Best of England, Scotland & Ireland

July 4, 2023 thru July 18, 2023

Historical monuments, royal treasures, amazing museums, beautiful countryside, fascinating history – all these and more are waiting for us on this in-depth tour of England, Ireland, and Scotland.  With a history stretching back to Roman times, the British Isles offers a chance to understand the forefathers of the U.S.A., walk in the footprints of Shakespeare or Harry Potter and engage with the Irish, Scottish and British people, all resoundingly generous and friendly.


Transportation

Air

Roundtrip air transportation from Tucson to Arushaincluded

Transportation

Motorcoach

Duration

15 days, 14 nights

Activity Level 4

Active

Meals

21 meals (13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners) included

Availability

Available

Hold your space today!

Pickup/Dropoff

Roundtrip livery service included!

Gratuities

Tour Director, Driver & Local Guide tips included


Tour Highlights

 

 

Inclusions

  • Roundtrip air transportation from Tucson to London / Edinburgh*
  • Transfers & motorcoach transportation
  • Pick-up/livery service
  • 13 nights lodging in excellent hotels
  • 21 meals
  • Baggage handling
  • Your Professional European Tour Guide
  • Admissions & tours as described
  • Taxes & tips for included items (except hotel housekeeping)
  • Pleasurebent Tours escort (with 15 or more travelers)


Days 1 & 2 - Tucson to London

We depart Tucson on our overnight flights to London. Upon arrival, we meet our Tour Guide for our 12 days of exploration, transfer to our hotel for 4 nights and rest a bit before our welcome dinner together.

Day 3 - London

Today we begin to discover London.  We take a deep dive into history with a tour of the Tower of London, which dates to William the Conqueror in 1066.  William the Conqueror’s great stone keep, later known as the White Tower, was once defended by a deep ditch on its north and west sides only. The eastern side was defended by the ancient Roman London city wall, whilst the River Thames protected the south side. This early ditch was flooded by the tidal river water. It wasn’t until the 1240s, under King Henry III, that work began on digging a moat that completely surrounded the Tower. It has served as a royal residence, a prison, an armory, home of the Royal Mint and is now home to the Crown Jewels of England.

Day 4 - London

Today we see the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace, then visit Westminster Abbey, where all coronations of English and British monarchs have occurred since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066. It is the final resting place of 17 monarchs and was begun by Henry III in 1245. It is one of the most important Gothic buildings in England. A cruise on the Thames give us some welcome relaxation. Tonight we enjoy dinner together before seeing a performance in London’s famous West End theatre district.

Day 5 - Stratford-on-Avon

We leave London for the day to search for more amazing sights await us. We head to Stratford-on-Avon where we visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and the home of his wife, Anne Hathaway. Stratford-on-Avon is a medieval market town in England’s West Midlands and the 16th-century birthplace of William Shakespeare. Possibly the most famous writer in the English language, Shakespeare is known for his sonnets and plays such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, still performed in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Day 6 - Liverpool

We check out of our hotel and head northwest. We take a short cruise on the river Dee, then stop in Liverpool to enjoy The Beatles Story.  This award-winning exhibit is the world’s largest permanent museum telling the story of the lives and times of the famous rock and roll group. We stay one night in Liverpool.

Day 7 - Dublin

We continue north into Ireland, taking a ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, where we have a city tour before checking in to our hotel for two nights. Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its historic buildings include Dublin Castle, dating to the 13th century, and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191.

Day 8 - Dublin

Trinity College was founded in 1592 and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Its library houses around 7 million printed volumes and quantities of manuscripts, including the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the Gospels dating from 800 AD.

Day 9 - Belfast

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and its largest city.  Famous for its maritime heritage, Belfast was once the ship building center of the world. The Titanic was built here and we’ll visit the Titanic Museum to understand the design, construction and demise of the huge ship.

Day 10 - Northern Ireland

We continue through Northern Ireland, making a stop at the Giant’s Causeway, an area of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure.

Day 11 - Glasgow

We travel from Northern Ireland into Scotland, taking a ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan and continuing to Glasgow. Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland’s western Lowlands. It’s famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city’s 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it’s a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums and a thriving music scene.

Day 12 - The Trossachs

The Scottish countryside is some of the most beautiful in the world and we will get to see it today, when we visit Loch Lomand and The Trossachs.  The Trossachs generally refers to an area of wooded glens, braes, and lochs lying to the east of Ben Lomond in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The name is taken from that of a small woodland glen that lies at the center of the area.

Day 13 - Castles

Today is full of castles. Stirling Castle, dating from the 15th and 16th Centuries is one of the largest and most important in Scotland.  Then we drive to Edinburgh, which we explore with our local guide, before experiencing Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear.

Day 14 - Edinburgh

We complete our exploration of Edinburgh today, then enjoy a Farewell Dinner together, complete with haggis and Scottish entertainment. Bagpipes will certainly make an appearance.

Day 15 - Return Home

It’s time for us to return home, but we will never forget all the amazing sights of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Itinerary subject to change

**PASSPORT REQUIRED**

No vaccines or immunizations are currently required for travel into Ireland, England, or Scotland.


Package Pricing

$7,420 per person

Double occupancy

Deposit: $250 holds your space!

$8,995 per person

Single occupancy

Deposit: $250 holds your space!

Final Payment Due

February 28, 2023

Deposit: Final Balance Varies

Price Includes

• Roundtrip air transportation from Tucson to London / Edinburgh*
• Transfers & motorcoach transportation
• Pick-up/livery service
• 13 nights lodging in excellent hotels
• 21 meals
• Baggage handling
• Your Professional European Tour Guide
• Admissions & tours as described
• Taxes & tips for included items (except hotel housekeeping)
• Tour director, driver & local guide tips
• Pleasurebent Tours escort (with 15 or more travelers)


Booking Policy

Cancellation Fees

  • None through February 28, 2023
  • $250 – March 1 – 28, 2023
  • $4,400 – March 29 – May 2, 2023
  • 100% after May 3, 2023

Final Payment Due: February 28, 2023

We pride ourselves on great service and an enjoyable experience for all and will go over our booking policies after you make your request for booking. If you’d like to learn more about our booking policies before your trip, give us a call at (520) 325-8839, or visit our Booking Policies page. Click here for more information on our booking policies.

Travel Insurance

In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we offer the following Travelex Insurance Services protection plan for this tour:

360° GROUP CHOICE

360° Adult Group Choice Flyer – Provides an overview of benefits and coverage limits

360° Adult Group Choice Policy – Provides the full coverage term details, including exclusions and limitations

$498 covers trip costs up to $8,000 or $559 covers trip costs up to $9,000. Cost may be more or less depending on your total trip cost. If you do not wish to purchase at booking, the plan can be purchased any time prior to final payment. Contact us to purchase. For questions regarding benefits or coverages, please contact Travelex Insurance Services at 888-574-7026 and reference plan number GCB-0521.

The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276. X41


AIRLINE TICKETS

You will be issued your boarding pass the morning of our departure, after your arrival at the Tucson International Airport. If you have an American Airlines frequent flyer number, or a Global Entry or TSA number, please call our office at least 3 days prior to the tour to ensure we can note these in your reservation.

If you are joining the tour from locations other than Tucson, we make other arrangements for you to join the tour. Please call our office for more details.

AIRPORT SECURITY

Do not forget to bring your passport to show at the airport. If you do not have the proper ID, the airline will turn you away. No vaccines or immunizations are currently required for travel into Tanzania.

BAGGAGE

We have arranged for handling for one piece of luggage per person regarding the skycaps (where available) and hotels. If you check through luggage note that the maximum weight for the checked piece of luggage is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height). If your bag weighs over 50 pounds the airlines will levy an extra fee that you will be responsible to pay. If you feel the need to lock your checked through luggage and your bag is searched, your lock could be damaged in the process. You can purchase a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) accepted and recognized lock at any luggage store. Make sure you ask for a TSA approved lock. These locks are the kind that TSA screeners can open by using a special tool without breaking. Passengers can carry-on 1 bag (dimensions are limited to 10x16x24 inches), plus a personal type bag, like a purse. We advise that you pack your carry-on lightly. There are restrictions regarding your carry-on baggage and contents due to enhanced security
measures. . If you have further concerns, please visit the TSA's Web-site at www.tsa.gov.

CHECKED BAGGAGE FEES

American Airlines includes 1 free checked bag per person.

ITINERARY

For your reference, we send to you a detailed itinerary approximately 3-4 weeks prior to the scheduled tour departure. This has day-by-day times and events, hotel information where you can be reached in case of an emergency, and airline information.

The times listed on the itinerary are all approximate. We cannot be held responsible for schedule changes due to unforeseen circumstances with the weather, transportation agents, highway conditions, hotels or contracting agents.

ACTIVITY LEVEL 4

The Activity Level for this tour is Active.

Expectations: The tour includes well-paced walking tours with regular breaks. Up to 2-3 hours of walking each day. To fully take advantage of all this tour has to offer, guests need to be able to walk longer distances, climb several flights of stairs and navigate steps and uneven terrain walking for extended periods of time over more difficult terrain (e.g. cobblestones, city hills, stairs without handrails, limited or no access to elevators). Your itinerary can include significant changes in temperature and altitude and may require a higher number of longer travel days with morning and/or evening activities. Most trips will feature long touring days, many full-day excursions and a full and active itinerary with a faster pace and longer distances. Excursions require standing and walking to city centers where coaches are prohibited.

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit, expect a vigorous pace and enjoy participating in two to three hours of physical activity per day.

EMERGENCY CONTACT

It is always a good idea to carry on your person a list of medications that you are taking and an emergency contact phone number while you are traveling. And we suggest making a copy of the itinerary and provide it to a friend or family member.

GRATUITIES/ITEMS INCLUDED IN PRICE

All hotel baggage handling fees are included. We also include basic gratuities for the Tour Director, Coach Driver, Livery Drivers and local Tour Guides. If someone has truly gone above and beyond additional tipping is permitted, but never required.
Hotel housekeeping tips are not included.

LIVERY

For your convenience, we have a (round-tour) door-to-door pickup service with each multi-day tour. (This service is not available to all clients depending on your location.) Approximately 2 to 3 days prior to the departure date you will receive a call from our office and we will tell you your assigned pickup time. (These times can vary up to 15 minutes depending on traffic.)

LODGING REQUESTS

If you would like to request special accommodations at the hotel(s) where we are lodging, please call us as soon as possible and we will forward these requests for you. The phone numbers of the hotel(s) where we are staying are listed on the itinerary.

There is no smoking in the lodges and tents. A "reconditioning fee" of $300 or more that is levied upon a guest that smokes in a non-smoking room. If this occurs during our tour you will be responsible for paying this fee to the hotel prior to check-out.

TRAVEL REQUESTS

We pay close attention to your requests but please realize that these are merely requests and cannot be guaranteed.

RESPONSIBILITY

Pleasurebent Tours acts solely as an agent in arranging hotels, transportation, sightseeing, baggage-handling, and other services and does not assume any liability for injury, damage, loss or delay due to any act or default of any company or person. We, along with our subcontractors, reserve the right to make changes to an itinerary if it is necessary for the proper handling of a tour.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING/MISC. SUGGESTIONS

Afternoon temperatures are usually around 60-67°F. Most days have a fine, clear sky. It gets mild at night with minimum temperatures around 50°F. We advise you bring a jacket and hat just in case of inclement weather and to wear layers for best insulation. Shoes should be comfortable and sturdy for walking in small towns. There are no dress codes to places we visit on this tour.

Inquire About This Tour

Submit your inquiry for more information about a tour. We will get back to you with a (human) response as soon as possible. During the week that’s usually within a couple of hours. Evenings and weekends may take us a little bit longer. Please note that this is an inquiry for tour bookings only and does not constitute or confirm a reservation on a tour.

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Call 520.325.8839 to Book Today!

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