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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
where we will board your own private coach and be 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 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 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 Northumbria to visit the remains of the
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 see. 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 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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