2020 Scottish Dream - 8 Days/7 Nights

SCOTTISH DREAM - 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS / 12 MEALS

Day 1: GLASGOW CITY TOUR
Tour begins at 2:30 PM at your Glasgow hotel. Set out on a tour of central Glasgow’s highlights including red sandstone Victorian buildings, delightful parks, Glasgow Cathedral, and the River Clyde, once important for shipbuilding. Visit the extensive and varied art collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Chat with your tour director and fellow travelers over a welcome drink. The evening is free for you to dine independently.


Day 2: LOCH LOMOND CRUISE & INVERARAY CASTLE
Embark on a short cruise of Loch Lomond to appreciate the beauty of this famous loch and admire panoramic views. Browse around the town of Inveraray and have lunch on your own before taking a guided tour of Inveraray Castle, featured in “Downton Abbey”. Journey across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, often considered one of Scotland’s most spectacular and beautiful places. Continue to Ballachulish on the shore of Loch Leven.
(B, D)

Day 3: ISLE OF SKYE & LOCH NESS
Travel on the scenic "Road to the Isles", stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. Ferry to the Isle of Skye to visit Armadale Castle, taking some free time for lunch. Back on the mainland, travel along the shores of Loch Ness. End the day at your hotel in Nairn, a lovely manor house set on spacious grounds near the North Sea.
(B, D)

Day 4: CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD & SHEEPDOG TRIALS
A short distance from Nairn is the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre where the British government forces defeated the army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, popularly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Walk around the moorland and the visitor center. Continue through majestic Highland scenery to a local farm for a demonstration of trained dogs herding sheep. Travel through the high peaks of the Grampian Mountains to your gracious manor-style hotel near Pitlochry.
(B, D)

Day 5: BLAIR CASTLE & WHISKY TASTING
Visit Blair Castle, home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Delve into the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and how Queen Victoria's famous stay led to the creation of Europe's only private army, the Atholl Highlanders. Go behind the scenes at Blair Athol Distillery for a tour and sample of the finished product. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the gardens, hotel museum, or browsing around Pitlochry.
(B, D)

Day 6: GLAMIS CASTLE & ST ANDREWS
Travel through lush countryside to visit Glamis Castle, the legendary setting of “Macbeth” and childhood home of the late Queen Mother. This majestic building is filled with priceless artifacts and furnishings. Head to St Andrews, the “Home of Golf,” to see the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse and the Old Course. Enjoy free time to browse around the medieval town. In Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with dinner, haggis, bagpipes, kilts, and Highland dancing.
(B, D)

Day 7: EDINBURGH CASTLE & CITY TOUR
Explore Edinburgh to compare and contrast the wide streets and elegant mansions of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town” with the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle with its splendid views of the city. The rest of the day is free for independent exploring, shopping, and dining. August 2 – 23 departures enjoy the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)

Day 8: TOUR ENDS IN EDINBURGH
Your tour 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, theatre and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 2 – 23 departures.
• Immerse yourself in farm life to see how a farmer works with highly-skilled dogs to herd sheep.

Trip Highlights:

• Blair Athol Distillery

  Blair Athol Distillery

  Blair Athol Distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. After enjoying a leisurely conducted tour, you can mull over the distinctive character of the finished article as you sip your dram of Blair Athol 12 Year Old.
• Blair Castle

  Blair Castle

  Blair Castle is nestled in the landscape of Highland Perthshire and has been home to 19 generations of Stewarts and Murrays of Atholl. Unique amongst Scottish castles, the story told here will take you from a visit by Mary Queen of Scots to the Civil War and from the Jacobite cause to the disaster of Culloden following Bonnie Prince Charlie's own stay in the castle.
• Culloden Battlefield

  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.
• Edinburgh Castle

  Edinburgh Castle

  The rock on which today’s castle stands has been a stronghold for over 3000 years and Edinburgh Castle has dominated its surroundings for centuries. See the 12th century St. Margaret’s Chapel, the monumental great hall of James IV, opened in 1511, the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny.
• Cruise on Loch Lomond
• Inveraray Castle

  Inveraray Castle

  Inveraray Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and the iconic, must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland.
• 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.
• Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

  Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

  The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. It reopened in 2006 after a three-year refurbishment and since then has been one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions.
• St Andrews

  St Andrews

  Golf has been played on the Links at St Andrews since around 1400 AD and the Old Course is renowned throughout the world as the Home of Golf. By the 19th century it was part of the way of life for many local people and golf. Golf still plays a major part in the culture and economy of St Andrews today.

Dining Experiences:

• 7 hot breakfasts (B), 5 dinners (D) including a festive Scottish evening in Edinburgh

Hotels:

• GB-GLA-HIL | Glasgow (1) *
• GB-ARY-ISL | Ballachulish (1) *
• GB-NAI-NEW | Nairn (1) *
• GB-PES-ATH | Pitlochry (2) *
• GB-EDI-HOL | near Edinburgh (2) *