Palace of Holyroodhouse - Standard Ticket

Duration is 1 hr and 30 mins. If you have any dietary requirements please contact us at [email protected] as soon as you make your booking.  

The day begins with a hotel pick-up between 06:15 and 07:00. Heading east across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge offers great views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. En Route to the park we cross through the Central Valley, where we will stop at a fruit stand for some local produce. Famous for its rich volcanic soil, the Central Valley is the largest agricultural region in the United States. The section we drive through is best known for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. After this quick rest stop, we enter the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Continuing into the mountains brings us to California gold country and the gold rush town of Groveland before we wind our way into Yosemite National Park. Maps in hand, we begin with a one and a half hour in-coach narrated tour of Yosemite's glaciated valley. You will see famous waterfalls and rock formations including Yosemite Falls - the tallest waterfall in North America - El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Dome, and much more. During the tour you will see Yosemite Valley from a number of great vantage points, the best of which is perhaps Inspiration Point. At 4,500 feet above sea level, this viewpoint gives you a commanding view east up the valley. Yosemite is a mecca for rock climbers, and the sight of people climbing El Capitan's 3,200 ft. (1000m) sheer rock face is quite amazing. Because of our small group size, we can incorporate multiple photo stops into our tour so you can better enjoy your time in the park. After the tour, we stop for the afternoon near the base of Yosemite Falls, where there are a variety of options for lunch (not included). After eating, you will have 3-4 hours of free time to explore the valley as you choose. You can walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, check out the visitor center, visit the Ansel Adams Gallery, stop in at the Ahwahnee Hotel, rent a cruiser bike, or hike some of the trails that originate from the valley. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America's most popular national parks. Regrouping again in the late afternoon, we head for San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city and dropping you at your lodging between 8:30 and 9:00pm. Highlights: See El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Inspiration Point (aka Tunnel View), and Yosemite Village Free time in Yosemite Valley to explore/hike Eco-friendly transport in biodiesel mini-coaches   Inclusions: Complimentary pickup/dropoff from your San Francisco hotel Full-time professional, knowledgeable guide Narrated in-coach tour of Yosemite (1.5 hrs) 3 hours of free time in the Valley Yosemite Park entrance fee Transportation to/from Yosemite in biofuel mini-coach ​ Not Included: Meals (stops will be made to purchase food) Guide gratuity (optional)   Gear List:  May-Oct: Camera & charger Small bag that can fit under seat Spending money for incidentals and lunch Sneakers or hiking boots Swimwear, towel, sandals (optional) Bug spray Sun protection Water bottle   Nov-Apr** - Additional items recommended are: Warm clothing, coat Knit hat, gloves **Winter temperatures in Yosemite are on average 50 F/10 C, but can be as low as 28 F/-2 C. 

Highlights Explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site to two sister cities: Pompeii and Herculaneum on this tour from Naples. Learn and walk around the fascinating ancient ruins of Pompeii. Wonder around Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town better preserved than Pompeii. This tour provides a great representation of what life was like in the first century.  Taste delicious regional cuisine on your way to the sites with lunch prices included . Roundtrip transfers between Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum and back in a comfortable coach Ticket Includes Coach transfers to and from Naples aboard a coach Services of a tour leader/tour assistant Lunch (excluding beverages) Ticket Excludes Pompeii Entrance Tickets Herculaneum Entrance Tickets Food and Drinks (apart from lunch)    

Monuments @ Nite guided bike tour is the ultimate Washington DC highlights tour. Spend a few hours exploring the monuments and memorials as the sun sets over the National Mall; your guide will share unique facts and history at each stop before allowing a few minutes for exploration and photos. No other tour in DC will get you an up close look to as many sites in the same amount of time. Those on foot will envy you! ​ On this tour, you will see: The Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, WWII Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Albert Einstein Memorial and the White House.
Inclusions: Guided tour includes comfort bike rental, helmet, snack, bottled water, safety lights, and reflective vest
NOT included: Gratuities

Departs from Central Wharf in Boston New England Aquarium UNFORGETTABLE CRUISES  Whale Watch Nobody offers more departures or gets you to the whales faster to watch them longer.The World Wildlife Fund named Massachusetts one of the top 10 whale-watching spots in the world, saying, “The "wow factor" here is huge, as minke, finback, and humpback whales regularly glide through the waters, and glimpses of them spouting and breaching are practically guaranteed.”

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. The Queen’s Gallery was opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 29 November 2002, as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations. It hosts a programme of changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection.