Cosmos From St Pauls to St Peters
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England, Scotland & Wales
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COSMOS  Vacations
Affordable Escorted Vacations! 

Cosmos British Isles Tours
England, Scotland & Wales
Duration: 13 Days
Globus Discounts
Land Tour w/deluxe motorcoach

ENGLAND, SCOTLAND and WALES

Cosmos Europe
Specially-priced Air Rates Available: YES

Experience some of Britain’s fascinating towns as you travel through England, Scotland, and Wales, stopping for overnights in London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Strathpeffer, Glasgow, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Plymouth.

Part of the charm of exploring through Britain is seeing the spectacular scenery, and on this Britain tour, you’ll get the opportunity to witness some of its most scenic areas. Travel through Northumberland National Park, with its wide-open spaces and views of endless beauty; Brecon Beacons National Park, with its dramatic landscapes; Dartmoor National Park; and incomparable Snowdonia National Park in Wales, with picturesque villages, mountains, and lakes. Drive through the serene Lake District, England’s largest and finest natural park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On your way to Glasgow, admire some of Scotland’s most stunning scenery, including vast areas of unspoiled wilderness and gorgeous lochs (lakes).

On this Britain tour, you’ll also travel to some of Britain’s charming towns. In Stratford-upon-Avon, explore the town that Shakespeare called home and get a glimpse into life in 16th-century England. Walk through York’s quaint streets with your Tour Director and marvel at England's most complete medieval city. In Bath, explore the elegant city famed for its excavations of the 2,000-year-old Roman baths. In Plymouth, see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620. Enjoy an orientation drive in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and sightseeing in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital.

These are just some of the many highlights of this value-minded Britain tour through England, Scotland, and Wales. Be sure to grab your camera so all you have to do is sit back and relax as you experience these wonderful destinations.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

LONDON Visit
OXFORD Walking tour
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Explore the town
YORK Tour The Shambles and York Minster
EDINBURGH Guided sightseeing and a visit to Edinburgh Castle
ST. ANDREWS A visit to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club
CULLODEN MOOR Tour the battlefield
THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS See Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Fort William and the "Bonnie Banks" of Loch Lomond
THE LAKE DISTRICT Visit Gretna Green and scenery along the way
NORTH WALES Guided sightseeing of Wales beautiful countryside
CARDIFF Orientation drive
BATH See the Roman relics
STONEHENGE See the magnificence of the monuments from up close


UNESCO World Heritage Sites The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:
  • City of Bath
  • Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
  • Forth Road Bridge
  • Frontiers of the Roman Empire
  • Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
  • Stonehenge
  • The English Lake District

Inside visits and special features:
Shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description including admission charges where applicable.

OPTIONALS:
Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your own experience. Please find a detailed list in your travel documents

HEADSETS throughout the tour


AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Airport transfers may be included when you make your flight arrangements.
 Cosmos Quality Hotels
LONDON Novotel London West (F)
LEEDS Holiday Inn Leeds Garforth (F)
EDINBURGH Novotel Edinburgh Park (F)
STRATHPEFFER Ben Wyvis Hotel (ST)
GLASGOW Leonardo Inn Glasgow West End (F)
LIVERPOOL Jurys Inn Liverpool (F)

CARDIFF Mercure Cardiff North Hotel (F)
PLYMOUTH Jurys Inn Plymouth (F)



HOTELS - (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class (ST) Superior Tourist Class (T) Tourist Class

Arthur Fromer Europe on a Budget
DINING HIGHLIGHTS
Buffet breakfasts daily; 3 dinners


TRANSPORTATION
Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi

GUIDES
Host service in London; Local Guides for city sightseeing; professional Tour Director while touring


AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Airport transfers may be included when you make your flight arrangements.


Globus Tour Itinerary

Day
1 Arrive in London, England


Check into your hotel. In the afternoon, there’s time to rest or to start exploring the lively British capital. Uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.

Day 2 London
Today is devoted to exploring on your own or enjoying our exciting optional activities. You may choose to join a Local Guide for an optional morning sightseeing tour of the city’s famous landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards and the Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace. The highlight is a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece built between 1675 and 1708. Later, maybe visit Windsor Castle or the Tower of London with its spectacular Crown Jewels. Tonight, we recommend our optional Taste of London excursion with dinner, followed by a guided illumination cruise on the Thames River.
Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 3 London–OxfordStratford-Upon-AvonLeeds
Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 am for a memorable day of sightseeing. In Oxford, a walking tour shows you the colleges where Britain’s elite receive their outstanding education. Then, travel through the lovely Cotswold Hills to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. Take photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and explore the town at your own pace. Your overnight destination is Leeds. 
Today’s Distance: 263 mi/ 423 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast  Dinner this evening! Dinner

Day 4 LeedsYorkJedburgh, ScotlandEdinburgh
In York, stand in awe in front of the great structure of York Minster, then follow your Tour Director through a maze of quaint streets, including the narrow Shambles. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, then motor through wild Northumberland National Park to the Scottish border. Then, at Jedburgh, see the abbey ruins before a late-afternoon arrival in Edinburgh. A suggestion for this evening: enjoy a traditional Scottish night out with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis.
Today’s Distance: 270 mi/ 434 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 5 Edinburgh
A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town,” home to famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Afternoon at leisure. Later, consider an optional tour with dinner. For departures August 7 and August 21, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of amassed Scottish pipe bands that takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 6 EdinburghSt. AndrewsPitlochryCulloden MoorInvernessStrathpeffer
A day of memorable sightseeing: take the elegant Forth Road Bridge to St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; then, cross the Firth of Tay and, via Dundee and Perth, head into the Highlands, with a stop in the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor with its memories of Bonnie Prince Charlie, then, via Inverness, head for your Highland destination. 
Today’s Distance: 221 mi/ 335 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast Dinner this evening! Dinner

Day 7 Strathpeffer–Fort Augustus–Fort WilliamGlasgow
Look out for signs of the mysterious Loch Ness monster and proceed via Fort Augustus and Fort William, beneath Ben Nevis. Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond are scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow. 
Today’s Distance: 176 mi/ 283 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast Dinner this evening! Dinner

Day 8 GlasgowGretna GreenLake District, EnglandLiverpool
South through the history-steeped Lowland Hills and a visit to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Drive through beautiful scenery in the Lake District, considered to be the finest of England’s national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. End the day in Liverpool, of Beatles fame, once the departure port of the great transatlantic liners. You may wish to join an optional city tour this afternoon.
Today’s Distance: 240 mi/ 386 km  Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 9 Liverpool. North Wales Excursion
A day dedicated to the mountainous beauty of North Wales. After a stop in pretty Betws-y-Coed, drive over spectacular Llanberis Pass and through Snowdonia National Park to Caernarfon, where the castle saw the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. Then, follow the coast road via the walled town of Conway back to Liverpool.
Today’s Distance: 185 mi/ 298 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 10 LiverpoolLudlowCardiff, Wales
First stop today is in the pretty market town of Ludlow before heading back into Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park, land of salmon rivers and the Welsh mountain pony. Finally, head through “The Valleys,” whose iron ore and coal were the raw materials for the Industrial Revolution, to the Welsh capital. Here, an orientation drive introduces you to the major attractions: Cardiff Castle, Cathays Park, Millennium Stadium, and the stately civic buildings. Tonight, why not join an evening of Welsh entertainment and dinner?
Today’s Distance: 181 mi/ 301 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 11 CardiffBath, EnglandGlastonburyWidecombePlymouth
Leaving Wales, cross the Severn Bridge for a visit to the elegant Georgian city of Bath, famed for its Roman relics, before heading into the romantically scenic West Country and Glastonbury with its King Arthur associations. In the heart of Dartmoor National Park, visit quaint Widecombe-in-the-Moor, the ghostly setting for Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Finally, in Plymouth, hear about Sir Francis Drake and see the Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrim Fathers embarked in 1620.
Today’s Distance: 197 mi/ 316 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast

Day 12 PlymouthStonehengeLondon
On the final leg of your journey, take in Thomas Hardy’s Wessex and visit prehistoric Stonehenge. First, explore the visitor centre with its imaginative exhibitions, then admire the magnificence of the monument from up close. Return to London around 3 pm. How about celebrating the success of your tour with a night out on the town?
Today’s Distance: 218 mi/ 351 km Breakfast this morn!Breakfast
 
Day 13 London
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast this morn!Breakfast
England, Scotland & Wales
Cosmos Travel Specialist 13 Day Tour
From $2419USD
(Less applicable COSMOS PROMO(S) and Gardner Travel Discounts)


Unpublished Discount Rate!
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 Exceptional Vacations

Celebrating over 90 Years of Touring!

YOUR TOUR DIRECTOR
Julie Anne Barnett - Tour DirectorJULIE ANNE BARNETT

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

The start of a tour is exciting. Clients look forward to experiencing everything they believe it will be. And me? I know it's even better. At the end of each tour, I ask, "Is our country what you expected?" They invariably say, "It's so much more." That makes me a proud Tour Director!

Prices are per person based on double occupancy and are land only. We also offer competitive group-based airfares from your home city airport that fit with this particular touring program.


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 USA and Canada

We provide an additional agency point-of-sale discount for most Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways tour programs. Offer subject to availability and change without notice.

TALK TO AN EXPERIENCED
Globus Tour Specialist

Globus Travel CounselAs a full-service travel provider, we can help you in finding your perfect tour at the best price available, today. We've been representing the GLOBUS Family of Brands for over 40 years as a Premier Agency Partner - a designation only awarded to the top tier agencies that are authorized to represent the full Globus Family of Brands. We can take you all the way from your own hometown to some of the most beautiful touring experiences in Europe and then back again - all with the expertise of a seasoned COSMOS professional representative. When it is important to get it right, you can trust the services of our own professional COSMOS Certified travel specialists.

REQUESTING AVAILABILITY

We will check your requested tour program and accommodations for the date range that you may specify in the questionnaire above and reply back to you as soon as possible. Of course the more information that you can provide us, the closer we will be in matching your needs and preferences. We will not knowingly sell or pass along your information that you provide to any third party for any reason (see Liabilities and Privacy Policy). And we use SSL Technology to safeguard your information on our tour request forms that we have posted throughout our website.

We are available to answer your inquiries in person Monday - Friday (except holidays) from 8:30am until 5:30pm CST (1-877-510-4653 | 817-788-5210). We are available from time to time on the weekends via email to answer your questions. Our typical response time for your email request ranges from 3 hours to as many as 72 depending upon the availability of onsite resources and those of the tour companies and resorts/lodging establishments, as well as any variations you may request from our listed programs. We will respond to your requests as quickly as possible and as soon as we have all components of your package confirmable. All tour program rates are based upon double occupancy unless otherwise specified.

Thank you for your interest in this quality Cosmos Tour by The GLOBUS Family of Brands!


Randy C. Gardner
President
Gardner Travel Service, Inc.




More than three decades ago Cosmos pioneered the idea of quality value travel to Europe. Since then we've developed and refined the concept of vacation packages. Over a million people have come back to us for a second or third vacation...or more!

Our clients' repeat business is the best testimony to the incredible value and experience we offer.

If you've never taken a package vacation, consider this: Traveling with Cosmos is less expensive, more comfortable, and far easier than going it alone. Our volume contracting for hotels and services provides you with travel at wholesale prices. A Cosmos package is carefully planned to make the best possible use of your time.

Our team of experts has refined our itineraries to combine the must-see sights with significant time on your own, offering more choice and flexibility. You can travel relaxed and hassle-free, knowing that we've taken care of all the details.


Arthur Fromer Europe on a BudgetOnce you've discovered the special advantages of traveling with Cosmos, you'll never want to travel any other way again. Cosmos is "A Smart Way To Go."


Guidance


At the heart of every great Cosmos tour are the friendly, knowledgeable folks who show you around and help you maximize your free time. We go to incredible lengths to find the most professional Tour Directors and Local Guides. They deliver commentary in English, but are multilingual so they can navigate Europe with ease and give you the richest experience possible.

Headsets
For all guided visits and included sightseeing in Europe, Cosmos will provide personal audio headsets. See tour itinerary for details.

The Right Balance
No one enjoys a vacation where every second is spent on a schedule. We build free time into every Cosmos vacation, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Your Tour Director and Local Guides can offer suggestions for things to see and do-or you can join one of our many intriguing optional excursions.

Sightseeing
Our packages include guided sightseeing and scenic highlights that reveal the best of Europe, North America, and South America. Enjoy inside visits of the must-see sites with knowledgeable Local Guides who will bring each destination to life. Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description. See individual itinerary pages to learn what is included in your vacation.

Personalize Your Vacation with MyCosmos
Cosmos lets you enhance your tour with optional excursions that are meaningful to you. Whether you enjoy art, music, food, wine, history, or whatever, we give you the freedom to truly personalize your trip. Best of all, you can make your selections-and even pre-pay-in advance online at Cosmos.com/MyCosmos.

Cosmos Takes Care of Your Hotels
Where you stay makes all the difference
After a day's traveling you want to relax at a comfortable, clean, and attractive hotel. We have chosen hotels with the best rooms, service, and food for the money. Of course, they vary as different countries have different standards. However, we ensure that everywhere you get the best available in cleanliness and comfort.

Cosmos hotels are always located in good neighborhoods, some more centrally and others in residential areas. Especially in large cities we sometimes prefer good hotels in residential areas on the outskirts to less desirable or overpriced downtown hotels.

Rooms at all our hotels include private facilities: private bath or shower and a toilet.

Triple rooms are usually no larger than twin rooms and the third bed is often a roll-away bed put into a twin-bedded room just for the night.

Cosmos specifies your hotels
Our hotels are mainly superior tourist-class (ST) and tourist-class (T) establishments, but we also feature some first-class (F) hotels. Cosmos hotel ratings follow standards set by the independent Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by national tourist boards. The specific rating for each contract hotel is determined by our quality controllers.

We reserve the right to substitute hotels listed on the tour pages with hotels of equivalent standard. With your Cosmos travel documents you'll receive a list of hotel addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers for your tour. 


Stretch Your Vacation Dollars

Value-packed vacations at bargain prices.
With Cosmos, a company that specializes in package travel arrangements, you'll visit the world without spending a fortune. Because all our buying power is devoted to package travel, our clout with suppliers is powerfully concentrated -- and we pass the savings on to you with affordable vacation packages for every budget.

Singles save with "guaranteed share" rates
More than one-third of all people traveling with Cosmos are traveling independently. We therefore accept reservations on a "guaranteed share" basis. We charge singles the basic price and match up singles of the same gender in twin-bedded rooms. For mutual comfort we adopt a no-smoking rule in shared rooms. "Guaranteed shares" are not available for extra nights before or after your tour, on tours with overnight trains, or on train or cruise extensions.
If we cannot find a roommate for a traveler who has booked on a "guaranteed share" basis, we'll absorb the single room supplement, and that traveler will be accommodated in a single room at no extra charge.
Of course we do offer single rooms when available to those who prefer to travel solo and pay the single supplement.

Triple room reduction
Cosmos grants a reduction to three people who travel together and share the same accommodation. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed in the Dates and Prices box on the tour page.

A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms, and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway bed put in a twin-bedded room for the night.


Discount for young tour members
Cosmos grants a 10 percent discount on the land tour price to travelers who are under 18 years old on the tour departure date, provided they are accompanied by an adult. We do not accept children under eight on our tours because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Cosmos Vacations Offer Flexibility

Joining late and leaving early*
Many Cosmos land arrangements start and end in London. If you have already spent time in the British capital, you may want to skip one or more of the included London nights or even join at the first overnight hotel on the Continent. Call your Travel Agent for any reductions that apply to your vacation for joining late or leaving early. Vacations with these reductions are sold on a land-only basis.

A professional team takes care of you in London
For any help or information you might require during your London stay, please contact the Cosmos hospitality desk at your hotel. Our knowledgeable staff will serve you with a smile; give you guidance on what to do and where to go; and arrange excursions, evening entertainment, and theater outings for you.

Extra nights*
If you'd like more hotel nights than we've provided at the start or end of your tour, we can make reservations for you at the rates quoted below, provided you request them at the time you book your vacation. Rates are per person, per night, and include room with private bath, breakfast, service charges, and taxes.

Extra nights are only available immediately prior to or after your tour. Extra pre-tour nights in London are not available if you join your tour later than Day 2.

Every effort is made to reserve extra nights at the hotel where your tour stays. If space at the tour hotel is not available, alternative accommodation will be reserved at a hotel of equivalent standard. When this is the case, the transfer to and from the tour hotel is at our expense.

As hotel space is limited, we cannot reserve more than two extra nights before and/or after a tour, unless they are needed to bridge the gap between two Cosmos vacations. During particularly busy periods, hotel space in certain cities can become so tight that we may be unable to sell extra nights.

Trust & Travel Insurance
For generations, Globus has worked hard to provide the best on-trip experiences, world-class customer service, and the best consumer protection plans available in the travel industry.

DETAILS OF THIS INSURANCE PROGRAM WILL BE INCLUDED IN ALL OF OUR QUOTES.

 

About Globus

and The Globus Family of Brands
About Globus More than 90 years ago, Antonio Mantegazza bought a rowboat to transport commercial goods across Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Who could know that rowboat would launch the world's leading escorted travel company? Today Globus is a global, family-owned company reaching every corner of the world. Globus is now the first choice among individuals looking for vacations with both domestic and international travel in a variety of styles to six continents and hundreds of itineraries to choose from (see Globus History video right).

Antonio's frequent trips across the scenic lake led him to consider opportunities in a different market - tourism. His entrepreneurial instinct pushed him to gradually acquire some motorcoaches to transport tourists around the Lake Lugano area. In 1928, Antonio opened a company specializing in motorcoach touring called Globus Viaggi. The company began with a fleet of 12 coaches which operated local excursions for European tourists in Switzerland.


By 1950, Globus Viaggi had grown to a fleet of 33 coaches and featured overnight excursions to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and the French Riviera. Gradually, these became regularly scheduled tours and grew longer to cover more ground. Later that decade, under the leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio's business partner, Globus pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by offering first-class European tours to North Americans. By 1961, the company launched its Cosmos arm, which featured affordable, value-priced European touring for the cost-conscious British traveler.


The coach tours were so successful that Cosmos soon introduced another form of travel for the British market: air holiday packages to the sunny destinations of southern Europe. By 1968, Cosmos air holidays became so popular the company formed its own airline, Monarch Airlines. Monarch Airlines started out modestly with two used Britannia aircraft and eventually blossomed into one of the most successful European charter companies with a large fleet of modern jets and its own engineering division.


Under the flagship of Sergio Mantegazza, current president and son of Antonio, Globus began expanding its markets beyond Great Britain and North America. Since 1974, travel packages have been sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most recently in Southeast Asia. Starting in the 70s, the company also aggressively expanded its offerings, introducing travelers to more countries than any other tour operator with packages to Africa, South and North America, Europe, the South Pacific and Asia.


Today, the Globus family of brands is marketed and operated by a network of more than 32 independent tourism and aviation businesses, serviced by a group of more than 5,000 professionals worldwide. Combined, Globus, Cosmos, and Monograms carry over 500,000 passengers a year, making the organization the leading operator of guided vacations worldwide. Globus attributes its success to the ideals of founder Antonio Mantegazza. For three generations, his vision, hard work, love for travel, and commitment have guided the company. These values are the cornerstone on which Globus was built and will continue to grow.

 


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