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DAY 1, Friday - Depart for Scotland
Depart for Scotland
DAY 2, Saturday - Arrive in Edinburgh
Arrive in dramatic Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city with its stunning Georgian and Victorian architecture. The rest of the day is at leisure. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 6 PM, followed by a light dinner. We recommend that you select flights which no later than 4 PM
Overnight: Edinburgh
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3, Sunday - Edinburgh City Tour
This morning join a local guide for a city tour of historic Edinburgh. The route will take you past the Scottish Parliament, the Museum of Scotland, the Royal Mile, Georgian New Town and Princes Street. Also included is a visit to Edinburgh Castle where you can see the Crown Room, St. Margaret's Chapel, and much more! The balance of the day is at leisure. Tonight, perhaps attend the optional Scottish Dinner with traditional entertainment
Optional: Scottish Dinner & Show (PM)
Overnight: Edinburgh
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4, Monday - St. Andrews, Sheepdog Demonstration, Aviemore
A day of outstanding scenery as you arrive in the charming town of St. Andrews, celebrated for its golf courses and internationally renowned St. Andrews University, where Prince William studied. Next travel to a working farm to participate in a typical day of a Highland shepherd and his dogs. Watch up to eight dogs working at the same time on the sheep and hear their individual whistle commands - a unique experience! Meet the friendly collie pups, and help shear a sheep! Continue the drive and admire the serene landscape on your way to the hotel in the resort town of Aviemore within magnificent Cairngorms National Park. Enjoy dinner together at the hotel
Overnight: Aviemore
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5, Tuesday - Culloden Battlefield, Cawdor Castle, Loch Ness
Morning visit to the site of the Culloden Battlefield where Jacobite forces faced the British army in 1746, marking the collapse of the Jacobite uprising and beginning of the integration of the Highlands into the British Kingdom. Learn more about this famous battle through exhibitions at the Visitor's Center. Afterward, visit Cawdor Castle*, best known for its literary connection to Shakespeare's Macbeth. Tour the 15th century castle with its sumptuous interior and stroll through the beautifully manicured gardens. Then, travel to picturesque Loch Ness, immortalized by the Loch Ness Monster. Take a scenic boat ride past the ruins of iconic Urquhart Castle perched on the banks of the lake, one of the most striking sights in Scotland. From this commanding viewpoint, look out for elusive Nessie, the terrifying monster that according to legend lives in this lake. The rest of the day is yours
*Cawdor Castle closes for inside visits from late September through December. An audio guided visit to the grounds and garden will be provided instead.
Overnight: Aviemore
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6, Wednesday - Dunrobin Castle, Whisky Distillery & Tasting, Wick
This morning, travel to Dunrobin Castle, dating back to 1275, with over 190 rooms - the largest castle in northern Scotland! Tour the regal castle, its rooms with valuable artifacts and a library with over 10,000 volumes. In the castle gardens, see an interesting demonstration of falconry by these well-trained birds of prey. Next, tour a local distillery in the town of Wick, along with a lecture about whisky making and tasting of this Scottish delight. Arrive in Wick, one of the most northerly towns in mainland Scotland. Perhaps join the optional pub evening for a night of storytelling and traditional music. Dinner together caps a lovely day
Optional: Storytelling & Traditional Pub Evening (PM)
Overnight: Wick
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 7, Thursday - Orkney Islands
Board a ferry this morning to the spellbinding Orkney Islands, an archipelago off the coast of Scotland with a unique culture and history. The islands encompass mysterious Neolithic sites, tall sandstone cliffs, and seal colonies. The first stop is to the ancient settlement of Skara Brae, a 5000-year-old preserved village. Driving across the Churchill barriers created during WWII to deter submarines, view the ornate Italian Chapel, constructed by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. Return to Wick in time for dinner at the hotel
Overnight: Wick
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 8, Friday - Village of Ullapool, Fish and Chips Lunch, Isle of Skye
Depart Wick this morning and travel to the quaint fishing village of Ullapool in the North West Highlands - a perfect place to enjoy a fish and chips lunch! Then continue driving to the magical Isle of Skye. View the stunning landscapes along the way, including jagged mountains, sparkling lochs, delightful fishing villages and medieval castles. After this beautiful day, dinner awaits you at the hotel this evening
Overnight: Isle of Skye
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 9, Saturday - Skye Museum of Island Life, Flora MacDonald's Monument, Dunvegan Castle
After breakfast this morning, head to northern Skye's best attraction: The Skye Museum of Island Life. Go back in time and get an insight into island life in the late 1800s. After, walk behind the museum to Kilmuir Cemetery. Here, pay your respects to Flora MacDonald's Memorial, a woman famous for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape, after his defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746. Continue your tour to Portree, the main town of Skye with its picturesque harbor and brightly colored houses, for lunch on your own and some leisure time in this delightful town. Later, a visit to Dunvegan Castle, built in the 13th century, on a basalt rock in a bucolic loch side location. It is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years. Enjoy dinner together at the hotel this evening
Overnight: Isle of Skye
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 10, Sunday - Scenic Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Glasgow
Head south to Glencoe, Scotland's most scenic and most historic glen, site of the infamous massacre of the MacDonald clan in 1692 on the orders of King William. Glencoe is one of the places in the country that has been featured in many of the Harry Potter movies. Journey along the "bonnie banks" of Loch Lomond (immortalized by the song) with time for a relaxing lunch on your own in these beautiful surroundings before arriving in the vibrant port city of Glasgow, famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture. This evening, opportunity to discover Glasgow's many lively pubs and restaurants on your own
Overnight: Glasgow
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 11, Monday - Tour Glasgow
In Glasgow, begin the day with views of the city's splendid architecture, magnificent George Square and the River Clyde, the centre of the city's shipbuilding industry. Stop at timeless St. Mungo's Cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint and founder of the city, before free time to stroll the lively streets. Later, visit the historically-important Stirling Castle, favored residence of the Stuart kings and queens. Knights, nobles and foreign ambassadors once flocked to Stirling Castle to revel in its grandeur with its superb sculptures and beautiful gardens. Tour the halls, chapels, and bedrooms of this imposing castle. Before returning to Glasgow, view the Wallace Monument from the castle walls, dedicated to Sir William Wallace. Tonight, bid a fond farewell to Scotland and your Tour Manager at dinner
Overnight: Glasgow
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 12, Tuesday - Depart Scotland
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast
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