THE “SHOWCASE” TOUR
ENGLAND,SCOTLAND & IRELAND
FEATURING THE “CORONATION STREET” EXPERIENCE

Tour Departs: 13^th August 2012    •    Tour Length: 32 Days

2012 is the tenth year in succession we have operated this tour and each year it gets just better and better- great scenery, great touring, great people and lots of fun and laughter. The tour is split into two main parts – the United Kingdom tour followed by an Irish tour.

Touring the United Kingdom and Ireland is such a delight – beautiful countryside and exciting and historic cities, good accommodation and meals, no language problems – except maybe the broad Irish brogue in Cork or Kerry!!! But there is no doubt that a major highlight of the tour is the extended stay in Manchester where we experience first hand the “World of Coronation Street”. Whether you love or hate the show, there is no doubting the durability and renown of this, the world’s longest running television series. We will go behind the scenes and tour Granada Studios now closed to the general public. We will dine with the stars. We will travel to Emmerdale Farm and have lunch in the village.

HIGHLIGHTS:
London sightseeing including a Thames River Luncheon Cruise • Stonehenge • Salisbury Cathedral • Penzance • Land’s End • Bath • Stratford-upon-Avon • Coventry • Manchester Coronation Street • Granada Studios Set, meet some of the stars of the show including Gala Dinner • Emmerdale Farm Studio and Village • Bronte Country and The Parsonage at Haworth • Steam Railway • Glasgow • Loch Lomond • Loch Ness • Inverness • St Andrews • Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Tattoo • Dublin • Trinity College & the Book of Kells • Strokestown Park House • Galway • Connemara • Celtic Crystal Factory • Cliffs of Moher • Killarney Dingle Peninsula • Cork • Blarney Castle • Abbey Tavern • and lots more...

TOUR COST:
Full Tour – United Kingdom & Ireland
Per Person Share Twin Room                                 NZD $17,780         AUD $14,750
  Supplement for Single Room (if required)               NZD $   3,650        AUD $  2,975

Short Tour – United Kingdom Only
Per Person Sharing Twin / Double Room                 NZD $14,950         AUD $ 12,450
  Supplement for Single Room                               NZD $   2,850        AUD $   2,325

COSTS INCLUDE:
• Economy Class air travel from Auckland/Wellington/Christchurch or Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne (Business Class available – price on request)
• Prepaid government and airport taxes and security charges and fuel surcharges (as at 01/10/11)
• Superior Grade / First Class accommodation throughout
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary B = Full Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
• First Class coach transportation for all touring
• Sightseeing and entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
• Services of a tour director and local guides for touring and sightseeing
• Tips and gratuities to coach drivers, tour directors and local guides
• Baggage handling of one suitcase per person
• Fully escorted

COSTS EXCLUDE:
• Any meals and sightseeing tours not specifically mentioned in the itinerary
• Travel insurance
• Items of a personal nature such as room service, laundry, drinks, telephone charges etc

DAY TO DAY ITINERARY

Monday 13 August:
Home – Singapore
Time this morning for connecting flights before the group assembles for the early afternoon departure for Singapore. On arrival into Singapore this evening, we are met and transferred to our hotel for a 2 night stay. (Swissotel Merchant Court)

Tuesday 14 August:
Singapore (B)
This morning, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of this modern Asian city. The tour showcases the old and the new Singapore, and the blend between East and West. The tour includes a drive through the Colonial district for a view of Padang and the Esplanade Theatres in the Bay. The tour also visits Little India and Chinatown. The afternoon is free – why not consider taking the optional “High Tea” at Raffles, a real occasion to be enjoyed.

Wednesday 15 August:
Singapore – London (B)
Our coach returns us to Singapore Airport early this morning in time to join our daylight flight to London Heathrow. On arrival, we are met and transferred to our central London hotel for a two night stay. (Abba Queen’s Gate Hotel)

Thursday 16 August:
London (B/L)
We commence our UK tour with a day of sightseeing around London. We view many of the sights for which London is famous - Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square to name but a few. And after our tour we enjoy a luncheon cruise on the River Thames where we can see a different view of the city from the water. At the completion of the cruise, the remainder of the afternoon is free for independent sightseeing or shopping.

Friday 17 August:
London – Edinburgh (B)
Today we travel by rail to Scotland’s elegant capital, Edinburgh, for a 3 night stay. This evening, we enjoy the Edinburgh Tattoo. (Apex Hotel Waterloo Place)

Saturday 18 August:
Edinburgh (B/D)
Our morning sightseeing tour of Edinburgh allows us to savour the history and elegance of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Our sightseeing tour includes Princes Street and the Royal Mile, with views of Holyrood House, once home to Mary Queen of Scots. We include a guided visit to Edinburgh Castle. The afternoon is left free to allow time for independent sightseeing or shopping. This evening we enjoy a highlight dinner and show with Scottish music, dancing and entertainment.

Sunday 19 August:
Edinburgh (B)
A free day for you to do as you wish in this lovely city – for the “Royal” fans, maybe an inside visit to Holyrood house or the Royal Yacht “Britannia” berthed at Leith; and the shops and gardens of Princes Street are close by. Or just enjoy the activity of the city which “hums” during the Festival.

Monday 20 August:
Edinburgh – Inverness (B)
Today we head north through rugged scenery. We travel through Perth and Dundee and over the River Tay to the Fife Coast. We stop at St Andrews, home to Britain’s oldest university as well as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. We continue through Pittochry to the capital of the ‘Highlands’, Inverness for a 2 night stay. (Drumossie Hotel)

Tuesday 21 August:
Inverness (B/D)
Today, is a leisurely day spent in and around Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. We will see the castle, the cathedral, Floral Hall in Bught Park – Inverness is well known for its floral displays - and then we will visit Culloden Moor site of the famous battle in 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie tried unsuccessfully to defeat the English forces. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Wednesday 22 August:
Inverness - Glasgow (B/D)
A lovely drive today as we travel south through Invergarry and Fort Augustus. Keep an eye out for “Nessie” as we travel the length of Loch Ness. We pass through Glencoe, site of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells and reach Fort William sitting in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Beautiful landscapes around every bend. We continue our journey along the banks of Loch Lomond to Glasgow where we enjoy an orientation tour of the city on the banks of the River Clyde before settling into our hotel for our overnight stay. (Grand Central Hotel)

Thursday 23 August:
Glasgow – Manchester (B/D)
Today we travel to the Scottish border and Gretna Green where for over 250 years young romantics have confirmed their marriage vows over the blacksmith’s anvil. Then it’s on to the English Lakes District, inspiration for so much of Wordsworth’s poetry; beautiful mountain scenery and glistening lakes, rolling fells and bustling market towns. This is a truly unique part of Britain before we continue on to the city of Manchester for a 4 night stay. (The Midland Hotel)

 “CORONATION STREET SHOWCASE”

Our time in the Manchester region for the next four nights will surely be one of the highlights of the tour. During our stay, we will soak up the atmosphere of the region that gave us the longest running television series of all time and we will be joined by one or two of the “stars” plus a script writer and/or other production expert. Coronation Street has visited more homes than any other television show and is known and enjoyed worldwide. This will be the10th year our exclusive arrangements have given us the opportunity to enjoy the “experience” and every year has been a cracker! We commence our stay in the Manchester area this evening with dinner at “The Old Grapes Inn”, just a short walk from our hotel.

Friday 24 August:
Manchester (B/D)
This morning, our sightseeing tour shows us a little of the revitalised city of Manchester and neighbouring Salford and also shows us some of the venues used in the filming of “The Street”. We have the afternoon to explore on our own or relax until we ready ourselves for a special dinner out in the country at “The Navigation Inn”.

Saturday 25 August:
Manchester (B/L/D)
A special day today. This morning, we enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get behind the scenes and tread the hallowed cobbles of the famous street as we are taken on a private tour of the “Coronation Street” set at Granada Studios. This is followed by lunch at The White Lion before we head for Bronte Country and Haworth, a picturesque little village situated amid the bleak Pennine moors. We visit the Bronte home, otherwise known as The Parsonage. We also enjoy a ride on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, an authentic preserved steam railway which has been used as a setting for numerous period films and TV series. We enjoy a short ride by train to Oxenhope where we rejoin our coach to take us to our dinner venue before returning to Manchester later this evening. A magical day.

Sunday 26 August:
Manchester (B/L/D)
Another great day today as we travel by coach to Leeds and “The Emmerdale Production Centre and Village”, described as the largest TV studio in the world. We enjoy a tour of the studio and the village and are able to enjoy our lunch in the village. We return to our hotel this afternoon in time to freshen up before our special Gala Dinner this evening with a star from “The Street” in attendance.

Monday 27 August:
Manchester – Stratford-Upon-Avon (B/D)
Time to farewell Manchester this morning as we travel south to Coventry, once known as the centre of the British motor vehicle industry, it was also the home to the famous Lady Godiva who founded a Benedictine monastery in 1047.We see the two cathedrals, the ruins of the original St Michael’s Cathedral destroyed during a bombing raid in 1940 and the new cathedral built alongside. Time permitting, we stop at Rugby where William Webb Ellis “picked up the ball and ran with it”. We continue south to the town of Stratford-Upon-Avon in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, for an overnight stay. (The Stratford Hotel)

Tuesday 28 August:
Stratford-Upon-Avon – Bristol (B/D)
We enjoy a tour of the town which is famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare and visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage as well as Holy Trinity Church. We continue our journey with a stop at the ancient and historic spa city of Bath with its Georgian architecture and have time to visit the Roman Baths first developed by the Romans almost 2000 years ago and still welcoming visitors today. Also, Bath Abbey dating back to 1495 and built on the site of a 7th century church. From Bath, our orientation sightseeing shows us Putteney Bridge, first conceived in 1771 and built in the Florentine style with houses on each side of the length of the bridge before arriving at our overnight stop on the outskirts of Bristol. (Aztec Hotel Bristol)

Wednesday 29 August:
Bristol – Plymouth (B/D)
We travel across Exmoor with magnificent views of the Bristol Channel, before continuing south through the North Devon market towns of Bideford and Barnstaple. Then it’s on to the seaside town of Bude, a popular holiday destination with its rugged coastline and golden sand beaches. We then continue on to the magnificent Cornish West coast to Plymouth for a two night stay. (Future Inn Plymouth)

Thursday 30 August:
Cornwall Excursion (B/D)
From Plymouth, we journey first down the Cornish Peninsula enjoying stunning coastal views on a scenic drive to Penzance where we view St Michael’s Mount. Down to Land’s End, one of England’s most famous landmarks and a place of stunning natural beauty, before we reach the picturesque village and artist colony of St Ives on the Atlantic Coast. We return to Plymouth later this afternoon.

Friday 31 August:
Plymouth – London (B/D)
Today we head back to London. We visit Salisbury Cathedral dating back to the 13th century. For over 700 years, this majestic and awe inspiring edifice built in stone and glass to reflect the glory of God has been a setting for magnificent occasions and processions. Then we travel on through the Salisbury Plains to ancient Stonehenge with its circle of stone that has mystified generations of visitors. (Abba Queen’s Gate Hotel)

Saturday 1 September:
London (B)
Free day in London for last minute shopping or sightseeing

For those who do not wish to travel to Ireland, the return journey home will be booked as follows: 
Sunday 2 September:
London / Singapore (B)
Depart London Heathrow early this afternoon.

Monday 3 September:
Singapore / Home
Arrive Singapore this morning. Hotel rooms reserved at the airport for the day before continuing the homeward journey this evening

Tuesday 4 September:
Home
Arrive Home mid morning

Sunday 2 September:
London – Dublin (B)
This morning, we join our short flight to Dublin. On arrival, we are met and transferred to our hotel for an overnight stay. This afternoon we enjoy an introductory tour of central Dublin – the River Liffey, O’Connell Street, tranquil St Stephens Green, the seat of government at Leinster House and other public buildings. We see some of the famous Georgian houses and pause at the Famine Memorial, a reminder of some of the dark days of Irish history. We visit Trinity College’s campus and the Old Library to view the priceless Book of Kells. This evening, we join our Irish tour director and fellow travellers for a welcome drink and learn about what’s in store for us on our tour of Ireland. (Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin)

Monday 3 September:
Dublin – Galway (B/D)
Leave Dublin and journey across the rolling pastures of Ireland's heartland to visit Clonmacnoise. This monastic settlement was founded in 545 AD by St. Ciaran and is set on the banks of the tranquil River Shannon. See elaborate high crosses as well as many church ruins and round towers. Drive to Galway and view the main sights of the city before checking into your hotel, located within easy reach of lively streets with fun specialty stores, cafés and pubs. Enjoy some free time to browse around on your own before dining in your hotel. (Radisson Blu Hotel Galway)

Tuesday 4 September:
Galway – Connemara Excursion (B/D)
Drive through the heart of Connemara, past granite hills and sparkling lakes on the way to Leenane to embark on a short cruise of Killary Harbour, a 9-mile fjord. Enjoy views of hills where traces of “lazy beds” of potato ridges from the 19th century and earlier can still be seen. Keep an eye out for seabirds as you pass mussel and salmon farms. Rejoin your coach and drive through lovely countryside where sheep graze freely. Stop for photos at the Kylemore Abbey Visitor Centre and in Clifden, the principal town of the region, and return to Galway.

Wednesday 5 September:
Galway - Killarney (B/D)
This morning we travel south around Galway Bay to see the Cliffs of Moher, which rise almost 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic surf. Then drive through the outskirts of Limerick and stop in the picturesque village of Adare for photos. Drive to Killarney, a little town that’s world-famous due to its exquisite location beside lakes and mountains. Check in to your deluxe hotel, in a peaceful setting just outside the town. Head out to view stunning scenery on a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through the grounds of the Killarney National Park. Tour Muckross House to see period furnishings and learn of its important guests and owners. Then stroll through the mature gardens before returning to your hotel. (Brehon Hotel Killarney)

Thursday 6 September:
Killarney – Ring of Kerry (B/D)
Today we embark on Ireland's most popular scenic drive - the Ring of Kerry. This circular tour will reveal constantly-changing vistas of mountains, open Atlantic Ocean, beaches and cliffs. At the tip of the peninsula visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the history, flora and fauna on the nearby rocky islands. Return through the attractive village of Sneem and pause at Moll's Gap for panoramic views of Killarney. Back in Killarney enjoy free time before dinner. This evening we head to the award winning Killeen House Restaurant for a warm welcome and a superb dinner.

Friday 7 September:
Killarney - Waterford (B/D)
Drive through the mountains of Kerry and West Cork into richer farming country on the way to Blarney. Climb to the ramparts of Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” You may do some shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills before driving along the coast to Dungarvan. Stop at the Marine Bar for a creamy Irish coffee and an informal traditional music session. Continue to Waterford and check into your historic hotel, located on the waterfront of this ancient port city. After dinner, take a fun walking tour around the narrow streets and ancient buildings to learn about Waterford's long history. (Granville Hotel Waterford)

Saturday 8 September:
Waterford - Dublin (B/D)
This morning tour the House of Waterford Crystal to watch glass blowing and cutting by master craftspeople and see a huge display of elegant tableware and magnificent trophies. In nearby New Ross visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship. This is a replica of a 19th century vessel used to transport emigrants fleeing from the dreadful conditions during the 1840's Famine. Travel to your deluxe manor house hotel, which dates back to 1750 and set in extensive gardens on the south side of Dublin. In the evening drive to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for dinner and a lively show with traditional Irish music, story-telling and step-dancing. (Radisson Blu St Helen’s Hotel Dublin)

Sunday 9 September
Dublin (B)
The entire day is at leisure so you may schedule sightseeing as you wish. Use your open-top bus tour voucher to explore Dublin - you may get on and off at any of the 23 stops along the route, which include Dublin's most popular attractions. Take a tour around either the Guinness Storehouse or the Old Jameson Distillery to see stout or whiskey production techniques and enjoy a drink of the finished product. 

Monday 10 September:
Dublin - London (B/D)
We farewell the Emerald Isle this morning as we join our short flight back to London where we are met and transferred to our hotel for a overnight stay. The remainder of the day is at leisure. This evening, we get together in a local “pub” for a farewell dinner. (Mint Hotel Westminster)

Tuesday 11 September:
London – Singapore (B)
This morning, we return to Heathrow Airport in time to join our overnight flight to Singapore.

Wednesday 12 September:
Singapore – Home
We arrive into Singapore early this morning and we have the day free before continuing the journey this evening. Hotel rooms at the airport are provided for the day to allow time for rest and relaxation. This evening, we join our aircraft for the overnight flight.

Thursday 13 September:
Home
Arrive Home Mid-Morning