DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NASHVILLE
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Glasgow.

DAY    2            ARRIVE GLASGOW - STIRLING - EDINBURGH (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide where we will board our own private bus and transfer into Glasgow where we will visit Glasgow Cathedral, a church so well-regarded that in 1451 the Pope declared that a pilgrimage here would carry the same merit as one to Rome. The present cathedral, built in the 12th century and saved from destruction during the Restoration by armed Glaswegians, sits on the site of a monastery founded by St. Mungo, also known as Kentigern, in 550 AD. As we explore the structure we will see the greatest collection of post-WWII stained glass, including the famous Millenium Window that is widely regarded as the most technically demanding stained glass windows ever produced; the Chapel of St John the Evangelist, still containing part of what is believed to be the well used by St Kentigern in the late 500s; and Blacader Aisle, a chapel under the cathedral that is said to occupy the site of a cemetery consecrated at the beginning of the 5th century by St. Ninian. Time permitting, we will then take a walking tour of architect Charles Rennie MacKintosh's most influential architectural achievements in Glasgow. Hailed as an innovator of Art Nouveau style, MacKintosh's unique artistry is evident throughout the city. Our first stop will be to The Lighthouse, located within Scotland's first dedicated national architecture center and designed by MacKintosh in 1895 for the Glasgow Herald newspaper office. The center's vision is to develop the links between art, design and architecture, seeing these as interconnected social, educational, economic and cultural issues of concern to everyone. While here we will ascend to the upper level of the tower for a fantastic view over the city. Next we continue through the city center and up Buchanan Street to Sauchiehall Street, where we will see the famous Willow Tea Rooms, designed by Mackintosh in 1904. From here we continue on for a visit to Stirling Castle, which dates from the Middle Ages, and was an important seat of two kings, James IV and James V. Included in our tour of the castle is the Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, presenting an excellent exhibit of colors, pipe banners, and regimental silver, along with medals won by Scottish soldiers for valor. From the castle, we will also get a wonderful view of the Wallace Monument, which commemorates the Scottish hero's victory over the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297. We continue to Edinburgh, Scotland's beautiful capital city.

DAY    3            EDINBURGH (THE KINGS & QUEENS OF SCOTLAND)
Our day begins with a visit to Edinburgh Castle, a place filled with history, legend, and lore. Our visit will include: St. Margaret's Chapel, the State Apartments, the Great Hall and the Crown Chamber, which houses the Honours of Scotland (Scottish Crown Jewels). This afternoon we will take a Walking Tour along the Royal Mile where we will view many of the city's most interesting structures, with their turrets, gables, and towering chimneys. During our walk, we will see the High Kirk of St. Giles, one of the most important architectural landmarks along the Royal Mile. We will stop for a visit to the Museum of Edinburgh. Once little more than a slum, the local authority bought the building and opened it as a museum in 1932. The museum collection includes Neolithic Axe heads, Roman coins and military artifacts. Our walk will end at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, built by James IV, adjacent to an Augustinian abbey David I established in the 12th century.

DAY    4            EDINBURGH - HADRIAN'S WALL - DURHAM - YORKSHIRE
(2 NIGHTS)
This morning we leave Scotland and journey into Northern England. At the border, we will stop for a Walk Along 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. 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 to Yorkshire, 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.

DAY    5            HALF DAY TRIP TO PICKERING/GOATHLAND - YORK
This morning we will make a short drive to Pickering, where we will board the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a ride on the steam train to Hogsmeade Station (Goathland.) Our coach will meet us there after lunch, and we will continue to 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. Our afternoon concludes as ew return to York for a visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre. This Viking city, discovered many feet below present ground level, was reconstructed as it stood in 948, and a "time car" will take us back through the ages. NOTE: alternate for this is to visit York Castle and Museum instead of Jorvik Viking center.

DAY    6            YORKSHIRE - STRATFORD-UPON-AVON - WESSEX AREA
(2 NIGHTS)
We make an early start this morning as we go first to York Minster, which traces its origins from the early 7th century and features stunning stained glass from the Middle Ages. Those who choose to may ascend the Central Tower for panoramic views of York. We continue our day as we go to Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Shakespeare's Birthplace, where the Bard was born on April 23, 1564 and died on the same date 52 years later, as well as the modern Shakespeare Centre, built next door to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Bard's birth. Next we will make a brief stop at Anne Hathaway's Cottage, providing a rare insight into the life of a family in Shakespearean times. We continue to our hotel in the Wessex area.

DAY    7           DAY TRIP TO BATH
This morning we begin with a visit to the Roman Baths, first associated with the Celtic King Bladud and later established by the Romans in the 1st century. We will take a Walking Tour through historic Bath, where we will see: the spectacular façade of Bath Abbey; Pulteney Bridge, featuring wonderful views of the city and the River Avon; the Circus; and the Royal Crescent, one of Britain's finest streets. We will return to Wessex for the evening.

DAY    8            WESSEX - STOURHEAD - SALISBURY - STONEHENGE - LONDON (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we begin by visiting the magnificent 18th century landscaped gardens at Stourhead, one of the finest English gardens in Britain. We continue to Salisbury, where we will visit Salisbury Cathedral. Our visit will include the cathedral's 13th-century octagonal chapter house, which displays one of the four surviving original texts of the Magna Carta. Next we will visit mysterious Stonehenge, a huge circle of lintels and megalithic pillars, and one of the most impressive prehistoric monuments in Britain. We finish our day in London, Britain's historic capital city. Upon our arrival, we will see two of London's most vibrant and lively areas, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square.

DAY    9            LONDON
Today we have free time today to explore London, or choose to take a train to Windsor and see the castle, or to Canterbury and the White Cliffs of Dover. Be sure to be back in London this evening for our farewell dinner. Those who choose may attend a Theater performance afterward.

DAY    10            DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your guide accompanies you to the airport for the return flight home.