Feeling adventurous? Explore Scotland’s traditional culture along its gorgeous coastline and remote islands.
Authentic Local Experiences
- Enjoy reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on July 30, 2022 - August 15, 2022 departures.
- Explore the fascinating heritage of Orkney – the Ring of Brodgar and the village of Skara Brae date back to Neolithic times and are among the most important prehistoric monuments in Europe
Trip Highlights
- Dunrobin Castle
- Inverewe Gardens
- Isle of Skye
- Loch Ness Cruise
- Mount Stuart House and Gardens
- Orkney Islands
- Skara Brae
- Urquhart Castle
- Scottish Evening*
HOTELS
- Novotel Glasgow Centre Hotel, Glasgow (2)
- Balmacara Hotel, near Kyle of Lochalsh (2)
- The Royal Hotel, Ullapool (1)
- Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall (2)
- Columba Hotel, Inverness (2)
- Apex Grassmarket Hotel, Edinburgh (2)
ITINERARY
Day 1: Glasgow Arrival
Your tour begins at 2:30 PM at your Glasgow hotel. Enjoy a tour around the city famed for its Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture. A prosperous port city due to international trade and shipbuilding, today it is Scotland’s cultural hub. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group and dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 2: Isle of Bute & Mount Stuart House
Take a ferry to the Isle of Bute for stunning island scenery and a guided tour of the 19th-century Mount Stuart House. Spend some time in Rothesay, the main town on the island. Enjoy a free evening in Glasgow and dine independently. (B)
Day 3: Loch Lomond & Eilean Donan Castle
Travel along the famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its unsurpassed beauty. Journey through Glencoe, often considered one of Scotland’s most beautiful regions. Travel through Fort William and visit romantic Eilean Donan Castle, spectacularly situated on an island at the meeting of three lochs. (B, D)
Day 4: Isle of Skye, Dunvegan Castle & Portree
Explore the Isle of Skye and its associations with Bonnie Prince Charlie. Tour Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and former stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod. Enjoy photo opportunities including stunning Kilt Rock. Stop in picturesque Portree with its brightly painted houses clustered around the bay. Enjoy free time before dinner at your hotel. (B, D)
Day 5: Inverewe Gardens & Ullapool
Take in the Highland scenery as you head to Inverewe Gardens, where a haven of tropical trees and shrubs has been created. Continue to Ullapool, an active fishing and ferry port, and check in to your hotel near the harbor. (B, D)
Day 6: Highland Scenery & Ferry to Orkney
Admire the rugged mountains, coastline, and vast areas of open land of the sparsely populated northernmost section of the Highlands. Learn about the Highland Clearances, a tragic period of history when many peasants were forced off the land and emigrated to the United States, Australia, and other countries. Take advantage of the many photo opportunities along the way. Continue to Gill’s Bay on the northern coast of Scotland and take a ferry to the Orkney Islands. (B)
Day 7: Orkney Sights, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae & St Magnus Cathedral
Discover Orkney, starting with a drive across the Churchill Barriers, created during World War II to deter German submarines. Next, explore the tiny Italian Chapel, with its elaborate paintings. Travel on to the Ring of Brodgar, a Neolithic henge and stone circle that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Skara Brae to see the well-preserved 5,000-year-old village dwellings and return to Kirkwall to see St. Magnus Cathedral. Enjoy free time in the afternoon and evening to browse around the town and dine independently. (B)
Day 8: Dunrobin Castle & Inverness
Board a ferry back to the mainland and head to Dunrobin Castle, dating to 1275 and renovated in the mid-1800s. With 189 rooms, this grand castle resembles a French chateau and its gardens were inspired by those at the Palace of Versailles. Continue south to Inverness, the principal town in the Highlands. (B, D)
Day 9: Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness Cruise & Culloden Battlefield
Keep your camera handy as you visit the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle and take a cruise on Loch Ness. Stop at the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to learn about the conflict that led to the end of the clan system in Scotland. Walk around the moor and see monuments to the various regiments who lost men. Return to Inverness with time to relax, shop, or walk alongside the river. (B, D)
Day 10: Sheepdog Demonstration, Whisky Tasting & Scottish Evening*
Immerse yourself in farm life and watch as skilled dogs round up sheep. Spend some free time in the Victorian town of Pitlochry. Visit Blair Athol Distillery to see how whisky is produced and enjoy a tasting. Travel on to Edinburgh and check into your city center hotel. Enjoy a festive Scottish dinner with lively, traditional entertainment. July 30, 2022 - August 15, 2022 departures will enjoy an evening free to explore and dine independently. (B, D*)
Day 11: Edinburgh Panoramic Tour & Edinburgh Castle
Discover Edinburgh’s highlights including the wide streets and elegant mansions of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town” and the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle to see the Stone of Destiny and the Scottish Crown Jewels. Enjoy an evening free to explore independently. July 30, 2022 - August 15, 2022 departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B)
Day 12: Tour Ends in Edinburgh
Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)
*Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.
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