Stirling Castle - Standard Ticket

This is the text for the Frequently Asked Questions that applies to this specific tour. (Q) Do tours run all year round? (A) Yes, from November to March we will run tours on a reduced schedule at 11am from Thursdays to Mondays, inclusive. Please see the tour page for full details. (Q) Where is the meeting point for the tour? (A) Directly outside Queensway tube station, which is on the central line (the red line cutting across the map from east to west). 15 minutes before the start of the tour, one of our guides will be standing by the red phone boxes holding a Fat Tyre sign. (Q) Is the tour difficult? (A) No. Most of the time is spent on bike lanes within the Royal Parks. There is a bit of road riding and a few crossings so a basic level of cycling proficiency is required. (Q) What happens if it rains? (A) We run tours rain or shine and have plenty of rain ponchos. We find tours in the rain to be a different kind of fun and an even more fun memory! If you have a reservation and the weather is really bad, you are welcome to reschedule the tour for any other day for up to year. (Q) Do we stop for lunch? (A) Yes. We usually stop near Trafalgar Square where there are plenty of options for lunch including to join your guide at a traditional English pub. Otherwise, we may stop in St James park next to a cafe. (Q) Where does the tour end? (A) Both tours finish at the same place they start. (Q) Do we go inside the sites? (A) No, the bike tours are an overview of the sites and more about getting a feel for the city. However, on private tours you can arrange to take extra time at the sites if you'd like to go inside. (Q) Will we be able to take photos? (A) Yes. There will be a chance to take many photos at the designated stops. (Q)Is there a space to store bags or luggage? (A)Yes. You are welcome to leave bags, luggage or unwanted family members in our garages. Someone is usually in the office and it will be locked up if they have to leave. While we have never had a single case of theft or loss of items, you do leave them at your own risk. (Q) Do you provide the bikes? (A) Absolutely. (Q) Can I supply my own bike? (A) You are welcome to bring your own bicycle. Our insurance only covers the theft of our own bicycles, so please do bring your own lock for the lunch stop. (Q) Can an adult ride on the tandem? (A) No. Our tandems are known as tag-alongs which attach to adult bikes and are designed for children up to about the age of five years old.. (Q) Are helmets provided? (A) Yes. You are not compelled by law to wear helmets in the UK, but we have more than enough for everyone so the choice is entirely yours.

We invite you to visit the Casa Batlló which has transcended the concept of a building to become a legendary icon of art, architecture and art nouveau. Here, light, colour and shapes interact with wood, glass, ceramics and quarried stone in Gaudí's characteristic fantastic and breathtaking style. Pick up your audioguide and begin your tour of 20 different points. You'll discover a whole host of details that are hard to spot at first glance, with metaphors and depictions of nature, particularly the undersea world, which will inspire and stimulate your senses and emotions. And if you prefer, you can hire the innovative augmented reality video guide which will take you to a magical world that is normally hidden from view. Both guides are available in 10 languages.  You'll visit the legendary mezzanine, where the Batlló family once lived; the attic, where the storerooms and laundries were located; the rooftop, with its iconic chimneys and the amazing light well which houses the staircase once used by the privileged neighbours. And you can't leave without seeing the magnificent hall and main staircase. You're sure to be impressed!

Dublin's Hop up Hop off Tour stops include: Abbey Street  - Lower O'Connell St Trinity College Dublin  - College Green Nassau Street  - Nassau Street National Gallery.   - Merrion Square West Government Buildings  - Merrion Sq West St. Stephen's Green  - Grafton Street. Tourism Centre  - Suffolk Street Temple Bar  - Dame Street. Dublin Castle  - Cork Hill Christchurch / Dublinia  - Christ Church Place. St Patrick's Cathedral  - Patrick Street. Guinness Storehouse  - St James's Gate Museum of Modern Art  - Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Kilmainham Gaol  - Old Kilmainham Heuston Rail Station  - St. John's Road Dublin Zoo  - Phoenix Park Ryan's Victorian Bar  - Parkgate Street National Museum  - Collin's Barracks Jameson Distillery, Bow St.  - Smithfield - Hop off here! The Four Courts  - Ormond Quay Liffey River Cruise  - Bachelors Walk Dublin Bus HQ   Upper O'Connell Writers Museum  Parnell Square North Tours operate daily from 09:00. You can redeem your ticket with the tour driver on any of the buses, or, alternatively, go to Dublin Bus Head Office, 59 Upper O'Connell Street.

Highlights Explore Discover the ruins of Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town better preserved than Pompeii after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius’s in 79 AD See the cobbled streets and see the the ancient villas, frescoes, bathhouses and much more Hotel-pick up and drop-off from central Naples Roundtrip transfers between Naples and Herculaneum aboard a fully-fitted GT coach with audio commentary on board An experienced guide who will help you purchase your skip-the-line tickets to Herculaneum Ticket Includes Services of a knowledgeable tour guide Hotel pick-up and drop-off aboard a modern coach Roundtrip transfers between Naples and Herculaneum Ticket Exlcudes Herculaneum Tickets  

Flight Path You will fly over some exquisite landscapes on your journey to Milford Sound. Depending on the flight route for the day, your sights may include; Skippers Canyon, Glenorchy, Mt Earnslaw, Mt Tutoko, Milford Sound, Mitre Peak, Arthur Valley, Sutherland Falls, the Milford Track, Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Greenstone Valley and Lake Wakatipu. Cruise Route Depart from the Milford Sound Wharf and make your way out past the iconic Mitre Peak. Cruise the length of the fiord while listening to informative commentary from our skipper who will highlight points of interest along the way including the mighty Bowen Falls, Lion Mountain, Copper Point, Seal Rock and Stirling Falls. Keep an eye out for local wildlife that can be found in the fiord, with sightings of New Zealand fur seals and dolphins spotted regularly, while occasionally the rare Fiordland Crested Penguin makes an appearance in Milford Sound.   What to bring: Waterproof Jacket Sunscreen Warm Clothing Insect Repellent 

The Queen's Gallery was built in the shell of the former Holyrood Free Church and Duchess of Gordon’s School at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The buildings were constructed in the 1840s with funds from the Duchess of Gordon, but fell into disuse in the late 19th century. Benjamin Tindall Architects were appointed project architects for the new Queen’s Gallery in October 1999. Their central visual theme was a celebration of The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, expressed through a series of arches and screens that lead visitors from the Gallery entrance to the exhibition spaces beyond. Their design complements the original 19th-century architecture, elements of which were incorporated into the new spaces. Unsympathetic later internal alterations were removed, and a new exposed steel and concrete floor inserted to reflect the original ‘gallery’ of the Church.   A new stone arched entrance was created at the centre of the Horse Wynd frontage, opposite the new Scottish Parliament building. The use of a stone archway, with a courtyard beyond, is a traditional entrance device in Scottish architecture. The main walling is of Catcastle stone, the dressed work and lettering is of Stainton stone and the base is of Kenmay granite. ‘THE QUEEN’S GALLERY’ lettering above the entrance is the work of John Neilson, a calligrapher and carver. The letters were cut from single pieces of stone. Above sits Scotland’s heraldic lion, designed by Jill Watson. The lion sedant is based on a small red lion that sits at the feet of Mary, Queen of Scots on her tomb in Westminster Abbey. (The Palace of Holyroodhouse was once home to Mary, Queen of Scots.)   The monumental entrance doors of oak have gilded bronze hinges by Jill Watson. Continuing the heraldic theme, the main hinges are decorated with the Scottish lion and unicorn. The beasts are set against the adjacent urban scene of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and the rural scene of Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags. The upper hinges are made as golden boughs of flowering native trees – chestnut and laburnum, oak, rowan and hawthorn. The stone archway is decorated with a carved and gilded garland of Scottish flowers, including daisies and thistles, created by Graciela Ainsworth, an Edinburgh-based sculptor, carver and conservator. Over the old entrance to the former church is a stained-glass window by Christian Shaw.  The design shows a perspective drawing of the interior of a gallery. At night, the shape of the archway is reflected by the glass lights by Keiko Mukaide set into the paving. The artist has given the tiles a water flow pattern, mirroring the stream of visitors walking in and out of the Gallery. Inside, the reception desk by Hamid van Koten is made from curved pieces of Scottish elm with kilned glass and patinated copper. The pendant lights were designed and made in Edinburgh by Ingrid Phillips. Dividing the reception from the main Gallery area is a patterned glass screen by Jacqueline Poncelet. The screen’s bronze handles by Jill Watson incorporate figures looking at art in a gallery.   The dramatic central stair of native timber leads to the Gallery spaces above. The complex shape was designed by the architects with Charles Taylor Woodwork, who were responsible for the construction. Lights set into the first floor illuminate the curved balustrading.