The Great Tours: England, Scotland, and Wales

By: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt

Whether you are searching for the past or want to better understand the world as it is today, travel - even virtually, from the comfort of home - offers a unique opportunity to see the world in new ways.

Wander the streets of cosmopolitan London, roam the 1,000-year-old campuses of Oxford and Cambridge, or tour world-famous museums like the Tate Modern and the National Railway Museum. Or maybe you are aiming for a more pastoral adventure, like an expedition across the romantic wilds of the Scottish Highlands or a journey to see the breathtaking vistas of the Jurassic coast. No matter what experience you are hoping to find, a tour of England, Scotland, and Wales rewards visitors with an astonishing array of historical, cultural, and scenic pleasures and reveals the heritage of a region that has influenced the world immeasurably.

But where should a would-be tourist start? Which are the truly must-see places? And where are the hidden gems that your average guidebook might omit? In other words, how do you get the most out of a tour through this magnificent island?

The Great Tours: England, Scotland, and Wales is just the source you need! Taught by acclaimed Professor Patrick Allitt, a British-born scholar who teaches at Emory University, these 36 splendid lectures give you an insider’s take on traveling through Great Britain. Whether you are planning a week-long vacation, a month-long grand tour, or just want to experience England, Scotland, and Wales from afar, this immersive course takes you on a voyage through not only the most popular tourist sites but also a trove of “hidden gems” overlooked by the traditional guidebooks.

Visually dazzling to help you see - and hear - the cosmopolitan cities and the breathtaking countryside, The Great Tours: England, Scotland, and Wales packs a punch for the insight it offers into this small island that has had an outsized influence on the world’s stage.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLC

Sites to see with a brief history

Going to England for the first time. Loved his presentation and opinions. The brief history will be helpful. Enjoyed so much, listened to it twice.

Excellent. Delightful content and narration.

Having been to the UK about 20x, I'm just now reading these fantastic lectures AND NEED TO RETURN. I've got so much yet to see and do! Highly appreciated. Highly recommended.

Very well presented.

Great speaker. Interesting info. Enough new so it wasn’t just same old thing. Refreshing! Wish great courses would eliminate the fanfare between chapters.

Excellent all round.

Would have been nice to add a lecture on musical tradition in Britain.

Going to England? This is a must read.

If you are a fan of English history and wanted to visit, you need this book. Professor Allitt, a native Brit, knows how tell the story of England, Scotland and Wales.

Your first book should be Professor Allitt's book on the Industrial Revolution. You don't want to be the bloke asking about the canals and all.

Professor Allitt usually has a few chapters, in his books, on art. Music, sculpture, architecture, fine arts and such. It is good that he includes this, but, I'm not too "artsy". I am addressing mostly Americans on this topic. Until several years ago I never noticed how much English history is written into their pop and rock music. American music covers American history, mostly in folk and country genres, rarely in top 40 or rock and roll.

The first example is from The Rolling Stones, "Sympathy For The Devil".
"I rode a tank, Held a general's rank, When the blitzkrieg raged, And the bodies stank."

Another, from Led Zeppelin, "The Immigrant Song", about Vikings raiding Britain. I've been listening to LZ since there was an LZ. I did not realize what the song was about until I saw the video, "Viking Kittens". LZ and Rathergood.com/ seemed to patched things up. I can think of several more, but not for now.
https://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/vikingkittens

I bring this up, because Professor Allitt didn't. He might not have considered this only because, "Yeah, the Vikings came Britain and made a mess of things."

Yeah. Anyway, don't tour Britain before the listen to these books. You will miss a lot.