BI 25 - MUSIC IN THE BRITISH ISLES
12 DAYS

You Will Always Have Your Own Private Tour
(Year-round) On Guaranteed Dates

Register For Costs From Your Nearest Gateway



Admission Costs Included to all Bolded Sites in the Itinerary.

 

1. Round-trip airfare with a major carrier on scheduled flights and guaranteed dates

2. All airport taxes

3. Accommodation in 3 Star and Superior 2 Star Tourist Class hotels with private facilities guaranteed throughout

4. Continental Breakfast and Dinners throughout your touring program

5. A Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guide to accompany your group 24 hours a day from arrival to departure

6. All excursions, cultural activities and (several pre-booked) admissions, per your itinerary

7. Transportation by private coach for airport transfers and touring, except in the capital city, where public transport is used (and the cost included) for group sightseeing

8. One Free Place for Group Leaders with every six full-paying participants

9. All taxes

10. All of the venue arrangement fees and promotional costs for your performances, as stated in the itinerary.



WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?

1. Lunches and beverages with meals

2. Visas (if required)

3. Travel Insurance

4. Transportation of equipment by land and/or air or hiring of instruments

 

 

DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Shannon.

DAY    2            ARRIVE SHANNON - KILLARNEY AREA (2 NIGHTS)

You will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the Killarney area.  As we drive through the Ireland’s green hills, we will visit Bunratty Castle, built in 1469 and the most authentic example of a medieval castle in Ireland.  On the grounds of the castle is a Folk Park in which typical rural dwellings are recreated to reflect life in Ireland at the turn of the century. In the evening we will visit a Singing Pub for traditional Irish Ballads and Folk music

 

.DAY    3            DAY TRIP TO RING OF KERRY

Today we will enjoy a leisurely tour around the famed Ring of Kerry, a beautiful drive around the Iveragh Peninsula. We will enjoy a splendid variety of outstanding coastal panoramas and magnificent mountain views.  During the course of our tour, we will have the opportunity to stop and explore many small towns and villages on the peninsula, including Killorglin, Glenbeigh and Caherciveen

· Your First Concert Performance will be today

DAY    4            KILLARNEY AREA - BLARNEY - CASHEL - DUBLIN (2 NIGHTS)

As we leave Killarney our first stop will be at Blarney Castle where we will climb onto the battlements to reach the Blarney Stone, said to impart the gift of eloquence to all that kiss it.  As we head out into the Irish countryside we will visit ancient Cashel, a monumental cathedral complex that dominates the surrounding landscape and was once the seat of the Kings of Munster. It was here that St. Patrick began his conversion of the Irish, using the shamrock as his symbol. We will continue our journey to Dublin.  Your guide will take you on an introductory 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.

 

DAY    5            DUBLIN

Our sightseeing in begins at 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

 

DAY    6          DUBLIN - FERRY CROSSING - CAERNARFON - CHESTER                                     AREA (1 NIGHT)  

We will cross the Irish Sea by ferry to Caernarfon. Here (Time Permitting) we will visit the magnificent Castle built by Edward I, in 1283 and where Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales.  A drive through the beautiful scenery of northern Wales will bring us to historic Chester, once a major base for the Roman army and fleet.

 

DAY    7            CHESTER AREA - YORKSHIRE (3 NIGHTS)      

This morning our Walking Tour of Chester will take us along the medieval city walls, the best-preserved in England.  We will also visit the magnificent red sandstone Cathedral. We will continue across the English countryside to the medieval city of York.

 

DAY    8            YORK

Our day begins in Exhibition Square, where we will take a guided Walking Tour of the city, a perfect way to learn about the history and lore of the city, through numerous intriguing stories.  We continue with a visit to 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.  We continue to the Shambles a narrow ancient street filled with shops and cafes.  The remainder of the afternoon is yours to spend at leisure before your concert.

· Your Second Concert Performance will be today

DAY    9            DAY TRIP TO DURHAM & HADRIAN’S WALL

We head north today and make a stop in the historic city 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 will continue our journey north to walk Hadrians’ Wall, built by the Romans across the north of England to mark the boundary of their empire.   During our walk, we will also visit Housesteads Fort, the best-preserved site along this ancient Roman wall.    This evening we will return to York.

 

DAY    10          YORKSHIRE  - OXFORD - LONDON (3 NIGHTS)

This morning we will visit Oxford, England’s oldest University City, which is associated with many notable literary alumni including such diverse characters as Geoffrey Chaucer, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis and Evelyn Waugh.  We will take a Walking Tour to view many of the colleges that make up Oxford, as well as the Sheldonian Theater and the Bodleian Library.  We will visit Christ Church College, Oxford’s biggest and grandest Renaissance College, which was founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey.  The college’s Christ Church Cathedral is the smallest in England. 

 

 DAY    11          LONDON

We begin with a visit to Westminster Abbey, where English kings and queens have been crowned since 1066.  We will take a Blue-Badge guided tour that will include the Royal Chapels, holding the tombs of the monarchs, as well as Poets' Corner, featuring memorials to famous British literary figures.  Our morning continues as we walk past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben before taking a Thames River Cruise, a relaxing way to view many of London’s most magnificent sights.  This afternoon we will visit the Tower of London, one of Britain’s most fascinating and important historical structures, with its macabre associations with the legendary figures imprisoned and/or executed here.  Our visit will include the armories, a display of instruments of torture and execution and the Crown Jewels Exhibit.  This evening we will spend time around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, two of London’s most vibrant and lively areas.

 

DAY    12            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 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    13          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.

Please note that the sightseeing content may be amended or eliminated in order to facilitate the best possible concert arrangements for your group.

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