2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Essential Britain (GC)

12 Day Tour from London to London

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details »

Thrones and scones. Hops and scotch. Rock stars and famous rocks. They’re all included on this enthralling and encompassing tour of Britain. Pack your tweed and tartans for the best of London and country, the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands, and the enchanting villages and valleys of Wales, and prepare to be swept away like a runaway bride at the elopement capital of Gretna Green. The castles and cathedrals of London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff, as well as the charming pubs on every corner, will steal your heart away. With visits to the baffling boulders of Stonehenge, the battlefield of Culloden Moor, Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, and The Beatles’ home city of Liverpool, this tour of Britain promises rocking discovery and enlightenment, not to mention honorary degrees in ancient history, English literature, and music appreciation.

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.


Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Essential Britain map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Full buffet breakfast daily; 1 lunch; 3 three-course dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND

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

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Day 2 LONDON–STONEHENGE–ILMINSTER–PLYMOUTH

Secrets of the Stones LONDON Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am before departing for Stonehenge.
STONEHENGE Visit the prehistoric monument.
ILMINSTER Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Lunch at a local pub.
219 mi / 352 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Quench your thirst with local ales and ciders while tasting traditional pub fayre prepared following century old recipes. Nothing eases homesickness like hearty cooked food concocted with care and love like grandma used to make. Just like home away from home!

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 3 PLYMOUTH. EXCURSION TO CORNWALL

Legends of Land & Sea PLYMOUTH Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite All aboard for a scenic cruise on Plymouth Sound. Enjoy a scenic drive through the West Country to Poldark’s Cornwall.
LOOE Visit the thriving fishing village and former smugglers’ port.
PLYMOUTH Free time this evening.
42 mi / 70 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE Stunning views of Cornwall, the setting of Winston Graham's ‘Poldark’ saga of Cornish life in the 18th century, will leave you breathless on a scenic drive through the West Country. Get carried away with a spectacular scenic cruise on Plymouth Sound, a magnificent inlet on the English Channel.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 PLYMOUTH–GLASTONBURY–BATH–CARDIFF, WALES

Timeless Kings & Thermal Springs GLASTONBURY Visit the town of the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail.
BATH Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths.
184 mi / 295 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE The Somerset town of Glastonbury is the site of King Arthur’s legendary quest for the mythical Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. Hear how, while Arthur failed in his search, a noble knight named Galahad found the Holy Grail because of his pure heart.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 CARDIFF–BUILTH WELLS–LLANGOLLEN–LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

Moor than Meets the Eye Take a scenic drive along the Taff Valley and through the Brecon Beacons National Park.
BUILTH WELLS Stop at the ancient market town.
LLANGOLLEN Visit the picturesque town.
LIVERPOOL Free time the remainder of the day.
190 mi / 306 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Discover the extraordinary natural beauty of Brecon Beacons National Park while driving through its mountains, moors, and magnificent views. Look out for Welsh mountain ponies and sheep grazing in the wild and red kites gliding gracefully in the sky.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 LIVERPOOL–GRASMERE–GRETNA GREEN, SCOTLAND–GLASGOW

Songs, Sonnets & Secret Vows LIVERPOOL Visit The Beatles Story for a fascinating journey into the life and music of the Fab Four.
LAKE DISTRICT Take a scenic drive.
GRASMERE Visit Wordsworth’s beloved village, and sample Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite the original Grasmere gingerbread.
GRETNA GREEN See where a Scottish blacksmith performed weddings for eloping young couples and Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite join in a fun wedding re-enactment.
236 mi / 380 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
TIMELESS TRADITIONS Love will find a way to sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere, or by parents hot on the trail of runaway brides and grooms who crossed them (and the Scottish border) to get hitched in 18th-century Gretna Green. Hear how romance was forged by a blacksmith who helped eloping couples hammer out the vows.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 7 GLASGOW–FORT WILLIAM–INVERNESS

Landmarks, Lochs & Legends GLASGOW Orientation drive to see Glasgow’s landmarks, including the 12th-century cathedral, university buildings, and Georgian squares. Take a scenic drive past Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, and Glen Coe.
FORT WILLIAM See the gateway to Ben Nevis, UK’s highest peak.
LOCH NESS Drive the length of the legendary lake en route to Inverness.
178 mi / 286 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE Survey the shores of famed Loch Ness for the chance to catch a glimpse of its mysterious Nessie. Hear of the folklore and firm believers in the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, which is said to swim in the shimmering waters.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 INVERNESS–CULLODEN—PITLOCHRY–ST. ANDREWS–EDINBURGH

Bravery, Birdies & Bagpipes CULLODEN MOOR See the battlefield.
PITLOCHRY Walk through the Victorian mountain resort.
ST. ANDREWS Visit the home of golf and the famous university town.
THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Attend the world-renowned Tattoo performance. (Departures July 26 through August 16 only).
202 mi / 326 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS See the fairways and greens at the birthplace of golf, where legendary players of the Scottish game made history in the university town of St. Andrews.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 EDINBURGH

Crown Jewels & Castle Views 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.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT 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, see the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 EDINBURGH–ALNWICK, ENGLAND–YORK

Lights, Camera, Alnwick! ALNWICK Visit Alnwick Castle, setting for many film productions. Choose between touring the castle or taking a stroll through the magnificent gardens.
YORK See York Minster and browse the shops of The Shambles.
214 mi / 344 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOTS Visit Alnwick Castle to discover 700 years of English and family history of its owners, the Percy Family. Continuing the lineage of centuries of Dukes, Duchesses, and Earls whom have called the impressive castle home. The castle is a haven for movie and TV buffs as the filming location for many productions, including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey. If nature is more to your liking, consider a visit to the splendid 12-acre Alnwick Gardens.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 11 YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON

Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare STRATFORD-UPON-AVON See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace.
255 mi / 410 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
A LEGEND SLEPT HERE Ah, young love! Even more true, as young 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 of Shakespeare’s family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 12 LONDON

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

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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.

HUW DAVIES

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Escorting tours for more than 20 years. I have never tired of the beauty within these islands and the ongoing privilege of being able to share that with people from all over the world. I think it's wonderful that people want to come and see Britain and Ireland and discover our heritage and landscapes.”

Tour Director - HUW DAVIES

 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)


Plymouth
Cardiff
Liverpool
Inverness
Edinburgh

Plymouth

Tales Of Dartmoor Pub Supper

Tales Of Dartmoor Pub Supper

Explore the misty moors of Dartmoor National Park, inspiration of "The Hound of the Baskervilles", then a gifted storyteller regales you with some of the area's most mysterious legends as you enjoy a hearty pub dinner and two drinks of your choice!

Price Range: $$$

Cardiff

Welsh Evening

Welsh Evening

Experience Welsh culture at its finest during this memorable excursion featuring a dinner of local specialties, wine, and spirited folkloric entertainment.

Price Range: $$$$

Liverpool

Liverpool City Tour

Liverpool City Tour

This private guided tour is an entertaining introduction to Liverpool, featuring the city's glorious maritime past, the cathedral, historic civic buildings, and sites made famous by the Beatles!

Price Range: $

Inverness

Clava Cairns and Pub Visit

Clava Cairns and Pub Visit

Enjoy an unrestricted encounter with Bronze Age history at the 4,000-year-old Clava Cairns burial site, then reflect on its symbols and significance during an included drink at a local pub!

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: $3,958*
18 guests in a party: $887*

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.