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. You'll be struck by the historical traditions of Scotland on this incredible journey, but you'll be wowed by the pageantry and pomp of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the largest and most festive military band performance in the world.
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 and escorts you to your hotel. Enjoy free time 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. 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. Then make a stop at the Edinburgh Tattoo Museum for a comprehensive look at the history of this great event.
This afternoon, enjoy free time in Edinburgh. Browse enticing shops along the Royal Mile or tour Holyroodhouse Palace, where you’ll hear 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 and Military Tattoo Museum
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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, 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. Or opt to journey to St. Andrews. 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. Tonight, prepare for the spectacle of a lifetime as you join thousands under the lights of Edinburgh Castle for an evening of military bands, dance and performances. The Military Tattoo is about to begin!
Included meals: breakfast
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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 Castle and the 18th-century Whisky Distillery, one of the oldest and purest distilleries in Scotland. Arrive in Inverness later this evening. Check in toy our hotel and enjoy an included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Blair 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 famed creature and see an audiovisual exhibit detailing the myths, sightings and history surrounding the loch.
There has been some amazing footage recorded through the years. One of the most intriguing is a vacation photograph of London bank manager James Currie taken in 1938, which shows a long neck and a small pointed head protruding from the water. The film footage is so secretive that it is rumored to be locked up in a London bank vault. 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
The scenery around the Western Highlands is some of the world’s most naturally breathtaking. 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, meanwhile, is as close as you can get to a time warp. Here is a land of craggy highlands, otherworldly 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 & Loch Ness
Set on a tiny island in the middle of a loch, one look at Eilean Donan Castle and you'll know why it's the world's most photographed castle.
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Day 9 - Glasgow
Drive through historic Glencoe, site of the notorious 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, which prospered in Victorian times and has recently again come to cultural prominence after being honored as 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 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, which prospered in Victorian times and has recently again come to cultural prominence after being honored as 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
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 $349 USD (Single room: add $85 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.