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England/Scotland

Quintessential Britain

Program No. 12187RJ
Find out why Britain has fascinated generations of travelers as you explore Roman ruins in London, castles in North Wales, Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon and iconic Christ Church.

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DATES & starting prices
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Apr 8 - Apr 26, 2024
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7,999
May 6 - May 24, 2024
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Jun 17 - Jul 5, 2024
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Jul 15 - Aug 2, 2024
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8,099
Aug 12 - Aug 30, 2024
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Sep 2 - Sep 20, 2024
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Sep 16 - Oct 4, 2024
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Oct 14 - Nov 1, 2024
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Apr 7 - Apr 25, 2025
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8,249
May 5 - May 23, 2025
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8,499
Jun 16 - Jul 4, 2025
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8,499
Jul 14 - Aug 1, 2025
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8,599
Aug 11 - Aug 29, 2025
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8,599
Sep 1 - Sep 19, 2025
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8,599
Sep 15 - Oct 3, 2025
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8,499
Oct 13 - Oct 31, 2025
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8,499
Oct 20 - Nov 7, 2025
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8,499
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 8 - Apr 26, 2024
Starting at
9,499
May 6 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Jun 17 - Jul 5, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Jul 15 - Aug 2, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Aug 12 - Aug 30, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Sep 2 - Sep 20, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Sep 16 - Oct 4, 2024
Starting at
9,899
Oct 14 - Nov 1, 2024
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9,899
Apr 7 - Apr 25, 2025
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9,669
May 5 - May 23, 2025
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9,999
Filling Fast!
Jun 16 - Jul 4, 2025
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9,999
Filling Fast!
Jul 14 - Aug 1, 2025
Starting at
10,179
Filling Fast!
Aug 11 - Aug 29, 2025
Starting at
10,229
Sep 1 - Sep 19, 2025
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10,179
Filling Fast!
Sep 15 - Oct 3, 2025
Starting at
9,999
Filling Fast!
Oct 13 - Oct 31, 2025
Starting at
9,999
Filling Fast!
Oct 20 - Nov 7, 2025
Starting at
9,999

At a Glance

Piece together storied histories, rivalries and landscapes to experience quintessential Britain — from London to Bath, the villages of the Cotswolds to the dreaming spires of Oxford, the “bonnie banks” of Loch Lomond and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. In each city and village, uncover the surrounding history, geography, culture, literature, houses and gardens, cathedrals and castles with local experts.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles; standing on city sidewalks. Stairs in historic buildings.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • View the recently rediscovered amphitheatre and ruins of Roman London.
  • Explore the castles and history of mountainous Snowdonia in North Wales.
  • Visit Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Kevin Flude
Kevin Flude lectures on the archaeology, history and museums at Central St. Martins College (University of the Arts, London) the University of Westminster and is an Honorary Lecturer at University College London. He is also the Director of the Old Operating Theatre Museum, a fascinating Museum in Central London. Kevin serves as a study leader for Road Scholar programs, putting to use his deep and broad experience in the museum world gained during his time at the Museum of London, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Oxford’s Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Kevin Flude
Kevin Flude View biography
Kevin Flude lectures on the archaeology, history and museums at Central St. Martins College (University of the Arts, London) the University of Westminster and is an Honorary Lecturer at University College London. He is also the Director of the Old Operating Theatre Museum, a fascinating Museum in Central London. Kevin serves as a study leader for Road Scholar programs, putting to use his deep and broad experience in the museum world gained during his time at the Museum of London, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Oxford’s Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Highland Clans
by Alistair Moffat
This excellent compact history of the Scottish Highland clans brings to life their leaders, traditions, families and heroic deeds with color illustrations, photos, a clan map and an alphabetical family list.
A Traveller's History of Oxford
by Richard Tames
A compact history of Oxford from settlement to the present, including its importance in medieval England, founding of the different colleges and brief period as Royalist capital. Tames also discusses the architecture of the colleges and includes biographies of illustrious alumni.
Rob Roy
by Sir Walter Scott
Adventure in the highlands of 18th-century Scotland starring the dashing outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor. Part of the "Penguin Classics" series, this book contains explanatory notes and an introduction that sets it in its historical context.
A Writer's House in Wales
by Jan Morris
In this extended essay, Morris uses her much-loved 18th-century house as a point of departure for a meditation on Welsh identity.
Londoners, The Days and Nights of London Now As Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Have Left It, and Long for It
by Craig Taylor
Drawing on the unforgettable stories of nearly 100 Londoners, Taylor provides a rich and vivid kaleidoscopic view of modern-day London through the diverse voices of the city's citizens who, regardless of whether they love or hate it, capture the heart and soul of one of the world's greatest cities.
101 Beautiful Small Towns Britain
by Tom Aiken
A lavishly illustrated and informative tour of Britain's beautiful and historic towns.
Notes from a Small Island
by Bill Bryson
A farewell walking tour of England by an American expatriate who has decided to return home after two decades. Like all of Bryson's books, it's full of rich conversations, humorous anecdotes and amusing interactions.
Stone Voices, The Search for Scotland
by Neal Ascherson
Ascherson writes with verve and insight on the centuries-old impulse toward nationhood in Scotland in this absorbing portrait.
The Story of England
by Christopher Hibbert
Beautifully illustrated with color pictures, chronological charts, royal genealogies and maps, this popular history of English politics, economics and culture from the Neolithic Age to the 1990s is an excellent travel companion.
The Brontes, Wild Genius on the Moors: The Story of a Literary Family
by Juliet Barker
Hailed as the first distinctive account of the Brontes, this tome incorporates information gleaned from manuscripts and never-before-used historical documents to present an accurate and fascinating portrait of one of England’s most famous literary families.
Westminster Abbey
by Richard Jenkyns, Mary Beard (Editor)
In a highly original pocket book, classicist and cultural historian Richard Jenkyns looks afresh at the celebrated church complex -- national cathedral, coronation church, royal mausoleum, burial place of poets, resting place of the great and of the Unknown Warrior, former home of parliament, place of Princess Diana's funeral.
The Age of Shakespeare
by Frank Kermode
A remarkably concise, elegant overview of the world of Shakespeare in the Modern Library Chronicles series by the eminent British critic and scholar.
A Journey Through Tudor England
by Suzannah Lipscomb
Through visits to Tudor England’s historic palaces, castles, theaters and abbeys, Suzannah Lipscomb brings to life the rich history of the Tudors.
Exploring English Castles, Evocative, Romantic and Mysterious True Tales of the Kings and Queens of the British Isles
by Edd Morris
A picturesque, coffee-table tour through the grandest castles in England, including Bodiam, Framlingham and Kenilworth. Morris' color photos are accompanied by legends and tales about each structure.
Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster
by William W. Starr
Beginning and ending in Edinburgh and making stops at Glasgow, Culloden, Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye and more, William Starr follows hilariously in the footsteps of Boswell and Johnson across Scotland.





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