In order to enjoy European luxury travel to London and Edinburgh, there are certain aspects of your travel arrangements that must be right. These are detailed below, and if even one of these is not as it should be, then you should continue your search for a travel company that provides you with what you want: true luxury without nasty surprises.



1. The first is the cost. When you pay for your vacation, you should not then find other hidden costs that you were unaware of. Costs such as meals, transfers and others should be detailed immediately, and a good company will include all of these in the cost of your vacation.

2. Your flights should be at least by business class. How can you enjoy a vacation packed into economy? That's not luxury, it's an ordeal, so make sure that you have at least business class, or look elsewhere.

3. How many people are traveling with you? True luxury is you and your partner, not you and 50 others. Road travel should be by limousine - just the two of you and your chauffeur - nobody else, except perhaps your personal guide. Look for a company that can provide that level of personal service.

4. European luxury travel must involve first class train travel or it would not be luxury, it would be standard, and you will need a train when you are traveling in Britain. Flying is fine, but you would miss so much that would see from a comfortable first class train carriage.

5. Your hotels should be the very best, and hand picked for their commitment to personal attention. Anything less should not be good enough.

6. Finally, all tickets to exhibitions, shows and tours round the country should be included in the price. Too many people end up paying twice the vacation price for the so called 'optional tours, trips and entrance fees'. Yours should included.

That said, what is there that you should see on your luxury vacation in London. Buckingham Palace and the like is available for you to have a look at, but you didn't seek European luxury travel to London just to do the 'touristy' things that everybody else does. Sure, you will see the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, but you should also check out Trafalgar Square where you find the massive monument built by the nation as thanks for Lord Horatio Nelson's sacrifice of life at sea during the Battle of Trafalgar, and also Apsley House, given by the nation to the Duke of Wellington for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo.

The Tower of London is a 'must' to any tourist, and a viewing, not only of the crown jewels but also of where Anne Boleyn and many others had their heads severed from their bodies. The Tower Bridge is also worth a visit before you head off north to Edinburgh in Scotland. The most Northerly county in England is the county of Northumberland, and is worth seeing before crossing the border into Scotland.

Northumberland is about 350 miles north of London, and involves a train journey. Newcastle is the largest city in that part of Britain, and the North is well known for its castles and stately homes. Alnwick castle is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, and it is well worth a visit to see how the other half live, as they say in England. You could also visit Hadrian's wall, built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to keep out the Scots, and there is also a Roman fort and baths up here.

On the way to Edinburgh, you could take a diversion and visit Falkirk, where you will find the Wallace Monument, a monument to the great Scots patriot William Wallace, of whom the film 'Braveheart' was made (though with some Hollywood embellishments!). Then onto Edinburgh where you can visit the famous castle that overlooks Princes Street, the most famous street in Edinburgh, with gardens down the South side and the shops down the north. Other attractions include Holyrood House, once the home of Mary Queen of Scots, and if you like being scared, the haunted houses and caverns beneath the city.

Edinburgh is best visited by foot, since there is so much to see over a small area. Apart from the above, you have the Children's Museum, the Royal Museum of Scotland, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Scottish National Art Gallery right there in Princes Street at the bottom of the Mound that leads up to the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile runs from Edinburgh Castle, sitting on a volcanic plug overlooking the city, right down to Holyrood House, with the Scottish Parliament building close by.

European luxury travel to London and Edinburgh could also take in many other towns and cities on the way, but a tour of Edinburgh and a trip to Northumberland is a good choice to add to a London vacation to provide you with a luxury holiday in Britain that you will remember all your life.