2020 Scottish Clans & Castles 11 day/10 night tour

2020 SCOTTISH CLANS & CASTLES - 11 DAYS / 10 NIGHTS / 16 MEALS

Day 1: Glasgow Arrival & City Tour
Tour begins at 2:00 PM at your hotel. Enjoy a Glasgow city tour to see George Square, Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove Park, and Glasgow University all featured in the popular TV series “Outlander.” Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.

Day 2: Stirling Castle & Doune Castle
Visit Stirling Castle, a mighty stronghold that dominates the surrounding plain, before some free time on your own for lunch. Visit the 14th-century Duone Castle, with its 100-foot-high gatehouse and well-preserved great hall. The formidable structure has been used as a film location for many productions, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Next, head to a whisky distillery for a sampling, then go back to Glasgow to dine at your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 3: Glencoe & Eilean Donan Castle
Head into the majestic Highlands and journey by Loch Lomond, across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, often considered one of Scotland’s most spectacular and beautiful places. Stop for photo opportunities along the route. Treat yourself to Scottish goods at a woolen mill and continue your journey north to the romantic Eilean Donan Castle.
(B, D)

Day 4: Isle of Skye & Dunvegan Castle
Explore the Isle of Skye and learn the history of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Travel to Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. Admire the Trotternish Peninsula as you travel to Kilt Rock, a 200-foot-high sea cliff with huge, vertical basalt columns. Visit Flora MacDonald’s grave in Kilmuir Graveyard and stop in Portree for free time.
(B, D)

Day 5: Armadale Castle & Scenic Train Ride
Visit the ruins of Armadale Castle, a country house that was home to the MacDonalds. The house was abandoned a century ago but the gardens are still beautifully maintained. Embark on a ferry ride to Mallaig and transfer to a train for a ride through some of Scotland’s most picturesque scenery. Travel from Fort William to your hotel in Inverness.
(B, D)

Day 6: Loch Ness Cruise & Urquhart Castle
Photo opportunities await as you visit the picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle, once Scotland’s largest castle, and embark on a cruise of Loch Ness. Stop at the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to discover how British Government forces defeated the army of Bonnie Prince Charlie, ending the Jacobite rising. Return to Inverness for a walking tour before dinner at your hotel
(B, D)

Day 7: Johnstons of Elgin & Brodie Castle
Tour Johnstons of Elgin to discover the history and craftsmanship behind their fine woolens, then enjoy some free time for lunch. Explore 16th-century Brodie Castle, with its fairytale towers and turrets set on spacious grounds. The house contains fine furnishings, a collection of paintings, and a library with over 6,000 volumes. Return to Inverness and enjoy a free evening and dinner on your own.
(B)

Day 8: Sheepdogs & Culross Walk
Immerse yourself in farm life and enjoy a demonstration of dogs obeying commands to round up sheep. In Pitlochry, explore and have lunch independently. Continue to Culross for a walking tour around the charming 16th-century town, recently used as a filming location for “Outlander.” Highlights include the Town House, Culross Palace, and the remains of Culross Abbey. Enjoy free time in Culross before heading to your hotel near Edinburgh for a Scottish evening with a farewell dinner and traditional entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 9: Edinburgh Tour & Palace of Holyroodhouse
In Edinburgh, see how the medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile in the heart of the Old Town are in stark contrast to the Georgian mansions of the 200-year-old New Town. Tour the impressive Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the Queen, and walk through the majestically furnished chambers. The rest of the day is free. July 30 to August 20 departures enjoy the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)

Day 10: Independent Day in Edinburgh
Spend the day on an independent Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour of Edinburgh. Enjoy a walking tour around parts of the city’s historic areas where you will have a selection of tours and routes. You will receive a taxi voucher to travel from your hotel to the city center, as well as a voucher to visit Edinburgh Castle where you may explore the historic buildings with great views of the city.
(B)

Day 11: Tour Ends in Edinburgh
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020 itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theater, and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on July 30 to August 20 departures.
• Go behind the scenes at one of Scotland’s famous distilleries for a tour and a tasting.
• Discover 800 years of history as you explore Dunvegan Castle - home to Clan MacLeod for 30 generations.

Trip Highlights:

• Brodie Castle

  Brodie Castle

  Step back in time to the castle’s glory days, when the Brodie family were one of Scotland’s most prominent families.
• Palace of the Holyroodhouse
• Culloden Battlefield Visitor centre

  Culloden Battlefield

  This is the site of the last land battle within the UK, in which King George II’s troops defeated Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite supporters in 1746; around 1200 people were reputedly killed. The Visitor Centre, opened in 2008, includes exhibitions, restaurant, shop and a landscaped roof platform for views over the battlefield.
• Doune Castle

  Doune Castle

  Doune Castle is a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune, in the Stirling district of central Scotland. The castle is sited on a wooded bend where the Ardoch Burn flows into the River Teith.
• Dunvegan Castle

  Dunvegan Castle

  This oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland has been the stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod for nearly 800 years, surviving clan battles and profound social and political changes. Within Dunvegan’s stately halls are priceless heirlooms, some of which have descended through the hands of the Chiefs of MacLeod since medieval times.
• Eilean Donan Castle

  Eilean Donan Castle

  This iconic castle is surrounded by majestic scenery. The first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and re-built through the centuries. Partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, Eilean Donan lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years. It took 20 years to restore from 1912 until its opening to the public in 1932.
• Isle of Skye

  Isle of Skye

  The Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. The island is dominated by the Cuillin Hills and is often referred to as the “Misty Isle”. It is associated with Bonnie Prince Charlie who fled there after the Battle of Culloden.
• Stirling Castle

  Stirling Castle

  Stirling Castle is a great symbol of Scottish independence and a source of national pride. The Castle's long, turbulent history is associated with great figures from Scotland’s past such as “Braveheart” William Wallace & Mary Queen of Scots.

Dining Experiences:

• 10 breakfasts (B) and 6 dinners (D) including a festive Scottish evening in Edinburgh.

Hotels:

• NI-ANT-MMA | Glasgow (2)
• GB-RSS-THE | near Kyle of Lochalsh (2)
• GB-INV-GLN | Inverness (3)
• GB-EDI-NHH | near Edinburgh (3)