Activities for your London, Edinburgh and Dublin Vacation

One of our most popular UK multi-city tours is a combination of London, Edinburgh and Dublin, and it’s no wonder as the diversity of these three cities is remarkable, making for a hugely enjoyable UK vacation with something for everyone.

While London is characterized by its cosmopolitan vibrancy and city chic, Edinburgh brings rugged highland scenes and Dublin thrills you with its Irish charm and Georgian architecture. Each city also has its own attractions and activities to enjoy, from Buckingham Palace in London, to Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh and Kilmainham Goal in Dublin. If you’re planning a multi-city vacation to the UK then it’s a good idea to pre-arrange tours and activities so that you can make the most of your time and ensure that you see all the best sights for an enjoyable vacation. But what are the best tours to enjoy and what activities should you certainly not miss out on? Here is our selection of the best tours and activities to enjoy on a London, Edinburgh and Dublin multi-center vacation.

LONDON

The iconic city of London has a wealth of activities that you can enjoy, as well as themed tours to suit a range of interests. For example, those interested in English literature will love the Shakespeare-themed city walking tour, which features Bankside and The Globe Theatre, while families will enjoy the Harry Potter and Paddington Bear themed tours. There are also historic walking tours, bike tours and tours with a focus on the Royal Family. Here are our favorite tours and activities and those loved by our valued customers:

Tours

London City Sightseeing Tour: If you want to see all the main sights without worrying about the best route about the city or missing important landmarks then we highly recommend a sightseeing tour. You can choose from walking tours of specific boroughs of London, bike tours or hop-on/hop-off bus tours, which are a great, economical choice as you can also use your bus ticket to conveniently get about the city!

Evening Photo Walk: On this eclectic tour you join an award-winning professional photographer on a stunning evening walk around the glorious city of London, with the opportunity to improve your composition skills whilst snapping unique shots and magical portraits of famous landmarks.

The Beatles London Walk: Take a fascinating daytime walking tour through the city, stopping by famous Beatles locations, such as the Apple Studio, the Abbey Road crossing and renowned filming sites. These tours are hosted by knowledgeable guides, who will tell you about what inspired and influenced The Beatles in making iconic music that is still loved throughout the world today.

Stonehenge Day Trip: Stonehenge is an archaeological wonder from the Neolithic era and is within easy reach of London on an enjoyable day trip that will also allow you to take in some of the beautiful scenery on the south of England. Here you can explore ancient landscape, step inside Neolithic houses and visit the world-class exhibition and visitor center, which has over 250 prehistoric objects, as well as a 5500-year-old man!

Activities

London Dungeon: Journey 1000 years back through London’s murky past on a multi-sensory experience that includes thrilling rides and interactive sets. This is a great choice for families or those looking for a fun way to discover the history of this iconic city, including the dramatic Gunpowder Plot, Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper.

Imperial War Museum: If you have an interest in history then the Imperial War Museum is a fascinating place to discover, especially the Churchill War Rooms, where you can visit the underground headquarters that sheltered Churchill during The Blitz.

Kew Gardens: If you’re visiting London during the spring or summer months then we highly recommend visiting the stunningly beautiful Kew Gardens, which are home to rare wildlife, beautiful native and tropical plants and flowers, and a tree-top walkway with magnificent views.

Madame Tussauds: Come face-to-face with celebrities and famous figures at the hugely entertaining Madame Tussauds gallery near Marylebone. It has 14 interactive zones, a 4D movie experience and over 300 wax figures to pose with, including David Beckham, One Direction and The Queen.

London Eye: If you want a romantic treat whilst on your UK vacation then we suggest booking tickets to the London Eye, which is a huge Ferris wheel overlooking the River Thames. It affords stunning sights of the cityscape and is particularly romantic at night when the city lights up in starry colors.

EDINBURGH

Tours

Highlands Tour: The Edinburgh cityscape is certainly beautiful, with gothic charm and historic buildings, but we recommend taking a day or two to escape the city and immerse yourself in the natural scenes of the Scottish Highlands. Several guided day or overnight tours are available, but you could also hire a car to explore Northern Scotland at your own pace. Popular places to visit include Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Inverness.

Da Vinci Code Tour: If you loved Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code then this is a great tour for you as it takes you on a fascinating excursion to the Scottish Borders, including the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, which was a key feature of the film and book, and the quaint and charming town of Melrose, where you’ll find Melrose Abbey.

Tour of the Underground Vaults: You may not know that there is an intricate network of 18^th-century chambers beneath the city of modern Edinburgh, known as the South Bridge Vaults. There are a variety of unique tours that you can enjoy of the vaults, including informative daytime tours with historic tales, and also night-time ghost tours with stories of the spirits that are rumored to haunt these almost-forgotten spaces.

Activities

Edinburgh Castle: We cannot recommend visiting Edinburgh Castle to you enough! It has ample historic charm to enjoy and also offers epic views out over the city so that you can capture unforgettable photos of your wonderful UK vacation. It is also home to the marvelously glitzy Scottish Crown Jewels and there is an on-site National War Museum, where you can discover how history shaped the Scotland that we know and love today. For a relaxing experience, we recommend pre-arranging “skip the line” tickets, which grant you privileged entry.

Whisky Masterclass: This is the perfect activity for whisky enthusiasts or those wanting to learn more about this warming spirit that has long been considered medicinal in Scotland. As a part of this experience you can take in the outstanding Diageo Claive Vidiz whisky collection, learn about blends, single grains and malts, and sample different whiskies during a fun blind taste test. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the different ingredients and aging methods from an expert and gain insight into the mysterious art of blending. If this is your thing then you may be interested in our dedicated whisky tour of Edinburgh and Dublin, which features guided tours of local distilleries and whisky tasting.

Holyrood Palace: Discover the stunning Palace of Holyrood House along the Royal Mile and learn about its magnificent Baroque architecture, rare tapestries and beautiful manicured gardens. You may even spot The Queen as the palace is her official Scottish residence!

DUBLIN

Tours

Game of Thrones Tour: If you’re a fan of the HBO series Game of Thrones, this is the perfect tour to make your UK vacation absolutely unforgettable! It’s a two-day tour from Dublin, which includes Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway, and allows you to discover the iconic locations used to film Game of Thrones, including Dark Hedges Road and the Cushenden Caves.

Countryside Excursion: Ireland boasts some of the prettiest natural scenery in all of the UK and we highly recommend enjoying an excursion to the rolling Irish hills and magical glens during your London, Edinburgh and Dublin vacation. Popular natural retreats include Co. Wicklow and Glendalough, which feature ancient monasteries, babbling brooks, romantic glens and beautiful mountain scenes.

Giant’s Causeway: We highly recommend escaping the city charm of Dublin and visiting the stunning and wild Irish coast, where you’ll find the natural splendor of the Giant’s Causeway, which is a UNESCO-protected site featuring panoramic views, dramatic coastal scenes and incredible rock sculptures that are so perfect it is hard to believe they were laid there by an ancient volcanic eruption. This is a great option for those that want to experience the outdoors as there are some beautiful coastal walking trails close to the Giant’s Causeway.

Activities

Guinness Taste Experience: One of the icons of Dublin is Guinness – a draught beer with a smooth, velvety texture that is considered by many as the national drink of Ireland. On this fun and lively experience you will be treated to a visit to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, where you can enjoy a luxurious bar-lounge atmosphere and a tasting session, sampling different Guinness blends.

Irish Dancing: If you have been captivated by glorious Irish dancers such as Michael Flatley, who tour the world with their magical and enthusiastic form of dancing, then why not enjoy a night of traditional Irish dancing, with professional dancers showcasing different styles and techniques. There will also be opportunities for audience participation so that you can learn some moves yourself!

Golf Experience: There are a great many golf clubs dotted around Ireland, which boast fast greens, mature trees, natural lakes and beautiful stone clubhouses. It’s a wonderful place to enjoy a golf experience and we can also arrange golf lessons so that you can hone your skills during your relaxing UK vacation. If you are interested in a golfing vacation then you may like to check out this recent blog on the best golf resorts in Europe.