Scenic Scotland.

Welcome to Edinburgh, Scotland's historic capital!

This afternoon, please arrive at the hotel in Edinburgh before 1pm to be on time to join us on the first stop of our exciting week - a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia! For over 40 years, Britannia was Her Majesty the Queen’s floating palace. Follow in the footsteps of royalty to discover the heart and soul of this most special of Royal residences. Explore Britannia’s five decks with your included audio guide, visiting the elegant State Apartments to the gleaming Engine Room. See where Prince William and Prince Harry spent their summer holidays and discover where kings and queens, world leaders and celebrities were wined and dined; from Frank Sinatra and Liz Taylor to Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill.

This evening we will dine together to start our Scottish adventure.

This morning, we depart after breakfast to discover Edinburgh's royal side. We head for a visit and guided tour of Edinburgh Castle. Perched high on an extinct volcano, it overlooks the city and part of the Old and New Towns' World Heritage Site. It was the scene of some of Scotland's most intriguing history and houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O' Clock Gun and the National War Museum of Scotland.

From here we will head down the Royal Mile for a visit and tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland. We will explore the Palace's close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Today, we will visit nearby Stirling, for a tour of its majestic castle. Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. It sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill and has witnessed many significant moments in Scottish history. Once home to kings and queens, it has seen many baptisms, coronations and extravagant celebrations, but also imprisonment, murder and intrigue, some of which has only been discovered in recent decades. We will also visit the National Wallace Monument. This famous landmark stands above Stirling in the fields where William Wallace led his troops to victory at The Battle of Stirling Bridge and tells the story of the patriot and martyr who became Scotland’s National Hero.

We will then have some free time relaxing and browsing the shops and cafes of Stirling, the youngest city in Scotland - it only gained city rights in 2002 at the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

We will also visit one of Scotland's newest and most iconic landmarks - the Falkirk Wheel. Linking the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals, the unique boat lift replaced the 11 locks that previously linked the two and were dismantled in 1933. Inspired by a Celtic double headed spear, a vast turning propeller of a Clydebank built ship, the ribcage of a whale or the spine of a fish, it was opened in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II and is a sight to be seen! 

After breakfast, we head to visit and tour Scone Palace. The crowning place of Scottish kings, Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Charles II were once crowned here. We will see where the Stone of Scone, known as the Stone of Destiny, once stood and which now resides in Edinburgh Castle. We can also admire the needlework skills of Mary, Queen of Scots' bed-hangings that she worked on while in prison on Loch Leven. The Palace is also surrounded by beautiful gardens and woodlands.

After a lunch break, we will head back to our hotel but not before we stop to learn and taste one of Scotland's most well-known exports - whisky. We'll enjoy a 'wee dram' at The Glenturret Distillery, home of the Famous Grouse. Scotland's oldest working whisky distillery, it established in 1775 and Famous Grouse is one of their most famous brands. Here, we will see how this single malt is produced and enjoy a tasting of their produce before a chance to purchase some as a souvenir. Afterwards, it is back to the hotel where we will have dinner together this evening.

Today we will visit the location of one of Scotland's most famous battles at Drumossie Moor, the site of the Battle of Culloden. On this spot a half-hour battle changed the course of Scotland's history, and we will discover the true story of the 1745 Rising from both sides. We will be shown key areas of action on the site of the battlefield and visit the memorial cairn around which lie the graves of 1,500 fallen soldiers.

We will stop in Pitlochry for lunch at leisure. Nestled amongst the stunning scenery of Highland Perthshire, the town is heavily Victorian in style due to its proximity to Balmoral. Here you can often see salmon jumping up the waters of the salmon ladder.

Later, we make our way North to Inverness, regarded as the capital of the Highlands and the most Northern city in the UK. We will enjoy dinner together as a group this evening.

Today we will experience some of Scotland's most famous exports - whisky, shortbread and Scottish dancing.

The first stop is a guided tour of Speyside Cooperage. A centre for traditional barrel-makers with a coopering exhibition and live demonstration, you will see how the barrels for the famous whisky are made. The next stop is the Glenfiddich Distillery, where you can see the barrels doing their job storing the famous spirit. And even get to taste a drop or two. 

We'll then head to the Walker's Shortbread factory for a quick stop. Here you can try some of the renowned rich biscuits.

We return to the hotel in time to freshen up for this evening before travelling for a Scottish themed dinner menu together including Scottish entertainment - the highlight for many of our tours to Scotland! 

A late start this morning as we drive south along the shores of Loch Ness (look out for Nessie!), threading our way between lochs and mountains to reach Eilean Donan Castle which is one of the most iconic images of Scotland, recognised all around the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet and surrounded by majestic scenery, it is little wonder that the castle is now one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands.

After a visit and tour we will head 'over the sea to Skye' via the famous Skye Bridge for a brief panoramic tour before boarding a local ferry for the short crossing to Mallaig.

We will have time for a spot of lunch and a browse around this fishing port before re-joining the coach which will take us to Fort William. We will be driving along the route made famous in the Harry Potter films and make stops at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Jacobite Monument and Neptune's Staircase, ideal for great photo opportunities. Dinner will be included at the hotel this evening.

We will leave Glencoe this morning and depart for the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Located in the Trossachs National Park, the loch is probably best known from the song, but its stunning highland scenery is its real selling point. On a 1-hour relaxing cruise whilst enjoying a cup of tea or coffee, we can admire the stunning setting.

We will enjoy free time for lunch before driving south through the glorious scenery to Glasgow, Scotland's second city. After check-in, the evening is free for you to explore the bustling hub.

Glasgow, the large port city on the Clyde, is famed for its Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture. It has a rich cultural heritage and is home to the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland and many other acclaimed museums.

Enjoy time at leisure this morning to discover some of the many museums on offer - why not stop at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the People’s Palace or Botanical Gardens amongst others. Its bustling shopping centres will provide a great spot to spend your final pounds or pick up a last-minute souvenir.

Late afternoon we transfer back to Edinburgh for our final night and dinner together to round off our fantastic time in Scotland.

After a hearty Scottish breakfast at the hotel, today we say goodbye to Scotland as you make your way home