Overview
From the Shannon to the Thames
Beloved music, literature, and poetry; lively traditions, customs, and conversation; smooth Guinness, whisky, and ale—they all flow from the banks of one legendary river to another on this immersive tour of Ireland, Scotland, and England. From the ancient villages along the Shannon to the cathedrals and castles lining the Thames, this tour of Ireland and Britain invites you to splash about in four distinctive countries and cultures. Enjoy traditional tea at a 150-year-old Irish farmhouse, follow the sounds of haunting bagpipes in Edinburgh’s quirky quarters, and quote famous verse as you stroll around Shakespeare’s birthplace in the English countryside. With a compass pointed toward enlightenment and enchantment, this vacation to Ireland and Britain is overflowing with seaside scenery, Highland history, and cobblestone charisma.
Highlights of From the Shannon to the Thames
Travelers Notes
We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect vacation, from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides (with headsets to hear every word), to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi; Irish Sea ferry.
Private Touring
6 guests in a party: $3,293*18 guests in a party: $706*
Small Group
Globus offers Small-Group Discoveries on select Europe dates. A Small-Group Discovery is limited to an average of just 24 guests per departure. 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 Europe escorted 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 trip is the perfectly sized European tour—without the crowds.
Product Group
From The Shannon to the Thames
UNESCO Sites
City of Bath|Giant�s Causeway and Causeway Coast|Old and New Towns of Edinburgh|Stonehenge|The great Spa Towns of Europe - Bath|Westminster Palace (Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret�s Church) Only See
Meals
Full buffet breakfast daily; 3 three-course dinners
Itineraries
Day 1
ARRIVE IN SHANNON, IRELAND–LIMERICK Céad mile fáilte—a hundred-thousand welcomes! This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 2
LIMERICK. EXCURSION TO CLIFFS OF MOHER & GALWAY Seacliff Rocks & Sheep Flocks CLIFFS OF MOHER Visit the 668-foot-high cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean.GALWAY Free time.RATHBAUN [LF] Watch the farmer shear a sheep and maneuver a flock with a help of a sheep dog, and enjoy traditional tea at Rathbaun Farm. (B) 171 mi / 275 kmLOCAL FAVORITECULTURE & TRADITION The Irish legacy of sheep herding and wool shearing is alive and well just outside of Galway. Experience the long-time traditions of farming life in Ireland both past and present and talk to the farmers.
Day 3
LIMERICK–ADARE–RING OF KERRY–KILLARNEY Beauties in County Kerry ADARE Stop at the quaint village to see its pretty thatched cottages.RING OF KERRY Panoramic drive around part of Ireland’s spectacular southwestern peninsula.KILLARNEY Free time. (B,D) 157 mi / 253 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTNATURAL WONDERS Explore the emerald tapestries of green fields and ocean views that make other coastlines green with envy. The Ring of Kerry begins and ends in Killarney, taking you on a trip along the southwest coast of Ireland. Discover a paradise of panoramic cliffs, lush landscapes, and breathtaking beaches of the Iveragh Peninsula.
Day 4
KILLARNEY–BLARNEY–CAHIR–DUBLIN The Stone of Eloquence BLARNEY Visit the village renowned for its magical Kissing Stone.CAHIR Photo stop.DUBLIN Free time this afternoon. (B) 225 mi / 360 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDS & LORE Cut the blarney and hear the history of how telling tales is forever linked to the 15th-century castle and the village below in Blarney. One of the last estate villages that remain standing in Ireland, Blarney was built by an 18th-century landlord to house the castle workers there. It’s true!
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. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCITY 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 the legendary library of Trinity College.
Day 6
DUBLIN–GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, NORTHERN IRELAND–BELFAST A Grand Ship & Giant Steps GIANT’S CAUSEWAY See more than 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed millions of years ago.BELFAST Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience. (B) 232 mi / 373 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTLEGENDS & LORE Follow in the legendary footsteps of giants at the foot of the cliffs along the coast of Northern Ireland, where 40,000 massive black basalt columns jut out of the sea. Hear the legendary myth of two battling giants that caused the magnificent geological wonder of Giant’s Causeway, actually formed by volcanic activity 50–60 million years ago.
Day 7
BELFAST–EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND Strait to Scotland BELFAST Ferry crossing on the North Channel strait to Cairnryan on Scotland’s southwest coast. Continue with a scenic drive through Scottish border country to Edinburgh. (B) 132 mi / 212 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTEPIC RIDE The North Channel (also called the Irish Channel) connects northeast Ireland to the southwestern coast of Scotland. The North Channel is part of the Ocean’s Seven, a set of seven long-distance open-water swims, although most who cross rely on the many ferries that run between Belfast and Cairnryan, the Scottish village with a proud maritime history, including its floating Mulberry Harbors built to support the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
Day 8
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.THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Attend the world-renowned Tattoo performance. (Departures July 31 through August 14 only). (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTMUSIC & 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.
Day 9
EDINBURGH–ALNWICK, ENGLAND–YORK Lights, Camera, Alnwick! ALNWICK Visit Alnwick Castle, setting for many film productions. Choose between a tour of the castle or taking a stroll through the magnificent Alnwick Gardens.YORK See York Minster and browse the shops of The Shambles. (B)218 mi / 351 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SPOT While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butcher 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.
Day 10
YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–BATH Sonnets & Springs STRATFORD-UPON-AVON See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace.BATH Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths. (B,D) 238 mi / 383 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURAL 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.
Day 11
BATH–STONEHENGE–LONDON Mysterious Monuments STONEHENGE Visit the prehistoric monument. (B) 131 mi / 210 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORY & MYSTERY Ponder the who, what, why, and how of Stonehenge, one of the most impressive prehistoric megalithic monuments in the world. Its sheer size and sophisticated architectural design have earned it legendary reverence as the most famous prehistoric monument in the world. Although its original purpose is a mystery, the concentric monuments hold spiritual significance for people from around the world who gather at the massive stone circles to celebrate the summer solstice.
Day 12
LONDON The Royal Treatment LONDON Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. Free time this afternoon. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SITES See the legendary landmarks of England’s historic capital city. Walk where voices have rung out for centuries in Parliament Square and where chimes rise high above you with the ringing of Big Ben’s quarter bells. See Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have made history.
Day 13
LONDON Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Departures
Hotels
| # | Name | Description | City | Address | Rating |
| 1 | Limerick Strand Hotel | A unique and individual hotel with an exceptional location on the Shannon. The award-winning River Restaurant and welcoming Terrace Bar & Café serve the finest quality of Irish and international cuisine, created with locally sourced produce. The Energize Health Centre features a 20-meter swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, state-of-the-art exercise and high-performance cardo & weights machines as well as a plunge pool and hydrotherapy facilities. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available throughout the hotel. | Limerick | Ennis Road | Superior First-Class |
| 2 | Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney Towers Hotel offers spacious and bright rooms, designed, furnished and decorated with comfort and convenience in mind. The hotel boasts restaurants, bars, a concierge service and on-site fitness facilities. | Killarney | College Square | Superior First-Class |
| 3 | The Gibson | The Gibson does sleeping, dining, imbibing, and relaxing really well. The chic restaurant and bar offers pan-Asian cuisine; or choose the sleek outdoor terrace lined with bamboo to enjoy wicked cocktails and a great choice of beers and wines. The gym and a relaxation area with outdoor baths invite you to relax after a day out in town. | Dublin | Point Village | Superior First-Class |
| 4 | The Clayton Hotel Belfast | Step straight out of the Clayton Hotel and into the heart of Belfast's city center; you'll find it minutes from central landmarks like Belfast City Hall and Victoria Square shopping center. You can watch the world go by on cosmopolitan Ormeau Avenue as you dine in the hotel's glass-fronted restaurant, enjoy a drink in Junction Bar, or retreat in the Spirit Heath & Beauty Club, an oasis with its own heated pool and Fitness Centre. The air-conditioned bedrooms feature satellite TV, free Wi-Fi access, work desk, hairdryer, iron/ironing board, and tea/coffee making facilities. | Belfast | 22-26 Ormeau Avenue | Superior First-Class |
| 5 | Marriott Courtyard | Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh is the newest edition to the Scottish capital, combining heritage and style with an innovative design and locally inspired furnishings. The hotel has a prime location, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street and Waverley Station. Spacious, modern hotel rooms include quality amenities, such as a selection of in-room entertainment, plush bedding, and a work desk. Meals are served in The Lantern Room and the lobby offers an innovative and sophisticated space for working and relaxing. | Edinburgh | 1 - 3 Baxter's Place | Superior First-Class |
| 6 | DoubleTree by Hilton York | The DoubleTree by Hilton York is located in the heart of York, overlooking the City Walls and just a 5-minute walk from York Minster. Guestroom features include a 49-inch HDTV, feather duvet and pillows (hypoallergenic available on request), seating area and desk, and amenities tray with mineral water. All guestrooms are fully air-conditioned. Other guest facilities include a laptop safe and USB port. | York | St Maurices Road | First-Class |
| 7 | Double Tree By Hilton Bath | Settle into a warm, inviting guestroom at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bath hotel. Spoil yourself with the stunning views of the Pulteney Bridge and rolling hills. | Bath | Walcot Street | Superior First-Class |
| 8 | Park Plaza Westminster Bridge | Situated opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge places guests at the heart of central London. Dining option include Brasserie Joël, Ichi Sushi & Sashimi, 1WB Lounge & Patisserie, and Primo Bar. The hotel also boasts a fitness center with a 15-meter pool and Mandara Spa. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available for guests throughout the hotel. | London | 200 Westminster Bridge | Superior First-Class |
| 9 | Park Plaza Waterloo | The 494-room property is situated within walking distance of top London attractions, including the London Eye, the London Dungeons and the Imperial War Museum. The Florentine Restaurant serves a Brasserie-style menu; the bar features the best of British bubbles and craft beers as well as a range of signature cocktails; and for a relaxing cup of coffee, head to the illy Caffè bar. The hotel also boasts a fitness centre and a heated swimming pool. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available for guests throughout the hotel. | London | 6 Hercules Road | Superior First-Class |
