London | Great British Capitals Rail Tour

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Relax and discover the highlights & rich heritage of Britain in comfort with the UK's excellent rail service to get you to the "must see" places. Admire stunning scenery, Royal Palaces, fascinating history, real ales & search for ‘scary monsters’ as you travel around the Capital Cities of England & Scotland.   

Day 1: London

After arriving at London airport and collecting your luggage, make your way to your selected hotel in central London. The remainder of the day is at leisure to start exploring London on your own.

Day 2: London

Following breakfast at your hotel, set out to explore London with a 24-hour Hop-on/Hop-off Double Decker Bus tour. Enjoy the freedom & convenience to explore the city in depth, as you please and at your own pace. With over 90 stops on different routes, this extensive tour showcases world-renowned attractions Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and more. You will also see the London’s most eminent, from Marble Arch and Park Lane to world celebrated Trafalgar Square and vibrant Piccadilly. Learn the insights and fascinating facts about England's capital city with a live or audio guided tour with a choice of 8 languages. (B)

Day 3: London | Windsor, Stonehenge & Bath

Today discover three of England’s national treasures on this full day tour exploring the ancient landscape of Stonehenge, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bath, and beautiful Windsor Castle. Your tour begins with a visit to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in world and home to British kings and queens for over 1,000 years. You'll visit the magnificent State Apartments, furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection with your audio-guide, then explore the castle grounds and see St George's Chapel, the burial place Henry VIII and Charles I. Continuing to Stonehenge, take a step inside the Neolithic houses and visit the fascinating exhibition with ancient treasures dating back thousands of years. Clouded in mystery, the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge is an amazing feat of engineering and the most important prehistoric site in England. In the afternoon, arrive in Bath to enjoy a panoramic coach drive of this beautiful Georgian town, boasting some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, including Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, and the Assembly Rooms, before a visit to the famous Roman Baths where the naturally warm spring is still in operation after more than 2,000 years. Entrance fees to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge & the Roman Baths included. With a duration of 11 hours, expect to return to London's Victoria Train Station around 7:00 pm. (B)

Day 4: London | Edinburgh

Following breakfast at your hotel, make your way to the railway station to board a train for the journey north toward the Scottish Capital. On arrival, transfer independently from the railway station to your selected hotel for check-in. Edinburgh is a city full of royal connections & magnificent historic sites, so set out and start exploring this magical city on your own. (B)

Day 5: Edinburgh

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting out to discover Edinburgh's magical atmosphere as you travel through the city in a deluxe, open-top mini coach. This new city tour takes you sightseeing around Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Hop aboard our Edinburgh bus tour at Waverley Bridge in central Edinburgh and travel along Princes Street, where you’ll hear about the famous castle and gorgeous gardens. We then head to the Grassmarket, one of the best places to visit in Edinburgh, and a place that functioned both as a lively marketplace and a notorious place of execution. You’ll learn about Edinburgh’s most famous dog, Greyfriars Bobby, before we take you around Edinburgh’s central university area. The buildings here are stunning and there’s the chance to spot some of the magical places that inspired the Harry Potter books. After we’ve given you an introduction to Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, we venture past the National Gallery and down into the new town. Here you’ll learn about the Scottish pioneers who lived in these beautiful Georgian buildings. Next, we head off the beaten track and into Edinburgh’s quaint Dean Village. This residential zone was once a separate village and is packed full of charming cobbled lanes. We continue exploring the dean area, where you’ll get a view of Stewart’s Melville College and the Galleries of Modern Art. Back into the city centre, we travel along George Street and Queen Street before taking you past Calton Hill. From here we head down to the foot of Arthur’s Seat, where the regal Holyrood Palace is located. Our last step of the journey takes us through the Canongate and back to Waverley Bridge. This panoramic city tour has a duration of 50 minutes and the remainder of today is free to pass as you choose, perhaps visiting some of the small museums & souvenir shops on the Royal Mile, or shopping in the stores along Princes Street, including Jenners, one of the oldest department stores in the world. (B)

Day 6: Loch Ness, Glencoe & Highlands

Today sees you departing into the Scottish countryside on a small group excursion covering the majestic beauty of Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, the Great Glen & mystic Loch Ness. Your tour passes through magnificent Glencoe, scene of the clan massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells in 1692, and on through Fort William, the beginning of the "Great Glen" and the Caledonian Canal, which you follow up to Fort Augustus, nestling on the banks of Loch Ness. Here you can enjoy your lunch, a boat trip (April to October) or take a wander along the lochside with spectacular views of the loch. From here you return south, briefly stopping for an optional whisky tasting at Spean Bridge, before returning to Edinburgh via "Monarch of the Glen" country, stopping in Pitlochry on the way. Return to Edinburgh. (B)

Day 7: Depart Edinburgh

Unfortunately today your Great British Capitals Tour comes to an end. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way to the airport for your flight back to Canada. Or ask about extending your stay with CIT Tours. (B)

Daily Departures

The Great British Capitals Tour can also operate in reverse.