This morning, travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Drop your luggage off at your hotel and head out for lunch at leisure, before meeting your guide for an afternoon tour.

Unravel the history of one of the most dramatically-situated cities in Europe on a half-day sightseeing tour. The focal point of the city is Edinburgh Castle, a royal fortress that symbolizes the Scottish nation and is home to the ‘Honours of Scotland’, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the UK. From the impressive military installations there are stunning views of the city. The Royal Mile stretches from castle through the ‘Old Town’ of Edinburgh, at the heart of which is St Giles Cathedral. At the foot of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s Official Residence in Scotland. If no member of the royal family is staying, you can visit the staterooms on your own and explore the historic apartments in which Mary, Queen of Scots resided. The palace’s neighbor is the much more recent Scottish Parliament Building; its striking contemporary designs are in eye-catching contrast to the classical style of the palace.

After your tour, return to your hotel for check in.

Edinburgh

Spend another day exploring Edinburgh.

After time for lunch at leisure, spend the afternoon with your guide and driver exploring some of the city’s museums. You may like to visit the Writers’ Museum, dedicated to three of Scotland’s greatest writers, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Alternatively, the Museum of Edinburgh and The People’s Story Museum both give an insight into the history of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh- St. Andrews

Depart Edinburgh this morning for a full-day transfer to the renowned golf town of St Andrews. 

St Andrews- Highlands

Leave St Andrews with your driver-guide for a full-day transfer with sightseeing.

Highlands

Set off on a full-day excursion exploring some of the wonderful gems of the Scottish Highlands. Home to half of all the whisky distilleries in Scotland, a tour of the Speyside region to the south-east of Inverness is a must for all whisky lovers as well as those who want to learn more about the distilled alcoholic beverage. The pure water of the Highland streams and springs and the superior quality of the mountain peat in the area makes it the ideal place to create delicious Single Malts. Stop at the romantic Glenlivet Distillery, founded in the early 1800s, for a public tour of the installations with complimentary drams to sample the whisky for yourself.

After your visit, continue to Cawdor Castle, considered one of the Highlands finest castles. Discover its link with Shakespeare’s Macbeth as you explore the building and its beautifully-maintained walled gardens. Later, discover the battlefield of Culloden Moor, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated in 1746 by government troops when his attempt to regain the throne for the Stuarts ended. At this poignant spot, learn how these events changed a way of life in Scotland dramatically. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Highlands

Inverness is an excellent base for exploring the stark beauty of the Northwest Highlands. These mountains cover the most remote part of the British mainland and on your full-day excursion, take a trip around Wester Ross, one of the most spectacular regions in Scotland. Follow the route of the rail line that cuts a track though the dramatic countryside, but your route forks away over to the West Coast, where the grandiose mountains of Torridon dominate the landscape. Part of this area is incorporated as the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve where native species of wildlife such as golden eagles are encouraged. As you continue, the expansive waters of island-studded Loch Maree are revealed. The River Ewe connects this loch to the sea at Poolewe. Overlooking the bay are Inverewe Gardens, one of the most remarkable gardening projects ever undertaken; this delightful woodland paradise exists because of the temperate influence of the Gulf Stream on this coast, and the windbreak effect created by the surrounding pine trees. You return to Inverness by a more northerly route, passing Corrieshalloch Gorge where the River Measach tumbles over a rocky precipice into a ravine.

Explore some of Scotland’s favorite sights and undulating landscapes as you set out on your full-day journey to Fort William. Pass along the shores of Loch Ness, home to the monster known locally as Nessie. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for any sightings of Nessie along the way! Head over the mountains to reveal the Valley of Glen Sheil below; following this picturesque valley leads you to Scotland’s West Coast. Along the way, take the opportunity to admire the view of the romantic Eilean Donan Castle, used as a setting in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough, for a picturesque photograph. Crossing the bridge into the Isle of Skye you notice the road signs written in Gaelic and, weather-permitting, take in the idyllic views of the Cuillin Hills in the centre of the island. Your driver guide gives you a concise history of the island as you have time to explore the island, including Portree, the largest town on Skye, whose scenery is well-known. Before leaving Skye, pause to obtain a flavor of the island’s Gaelic heritage at the Clan Donald Centre. Afterwards, board the ferry to Mallaig on the mainland. A charming drive along the ‘Road from the Isles’ leads you to the Glenfinnan monument which stands at the head of picturesque Loch Shiel in commemoration of the highlanders; learn how they rose in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 Jacobite uprising. The Glenfinnan rail viaduct, familiar as a bridge over which Harry Potter travelled in the Hogwarts Express, provides the backdrop to this scene. It is a short drive here to your hotel in Fort William.

Highlands

Spend today exploring Fort William, a town overshadowed by the rounded slopes of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. Just to the north of Ben Nevis the Nevis Range gondola style chairlift enables access to the magnificent highland scenery at 2130 foot. You then cross the Caledonian Canal near the impressive series of locks called ‘Neptune’s Staircase’. From Fort William, you might enjoy the detour along the scenic Road to the Isles where the Glenfinnan Monument stands at the head of picturesque Loch Shiel in commemoration of the highlanders; learn how they rose in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 Jacobite uprising. Heading back towards your hotel located on the stunning west coast, pass by the  shores of Loch Linnhe and, with time permitting, continue into eerie Glencoe – the most famous glen in Scotland and renowned for its savage history. Return to your hotel in Fort William after your tour. 

Highlands- Glasgow

With hills and forests, the landscapes of Argyll make this one of the gentlest areas of the Scottish Highlands while still representing the grandeur of the region, which you discover on a full day of touring. Drive through the Pass of Brander in the shadow of Ben Cruachan, a mountain that has been hollowed out to house a hydro-electric power station to the west coast near Oban. Cross over to Loch Fyne, a long inlet of the sea, for a private tour of Inveraray Castle. Home to the Duke of Argyll, the chief of the Campbells, this fairy-tale castle sits near the shore and retains some impressive interiors that are the most richly decorated in Scotland. Later, travel around the head of Loch Fyne and then up and over the high mountain pass known as ‘Rest and Be Thankful’; from the summit viewpoint there is a panoramic view down the steep-sided valley Glen Croe and the road that leads down to Tarbert. Here the waters of Loch Lomond appear and stretch into the distance. Follow the ‘Bonnie Banks’ of this fabled stretch of water, the largest inland loch in Great Britain, as it extends out of the Highlands and spills onto the plain of the Central Lowlands where it is peppered with many islands. Continue to your hotel in Glasgow later today.

Glasgow- US

Depart Glasgow