This is our most comprehensive Scotland vacation! After an overnight in Glasgow, head south to the Lowlands to see poet Robert Burns’ birthplace in Alloway and Gretna Green. Cross into England for a guided visit of 11th-century Carlisle Castle and to see a section of Hadrian’s Wall, then return to Scotland to see the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Jedburgh Abbey ruins, visit Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House, and spend two nights in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, with visits to its castle and Holyrood Palace. Heading north, stop at St. Andrews, the mountain resort of Pitlochry to visit a whisky distillery, and the Highland capital of Inverness. An included excursion takes in Culloden Moor and Cawdor Castle, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Also visit majestic Dunrobin Castle before boarding a ferry for the Orkney Islands. Here, a Local Guide shows you the unique sites, including a 5,000-year-old Neolithic village and the Ring of Brodgar, the area’s own Stonehenge. Skirt the northwestern coastline, where stunning scenery delivers you to the isles of Skye and Mull for 2-night stays on each. Return to Glasgow for one last overnight and the end of your Scottish adventure.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Glasgow, Scotland. Welcome to Glasgow! Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax in Scotland’s largest city. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day #2 Glasgow–Alloway–Carlisle. Start your grand tour of Scotland with interesting Lowland sights: Scottish poet ROBERT BURNS’ BIRTHPLACE and MUSEUM at Alloway, and Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Step over the border for a guided visit to CARLISLE CASTLE, which has guarded England’s frontier with Scotland since the 11th century. Overnight nearby. (B,D)
Day #3 Carlisle–Abbotsford–Edinburgh. First, see a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes. On the way back over the Scottish border, glimpses of the house of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Jedburgh ruins. Finally, take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s newly refurbished ABBOTSFORD HOUSE, and after the tour, enjoy a [LF] CUP OF TEA and SHORTBREAD at the brand new visitors’ center. Overnight in Edinburgh. Don’t miss our optional Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. (B)
Day #4 Edinburgh. Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” and famous scientists, inventors, and novelists. In the “Old Town,” drive up the narrow Royal Mile to EDINBURGH CASTLE to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels, then explore HOLYROOD PALACE (except when the Queen is in residence). The afternoon is free to enjoy the Scottish capital at your own pace. A unique optional experience: board the former Royal Yacht Britannia to see how the Royal Family and crew of 240 lived and worked on board. Dinner rounds off this optional evening. For departures August 3, August 10, and August 17, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned MILITARY TATTOO. (B)
Day #5 Edinburgh–St. Andrews–Pitlochry–Inverness. Over the elegant Forth Road Bridge and through Fife to St. Andrews. Cross the Firth of Tay and via Dundee head into the Highlands with a lunch stop in the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry. Then, visit a WHISKY DISTILLERY, nestling in a beautiful pocket glen in the nearby hills, before you drive through the Grampian Mountains to the Highland capital, where you spend the next two nights. (B,D)
Day #6 Inverness. Highlands Excursion. Fascinating visits on today’s excursion. At CULLODEN VISITOR CENTRE the story unfolds of the crushing Hanoverian victory over Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Scottish clans. Then, call at CAWDOR CASTLE, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth and home to the Thanes of Cawdor for over 600 years. Back in Inverness, the rest of the day is at leisure. Our recommendation would be to join the Loch Ness Experience optional excursion, which includes a cruise on the loch followed by supper. (B)
Day #7 Inverness–Thurso. Continue an unforgettable journey and follow the coast road to majestic DUNROBIN CASTLE, for centuries the seat of the Dukes and Earls of Sutherland. Visit the formal gardens and enjoy a fascinating [LF] FALCONRY DISPLAY. Before dinner you may want to join an optional excursion to a local pub. (B,D)
Day #8 Thurso. Excursion to the Orkney Islands. A fascinating day full of adventure. At John o’Groats, board a FERRY for the 45-minute crossing to South Ronaldsay, one of the Orkney Islands, where a local coach and driver-guide await you. Cross the four Churchill Barriers and overlook Scapa Flow, where the German fleet scuttled itself in World War I. Visit the ITALIAN CHAPEL, built by prisoners of war in 1943 from scrap metal, concrete, and other materials. Then, head for SKARA BRAE, where you see the fascinating remains of a 5,000-year-old Neolithic village and visit SKAILL HOUSE. Yet more highlights: the Ring of Brodgar, the Orkneys’ Stonehenge, and finally Kirkwall, the small and picturesque island capital. [LF] LUNCH at a typical island restaurant is included. Return to the mainland by FERRY in the late afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day #9 Thurso–Ullapool–Isle of Skye. A day to sit back and enjoy the breathtakingly wild and unspoiled scenery, some of the finest in Britain. The northern coast is lined with miles of yellow sandy beaches and pretty estuaries, and the hills and mountains take on a purple hue as the summer progresses. This is Scotland at its best! Make a lunch stop in the quaint fishing port of Ullapool. Late-afternoon arrival on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye. (B,D)
Day #10 Isle of Skye. Striking landscapes, weird rock formations, and dramatic waterfalls will capture your attention on your drive around the Trotternish peninsula. Visit the thatch-roofed cottages at the MUSEUM OF ISLAND LIFE, close to the last resting place of Highland heroine Flora MacDonald. Then, follow the spectacular coast route, stopping for photos of waterfalls and gorges, to the island capital of Portree. On the way back to Broadford, take in the views of the jagged and dark peaks of the Cuillin Hills. (B,D)
Day #11 Isle of Skye–Glenfinnan–Isle of Mull. Call at the Clan Donald Centre for a visit to its MUSEUM OF THE ISLES and insight into 13 centuries of clan history before boarding your FERRY at Armadale to sail across the Sound of Sleat. Rejoin the mainland at Mallaig and follow the “Road to the Isles,” passing Glenfinnan. Finally, take the FERRY to the Isle of Mull, where the next two nights are spent. (B,D)
Day #12 Isle of Mull. Iona Excursion. A leisurely day to relax and enjoy the best of the Scottish western isles. Drive across Mull for a visit to the beautiful and fascinating Isle of Iona. Time to visit the CATHEDRAL and explore the religious settlement before returning to the hotel in the early afternoon. Later, enjoy the drive up to Tobermory for a visit to the quaint island capital. An exciting optional excursion will be available before dinner tonight. (B,D)
Day #13 Isle of Mull–Inverarary–Glasgow. The final island FERRY crossing brings you to Oban. Then, over the Pass of Brander and from Inveraray to the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond. Back in Glasgow this afternoon your orientation city tour takes in the fine 12th-century cathedral, imposing university buildings, and elegant Georgian squares. Time for last-minute shopping before enjoying a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
Day #14 Glasgow. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)