2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Essential Britain & Ireland (GB)

10 Day Tour from London to London

2025 Tour Details View 2026 Tour Details »

Don’t think you can see the top sights of Britain and Ireland in 10 days? Sharpen your pencils to cross off your bucket-list destinations in five fabulous countries. A jolly good time awaits in England, Scotland, and Wales, plus both territories of Ireland, as you explore the lively capital cities of each and the thatched-roof-dotted countryside in between. Coast through rolling hills, ferry across legendary waterways, and skip down cobblestone streets to discover the wonders of Stonehenge, Waterford, York, and more on this essential tour of Britain and Ireland. Along the way, you’ll drink in the sights of fairytale castles and storybook settings as well as the locally brewed ales, strong Irish coffees, and perfectly aged Scotch whiskies passionately poured in every pub. Factor in time to shop for bits and bobs and taste local favorites like fish and chips, and you’d be off your trolley not to come along!

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Select Globus 2021 Europe tours are limited to an average of just 24 guests per tour. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus European tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery Europe vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect tour—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides, to seamless transportation between destinations, a return Irish Sea crossing and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring in spacious comfort by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach. Free Wi-Fi is included on board your coach and in most hotel lobbies and common areas. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your GlobusGO mobile app!

Unpack your plaid! Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances included on departures July 26, 27, 29, August 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12, 16 and 17.

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Multiple Vacation Discount: Save up to an additional $100 per person when you book more than one Globus, Cosmos or Avalon Vacation for the same travel year
Your Wow Starts Now Sales Event: Save up to $1,350 per couple on select 2025 Globus Tours Worldwide*
Your Wow Starts Now Sales Event: Save up to $400 per couple on select 2025 Globus Tours Worldwide*
Essential Britain & Ireland map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Full English breakfast daily; 3 three-course dinners


Notes:

This tour requires some uphill walking on rough terraine at Edinburgh Castle which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs. Some walking involved back to the hotel after the Edinburgh Tattoo for departures that include the Tattoo.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND

Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you. Free time this afternoon.

LONDON-BIG-BEN.jpg

Day 2 LONDON–STONEHENGE–BATH–NEWPORT, WALES

Ancient Stones & Spa Days LONDON Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am and drive to Stonehenge.
STONEHENGE Visit the prehistoric monument.
BATH Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths.
164 mi / 264 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEMS The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the “Best Spa Towns in Europe.” The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society.

STONEHENGE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 3 NEWPORT–CARDIFF–WATERFORD, IRELAND

Welsh Dragons, Daffodils & Castles CARDIFF Morning visit to Cardiff Castle.
PEMBROKE Ferry crossing St. George’s Channel to Rosslare.
168 mi / 271 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CAPITAL CITY Explore the Welsh capital, see many historic buildings and discover its 2,000-year history of invasions, abductions and conflicts from 1st century AD when the Romans built the first series of forts.

CARDIFF-CASTLE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 4 WATERFORD–KILKENNY–DUBLIN

Cut Glass & Cobblestones WATERFORD Take a guided tour of the House of Waterford Crystal.
KILKENNY See one of Ireland’s most quaint towns with medieval cobblestones.
115 mi / 195 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Time to explore the city of Kilkenny, referred to as the "Marble City" because of the widespread use of local black limestone to construct many local buildings. The "Medieval Mile" is the city's main thoroughfare and is lined with medieval landmarks, quaint shops and charming pubs. Today Kilkenny is renowned for its active arts and crafts scene.

KILKENNY-CITY-VIEW.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 DUBLIN

Ireland’s Capital City DUBLIN Take a morning orientation drive to see O’Connell Street, Georgian squares, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Trinity College. Free time this afternoon.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CITY SIGHTS “In Dublin’s fair city where girls are so pretty” you’ll also find great personality and charm. The charisma of Dubliners and the bounty of pubs here is matched only by the gorgeous Georgian Squares, 12th-century St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Trinity College.

DUBLIN-STREET.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 DUBLIN–BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND–EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Irish Crossings BELFAST Pause at the magnificent City Hall before crossing the North Channel to Scotland's Cairnryan.
234 mi / 376 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CITY SIGHTS Northern Ireland’s capital city of Belfast has seen its share of the ‘Troubles’ but its tenacity, tireless industry and timeless traditions are easy to see. Hear how shipbuilding ruled and Irish linen was king. In the port city where the Titanic was built, a bold rebirth of arts and architecture thrive amid historic castles and churches drawing visitors from around the globe.

BELFAST-CITY-HALL-NIGHT.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 EDINBURGH

Drummers, Pipers & Precious Jewels EDINBURGH Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the New Town, the Old Town, and a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Free time this afternoon.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Unpack your Plaid! Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances included on departures July 26, 27, 29, August 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12, 16 and 17.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
MUSIC & MASTERPIECES Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with a 1,100-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain." Here you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the spectacular Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year.

EDINBURGH-BAGPIPER.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 8 EDINBURGH–JEDBURGH–YORK, ENGLAND

Augustine’s Monks & Medieval Markets JEDBURGH Take photos at the Augustinian abbey ruins. Drive into Northumberland National Park and see a section of Hadrian’s Wall.
YORK See York Minster on Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite a guided walk through The Shambles.
198 mi / 318 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
HISTORIC SPOT While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butchers' shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe and said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley – and today is a colorful gathering place with cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies.

YORK-SHAMBLES.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 9 YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON

Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare STRATFORD-UPON-AVON See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace.
260 mi / 418 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
A LEGEND SLEPT HERE Ah, young love! Even more true as Shakespeare’s fiancée was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard’s wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON-ANNE-HATHAWAYS-COTTAGE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 LONDON

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

LONDON-PUB.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

GAVIN CRUICKSHANK

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Having spent most of my youth in the hospitality industry, I became a Tour Director many years ago. Originally from Edinburgh, I enjoy showing travelers Britain and Ireland, from Land's End and John O'Groats to Giant's Causeway and Waterford. It fills me with so much pride to show off the countries and tell the stories of my ancestors to our guests.”

Tour Director - GAVIN CRUICKSHANK

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


London
Dublin
Edinburgh

London

A Taste of London

A Taste of London

A traditional dining experience followed by a nighttime cruise along the Thames River, viewing some of the capital's most beautiful illuminated sights.

Price Range: $$$$

Dublin

Taylors Irish Cabaret

Taylors Irish Cabaret

You won't want to miss this popular outing to the legendary Taylors Irish Cabaret, featuring a delicious dinner, drinks, and outstanding Irish music, dance, and comedy.

Price Range: $$$

Guinness Storehouse Visit and Supper

Guinness Storehouse Visit and Supper

Discover the history, traditions, and brewing techniques behind one of the world's most popular beer on this fascinating tour, tasting and dinner at Dublin's legendary Guinness Storehouse.

Price Range: $$$

Edinburgh

Scottish Evening

Scottish Evening

No trip to Scotland is complete without an authentic Scottish evening filled with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis!

Price Range: $$$$

Royal Yacht Britannia and Dinner

Royal Yacht Britannia and Dinner

Discover what life was like on board Her Majesty's floating residence during an exciting visit of the Royal Yacht Britannia, followed by dinner with wine at an excellent local restaurant!

Price Range: $$$$

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Globus European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Globus tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience.

For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party.

Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $4,586*
18 guests in a party: $945*

Contact Globus or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Globus Private Touring.

* Supplement pricing is per person (CA) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2020 and 2021 travel years. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.