Cruise & Tour: Indulge in France & Britain

Edinburgh is to London as poetry is to prose, as Charlotte Brontë once wrote. One of the world’s stateliest cities and proudest capitals, it’s built—like Rome—on seven hills, making it a striking backdrop for the ancient pageant of history. In a skyline of sheer drama, Edinburgh Castle watches over the capital city, frowning down on Princes Street’s glamour and glitz. But despite its rich past, the city’s famous festivals, excellent museums and galleries, as well as the modern Scottish Parliament, are reminders that Edinburgh has its feet firmly in the 21st century.Nearly everywhere in Edinburgh (the burgh is always pronounced burra in Scotland) there are spectacular buildings, whose Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian pillars add touches of neoclassical grandeur to the largely Presbyterian backdrop. Large gardens are a strong feature of central Edinburgh, where the city council is one of the most stridently conservationist in Europe. Arthur’s Seat, a mountain of bright green and yellow furze, rears up behind the spires of the Old Town. This child-size mountain jutting 822 feet above its surroundings has steep slopes and little crags, like a miniature Highlands set down in the middle of the busy city. Appropriately, these theatrical elements match Edinburgh’s character—after all, the city has been a stage that has seen its fair share of romance, violence, tragedy, and triumph.Modern Edinburgh has become a cultural capital, staging the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe Festival in every possible venue each August. The stunning Museum of Scotland complements the city’s wealth of galleries and artsy hangouts. Add Edinburgh’s growing reputation for food and nightlife and you have one of the world’s most beguiling cities.Today the city is the second most important financial center in the United Kingdom, and the fifth most important in Europe. The city regularly is ranked near the top in quality-of-life surveys. Accordingly, New Town apartments on fashionable streets sell for considerable sums. In some senses the city is showy and materialistic, but Edinburgh still supports learned societies, some of which have their roots in the Scottish Enlightenment. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, for example, established in 1783 “for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge,” remains an important forum for interdisciplinary activities.Even as Edinburgh moves through the 21st century, its tall guardian castle remains the focal point of the city and its venerable history. Take time to explore the streets—peopled by the spirits of Mary, Queen of Scots; Sir Walter Scott; and Robert Louis Stevenson—and pay your respects to the world’s best-loved terrier, Greyfriars Bobby. In the evenings you can enjoy candlelit restaurants or a folk ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee, a traditional Scottish dance with music), though you should remember that you haven’t earned your porridge until you’ve climbed Arthur’s Seat. Should you wander around a corner, say, on George Street, you might see not an endless cityscape, but blue sea and a patchwork of fields. This is the county of Fife, beyond the inlet of the North Sea called the Firth of Forth—a reminder, like the mountains to the northwest that can be glimpsed from Edinburgh’s highest points, that the rest of Scotland lies within easy reach.

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Explore the grounds of Edinburgh’s “castle on the hill,” as your guide unlocks more than 900 years of history. This afternoon, meet a former bagpiper to the royals. Additionally, you can personalize your day with a choice to either visit the 17th-century Mary King’s Close or participate in a stimulating whisky tasting.

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Visit Alnwick Castle with a Local Expert, uncovering its storied legacy and cinematic allure. Journey onward through the picturesque English countryside to the Lake District, where you’ll enjoy dinner and a magnificent stay at a charming country house hotel overlooking Lake Windermere.

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Let the rugged beauty of the Lake District inspire you as you cruise across shimmering Ullswater. Pause for lunch at a traditional English pub before continuing to York. Stroll the cobbled lanes of The Shambles with your Travel Concierge, soaking in the city’s rich medieval charm.

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Step back into the Middle Ages in York, where you’ll join an expert-led tour of the York Minster or a walk on the 13th-century city walls. Enter the stately Castle Howard through landscaped gardens before sitting down to a traditional English afternoon tea and private tour of the house.

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Trace the footsteps of Shakespeare with a stroll around Stratford-upon-Avon, the playwright’s birthplace. Continue through the honey-colored villages and rolling hills of the Cotswolds before arriving in the elegant Georgian city of Bath.

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Uncover the elegant history of Bath on a guided city tour, admiring its Georgian architecture and Roman legacy. Then indulge in a Michelin-starred lunch at The Olive Tree, where refined British cuisine is served in a beautifully relaxed setting. Personalize your day with a choice to either visit the Jane Austen Centre or visit the Roman Baths and Georgian Pump Room, Britain’s only natural hot springs.

Legendary neolithic monument made using stones transported from Wales & built for unknown purposes.

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Savor a relaxed start to your day before standing in awe of mysterious Stonehenge, Britain’s most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to London and experience the centuries-old Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, before settling in for the evening at The Rubens at the Palace.

About 8 miles downstream—which means seaward, to the east—from central London, Greenwich is a small borough that looms large across the world. Once the seat of British naval power, it is not only home to the Old Royal Observatory, which measures time for our entire planet, but also the Greenwich Meridian, which divides the world into two—you can stand astride it with one foot in either hemisphere. Bear in mind that the journey to Greenwich is an event in itself. In a rush, you can take the driverless DLR train—but many opt for arriving by boat along the Thames. This way, you glide past famous sights on the London skyline (there’s a guaranteed spine chill on passing the Tower) and ever-changing docklands, and there’s usually a chirpy Cock-er-ney navigator enlivening the journey with his fun commentary. A visit to Greenwich feels like a trip to a rather elegant seaside town—albeit one with more than its fair share of historic sites. The grandiose Old Royal Naval Hospital, designed by Christopher Wren, was originally a home for veteran sailors. Today it’s a popular visitor attraction, with a more glamorous second life as one of the most widely used movie locations in Britain. Greenwich was originally home to one of England’s finest Tudor palaces, and the birthplace of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and Mary I. Inigo Jones built what is considered the first “classical” building in England in 1616—the Queen’s House, which now houses a collection of fine art. Britain was the world’s preeminent naval power for over 500 years, and the excellent National Maritime Museum> details that history in an engaging way. Its prize exhibits include the coat worn by Admiral Lord Nelson (1758–1805) in his final battle—bullet hole and all. The 19th-century tea clipper Cutty Sark was nearly destroyed by fire in 2007, but reopened in 2012 after a painstaking restoration. Now it’s more pristine than ever, complete with an impressive new visitor center. Greenwich Park, London’s oldest royal park, is still home to fallow red deer, just as it has been since they were first introduced here for hunting by Henry VIII. The Ranger’s House now houses a private art collection, next door to a beautifully manicured rose garden. Above it all is the Royal Observatory, where you can be in two hemispheres at once by standing along the Greenwich Meridian Line, before seeing a high-tech planetarium show. Toward north Greenwich, the hopelessly ambitious Millennium Dome has been successfully reborn as the O2 and now hosts major concerts and stand-up comedy gigs. More adventurous visitors can also go Up the O2 on a climbing expedition across the massive domed surface. Meanwhile, those who prefer excursions of a gentler kind may prefer to journey a couple of miles south of the borough, farther out into London’s southern suburbs, to the shamefully underappreciated Eltham Palace. Once a favorite of Henry VIII, parts of the mansion were transformed into an art deco masterpiece during the 1930s.

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Hear the bells of Big Ben and admire London’s iconic landmarks, from the Houses of Parliament to Westminster Abbey. Take in the energy of Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus before visiting the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace.This evening, toast your journey with a Celebration Dinner at The English Grill, a refined dining experience in regal surroundings.

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Transfer via high-speed train to Paris, where your Floating Boutique HotelTM awaits. As you settle into your new home for the week, we’ll begin our cruise on the Seine River.

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Today is a celebration of northern France’s natural beauty, with an excursion to a splendid château and gardens situated in an equally grand setting, plus a chance to immerse yourself in the very landscapes that inspired Impressionist master Claude Monet. In the morning, choose between a scenic hike or a visit to the hilltop Château de La Roche-Guyon, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens and offers sweeping views over the Seine. Later, explore the beautiful gardens of Monet. You’ll have the opportunity to take in the French countryside on your way there with an invigorating bike ride, or opt to arrive by coach instead.

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Walk in the footsteps of greatness in Normandy’s medieval capital, a city with a historic quarter that remains amazingly intact. From the cathedral Monet painted dozens of times to the cross marking the spot where Joan of Arc was martyred, Rouen is a treasure trove for the culturally curious. The roll call of famous people who lived or died in Rouen is long and varied—Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, Gustave Flaubert, and Claude Monet are among them.

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Caudebec-en-Caux, a lovely little town on the right bank of the Seine Estuary, is your base for one of two very different excursions. From here, drive through the beautiful Calvados countryside to Honfleur, a delightful seaside harbor and city of painters.

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There are moments when we travel that move us on an otherworldly level—experiences that stir a profound emotional connection. The Normandy beaches certainly have that effect. On your full-day outing, you’ll visit Normandy’s beaches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a choice to venture to either the American, British and Commonwealth, or Canadian beaches. After, partake in a private memorial ceremony for a sentimental remembrance of Operation Overlord.

Mantes-la-Jolie is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region of north-central France. It is located to the west of Paris, 48.4 km from the centre of the capital.

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How did France’s rulers live over the centuries? Step into the private rooms of the Palace of Versailles, the lavish palace built by the Sun King, to find out.

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Whether you’re a first-time visitor to the “City of Light” or you’ve been here many times before, there’s something for everyone today in Paris. Enjoy a panoramic overview of the city, or join a local expert for a walk through two much-loved neighborhoods.

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Disembark the ship. If you have arranged a Uniworld departure transfer, you will be transferred to Charles de Gaulle Airport for your flight home.