Immerse yourself in Scottish hospitality on this amazing vacation. Board your motorcoach in London and head north, crossing the Scottish border and arriving in Edinburgh for two overnights. Here, guided sightseeing includes the mighty castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. On to St. Andrews, home of golf; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games for the past 900 years; and Royal Deeside, where the Queen is an annual visitor. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor and visit the Highland capital of Inverness before driving to the beautiful Isle of Skye. Take the ferry back across the Sound of Sleat to Mallaig, then enjoy more breathtaking scenery. Ben Nevis, Glen Coe, and the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond are highlights on the way to Glasgow for your last overnight before returning to London.
Highlights:
Scenic Highlights: Scottish Lowlands and Highlands, Royal Deeside, Isle of Skye, Loch Lomond
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in London, England. Check into your hotel. In the afternoon there’s time to rest or to explore the lively British capital; uniformed hosts are available to help you make the most of your stay.
Day #2 London–Edinburgh, Scotland. Meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and depart at 8 am for a day of northbound travel heading for the Scottish border and the city of Edinburgh. (B)
Day #3 Edinburgh. A full day to enjoy the Scottish capital. Morning 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. Afternoon at leisure. Don't miss our optional Scottish night out featuring Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis. For departures August 4, August 11 and August 18, tickets are included for tonight’s performance of the world-renowned Military Tattoo, a vast spectacle of massed Scottish pipe bands that takes place in an arena on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day #4 Edinburgh–St. Andrews–Braemar–Culloden Moor–Inverness–Strathpeffer. A day of memorable sightseeing: St. Andrews, whose Royal and Ancient Golf Club has given us the rules of golfing; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games for over 900 years; and Royal Deeside, where the Queen is an annual visitor. Cross the battlefield of Culloden Moor with its memories of Bonnie Prince Charlie, then via Inverness, head for your Highland destination. (B,D)
Day #5 Strathpeffer–Isle of Skye–Fort William–Glasgow. More heather-clad moors as you drive through the western Highlands to Lochalsh and the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye. The route back to the mainland is by ferry across the Sound of Sleat to Mallaig, then breathtaking scenery all the way to Fort William beneath Ben Nevis. Glen Coe, where the MacDonald Clan was massacred in 1692, and a drive along the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond are scenic highlights on the way to Glasgow, Scotland’s great cultural city. (B,D)
Day #6 Glasgow–London, England. Relax and let the countryside pass by on your southbound journey back to London for an evening arrival. (B)
Day #7 London. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)