Literary Origins on the British Isles

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Program number: 2430775NN
Group Leader's name: Camy Brunson
Requested departure date: 5/18/2023
Requested return date: 5/28/2023
Departure gateway: Lubbock (TX)
11 days
Killarney, Blarney, Dublin, Holyhead, British Midlands, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, London
In the British Isles, the bindings of culture and history are as strong as King Arthur’s sword. As you zip across the landscapes that knights spent centuries battling for, it all comes into focus. Try not to blink as you see where ties were broken and kingdoms were defended. English works everywhere you go, but your jam-packed adventure will leave you fluent in everything British Isles.

🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.

  • Day 1: Fly overnight to Ireland

  • Day 2: Shannon • Killarney

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Travel to Killarney

    Visit Bunratty Castle, a living museum where visitors can see what Medieval Irish life was like

    Enjoy dinner in Killarney

  • Day 3: Killarney

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Kerry Bog Village Museum and wander through a re-creation of an Irish village from the early 1800s as costumed guides demonstrate the way of life that prevailed in 19th-century rural Ireland

    Take an excursion to the Ring of Kerry, a 112-mile coastal route with incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding mountain range of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks 

  • Day 4: Killarney • Blarney • Dublin

    Travel via Blarney to Dublin

    See the Rock of Cashel

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit Blarney Castle, the famed medieval fortification which is said to grant the gift of eloquence to anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone

    Enjoy a traditional Guinness stew dinner in Dublin

  • Day 5: Dublin

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Dublin 

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Dublin's five iconic Georgian squares, which span the north and south sides of Dublin and are surrounded by homes with colorful doors
    • O’Connell Street, a bustling street filled with monuments
    • St. Stephen’s Green, the largest of the five Georgian squares
    • Phoenix Park and the presidential residence

    See the Book of Kells at Trinity College, a manuscript created more than 1,000 years ago by Irish monks

    Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, whose presence honors the patron saint of Ireland

    🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Dublin on your own

  • Day 6: Dublin • Holyhead • British Midlands

    Travel via ferry to Holyhead, a port city in Wales

    Travel via Snowdonia and see its lush greenery on your way to the British Midlands  

    Visit a Welsh castle

    Enjoy dinner in the British Midlands

  • Day 7: British Midlands • Stratford-upon-Avon • Oxford • London

    Travel via the British Midlands to Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and London

    Take a tour of Stratford-upon-Avon 

    Enjoy lunch in Stratford-upon-Avon

    🔹 Guided learning: Visit the half-timbered house where Shakespeare was born and visit Anne Hathaway's cottage, a picturesque farmhouse where the Bard’s wife spent her childhood

    Take a tour of Oxford, the world's oldest university town whose alma maters include Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher

  • Day 8: London

    Take a guided tour of London

    With your expert local guide you will see: 

    • Big Ben, an iconic London bell at the Palace of Westminster
    • Houses of Parliament, home to England's governing body
    • Piccadilly Circus, a five-way intersection 
    • St. Paul’s Cathedral, a domed church which has hosted many royal events
    • Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)
    Add this in-depth excursion
    Windsor Castle

    Windsor Castle

    Sometimes you just need 13 acres of castles, towers, and gardens to really unwind—or at least you do if you're a British royal. Wander onto this tremendous retreat favored by the Royal Family for the afternoon, and explore what is essentially a small town. Behind the walls of its exquisite architecture you’ll find treasures that date back to its origins in 1070—from original Da Vinci sketches to the royal remains of monarchs past.  

    Enjoy a fish and chips dinner in London

  • Day 9: London

    Take a guided excursion to Stonehenge and Bath

    Visit Stonehenge, whose origin and purpose is unknown, though most believe it to have been a temple and observatory or a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from societies of long ago

    Visit the Roman Baths which was a favorite vacation destination of early Romans and 18th-century English aristocracy alike and built for their enjoyment of the hot springs

  • Day 10: London

    🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a full day exploring London on your own

  • Day 11: Depart for home

View full itinerary

  • Day 1: Fly overnight to Ireland

  • Day 2: Shannon • Killarney

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Travel to Killarney

    Visit Bunratty Castle, a living museum where visitors can see what Medieval Irish life was like

    Enjoy dinner in Killarney

  • Day 3: Killarney

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Kerry Bog Village Museum and wander through a re-creation of an Irish village from the early 1800s as costumed guides demonstrate the way of life that prevailed in 19th-century rural Ireland

    Take an excursion to the Ring of Kerry, a 112-mile coastal route with incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding mountain range of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks 

  • Day 4: Killarney • Blarney • Dublin

    Travel via Blarney to Dublin

    See the Rock of Cashel

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit Blarney Castle, the famed medieval fortification which is said to grant the gift of eloquence to anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone

    Enjoy a traditional Guinness stew dinner in Dublin

  • Day 5: Dublin

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Dublin 

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Dublin's five iconic Georgian squares, which span the north and south sides of Dublin and are surrounded by homes with colorful doors
    • O’Connell Street, a bustling street filled with monuments
    • St. Stephen’s Green, the largest of the five Georgian squares
    • Phoenix Park and the presidential residence

    See the Book of Kells at Trinity College, a manuscript created more than 1,000 years ago by Irish monks

    Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, whose presence honors the patron saint of Ireland

    🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Dublin on your own

  • Day 6: Dublin • Holyhead • British Midlands

    Travel via ferry to Holyhead, a port city in Wales

    Travel via Snowdonia and see its lush greenery on your way to the British Midlands  

    Visit a Welsh castle

    Enjoy dinner in the British Midlands

  • Day 7: British Midlands • Stratford-upon-Avon • Oxford • London

    Travel via the British Midlands to Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and London

    Take a tour of Stratford-upon-Avon 

    Enjoy lunch in Stratford-upon-Avon

    🔹 Guided learning: Visit the half-timbered house where Shakespeare was born and visit Anne Hathaway's cottage, a picturesque farmhouse where the Bard’s wife spent her childhood

    Take a tour of Oxford, the world's oldest university town whose alma maters include Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher

  • Day 8: London

    Take a guided tour of London

    With your expert local guide you will see: 

    • Big Ben, an iconic London bell at the Palace of Westminster
    • Houses of Parliament, home to England's governing body
    • Piccadilly Circus, a five-way intersection 
    • St. Paul’s Cathedral, a domed church which has hosted many royal events
    • Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)
    Add this in-depth excursion
    Windsor Castle

    Windsor Castle

    Sometimes you just need 13 acres of castles, towers, and gardens to really unwind—or at least you do if you're a British royal. Wander onto this tremendous retreat favored by the Royal Family for the afternoon, and explore what is essentially a small town. Behind the walls of its exquisite architecture you’ll find treasures that date back to its origins in 1070—from original Da Vinci sketches to the royal remains of monarchs past.  

    Enjoy a fish and chips dinner in London

  • Day 9: London

    Take a guided excursion to Stonehenge and Bath

    Visit Stonehenge, whose origin and purpose is unknown, though most believe it to have been a temple and observatory or a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from societies of long ago

    Visit the Roman Baths which was a favorite vacation destination of early Romans and 18th-century English aristocracy alike and built for their enjoyment of the hot springs

  • Day 10: London

    🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a full day exploring London on your own

  • Day 11: Depart for home

Your experience includes

See more

  • Round-trip airfare

    Your price includes round-trip airfare for your whole group

  • Accommodations

    Safe, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms will be waiting for you at your destination.

  • On-tour transportation

    Land and water transportation

  • Regional-style meals

    Daily breakfasts and select local dinners are included in your program. Generally, we leave lunch up to you so your group has an opportunity to explore its own tastes.

  • End-to-end support

    Your team helps to secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides recruiting tools and helps establish your program's ongoing presence on campus.

  • EF Global Learning Toolkit

    To capitalize on moments for building empathy, awareness, and adaptability in a global environment, we offer a number of different tools designed to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.

  • Full-time Tour Director

    Your Tour Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all program logistics.

  • Expert Local Guides

    Your expert Local Guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and enhancing teaching moments wherever your curriculum takes you.

  • Guided sightseeing

    Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides who join your group for select experiences on tour.

  • Entrances

    Bog Museum, Blarney Castle, Book of Kells at the Trinity College Library, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Welsh Castle, Shakespeare’s birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s cottage; with extension: Stonehenge, Roman Baths

  • Worldwide support, safety and security

    EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide. We provide 24-hour emergency support service along with a comprehensive $50 million liability policy that covers you and your institution while abroad.

  • Flexible payment options

    Give more students the opportunity to study abroad by offering them two different payment plan options, along with our TripFunder website to help fundraise for the program.

Building skills for a global world

Whether you're aiming for a promotion, want to land your dream job, or hoping to leave your comfort zone, international experience gives you the skills you need to succeed in an increasingly global world.
 97% growth in the number of students who were confident navigating unfamiliar places post study abroad.1  93% of students who studied abroad and entered the workforce were employed within 6 months of graduation, compared to 49% who did not study abroad.2  Students who studied abroad saw 100% greater improvement in GPA.3

 

 

*Sources: 1: EF Study Abroad Program Impact 2018; 2: IES Abroad 2015; 3: Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative 2010  

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