The MuggleNet Express

July 6 - July 15, 2008

It's Not Too Late! Sign-Up Date Extended to May 20th!

For Ages 15* + (*Ages 15 – 17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone.)

Unbeatable price of $1995

Space for this incredible tour is strictly limited to 20 travelers.

Come along on this truly magical tour, The MuggleNet Express, designed especially for the loyal fans of MuggleNet.Com. This great tour is our THIRD ANNUAL trip planned for the world's greatest Harry Potter enthusiasts. In response to requests for a less expensive Harry Potter themed tour of Scotland and northern England Magical Tours has created a trip that covers many of the same great places visited on our other Magical Tours (and not always seen on other company's itineraries), and at a substantially lower price. By reducing the cost of accommodations and meals, and relying on travelers to be a bit more flexible, we're pleased to offer this money-saving tour opportunity. Join Magical Tours /Your Man in Europe for the journey of a lifetime! What an adventure! This super expedition to Scotland and northern England is sure to please any Harry Potter fan. From splendid castles to spectacular lochs and mountains, there's something awesome every step of the way. For those who love rail travel or have never experienced it, this trip is a dream-come-true! Overnight accommodations for this tour will be in hostels specially selected for their outstanding locations and facilities. For more details please see the tour terms shown after the itinerary.

So start scraping your galleons together, and sign on for an exceptional sensory experience. See, hear, and feel the thrill of Harry’s magical world in Britain. Be a part of it. What are you waiting for?

Reserve your place by February 1st and receive a free Alivan's wand!

ITINERARY

July 6 (Sunday)

TransAtlantic flight to Edinburgh, Scotland (not included) Guests are responsible for making their own flight arrangements into Edinburgh, Scotland. Magical Tours will assist with transportation information, but flight connections are the responsibility of each tour participant. Guests should plan to arrive at the Edinburgh airport by 11 AM on July 7th. For those who wish to arrive earlier or extend the tour at the end Magical Tours will be pleased to offer tips on overnight accommodations at the airport or in the city, and any other information to help you have the best travel experience ever.

July 7 (Monday):

In the morning arrive at Edinburgh Airport (By 11 AM). The tour group will assemble at the airport for a quick orientation at 12 noon before boarding private transport into Edinburgh's city center.

Welcome to Edinburgh, home of J.K. Rowling! Our hostel in Edinburgh is ideally located right in the heart of the city. After lunch together in a historic restaurant just near our comfy hostel we'll have a nice walking tour to make you comfortable in your new neighborhood, The Royal Mile! This fascinating main street is so full of intriguing shops, you might feel as if you’ve discovered the real “Diagon Alley”. We'll explore the upper portion of the High Street to reveal some of the old city’s most famous tales and legends.

And then it's on to our welcoming dinner in the very restaurant where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book. After dinner, for those who are strong of heart, we’ll have a ghost walk into one of the scariest places in the world: deep in the underground Vaults of Edinburgh. If we emerge safely, we’ll scurry back to the safety of our cozy hostel, and hide under the covers!

July 8 (Tuesday):

Today will be one of the highlights of the trip. We’ll board our First Class train to travel to Alnwick, England, the location where many, many exterior shots of “Hogwarts” were filmed. The absolutely breathtaking Alnwick Castle and village alone are worth a trip to the British Isles! You may feel as if you really are at Hogwarts! We may even see an owl-flying demonstration and some other nice surprises where Harry’s first flying lesson took place! Lunch on your own is available at the castle's snack bar or restaurant. After a full day, we'll return to Edinburgh, and dinner on your own.

Hostels offer the use of shared kitchens and food storage for budget-minded travelers. Guests may cook their own meals, bring in prepared food, or order in pizzas. It's all very easy and relaxed. Grocery stores and take-out food outlets - like everything else - are within convenient walking distance from our hostel. Get together with a few friends to plan a do-it-yourself dinner, and save money and have fun at the same time.

July 9 (Wednesday):

Just when you think life can't get any better, we're off for a tour of the famed Edinburgh Castle designed for Magical Tours guests. We’ll get to see the Castle that is said to have inspired Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and where J.K. Rowling herself hosted the Half-Blood Prince book release celebration. This will be an unforgettable "Hogwarts" experience! After the tour of this magnificent castle, there will be free time to explore it on your own.

We’ll meet up for lunch together before our next adventure: a free-for-all wand duel (cleverly disguised as a muggle Laser Tag game), followed by some free time for the rest of the day. For those looking for a bit of exercise you can take the hike down the hill to the palace of Holyrood House, the royal residence of Queen Elizabeth in Edinburgh. From there you can look up to Arthur’s Seat, a massive volcanic outcropping in a huge town park just past the foot of the Royal Mile. Go for a climb to the top if the mood strikes you. Dinner will be on your own in a nearby restaurant or at the hostel.

July 10 (Thursday):

After an early breakfast we’ll have an experience you won’t believe! We'll travel to an ancient Scottish castle in the countryside for an up close and personal encounter with owls! You will get to handle and learn about flying owls, and to try your hand at really flying different kinds of owls just like those that appear in the Harry Potter movies! This will be something you will never forget!

After we return to Edinburgh everyone will have a chance to pick up something for lunch to have onboard our next train. This time to we're off to Durham where we’ll visit some of the most important filming locations for the first two Harry Potter movies. Durham Cathedral is magnificent, and there we’ll have a private tour where you can walk the familiar halls of "Hogwarts", stroll across the old school’s courtyard, and see Professor McGonagall’s classroom. It’s amazing – you may feel like you’re in a Harry Potter movie of your own! There will also be time to explore to beautiful city of Durham, George Washington's ancestral home. Many of our previous guests have said that Durham is one of their favorite places on the entire tour. Before we return to Edinburgh we'll stop off at just the right restaurant for dinner together in Durham. After arrival back in Edinburgh the rest of the evening will be free time, and a chance to check out some of Edinburgh's lively nightlife - or not....

July 11 (Friday):

Today we board our train early and depart Edinburgh for the Scottish Highlands. This train ride is considered by many to be one of the finest rail journeys in the world! We'll have a breakfast and snack as we roll along through the awesome Highland scenery. Within easy view of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak, we disembark for our stay in “Harry Potter country”. Everyone knows that Hogwarts is really in Scotland – so it must be near here somewhere! We’ll be staying at a private accommodation within easy walking distance of the Fort William town center, and just a short drive from the woodland glen where scenes from several of the Harry Potter films were shot. Though we'll have a small bus for touring, those who love hiking in magnificent scenery are definitely in the right place! After checking into our cozy home-away-from-home we'll stop by the town center for a quick lunch together before we begin our exploration of the area. We'll visit many film locations used in the Harry Potter films, including the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, featured in several of the movies, but most prominently in Chamber of Secrets. We'll have time to see the sights you really want to see at our own pace. Later we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner together at our lodgings.

July 12 (Saturday):

After a great breakfast, we begin another amazing adventure. Today we’ll ride the famous Jacobite Steam Train along through the rugged mountains, and over the famous Glefinnan Viaduct of Harry Potter film fame, following the same route Harry and his fellow Hogwarts students took on their way to their magical School! We’ll travel in rail cars just like those used in the filming of the “Hogwarts Express” scenes. This Highland rail journey to the rugged seacoast village of Mallaig and back is rated one of the “Greatest Rail Journeys of the World”! Lunch will be a special onboard treat!

After our return to Fort William we'll have a big pizza dinner together at our private dining room to fortify us for the next adventure. As twilight falls we’ll set out for a journey to the Forbidden Forest – very near the site of Hagrid’s hut in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The brave-hearted will venture - on foot and by lantern light - into the dark forest to serve our dreadful detention. If we escape the forest, we’ll make our way on foot to a wayside inn for a cup of hot chocolate. Then it’s back to our comfy rooms for a good sleep.

July 13 (Sunday):

We'll have breakfast at our cozy lodgings, and then set out for more touring in the local area. After a fun picnic lunch together everyone will have a choice of afternoon activities, including an exciting hike to Steall Falls, a real favorite of previous Magical Tours guests. It's a pretty rugged three-hour or so trek into some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery. It's the setting for Harry’s Dragon challenge in the Tri-wizard Competition in Goblet of Fire! Those up to the challenge will go there themselves to see if all the dragons have cleared out!

For dinner we'll all pitch in family-style to prepare our "Farewell to the Highlands" feast in our own private dining room. After we tidy up, we'll have a challenging Harry Potter trivia competition, complete with some great prizes for the Potter geniuses among our group.

July 14 (Monday):

This morning we'll have a leisurely breakfast before packing up for our return to Edinburgh by train. We'll have time for everyone to pick up their choices of lunch goodies to enjoy onboard, or you can buy "something from the trolley, dear" as we roll along, savoring our last view of the unforgettable Scottish Highlands.

After settling back in our new hostel, we'll go out for a nice dinner together at a historic restaurant on The Royal Mile. After our farewell dinner it will be our last evening to be part of Edinburgh's great night life, or to actually pack up for the journey home and get some decent sleep... whatever you like...

July 15 (Tuesday):

Our tour ends after breakfast at our hostel. Everyone will be provided with transportation to the Edinburgh airport for flight departures. We’ll be sad to part after our great adventure in the world of Harry Potter, but our band of MuggleNetters will have shared in a fantastic “magical experience”!

This limited size private tour will fill quickly. Don’t miss out!

Reservations and deposits for The MuggleNet Express must be received by May 20, 2008

This is not a “Big Bus Tour”. There will be no wake-up calls at 5 AM to herd onto the buses, or marathon cross-country slogs with a busload of exhausted fellow travelers. Our guests will travel at a relaxed pace, and have friendly, extremely knowledgeable guides for the entire tour – not just a bus driver and contracted tour guides. We do our best to set the mood, to weave a spell, and to make yours a total experience. This is not just a film-location “drop-by” trip. Each of the places visited will come to life through carefully planned presentations. Hostels and most restaurants on the entire journey have been selected for their very specific location or high level of “atmosphere”. The small group size allows us to personalize the experience in a way big groups simply cannot do. For those who haven’t experienced British rail travel there is simply no contest between long stuffy confining bus journeys and the openness, freedom and comfort of First Class train travel. Our travel adventure is not just another mass tour organized by a big commercial tour company to capitalize on a movie fad. It encompasses a genuine affection for an enduring classic of literature, as well as for a beautiful and historic country. This is much more than just a “Harry Potter” tour – anyone would love this unique view of England. We want you to be a real part of it all – not just a tourist passing through. Though this is a “budget” tour the price is not increased during the trip through endless additional charges for “extra” tours and arrangements you must handle on your own. If you want a complete, personalized, worry-free escorted tour of Harry Potter’s England – a magical journey - this is it!

Complete Prices $1995* Ages 15 to Adult

NOTE: The MAXIMUM for this small group tour is 20 persons, and the MINIMUM is 12 All prices are based on at least double occupancy. Single supplement not available *

SPECIAL NOTE: Prices are based on the October, 2007 British Pound to US Dollar exchange rate of 1 Great Britain Pound = $2.05 . Magical Tours/Your Man in Europe reserves the right to charge a tour supplement fee equal to any increases in the currency exchange rate exceeding a 2% loss in the US Dollar valuation. The Pound to Dollar currency exchange rate in 2007 proved very unfavorable for US visitors to Britain. If the trend continues Magical Tours will have no choice but to pass the cost increase on to our guests. We regret this situation, and hope that the exchange rate will not continue to deteriorate.

A WORD ABOUT HOSTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: This specially-priced tour includes overnight accommodations at hostels, rather than hotels or Bed & Breakfasts European hostels, especially those in a recognized affiliation of hostels, such as the Youth Hostel Association, offer comfortable, safe accommodations. Hostels are often converted houses, monasteries, castles, or other noteworthy buildings. Room sizes vary widely. Room assignments are made by the hostel staff, not by Magical Tours guides. We will do everything possible to make everyone comfortable with his or her personal space within the hostels. The hostels we will use have rooms from 2 person size to 8 person size, and will always include only members of our tour group – no outsiders. Segregation by age and sex will be the rule of the day. Minor children are always housed only with parents and siblings (or pre-approved adult chaperones). Magical Tours cannot guarantee that your hostel stays will have the level of privacy found in hotels. Sharing space with our fellow adult tour members is what it’s all about. Early reservations will mean greater availability of smaller room capacity, therefore fewer roommates. If you are not satisfied with this arrangement, this tour is not your best choice. Be advised! Another advantage for saving money is that hostels, unlike hotels, have kitchens and food storage facilities available to the guests free of charge. When meals are not included in the tour price those who wish to economize by shopping for food and preparing personal meals (or with a group of friends) are welcome to do so.

Tour Includes: All eight breakfasts throughout, five lunches and six dinners; all ground transportation including airport transfers and First Class rail travel, eight nights of overnight accommodation (based on double occupancy) in very specially–selected hostels, admissions to all attractions described in the tour itinerary, full time knowledgeable guide services, and standard gratuities. There will be no additional charges for tours and events offered by Magical Tours/Your Man in Europe.

Not Included: Airfare to, and returning from Edinburgh, optional travel insurance, extra beverages (meals will include 1 beverage and will be budgeted accordingly); a la cart or premium menu selections beyond the established meal allowances; between meal snacks; gratuities for extra services such as baggage porters, or for superior service (normal gratuities are included in the trip cost); souvenirs; and privately arranged activities. Room upgrades, where available, are also not included. NOTE: All overnight accommodations, as well as railroad, coach, and mini-bus travel will be NON-SMOKING. The minimum age for this tour is 15 years.

DISCLAIMER: This themed tour is not an official 'Harry Potter' event and is not endorsed, sanctioned or in any other way supported, directly or indirectly by Warner Bros. Entertainment, the Harry Potter book publishers or J.K.Rowling and her representatives. All rights to the series of “Harry Potter” books are the property of J.K. Rowling and her publishers including Scholastic Press, et al. Film rights and image trademarks are the property of Warner Brothers, Inc. Any references to trademarked and copyrighted materials are not intended as anything more than an effort to bring well-known imaginary figures and places in literature into the context of an actual travel experience in Great Britain. Though the places we will visit are quite real and historically significant, the theme of this tour is based upon entirely imaginary characters and places. When the tour itinerary refers to such imaginary characters or place names, there is no intent to imply that they are real people or places, or that they pertain to factual events. Such references are intended to create associations between possible inspirations for the stories and/or filming locations used for the movies, and the very real places we will visit. Since “Hogwarts”, “The Forbidden Forest”, etc. are not real places, we cannot possibly actually visit them…but we can have fun pretending…

Copyright 2007-Your Man in Europe/Magical Tours