dublin's
many parks, and visit Merrion Square, famous for its
elegant Georgian houses and once the home of such Irish luminaries
as Oscar Wilde, Daniel O'Connell, and William Butler Yeats.
We will include a visit to Dublin Castle where a fortress
has stood since the time of the Celts. The castle was once
the center of English rule in Ireland and had as notorious
a reputation as the Tower of London.
DAY
3 DUBLIN
Today's sightseeing in Dublin will include a visit
to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral
of the Church of Ireland. It is said that St. Patrick baptized
converts on this site, and consequently a church has stood
here since A.D. 450, making it the oldest Christian site in
Dublin. St. Patrick's is closely associated with Jonathan
Swift, who was dean from 1713 to 1745 and whose tomb lies
in the south aisle. Our day continues with a visit to Trinity
College, the oldest university in Ireland, with cobbled
squares, beautiful gardens, a picturesque quadrangle, and
buildings dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The
college is also home to the Book of Kells, an
8th-century version of the four Gospels with elaborate scripting
and illumination "
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 DUBLIN - LARNE FERRY - CAIRNRYAN -
EDINBURGH
(2 NIGHTS)
We will make an early morning start and drive north
to the port at Larne where we will board the ferry to cross
the Irish Sea to Cairnryan. We will continue to Edinburgh,
capital of Scotland and one of Europe's most beautiful cities.
Upon arrival in Edinburgh our guide will lead us on an introductory
walking tour.
DAY
5 EDINBURGH
Our Guided City Tour will begin at Holyrood
Palace before we drive along the Royal Mile to Edinburgh
Castle, the fortified birthplace of the city 1,300 years
ago and a royal residence since the 11th century. Your guided
tour will present the building basically as a military garrison
and home of the famous Military Tattoo and you will see the
Scottish War Memorial, the Great Hall, the Scottish Crown
Jewels and a magnificent view of the city from the ramparts.
"
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
6 EDINBURGH - DURHAM - YORKSHIRE (2 NIGHTS)
Leaving Edinburgh this morning we travel further
south through the wild moorland of County Durham to visit
the remains of the 4 centuries old Hadrian's Wall,
a fortified wall built by the Romans across the north of England
to mark the boundary of their ancient empire. Our day continues
in historic Durham, a medieval treasure and one of the loveliest
cities in England. The proximity of the castle, cathedral
and university surrounded by a loop of the River Wear, makes
Durham a fascinating place to visit. We will visit Durham
Cathedral, completed in 1133. The cathedral is one of
Britain's most architecturally innovative buildings, as it
is the first English building with ribbed vault construction,
and the first stone-roofed cathedral in Europe. We continue
on to our hotel in Yorkshire for the night.
DAY
7 YORK
In the morning we will take a guided Walking Tour of
medieval York along the 13th century city walls to Stonegate
and the Shambles. We will see many historic buildings including
St. William's College and the Guildhall before arriving at
the Castle Museum. With its splendid presentation of
period rooms and the excellent reconstruction of Victorian
cobbled streets and shops, this is one of the world's most
famous folk museums. Our day will end with a tour York
Minster, which traces its origins from the early 7th century,
and features stunning stained glass from the Middle Ages.
Those who choose can ascend the Central Tower, for
panoramic views of York
DAY
8 YORKSHIRE - LONDON (2 NIGHTS)
We head south this morning to the nation's capital and after
arrival and checking into our hotel , we will orient ourselves
with a Walking Tour to introduce you to some of London's
most famous sights. We will begin at Trafalgar Square
and continue down Whitehall, past Horseguards Parade
and Downing Street. Your walk can continue through
St. James Park to view Buckingham Palace.
DAY
9 LONDON
Our morning begins with a visit to the British Museum,
one of the most comprehensive collections of art and artifacts
in the world. Highlights of our visit will include: the Rosetta
Stone, whose discovery led to the deciphering of hieroglyphs;
the Elgin Marbles, from the Parthenon in Athens; and the Sutton
Hoo Treasure. After lunch we continue with a visit to St.
Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's Renaissance-style
masterpiece. Our visit will include an ascent to the Whispering
Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the faintest
whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side, as well
as the American Memorial Chapel, honoring the 28,000 U.S.
service personnel who lost their lives while stationed in
Britain during World War II.
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY
10 DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to
an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport
for the return flight home.
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