Edinburgh’s vast collections of medieval and Georgian architecture, including numerous stone tenements, cause it to be considered one of Europe’s most dramatic cities. Be struck by the historical traditions of Scotland on your incredible journey through Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Edinburgh
Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Edinburgh aboard an internationally recognized airline.
Day 2 - Edinburgh
Welcome to Scotland! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and then escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or begin acquainting yourself with Edinburgh. At an included dinner this evening, meet your fellow travelers.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner
Day 3 - Edinburgh
A local guide leads this morning’s comprehensive tour of Edinburgh from the elegant Georgian New Town to the Royal Mile. The tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle, whose fortifications perch atop an extinct volcano crater in the heart of Edinburgh. Here, you can view the Scottish crown jewels as well as the Stone of Scone, returned to Scotland in 1997, a full 700 years after an English king stole it away.
This afternoon, enjoy free time in Edinburgh, during which you might choose to browse amid the enticing shops of the Royal Mile and Princes Street or tour Holyroodhouse Palace, the setting for royal ceremonies, including the knighting of Sir Sean Connery and other Scottish notables. The tour includes fascinating accounts of murder and intrigue during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to Abbotsford House, former home of Sir Walter Scott, and Melrose Abbey.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Edinburgh Castle
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$69 USD |
Abbotsford House & Melrose Abbey
Travel through the Borders region to Abbotsford House, the 19th-century estate of Sir Walter Scott.The excursion then continues with a visit to the ruins of Melrose Abbey, one of the most impressive of the four Borders abbeys.
Please note: Access to Abbotsford House involves a short but steep walk.
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Day 4 - Edinburgh
Today is free to continue your explorations of Edinburgh. For great views of the city, climb to the top of the Walter Scott Monument, overlooking the Royal Mile, or to Calton Hill, which takes in the Firth of Forth and Arthur’s Seat. Alternatively, journey to the east coast town of St. Andrews on an optional excursion. This “birthplace of golf ” is also famous for its historic university, its castle, cathedral and dramatic coastal setting. The excursion includes a visit to the British Golf Museum. This evening, experience traditional music and dance at the optional Scottish Ceilidh (seasonal).
Included meals: breakfast
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$115 USD |
Scottish Ceilidh
A ceilidh is a long-standing ritual of celebration in this region. Enjoy this special evening of Scottish tradition. Along with a savory dinner of local favorites, the evening includes folk dancers, bagpipers, fiddlers, and the “Ceremony of the Haggis.”
Please note: This optional is seasonal from May to September.
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$99 USD |
St. Andrews
Pass by the buildings of St. Andrews University, founded by Mary Queen of Scots in the 16th century. Also included is a visit to the nearby ruins of the city’s cathedral, once Scotland’s most magnificent church, and the British Golf Museum, where you’ll discover the story of golf from its origins and the middle ages to the present day with diverse displays and exciting interactives. Explore tournaments and equipment, both past and present.
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Day 5 - Inverness
On your way north to Inverness, stop in Perthshire, the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, for a visit to Blair Athol Castle and the 18th-century Whisky Distillery, one of the oldest and purest distilleries in Scotland. Arrive in Inverness later this evening. Check in to your hotel and enjoy an included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Blair Athol Castle and Whisky Distillery
Day 6 - Inverness
Hugging the base of the scenic River Ness, the city of Inverness is truly a hidden gem with some of the friendliest locals in Scotland and a fine collection of shops, pubs and museums. Discover the city on your own today. You might wish to take a city tour or a river cruise. Or join an optional excursion to historic Culloden Moor, site of the last battle fought on British soil, and Cawdor Castle, the fictional home of Macbeth. The excursion also includes a visit to the Clava Cairns, location of some of the oldest megalithic structures in all of Britain.
Included meals: breakfast
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$75 USD |
Culloden Moor & Cawdor Castle
Culloden Moor witnessed one of Scotland’s most devastating military losses in 1746. The battlefield’s visitor center provides a fascinating and detailed account of the poorly matched battle. Next stop is Cawdor Castle, fictional setting of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The excursion also includes a stop at the Clara Cairns, one of the oldest collection of prehistoric monuments in Scotland.
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Day 7 - The Highlands
Continuing westward along the Great Glen and towards the Caledonian Canal, stop at Loch Ness, home of the legendary Loch Ness monster, or Nessie, as she is affectionately called. You’ll visit the Loch Ness 2000 Exhibition, view a full-scale replica of the mysterious creature and see an audio-visual exhibit detailing the myths, sightings and history surrounding the loch.
Some amazing footage has been recorded over the years and rumor has it that it’s been locked in a London bank vault to preserve it’s secrets. You’ll also get a sense of the unique geology of Loch Ness. More than 600 feet deep at some locations and with an extremely flat bottom, it’s the perfect location to hide a monster. Arrive later in the western Highlands region, where dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Loch Ness 2000 Exhibition
Day 8 - The Highlands
On a free day, you might explore the traditional Scottish town of Fort William, a great base for ascents to Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Or join a memorable excursion to Eilean Donan Castle and the Isle of Skye. The castle is the most photographed in the world, dramatically situated in the middle of Loch Duich. The isle is a land of craggy highlands, otherwordly coastline and small country villages where Gaelic is still spoken. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
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$99 USD |
Eilean Donan Castle & the Isle of Skye
Set on a tiny island in the middle of a loch, Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most romantically situated castles in the world. Cross a narrow peninsula to reach it and make a brief tour of the interior. From the castle, continue on to Kyle of Lochalsh and cross the bridge for a visit to the Isle of Skye.
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Day 9 - Glasgow
Drive through historic Glencoe, site of the notorious 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan, and take the high road to the bonny banks of Loch Lomond as you travel through the Trossachs to Glasgow, Scotland’s “second city.” An expert local guide leads this afternoon’s tour of Glasgow, the 1990 European City of Culture as well as the U.K. City of Architecture and Design. Pass through the city’s bustling heart in George Square and along the banks of the River Clyde. Also included in your tour is a visit to the renowned Burrell Collection, whose 8,000 exhibits feature everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts to Rodin sculptures.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Burrell Collection
Day 10 - Glasgow
If you are not staying for our tour extension in Glasgow, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
Extend Your Stay
Add 2 nights in Glasgow for only $299 USD (Single room: add $135 USD)
In Gaelic, Glasgow means "the Dear Green Place," a fitting title for the city with more parks per square mile than any other city in Europe. Famous for its passion for football (soccer) and its fabulous shops that beat those in Edinburgh hands-down, Glasgow is also renowned for its distinguished university, which is over 500 years old, and Kelvingrove Park, the vibrant meeting ground adjacent to it. Most impressive, though, are the Glaswegians, so genuine that their warmness and lyrical speech stay with you long after you depart Scotland's shores.