10 DAY REFORMATION OF Scotland & LONDON
Day 1: Departure USA Gather at the airport three hours prior to the scheduled departure. Dinner, breakfast, and entertainment will be served aloft.
Day 2: Welcome to Scotland Arrive at Edinburgh Airport and meet your guide and driver and enjoy an orientation tour of Edinburgh. Discover Edinburgh, the inspiring capital of Scotland, with a panoramic city tour. From the historical closes of the Old Town to the larges avenues of New Town, explore an outstanding city of contrasts and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh’s Castle rock has been a stronghold for over 3000 years. Captivating visitors with its ancient buildings and marvelous views, it continues to spellbind with its wonderful story. Check in to your hotel for a welcome dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Edinburgh Enjoy breakfast this morning and then depart to visit St. Giles Cathedral – where John Knox was pastor from 1560. St Giles' Cathedral is the historic City Church of Edinburgh. Also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, it is the Mother Church of Presbyterianism and contains the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle (Scotland's chivalric company of knights headed by the Queen). Visit to Holyrood Palace – this is where John Knox and Mary Queen of Scotts debated. The Palace of Holyrood House, the royal family’s official residence in Scotland, stands at the end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur's Seat, surrounded by the Holyrood Park. Visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre – John Knox House. The Scottish Storytelling Centre is a vibrant arts venue located on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. From live storytelling, theatre, music, exhibitions, family events and workshops happening all year round, discover Scotland’s rich story heritage, find the dragon’s nest, enjoy the story wall, or simply relax in the venue and soak in the atmosphere. *Closed on Sundays. Enjoy dinner, either at Prestonfield House or the hotel prior to overnight.
OPTIONAL: Enjoy dinner and entertainment at Prestonfield House or similar
Now featuring a nightly performance by acclaimed Three Scottish Tenors, Scotland’s most famous evening of traditional Scottish music, bagpipes, fiddles and dance with wine and dinner is not to be missed. Enjoy exceptional entertainment with wine and a gourmet dinner served by their kilted waiters. A delicious 4-course dinner of Angus beef and Orkney salmon with wine and taste of haggis accompanies this unmissable evening of traditional hospitality and entertainment. Dinner and Scottish Show nightly, Sunday to Friday - April to October at 7pm. (menu subject to change – option requires supplement)
Day 4: Edinburgh This morning, after breakfast, depart Edinburgh and journey to Pitlochry. En-route enjoy a photo stop at the Forth Rail Bridge. Opened in 1890, the Forth Bridge is a Scottish icon that is recognised the world over for its magnificent structure, its distinctive design and red oxide-coloured paint. Continue to St. Andrews. Known as the home of golf, and home of Scotland's oldest university, St Andrews is a small town with a sizeable reputation that attracts visitors from all over the world. Visit St. Andrew’s Castle. The ruins of the castle of the Archbishops of St Andrews, dating in part from the 13th century. Notable features include 'bottle-dungeon' and mine and counter-mine tunneled during the siege that followed the murder of Cardinal Beaton in 1546. These siege works are the finest of their kind in Europe. A fascinating exhibition in the visitor centre brings the history of the castle and cathedral to life. Visit St. Andrew’s Cathedral. The remains of the largest cathedral in Scotland, and of the associated domestic ranges of the priory. The precinct walls are particularly well preserved. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Day 5: Edinburgh to York Breakfast. En-route journey through the Scottish Borders. The story of the Border Abbeys starts during a time of profound change, ends during another, and passes through some of most turbulent times of Scotland's history. Visit Melrose Abbey; probably the most famous ruin in Scotland. The surviving remains of the church are largely of the early 15th century, and are of an elegance unsurpassed in Scotland. Visit Jedburgh Abbey. One of the border abbeys, founded by David I around 1138 for Augustinian canons. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: Newcastle-upon-Tyne to York After breakfast, depart Newcastle-upon-Tyne and journey to York. En-route visit Durham Cathedral. Standing dramatically on a rocky promontory over-looking the medieval city of Durham is the beautiful Durham Cathedral. Then enjoy a walking tour of York. Since its establishment as a city by the Romans in 71 AD, York has played a pivotal role in the history of England and today showcases well-preserved remains that bring this history to life. An essential York experience is a walk through the city centre’s maze of half-timbered houses that also almost touch across the narrow, fascinatingly-named lanes like The Shambles and Whip-ma-Whop-ma-Gate. You will hear stories of the city and the people of York who experienced plagues, sackings, genocides, an unsuccessful civil war, and the coming-and-goings of Roman, Viking, Norman and Scottish armies. Visit York Minster. York Minster is a medieval masterpiece of stone and glass at the heart of the historic city of York. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: York to Cambridgeshire Breakfast. Depart York and journey to Oxford. En-route stop in Epworth, visit the Old Rectory. A visit to the Old Rectory built in Queen Anne style in 1709, will transport you back to life in the early 18th century and introduce you to the remarkable family who lived there. See how the Wesley family lived and learn about the history of 18th century England and the influence the Wesleys had on it. Next, visit St. Andrew’s Church. St. Andrew’s is a large parish church set on a rise to the north of the small market town of Epworth. Visit the Memorial Church in Epworth. Wesley Memorial Methodist Church is an inspiring reminder of the achievements of John and Charles Wesley. Encircling the portrait, you can read John’s famous words: “the best of all is ‘’God is with us”. Continue to Cambridgeshire for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Cambridgeshire to London Breakfast. Then, visit the Round Church and enjoy a Reformation walking tour of Cambridge. The Protestant Reformation was a key event in creating the modern world and in forming the English national identity. It revitalized Christianity, it gave us the bible in English, established the Church of England and other Protestant denominations, it raised the status of marriage and the family, it encouraged literacy and education, it empowered ordinary people and helped to promote parliamentary government and, last but not least the United States of America was founded under its influence. Visit Kings College Chapel. Founded in 1441 by King Henry VI, Kings College is the oldest and grew into the largest college at the prestigious Cambridge University. Continue to London. On arrival visit Westminster Abbey. The Gothic masterpiece of Westminster Abbey has been at the heart of British history since the formation of the Abbey by Edward the Confessor in 1065. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in London.
Day 9: London After breakfast, enjoy a panoramic city tour of London. Discover the iconic landmarks, architectural and cultural diversity, and fascinating history that makes London the most visited city in the world. Visit the John Wesley Chapel and Museum of Methodism. Wesley’s Chapel is a thriving Methodist congregation. The site consists of Georgian and Victorian buildings located in a fine Georgian courtyard near the financial district of London. Then, visit Hampton Court Palace. Built in the 16th century as a residence of court favorite Cardinal Thomas Wolsley, Hampton Court Palace found itself in the hands of the monarchy when the cardinal fell foul of Henry VIII. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Farewell Transfer to London Heathrow Airport for the return flight home. The end of the journey of a lifetime!