Celtic & Roman Heritage
Day 1:
On arrival at the airport you will be met by your driver guide who will
take you to your hotel. If your arrival time permits you will then enjoy
a short orientation sightseeing tour with your driver guide, taking in
some of London’s most famous sights including The Houses of Parliament,
Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. These
buildings are said to stand on the ancient Isle of Thorns, traditionally
regarded as a Solar site, where in Celtic times the Druids made their
laws and taught the sacred magic of the trees. In the evening take a
ride on the London Eye for a fantastic bird's eye view
of the city and beyond.
Overnight in central London.
Day 2:
Today
we will start our mysterious journey through Celtic and Roman
Britain and Ireland by visiting sacred Celtic sites in London
– the name itself is aid to originate from that of the legendary Celtic King
Lud who rebuilt the city of Caer Lud before the Romans invaded and adapted
it to Londinium. This morning visit St. Paul’s Cathedral on
Ludgate Hill, the original settlement of King Lud. The place is also
said to be the site of the Roman Temple of the goddess Diana. Continue
to the Tower of London, the medieval
castle which houses the Crown Jewels. The White Tower in
the Tower of London is said to have been the burial site of Bran's Head,
an icon of Celtic Mythology. Today you’ll also visit the British Museum where
you can see exhibitions connected with the Bronze and Iron Age in Europe,
Roman Britain and Medieval Europe.
Overnight in central London.
Travel to Exeter, the most south-westerly Roman fortified
settlement in Britain, stopping en route at Winchester, settled
by the Celts in 150 BC then transformed by Romans in to the fortress
of "Venta Belgarum”. During the Dark Ages it may have been the base
of the legendary warrior King Arthur and in the remains of Winchester
Castle is the world famous Mediaeval Round Table.
Continue west to see mysterious Stonehenge – an
ancient monument with 5000 years of history - was it
a religious temple, an astronomical clock, or a Bronze Age burial ground
– or all three?
Overnight in the Exeter area.
Day 4:
Enjoy a short visit to the capital of the ‘English Riviera’ Torquay – then on to Plymouth – Francis Drake’s base during his fight against the Spanish Armada - before heading into Cornwall, a county that abounds in ancient Celtic legend to this day! On Bodmin Moor visit Dozmary Pool, thought to be the bottomless lake where, in Arthurian legend, King Arthur threw Excalibur and a lady's hand rose to catch the magical sword, before returning to the depths. Continue to the ruins of Tintagel Castle, legendary birthplace of King Arthur, spectacularly located on the craggy North Cornwall coast, a place also connected with the Welsh legend of Tristan and Isolde. Overnight in the Exeter area.
Day 5:
Travel
north to Glastonbury, the mystical Isle of Avalon where
legend says the Holy Grail was hidden centuries ago.
Drink from the sacred well and walk up Glastonbury Tor,
the mysterious hill said to be an entrance to the Celtic Otherworld,
before visiting Glastonbury Abbey, the lovely medieval
ruin where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere are said to lie buried. In
the afternoon travel to The City of Bath, with its thermal
springs, once a sacred spring dedicated to a Celtic goddess, then developed
by the Romans. Visit the Roman Baths and Pump
Room and see the city’s wonderful Georgian architecture before
travelling on to Wales – one of the few places where
a Celtic language is widely spoken. The Welsh symbol of the Red Dragon
owes its origins to Arthurian legend. Overnight in the Cardiff area.
In the morning sightseeing in the Welsh capital followed by a visit to the open air St Fagans National History Museum of Wales . The museum, which explores all aspects of how people in Wales have lived, worked and spent their leisure time, features many historic Welsh buildings and exhibits which have been relocated to the site, including a reconstruction of a Celtic village. Overnight in the Cardiff area.
Day 7:
After breakfast enjoy a visit to the remains of Caerleon Castle, possibly
the site of Arthur's palace and from whose battlements it was possible
to see the Bristol Channel. Continue to nearby Caerphilly Castle -
one of the great medieval castles of western Europe and the largest in
Britain after Windsor. At the time of its building in the late 13th century,
it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning.
Travel west to Pembroke this afternoon for a ferry to Rosslare in Ireland.
Overnight in the Wexford area.
Day 8:
Start our tour around Ireland where Celtic culture developed for more than 1000 years. Here, the only country in Western Europe not conquered by the Roman Empire, Christianity encompassed pagan Celtic religion creating a unique Celtic-Christian heritage. Our trip begins in the beautiful medieval city of Kilkenny with a visit to its Castle. Then travel to the wild Mountains of Wicklow and visit Glendalough, home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. Overnight in central Dublin
Day 9:
A full day’s sightseeing in Dublin, including Trinity College, with the most beautiful medieval illuminated manuscript the Book
of Kells, St Patrick’s Cathedral, St Stephen's Green and
the small Cúchulainn's statue in the window
of the General Post Office. Cúchulainn was
the most popular hero of Celtic myths. In the afternoon
visit a modern legend - the Guinness Storehouse.
Overnight in central Dublin.
Day 10:
Celtic crosses play a special role in Irish culture and today we travel
west to visit the Celtic monastery at Clonmacnoise and
see the oldest High Cross in Ireland. Clonmacnoise is
also a royal town and the last king of Ireland Rory O’Connor was buried
here in 1198. Continue to the Hill of Tara, the sacred
royal centre of Ireland and seat of the High Kings and on past the Hill
of Slane, the place where St. Patrick lit the
first Paschal Fire announcing the arrival of Christianity, to the mysterious
and awe-inspiring Neolithic ceremonial sites of ancient Ireland: Brú
na Bóinne, (Newgrange) and Knowth..
Overnight in central Dublin.
Day 11:
After breakfast head north to the impressive Cúchulainn's Stone.
According to legend Cúchulainn, fatally wounded, tied himself to this
standing stone so that he could stay upright and face the opposing army.
Even after his death, Cúchulainn's enemies would not approach the stone
for fear he was still alive.
Arrive in Armagh, the “spiritual” capital of Ireland for over
1500 years and the seat of both Catholic and Protestant archbishops and significant
for its prehistoric monuments. Then we visit the Navan Centre,
the ancient Emain Macha of Irish history and legend and the earliest capital
of Ulster.
Overnight in central Belfast.
Day 12:
In the morning travel to the northeast coast of Northern Ireland to
see the fantastic Giant’s Causeway - about 40,000 interlocking
basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. Later visit
one of the oldest whiskey distilleries – the famous Bushmills
before an afternoon walking tour of Belfast city
centre.
Overnight in central Belfast.
Day 13:
Travel to Larne for the ferry to Stranraer, Scotland. Head
north east to Glasgow for a short sightseeing tour and
a little free time.
Overnight in central Glasgow.
Day 14:
Travel north along the shores of picturesque Loch Lomond and
beautiful Loch Fyne to the historic harbour town of Inverary before
a scenic mountain drive and then walk takes us to the hill of Dunadd.
The ancient royal seat of Dunadd was the capital of the kingdom of Dalriada
(Dal Riata) established by the Celtic tribes of Scots, who invaded from
Ireland in the 5th century AD. The tribe was eventually to give Scotland
its name. Next travel north through Kilmartin Valley, one of the richest
archaeological landscapes in Scotland and home to an astonishing array
of 5000 year old stone circles, cairns and forts.
Overnight in the Oban area.
Day 15:
Today we travel by ferry, first to the wild and unspoilt mountainous
island of Mull, and on to the sacred Isle
of Iona to explore on foot accompanied by your guide. Visit
one of Scotland's most historic and venerated sites, lona Abbey, originally
built by St Columba who brought Christianity to Scotland. It is a celebrated
Celtic Christian centre and the burial place of early Scottish kings.
The Abbey and Nunnery grounds house one of the most comprehensive collections
of Christian carved stones in Scotland.
Overnight in the Oban area.
Day 16:
Travel east along Loch Lochy and mysterious Loch
Ness with a visit to the ruins of Urquhart Castle –
the settlement of the Picts – a pre-Celtic tribe. Then a cruise
on Loch Ness followed by a visit to the fairy-tale 14th century Cawdor
Castle with its three beautiful gardens,
the oldest dating from around 1600.
Overnight in the Pitlochry area.
Day 17:
This morning we head for Blair Castle, the ancient
seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. The castle enjoys one of Scotland's
finest settings in the heart of Highland Perthshire and is famous for
Europe's only remaining private army which has its headquarters at the
castle. Then enjoy a visit to Blair Atholl whisky distillery to
discover how a single malt Scottish whisky is made.
Continue to Scone Palace, the
crowning place of the Kings of Scotland. In the 9th century Kenneth MacAlpin,
King of Celtic Dalriada, after defeating the Pictish King Drostan established
himself as the first true King of the Scots. Overnight in the central Edinburgh.
Day 18:
A full day’s sightseeing in Edinburgh starting at the Castle,
which sits in a prominent defensive position and dominates the city,
providing amazing views in all directions. The Castle is home to the Scottish
Crown Jewels and the famous Stone of
Destiny, the ancient coronation seat of the Scottish monarchs.
Afterwards enjoy a walk along the medieval Royal Mile to St
Giles' Cathedral with its famed crown spire and on to the Palace
of Holyroodhouse, closely associated with Scotland's turbulent
past, including the life of Mary Queen of Scots who lived there.
Overnight in the central Edinburgh.
Day 19:
Travel south with a stop at Rosslyn Chapel whose enigmatic
carvings, from the Green Man to the famous Apprentice Pillar, are steeped
in stories of the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail. Afterwards
visit Melrose Abbey, a Gothic abbey known for its many
carved decorative details including likenesses of saints, dragons, gargoyles
and plants. Our journey then takes us back into England to see some of the most outstanding
remains of the Roman Empire - Hadrian’s Wall, a remarkable
stone and turf fortification built by the Romans across the width of
what is now Northern England. Along the wall were many mystical sites
beloved by Roman soldiers. Overnight in the York area.
Day 20:
Half day sightseeing in York a city noted
for its magnificent city walls. As Roman Eboracum this was the capital
of the British interior. Afterwards the Angles moved in, and the city
was renamed Eoferwic and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Northumbria.
The Vikings captured the city in 866, renaming it Jorvic, the capital
of a Viking kingdom in Northern England. Finally in around the year
1000, the city became known as York. Head south to London visiting Cambridge –
home to one of the oldest universities in the world - en route.
Overnight in central London.
Day 21:
Free time in London, transfer to Heathrow airport.