Day 1: We meet at your town of departure to board our bus to O’Hare Airport, and check in for our flight to Glasgow, Scotland. We will be served dinner and can watch a movie during our overnight flight. (In-flight meals)

Day 2: Upon arrival in Glasgow, we meet our coach and driver, and transfer to Edinburgh, where we embark on a locally-guided panoramic city tour. Following the tour, we check in at our hotel, our home for the next four nights. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax and recover from jetlag. (D)

Day 3: We begin our Scottish experience with an excursion to the southern Highlands. Today’s travels include a visit to the lovely city of Perth and a whisky distillery tour. Highlighting the day is a tour of Glamis Castle, home of Britain’s beloved Queen Mother, and the scene of Duncan’s murder in Shakespeare’s MacBeth. We return to our hotel in time to relax before dinner. (B, D)

Day 4: Our destination today is the Trossachs, long considered the “Mecca” of travelers to Scotland. With their birch and pine forests, they represent the very essence of the Highlands. On our agenda are visits to the “bonny banks” of Loch Lomond, Aberfoyle, and Bannockburn (site of Robert the Bruce’s great victory in 1314). Our day won’t be complete without a tour of Stirling Castle, which dominated Scottish history for centuries and is one of the most imposing castles in Britain. (B, D)

Day 5: Today we spend a relaxing day in Edinburgh, Scotland’s elegant capital city. Known as the “Athens of the North,” Scotland’s majestic architectural sights are situated along Prince’s Street, one of the loveliest streets in Europe. In Edinburgh, there are numerous excellent museums (most free of charge). A highlight on our agenda is a visit to the royal yacht Britannia, a 300-foot vessel until recently commissioned to Queen Elizabeth II. Edinburgh also boasts excellent shopping possibilities, as well as magnificent botanical gardens. Tonight we celebrate our last evening in Scotland by attending a Ceilidh-type Scottish evening, a traditional evening of dinner, Highland dancing and bagpipe music. Haggis, anyone? (B, D)

Day 6: Departing Scotland, we drive south through the Scottish Lowlands and central England to the Cotswolds, perhaps the most popular tourist region in England. The region is noted for its quaint villages, whit names like Chipping Norton and Moreton-In-Marsh. In practically every village, there are still thatched roof cottages. The handsome buildings constructed with Cotswold stone are especially pleasing to the eye. It is indeed a place where time has appeared to stand still for centuries. (B, D)

Day 7: Our first digression features Stratford-Upon-Avon, home to the greatest writer in the English language, William Shakespeare. We visit the Visitor Center to see the birthplace of the great bard. Also on the agenda is the delightful Anne Hathaway Cottage, home of Shakespeare’s wife’s family. Later in the day we stop to explore villages like Burford or Stow-On-The-Wold, a couple of the most interesting towns in the area. (B, D)

Day 8: Today we head west to Bath, another fascinating city. We enjoy the honey-colored Georgian houses and architecture as well as other various sights of Bath, including the Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey. The city of Bath, largely shaped by the Romans and once an important Roman town, houses the remnants of ancient thermal baths. We visit these as well as the Pump House and the Temple of Sulis Minerva. We have the remainder of the day free to try a bun at Sally Lunn’s, the oldest house in Bath, or to explore more on our own! (B, D)

Day 9: Our first stop is at the mysterious “hanging stone” formations at Stonehenge. After learning about this prehistoric enigma, a short drive brings us to London- capital of the United Kingdom, and the world’s most-visited city! Our activities begin with a locally-guided tour. Highlighting our tour is “Big Ben” and Parliament, Trafalgar Square with the Lord Nelson Column, Westminster Abbey, and of course Piccadilly Circus. Next on our agenda is a tour of the magnificent Tower of London, where we see the crown jewels and learn the fate of some of Henry VIII’s wives. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore personal interests. (B, D)

Day 10: Today is a day for individual exploration in London. Flea markets, museums, Harrod’s the world’s greatest department store- and a host of other sightseeing events are possibilities. Just a few more of the many possibilities are the British Museum, the Docklands or Greenwich area, the British War Museum, and for art lovers, the Tate Gallery. Or maybe an excursion to Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace? Why not go to St. James Church or Westminster Abbey to do a brass rubbing, and bring back one of the nicest souvenirs possible? Or take a flight aboard the British Airways London Eye, and marvel at the incredible views of the London scenery! This evening we celebrate our final night in Britain as we attend a theatrical performance in the West End. (B, D)