The European Tour - 9 Days
Tour Fee Includes:
Round trip air transportation from RDU International
8 nights in selected three and four star hotels
Full-time services of a professional, Multi-Lingual Tour Director.
Breakfast and Dinner daily
All on-tour transportation services.
Guided city sightseeing & walking tours as per itenerary.
Included Sightseeing Visits
Trafalgar Square, National Portrait Gallery, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Roman Baths, Avebury, Waterford Crystal Factory, Blarney Castle, Bunratty Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral
Please note: The listed attractions are those which the tour will visit where your admission has been pre-paid by your tour fee. Those listed above are listed below in all capital, purple letters.
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Day 1: Departure from the USA Board your overnight flight. |
Day 2: London
Welcome to London!Meet your Tour Director at the airport for your drive to the hotel. Later, we’ll experience a Walking Tour to Trafalgar Square where you'll have free time to explore the National Gallery (free admission), the National Portrait Gallery (free admission) where you can view portraits of notable Elizabethans, or perhaps you'll choose to visit the Church of St. Martin in the Fields before returning to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free so you may explore London at your own pace. |
Day 3: London History comes alive as our morning begins with a guided sightseeing tour of London. Visit splendid Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, the House of Parliament, and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (time permitting). In the afternoon take a tripe to Queen Elizabeth's favorite residence, Windsor Castle. |
Day 4: London - Avebury - Stonehenge - Bath - Bristol
Today's journey features a drive into the Wiltshire countryside for visits to Avebury, home to the largest prehistoric stone circle in Britain dating back to 3000 B.C., and Stonehenge, the country's most popular and most visited megalithic site. Proceed to Bath, a spa resort town since Roman times, where sightseeing includes a visit to the Roman Baths dating back to the 1st century A.D. Continue to Bristol, an important city in England's West Country, for your overnight stay. |
Day 5: Bristol-Ferry to Ireland-Waterford In Bristol, see Brunel's Suspension Bridge and the harbor where John Cabot began his journey to America in 1497. Pass Swansea Port and Pembroke National Park before you board your ferry to Ireland. Proceed to Waterford, famouse for its crystal. |
Day 6: Waterford-Blarney-Killarney
Admire the local crafts on display as you tour the Waterford Crystal Factory. Later, visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famed Blarney Stone and acquire its legendary Gift of Gab. Enjoy a scenic drive to Killarney, famed for the beauty of its sparkling lakes. |
Day 7: Killarney-Limerick-Bunratty-Dublin Travel to Limerick to see St. Mary's Cathedral, King John's Castle, the O'connell Monument and the famous Treaty Stone. Visit Bunratty's Medieval Castle along the banks of the Bunratty River en route to Dublin. |
Day 8: Dublin-(Irish Cabaret)
Guided sightseeing of Ireland's capital includes visits to St. Patrick's Cathedral where satirist Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, is entombed, and Trinity College to see the 8th-century Book of Kells on display in the library. Tonight, commemorate your final night on the Emerald Isle by attending our fun-filled optional Irish Cabaret. |
| Day 9: Departure Board your return flight home. |
Educational European Tour
The North Carolina Renaissance Faire and the Historical Enrichment Society will be leading our third educational tour to England and Ireland in 2008. The tour will be operated in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Alliance (CHA), the oldest educational tour operator in the US, with over three decades of experience in organizing educational tours.
Participating in an educational tour offers a variety of benefits for both young and old. Travel adds expanded views of the world and changed perspectives on yourself and your own culture. Direct exposure to a foreign culture can equal months of classroom or individual study. Participants will develop a stronger appreciation and interest in history, literature, and the arts. For young people and students, an educational tour can also, sometimes, accrue academic credit and improve changes for college admission.
The tour we've developed is an exciting 9 day itinerary covering a variety of destinations including London, Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Avebury, Trafalgar Square, and more! The tour includes round-trip air transportation, hotel accomodations in three- and four-star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, in-depth sightseeing, and a full-time professional tour director who will accompany the tour from start to finish. A representative of NCRF/HES will also accompany participants on the trip.
We are pleased to invite you to travel with us! Fill out our online interest form or attend one of our tour orientation meetings at which you may receive more details and view an informational video.