Britain Sampler with Paris to Normandy

Welcome to London. This marks the beginning of the Globus portion of your trip. The afternoon is open for free time. A variety of excursions are included in the trip, and additional optional excursions may also be available for purchase during the cruise.

The Royal Treatment

Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, the Prime Minister’s residence on Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The afternoon is free for personal time.

Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey are among the historic sites included, known for their long association with political and royal events such as coronations, weddings, and funerals.

Ancient Stones & Spa Days

London - Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am before departing for Stonehenge.
Stonehenge - Visit the prehistoric monument.
Bath - Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths. Free time the remainder of the day.

139 mi / 224 km

Cultural Gems - The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the “Best Spa Towns in Europe.” The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society.

Welsh Country Beauties

Ludlow - Visit the historic market town.
Llangollen - Visit the picturesque town.
Liverpool - Free time the remainder of the day.

204 mi / 335 km

Culture and Tradition Explore the charming medieval town of Ludlow on the River Teme. Noteworthy buildings include Ludlow Castle and the impressive St. Laurence’s church. With nearly 500 buildings on the Historic England list, Ludlow’s medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered architecture inspired poet laureate Sir John Betjeman to call it "the loveliest town in England."

Sonnets, Sweets & Scottish Blacksmiths

Lake District - Take a scenic drive.
Grasmere - Visit Wordsworth’s beloved village. Sample the original Grasmere gingerbread.
Gretna Green - See where a Scottish blacksmith performed weddings for eloping young couples.
Edinburgh - Free time this evening.

237 mi / 390 km

Timeless Traditions - Sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere baked following an 1854 recipe invented by Sarah Nelson, the Victorian cook who invented the world famous cross between cake and biscuit.

Crown Jewels & Castle Views

Edinburgh - Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the New Town, Old Town, and a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Free time this afternoon.
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - Attend the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance. (Departures July 28 through August 18 only).

Music and Masterpieces - Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with an 11,000-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain". Here, you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year.

Augustine’s Monks & Medieval Markets

Abbotsford - Take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House.
Jedburgh - Take photos of the Augustinian abbey ruins.
York - See York Minster on a guided walk through The Shambles.

Historic Spot - While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butcher shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, and today is a vibrant gathering place with cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies.

Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare

Stratford-Upon-Avon - See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace.

256 mi / 411 km

A legend slept here - Ah, young love! Even more true, as Shakespeare’s fiancée was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard’s wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Transfer to Paris to board your Avalon Suite Ship. This evening, enjoy dinner on board.

Monet’s Muses, Castle Courtyards, and Crepes du Jour
Start the day with a Morning Stretch with your Avalon Adventure Host.

Active Excursion
Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces, OR:

Classic Excursion
Join a Guided Visit to Bizy Castle—called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.

Discovery Excursion
While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.

This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys.

LES ANDELYS
Serenity on the Seine

Active Excursion
Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine.

Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine

Active Excursion
Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine.

This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.

Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions

Classic Excursion
Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR:

Classic Excursion
Join a Guided Tour to get a taste of authentic tradition in the beautiful region of Normandy. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados.

Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

The Cathedral of Our Lady and a Heroine for France

Active Excursion
Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Joan of Arc’s martyrdom-and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV

Active Excursion
Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR:

Classic Excursion
Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:

Classic Excursion
Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.

Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

Evening Cruise to Paris
Chateau de Malmaison is closed the 1st Sunday of each month and on 21st September. On these dates, this excursion is replaced by a visit to Chateau de Chantilly

Cafes, Cathedrals, & Canvases in the City of Lights

Active Excursion
Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

Classic Excursion
Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Ile de la Cite, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:

Classic Excursion
Join a Guided City Tour, that shows you the iconic sites of Paris, such as the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Opera Garnier, and the famous Champs-Elysees.

Stroll through Paris on your own, or linger over wine in a literary cafe on the Left Bank.

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.