The Festive Markets of Yorkshire

Meet your Tour Manager at our hotel in Harrogate, enjoying a glass of mulled wine on arrival. You have some free time before dinner. This gives you the perfect opportunity to acquaint yourself with Harrogate, your base for this holiday.

Harrogate is an elegant spa town nestled in the Yorkshire Dales, and boasts a rich cultural, historical, and architectural heritage. The town is famous for its natural and mineral rich spa waters, which were fashionable with the affluent classes during the Georgian and Victorian eras. The royal baths and Turkish baths here were originally opened in 1897 and have been beautifully restored.

Harrogate is also famous for Bettys Tea Room, a Harrogate institution since its establishment in 1919 and a must-try for visitors to the town. Sample delicious fare which includes a variety of freshly-baked bread, cakes and chocolates, as well as over 50 different teas and coffees, all in the delightful surroundings of a charming, historic tea room.

• Dinner

Today, take the train to nearby York, where you embark on a fascinating guided walking tour.

York is a magnificent medieval city which offers history and beauty in abundance. Enclosed by the most complete medieval defensive wall in England, York's ancient streets nearly all lead to the cherished centrepiece of the city: York Minster. The largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, the Minster was built in the 13th century but occupies a spot that's been dominated by religious orders since 627AD.

You also visit the fascinating Shambles. One of the world's best-preserved medieval streets, the Shambles were originally home to a number of butchers and many of their hooks and meats shelves are still present today. Walking down the Shambles is a truly remarkable experience, as you take in the narrow paths, quaint cobblestones, and overhanging timber-framed buildings - some of which date back to the 14th century.

Following the tour, you have free time. With its medieval charms and old-world atmosphere, York is an idyllic city in which to truly get into the festive atmosphere. Perhaps visit one of city's museums or galleries, such as the National Railway Museum. Or, browse York's pretty Christmas market, which offers an interesting assortment of gifts, crafts, local farm produce, and continental foods. Stroll through the Parliament Square, lined with charming wooden stalls, and take in the warming scent of mulled wine and bratwurst as you indulge in a spot of Christmas shopping.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's excursion takes you on the Settle-Carlisle Railway. Widely regarded as one of the best-engineered tracks in England, this was the last mainline railway to be built in the UK and offers a truly spectacular journey through some of the country's most fantastic scenery.

You travel by coach to Settle, where you join the train to begin your panoramic rail journey to Carlisle. Sit back and relax as you journey through miles of Yorkshire and Cumbrian countryside, seeing meadows and dramatic peaks in all their winter finery. On arrival, you have some time to explore. Carlisle is beautiful at Christmas, boasting delightfully festive Christmas markets, which sell a range of different goods from local producers. You return to Settle, where you continue by coach to Harrogate.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy an excursion to picture-postcard Grassington. At this time of year, Grassington comes alive, as the scenic rural setting forms the backdrop to the annual Dickensian Festival.

The attractively decorated central square is transformed into a traditional marketplace harking back to the time of Dickens, where shopkeepers and villagers - all dressed up in Victorian costume - display their wares. You have some time to explore this unique Christmas market before making the return journey to Harrogate. Your tour concludes after breakfast on Day 5, and you are free to depart.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Your tour concludes after breakfast on Day 5, and you are free to depart.

• Breakfast