Day 1: Arrive London. Airport transfers are available. Drop your bags at your hotel and enjoy a guided commentary tour of London and independent sightseeing using your included hop-on-hop off bus pass - hotel overnight London with breakfast.
Day 2: London - Avebury - Lacock - Bath - Cotswolds Your first destination is Wiltshire, a rural county of small villages and scenic landscapes, perfect for a relaxing day in the country. Visit the three stone circles of Avebury, the lesser-known sister of Stonehenge. Stop by the Marlborough White Horse, which is a hill figure, cut in the ground in 1804 by school pupils and the Abbey house, which was once home to the Talbot family. Then head to the village of Lacock, the setting for many TV and film productions, including Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter films. Your guide will then take you to the city of Bath, famous for its Georgian architecture, where you will see the city’s renowned Roman Baths. You'll have enough free time there to explore the town and grab lunch. (at owns expense) Take a deep breath of the hot steam and feel a bit like the Romans felt 2000 years ago. Your first day ends in Cirencester, a small market town in the heart of the Cotswolds, where you’ll stay the night in your choice of either a 3-star bed and breakfast or 3-star hotel. Your guide will recommend you some local restaurants, where you can enjoy your dinner (at own expense).
Day 3: Cotswolds - Oxford - London (B) After breakfast (included), explore more of the Cotswolds. Visit the scenic town of Bibury’; Stow-on-the Wold, a small market town; and Bampton (Downton village) Last but not least, make your way to Oxford and discover the charming college courtyards and winding alleys. Harry Potter fans may recognize a few places used in the films! Head back to London with a new appreciation for the English countryside.
Day 4: Head to Kings Cross Station. Perhaps have your picture taken at Platform 9 3/4 made famous in the Harry Potter movies, before catching the train to Edinburgh at 9am. Arrive Edinburgh 1.17pm. Drop your bags at your included hotel. Why not stretch your legs and join a free walking tour at 2pm, visit Edinburgh Castle or go shopping on Princes Street. In the evening, you'll be spoilt for choice of places to eat. The adventurous may wish to join a ghost tour.
Day 5: Edinburgh – Inverness Depart Edinburgh in the morning and take a leisurely stroll along the River Tay or explore the wooded grounds of the Hermitage to look for 18th-century follies such as Ossian's Cave. From here you will continue on to the popular holiday town of Pitlochry, where there will be free time to have lunch (own expense) in one of the local restaurants or cafes. Cross over the geological fault line, which separates the Lowlands from the Highlands, taking in views of the magnificent Highland scenery and passing the majestic Blair Castle before entering Cairngorm National Park. This unique area is one of the last remaining pockets of native Caledonian pine forest left standing. Your guide will stop in the ancient Rothiemurchus Estate to allow you time to fully appreciate the stunning views. Continue your journey north, arriving at Inverness in the early evening. You will be dropped off at your accommodation, and the evening is free for you to explore the capital of the Highlands. Overnight: 3-star hotel or B&B in Inverness
Day 6: Inverness – Edinburgh After a leisurely breakfast, you will picked up from your Inverness accommodation and travel toward the famous Loch Ness. There will be stops along the way to take photos of the beautiful surrounding countryside. Upon arrival you will have the option to take a boat trip out on the loch (April to October; price not included) to look for Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, and take in views of Urquhart Castle, or you may stay on dry land to explore the castle's mighty ruins. Journey south past Ben Nevis and Fort William to Glencoe. This haunting glen was the scene of a terrible massacre in 1692, where many of the Macdonald Clan died. The tour stops here for you to take in the unique atmosphere of this place. The return journey to Edinburgh takes you across the wild and remote Rannoch Moor and through the countryside around Stirling, before concluding in Edinburgh in the evening.
Day 7: A free day sightseeing in Edinburgh - extend your stay or depart, it's your choice. Buses and trams available to the airport or a taxi. We can also arrange the train back to London.