The Best of Scotland

Arrive in Glasgow the largest city in Scotland that is nestled on the banks of the Clyde River.  Once thought to be a gritty city, it went through a renaissance of urban renewal in the 80s and 90s and is now home to interesting museums, striking architecture, National Trust Properties, and a thriving food and craft drink scene. Today it is also known for music and is a UNESCO “City of Music.”  We will transfer to our hotel and after settling in we will meet with our tour director and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner.

After breakfast at our hotel, we will meet our local guide for a sightseeing tour of Glasgow. Highlights of our city tour include seeing Victorian buildings as well as bold new construction. Along the way, we will learn about contemporary life in Scotland. We will drive by the University of Glasgow founded in 1451 and past the Burrell Collection Museum which houses over 9,000 objects including one of the most significant collections of Chinese art in the U.K.  We will have a photo stop at the Glasgow Cathedral, which dates from the 1200s and is the only medieval cathedral on the Scotland mainland that survived the Protestant Reformation of 1560 intact.  Next, we will walk around the 18th-century George Square, through the City Chambers Public Plaza to the thriving Merchant City district with our final destination, the banks of the beautiful River Clyde. Heading back toward Merchant City, we will have time for lunch on our own. This afternoon,  we will visit the award-winning Riverside Museum which houses the city’s vast transport collection from cars to tall ships, and explore street scenes from bygone eras.  Tonight we will have dinner at a local or pub and enjoy some live music. 

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Glasgow and head toward Oban. Our first stop of the day is Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s greatest stone castles that was the home of the Stuart kings for centuries. Many Scottish kings and Queens were crowned here, including Mary Queen of Scots. We will stand in the Great Hall, the largest medieval banqueting hall built in Scotland, step into the royal apartments, the Chapel Royal, see the Stirling Heads Gallery, and visit the newly refurbished Argyll and Sutherland Highlander Regimental Museum. We will drive through The Trossachs, one of Scotland’s two National Parks, and past the sweeping landscapes of Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater lake in Great Britain on our way to the seaside town of Oban, dubbed at the “seafood capital of Scotland.” After checking into our hotel, we will head out to the Oban Distillery sitting in the heart of the town overlooking Oban Bay for a guided tour to discover the ancient craft of whisky production. We will learn why Oban has a unique taste and sample an Oban malt directly from the cask. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure before we get together for dinner.

After breakfast at our hotel, we head to the Isle of Mull, the second largest Inner Hebridean Isle after Skye. Mull has beautiful white sand beaches, otherworldly rock formations, waterfalls, lochs, and picturesque villages including our destination of Tobermory, the island’s capital. This picturesque harbor town is lined with a rainbow of brightly painted houses and offers specialty shops, pubs, cafes, and a pier overlooking the scenic bay. We will have free time to explore this darling town and have lunch on our own. This afternoon we will sail away on a wildlife tour to the Treshnish and Staffa Isles. If we are lucky, between April and August, we may catch a glimpse of colorful puffins in addition to seeing colonies of razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, shags, skuas, and possibly seals, minke whales, and dolphins. In addition to wildlife, highlights of these uninhabited islands include the hauntingly beautiful Fingal’s Cave known for its natural acoustics, and the bizarre rock formations on the Isle of Staffa. After our cruise, we will head back to Oban where the remainder of the day is at leisure in Scotland’s ‘seafood capital’.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Oban and head into the legendary, rugged Scottish Highlands. We will travel along the famous Loch Lomand to Glencoe, considered to be Scotland’s most beautiful region. This is home to the hauntingly beautiful site, known as the “Weeping Glen,” because of a terrible massacre between the Campbells and the MacDonalds that took place in this area. We will continue on to Fort William and board the Jacobite Steam Train, dubbed “Hogwarts Express” to fans of Harry Potter. This romantic steam train ride travels through some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland’s West Highlands and includes riding over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct that offers excellent views of Loch Shiel and passes many scenic villages including Lochailort, Arisaig, and Morar. Reaching Mallaig, we will have lunch on our own before taking the ferry to the Isle of Skye. Upon reaching the Isle of Skye, we will settle into our hotel and meet our fellow travelers for dinner.

The magical Isle of Skye offers many things to see and do especially if you are a fan of rugged coastlines and mountains, babbling streams, and unique geological formations. After breakfast at our hotel, we will meet our local guide and begin our day at The Fairy Glen with its spiraling markings on the ground and towering rock structures that make this area look like something out of a fantasy novel.  Afterward, we drive through an area of pinnacles, waterfalls, and outcrops created by a landslide millions of years ago, adding to the magical feel of this cherished island. Our next stop is Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and the former stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod for a tour and lunch. After lunch, our final stop of the day is to cross the magical Sligachan Bridge whose waters are said to grant those who dip their face into its icy depths eternal beauty – yes, we know a real trip perk!  Back in the fishing village of Portree, we have the rest of the day and dinner on our own.

Today we say goodbye to the Isle of Skye and make our way through the heart of the Scottish Highlands toward Inverness. Along the way, we will stop for a photo op at the medieval ruins of the Urquhart Castle which sits on the shore of Loch Ness. It is one of Scotland’s largest castles that was passed back and forth between the Scots and the English in the War of Independence. Next, we will head to Fort Augustus at the southern end of Loch Ness and take a cruise that passes Cherry Island and Fort Augustus Abbey.  If we are lucky we may spot the mythical Nessie that is said to haunt this loch. This afternoon we arrive in Inverness, the “Capital of the Highlands.”

Today you will have a free day to explore the beauty of Inverness on your own. If you like castles, you might want to plan a visit to Cawdor Castle and Gardens or Inverness Castle, to learn more about whiskey, you might want to visit the Glenmorangie Distillery,  for lovers of architecture, you might want to visit the Inverness Cathedral and, if you like to shop, don’t miss the Victorian Market that dates to the early 19th century.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Inverness and head to Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland. Along the way, we will pass through Cairngorms National Park, the UK’s largest National Park. We will stop at Balmoral Castle and Estate which has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased in 1852 for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert. We will have a self-guided audio tour of the castle grounds from its gardens to its ballroom. Afterward, we will have lunch in a local restaurant before continuing on to Aberdeen, Scotland’s “Granite City”.

After breakfast, we will meet our local guide for a city tour of Aberdeen. As a port city, Aberdeen has a fascinating maritime history, a scenic coastline, and imposing granite architecture. Highlights of our tour include Marischal College, the second-largest granite building in the world, Provost Skene’s 16th-century period house, St. Nicholas’s Kirk, a 12th-century church, Union Street which is famous for shopping and Castlegate Square where Aberdeen Castle once stood. The rest of the day and evening are on your own to explore the Granite City. 

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Aberdeen and head to Edinburgh. Along the way, we will stop at a working farm to learn about the iconic Highland Cows. We will meet up with our farm guide and go on a walking tour of the farm including barns. We will see how they are raised and learn about the farming methods practiced here. A highlight of this visit is sitting down for a delicious lunch on the farm. Arriving in Edinburgh we check into our hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure before getting together for dinner.

After breakfast, we will meet our local guide and have a city tour of Edinburgh. We will see elegant mansions of the New Town, which is 200 years old, and the Royal Mile which is the oldest part of the city, among many other attractions. After our city tour, we will head to Edinburgh Castle where we will see two timeless icons, the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone, a fixture at coronation ceremonies since the 13th century. The rest of the day is free to explore this lovely city on your own. Tonight we meet for a festive Scottish farewell dinner with Scottish music and bagpipes to celebrate our trip to Scotland with our fellow travelers.

Today we say farewell to Scotland as we head for home. Breakfast is included; excluding early departures.