I have 14 days of vacation(2 more for travel)and I am trying to decide which 2 places would be best. Each time I make a choice someone says something that changes my mind. I would love to visit England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. However I know trying to see 4 countries would be too much driving and lots less enjoying. I had a great trip planned for Ireland and London, then my friends started talking about how great Scotland is. Then I read a book about all the castles and great things in Wales. Now I just don't know, so I thought I'd ask people who have been to all these places. If you only had time to see 2 of these places-where would you go. I like history, beauty, food, castles, museums and visiting churches. I don't want to spend alot of money(I know that this part of the world is expensive)but I want to enjoy this wonderful trip. We would split our time between B&B's and hostels to help with cost. Oh and we are both in our 50's. Thanks

Well - even saying "which 2" is fairly arbitrary. You could stay all 14 days in Scotland (or one tiny part of Scotland for that matter), or split between Scotland and Wales, or between Ireland and Wales or between London and Ireland or between any one and any one.

You really can't go wrong w/ any of them. The one things is - you can't "do" everything in even one of them in 14 days.

We could help you w/ a nice itinerary no matter the choice(s) - but we'd need a bit more info

What time of year? and, do you plan on driving or using public transport?

If it were me I would either 1) spend about 4 or 5 days in London and the rest in Scotland, or 2) all 14 days in Scotland. But that is just me and Scotland is my favorite place on Earth.

With two weeks you can see parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. Just get a good guidebook and set your priorities.

Ask yourself which two you'd pick if you knew you would go to the others next year. Do your dream destinations now. ONly you know what they are, and the true reasons why.

And if you want to be thrifty but not feel it so much, skip London. And if you can, skip Heathrow!

England and Scotland

I think you can get a taste of all 4 countries in 2 weeks. I did this some years ago, and enjoyed it very much.

On the other hand, you could spend the two weeks in one country (or county, or village) and barely scratch the surface. My solution to this dilemma is to return again and again.

I think this forum is terrific for specific travel advice and opinions. But the trip is for you. Not us. Not your friends. What would you like to do? Is there a place that grabs your heart?

These are all great destinations, so you really can't make a mistake.

Hi evangelina,
Tough question! We just spent two weeks in England, Wales & Scotland in June-July on our first-ever trip to the U.K. Our trip is a good example of what one can accomplish in two weeks (actually it was 17 days including driving to and from Germany) but we were willing to do a LOT of driving. I am in the middle of posting my report here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35080152

I'm with janis in that Scotland was my favorite. I think you can find everything you are looking for there. I figure that the next time we visit the U.K. (which will involve flying from the States), we will fly into London and spend a few days there, then head up to Scotland for the rest of our time. (We skipped London on this trip because it was so expensive and we didn't want to deal with our car in the city.) On second thought, we might want to go to Ireland too...

It is definitely more expensive to travel in the U.K. with the weak dollar, but if you do your research you should be able to find decent B&Bs in the $100-150 range.

If you like history, beauty, food, castles, museums and visiting churches, all four fit the bill. Pick one to enjoy the culture at a good pace because there is so much to see. Seeing two may work. Even all four can be done if you like to see castles from inside your car. Read;

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35079360

Hi E,

>I had a great trip planned for Ireland and London, ....

Go back to your Ireland/London visit and stop listening to everyone who tells what they would do.

You can't see everything in 2 weeks.

Enjoy your visit.

She can not go wrong with any or more of the four. What pace do you like? I think three or four is only for the fastest mouse in all of mexico but it can be done. You will cover more area if you stay in 8 to 10 different hotels. Do you want to?

Ms. Evangelina, why not visit sites that are similar to your vocation. Are you a nurse? An English teacher? Establish a goal: The difference between English schools and my local USA one. Maybe you could search out the best, Fish and Chips recipe in England or Wales or Scotland. I have a friend who tours Europe every few years seeking sites with organs! She teaches music. I muse that too many of us simply wander about on vacations without any learning purpose. How about half your time in Ireland and half in Northern Ireland? Are there differences?

ira: &quot;<i>Go back to your Ireland/London visit and stop listening to everyone who tells what they would do.</i>&quot;

Well - she DID ask us where we'd go . . .