Bateaux Parisiens - Lunch Cruise - Service Premier

You may have seen New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art before, but you've never seen it like this.  Travel through 6,000 years and across the globe in just a few hours, to gain a greater understanding of the length and breadth of this world-class collection.  In small groups of 15 people or fewer, you’ll delve into the history and art of the Met, seeing works come to life through the stories of your expert guide. We start our tour in the ancient world, with a visit to Ancient Egyptian tomb models.  Incredibly well preserved, these pieces were a more important discovery than they seem, as they offered pictorial insight into what life in Ancient Egypt was like. This insight continues at the incredible Temple of Dendur, fully intact and surreally displayed inside a naturally lit atrium, nestled in Central Park.  Our world tour returns to New York for stained glass by Tiffany and then hops over to Britain to size up the armor of notorious King Henry VIII.  We then head east for the Antioch Chalice, believed by some to be the Holy Grail itself, the cup from which Jesus drank on the night he was betrayed.  Believe the story?  You’ll have time to debate its merits with your expert guide.  For historians our next few stops are a true delight – the Greek and Roman wing contain elegant statues, imperial Roman busts, and intact frescos buried along with those at Pompeii. Off to exotic Oceania to see boldly carved Bisj poles from Papua New Guinea, for which a Rockefeller gave his life.  We’ll then move to the second floor to admire Water Lilies by Monet, a Thinker by Rodin, and the swirling strokes of van Gogh. It’s break time inside the museum or atop the rooftop garden (May-October only, weather permitting) for verdant vistas of Central Park.  If you’ve booked the extended version, the tour continues to the Golden Age of Dutch painting, perusing portraits by Rembrandt and marveling at the virtuosity of Vermeer.  After a brief passage through Italy, it’s off to Spain to see El Greco and to  France for Jacques-Louis David’s famous Death of Socrates.  A little scandal is in store, as your guide gives the inside story of John Singer Sargent’s infamous Madame X.   You’ll then be dwarfed by the immense iconic Washington Crossing the Delaware – one of the most recognized paintings in the United States.  Besides from what’s listed here, you’ll see little surprises and quirks of the collection as you tour.  Our small group and expert guides will allow you to ask questions, be engaged, and take the most from your Met experience! Inclusions: Pre-arranged Met Museum tickets, with donation included  Expert local tour guide Small groups of only 15 people or fewer *Rooftop garden (early May-October, weather permitting) Exclusions: Gratuities for guide Hotel pick-up/drop-off Food/Beverages Sites Visited: Ancient Egyptian Tomb Models (original and perfectly preserved) Temple of Dendur Egyptian mummies Armor of King Henry VIII Antioch Chalice a.k.a. the "Holy Grail" Greek and Roman Statuary Ancient Roman Frescoes Tiffany glass and mosaics Rodin sculptures Bisj Poles from New Guinea Claude Monet – Water Lillies Vincent van Gogh - Selected Works Auguste Rodin - Sculptures Rembrandt van Rijn - Portraits Johannes Vermeer - Selected Paintings Jacques-Louis David's Death of Socrates Madame X by John Singer Sargent Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuele Leutze Rooftop Garden (May–October only, weather permitting) Please note, this tour is in English only.

Leaving Glasgow you travel north-east to Stirling, where your first stop is the WallaceMonument*; a towering stone testimonial to the Scottish legend William Wallace. Inside you will find fascinating exhibits leading you through the life of the real Braveheart and most impressive of all, Wallace’s legendary 5ft 6in(1.7m) tall broadsword.  You then travel further north to Gleneagles Hotel Estate - one of Scotland’s world class golf resorts and site of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Enjoy a photo opportunity here and see where the international legends of golf play.  You will continuey your journey through the pretty countryside of Perthshire to your next stop in Crieff, where we visit The Famous Grouse Experience* at Glenturret Distillery. Learn about the traditional whisky-making process, see how you measure up to the world’s largest bottle of whisky and sample some of ‘The Water of Life’ itself at the fantastic Taste Experience bar. Timberbush Tours customers can also enjoy an exclusive tasting of the Black Grouse Alpha Edition; a rich, smoky blend available only at Glenturret Distillery. Enjoy a range of tasty lunch options in the Glenturret Cafe or take a stroll in the distillery grounds. In the afternoon you will travel west past beautiful Loch Earn and down through Strathyre to Kilmahog Woollen Mill for the chance to meet Hamish the Highland cow† continue on through the Trossachs - Scotland’s first national park, known as ‘the Highlands in miniature’ for its abundance of lochs, mountains and forests, where you'll discover the lands of legendary outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor. You will then make a brief refreshment stop in the pretty town of Aberfoyle, before returning to Glasgow.  *OPTIONAL EXTRA. †Hamish the Highland cow is moved to another location during winter months. Wed & Sat | ALL YEAR  Departs: 09:30 Returns: 18:00

Royal Albert Hall Did you know? There are 13,000 “A”s for Albert around Hall The Hall is home to the world's largest single woven carpet design, made of 326,666 sheep fleeces and 49 million tufts getting it into the Guinness World Records The world’s biggest Christmas pudding was made at the Hall and weighed ten tonnes The first ever body-building contest and Sumo wrestling tournament outside Japan took place in the main auditorium The Elgar Room used to be home to the Central School of Speech & Drama, giving a stage to names including Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Judy Dench 5,500 bottles of champagne and 1,800 bottles of gin are drunk at the Hall every year Afternoon Tea was introduced to Britain by Queen Victoria. The first tea party was held at the Hall in 1912. The tradition continues today in the Hall's Verdi Restaurant The Royal Albert Hall Grand Tour is fully accessible.  Some time slots and/or dates are unavailable due to events taking place in the auditorium. The Royal Albert Hall was built to fulfil the vision of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort) of a 'Central Hall' that would be used to promote understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences and would stand at the heart of the South Kensington estate, surrounded by museums and places of learning. The Hall is a Grade I Listed building; and has been in continuous use since it was opened in March 1871. It was always conceived as a multipurpose building to host not only concerts of music but exhibitions, public meetings, scientific conversations and award ceremonies. It is a registered charity held in trust for the nation and is financially self sufficient, receiving no funding from central or local government. Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition & Globe Theatre Tour Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition is the world's largest exhibition devoted to Shakespeare and the London in which he lived and worked. Housed beneath the reconstructed Globe Theatre on London's Bankside, the exhibition explores the remarkable story of the Globe, and brings Shakespeare's world to life using a range of interactive displays and live demonstrations. Visitors to the exhibition can discover how shows were produced in the theatres of Shakespeare's time, from writing and rehearsals to music, dance and performance. There are opportunities to learn about the traditional crafts and techniques used during the process of rebuilding the Globe; to find out how special effects were produced in Shakespeare's time, to listen to recordings from some of the most memorable Shakespearean performances ever, or join the cast and add your own voice to a scene recorded by Globe actors; to create your own Shakespearean phrases in the word jungle; to watch a sword-fighting display and browse the costume collection, where you can learn about the extraordinary methods used in creating clothes 400 years ago. Information sheets are available in English, large print, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Polish, Romanian, Chinese and Japanese.  

Leaving Edinburgh you will travel west where your first stop is the Wallace Monument* in Stirling; a towering stone testimonial to the Scottish legend William Wallace. Inside you will find fascinating exhibits leading you through the life of the real Braveheart, and most impressive of all, Wallace’s legendary 5ft 6in(1.7m) tall broadsword. You then travel north to Gleneagles Hotel Estate - one of Scotland’s world class golf courses and site of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Enjoy a photo opportunity here and see where the international legends of golf play.  You continue your journey through the pretty countryside of Perthshire to your next stop in Crieff, where you visit The Famous Grouse Experience* at Glenturret Distillery. Learn about the traditional whisky-making process, see how you measure up to the world’s largest bottle of whisky and sample some of ‘The Water of Life’ itself at the fantastic Taste Experience bar. Timberbush Tours customers can also enjoy an exclusive tasting of the Black Grouse Alpha Edition; a rich, smoky blend available only at Glenturret Distillery. Enjoy a range of tasty lunch options in the Glenturret Café or take a stroll in the distillery grounds.  After lunch you move on through the picturesque scenery of the “Sma’ Glen” until you reach the beautiful Hermitage for a short woodland walk (time permitting). Afterwards, you then continue on to the town of Dunkeld, where there will be a break for refreshments and a visit to ancient Dunkeld Cathedral. You will then leave Perthshire and journey to the charming town of South Queensferry, where you can make a brief stop to admire magnificent views of the Forth Bridges before returning to Edinburgh. *OPTIONAL EXTRA. Tue, Thu & Sun | ALL YEAR  Departs: 09:00 Returns: 18:00

Sites Visited: Death Casts Porta Marina The Basilica The Temple of Apollo The Roman Forum Pompeii’s Main Street The Macellum – ancient supermarket The ‘Cave Canem’ home of the Tragic Poet Roman Bakery The Cemetary A Pompeii brothel (if appropriate for the group) Panoramc walk on the city walls, with views of Naples and Capri  

Royal Albert Hall  Did you know? There are 13,000 “A”s for Albert around Hall The Hall is home to the world's largest single woven carpet design, made of 326,666 sheep fleeces and 49 million tufts getting it into the Guinness World Records The world’s biggest Christmas pudding was made at the Hall and weighed ten tonnes The first ever body-building contest and Sumo wrestling tournament outside Japan took place in the main auditorium The Elgar Room used to be home to the Central School of Speech & Drama, giving a stage to names including Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Judy Dench 5,500 bottles of champagne and 1,800 bottles of gin are drunk at the Hall every year Afternoon Tea was introduced to Britain by Queen Victoria. The first tea party was held at the Hall in 1912. The tradition continues today in the Hall's Verdi Restaurant   The Royal Albert Hall Grand Tour is fully accessible.  Some time slots and/or dates are unavailable due to events taking place in the auditorium. The Royal Albert Hall was built to fulfil the vision of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort) of a 'Central Hall' that would be used to promote understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences and would stand at the heart of the South Kensington estate, surrounded by museums and places of learning. The Hall is a Grade I Listed building; and has been in continuous use since it was opened in March 1871. It was always conceived as a multipurpose building to host not only concerts of music but exhibitions, public meetings, scientific conversations and award ceremonies. It is a registered charity held in trust for the nation and is financially self sufficient, receiving no funding from central or local government. Thames River Red Rover Hopper Pass With the River Red Rover ticket you travel in luxury on a fleet of river liners and may hop on or off at any of the piers as often as you like throughout the day. As the River Thames weaves its way through the heart of London there is history around every bend and there is no better way to see and experience the sights and splendour of this great city than from one of City Cruises modern, wheelchair-friendly RiverLiners™. Enjoy unsurpassed views of some of London's most famous landmarks from the vantage point of our open upper decks and spacious lower saloons with panoramic windows. Take advantage of two bars providing light refreshments and snacks . Cruises depart frequently from Westminster Pier, Waterloo (London Eye) Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier every day of the year except Christmas Day (25th December). Our shortest trips between piers last about 20-30 minutes while the full round trip takes about two-and-a-half leisurely hours.