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Scotland Vacation Packages Vacations

Day 1   Arrival in Edinburgh
 
Today we arrive in Edinburgh, where the buzz of Scotland's capital city sits in perfect contrast to the peaceful tranquility of the surrounding Lothians region. Edinburgh has one of the most beautiful cityscapes in the world, making it the ideal city break destination. With Scotland's most famous castle dominating the city skyline, there is plenty to see and do with the perfect balance between all things traditional and contemporary. Overnight in Edinburgh. Dinner if required. 
  
Day 2   Edinburgh: City Tour
 
Today we have a guided walking tour of Edinburgh. A walk down the Royal Mile takes us into some of the closes and 'wynds' that will reveal some of the fascinating histories of the old city -- tales of hangings and gruesome punishments, how Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde came to be. We head underground to Mary Kings Close, a 17th century street under the City Chambers that for hundreds of years was unlived in because it was believed to be haunted by victims of the plague. Edinburgh Castle is our next stop, where we will learn about the first peoples to occupy this prominent rock, and of the sieges and stealth later used to gain entry into the castle. Here we visit the oldest building in the city, St Margaret's Chapel. We finish at the Scottish Whisky Heritage Centre, a unique insight into the world of Scotch whisky. We discover the secrets of the "water of life" as our guided tour takes us through the differences between malt, grain and blended Scotch whisky. Overnight in Edinburgh. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 3   Edinburgh - St Andrews - Edinburgh
 
Today we have a day trip to St Andrews, Scotland's oldest university town. The university was founded in 1411 with its original St Salvator's Chapel. We visit the ruins of the magnificent Cathedral, once the second largest in Europe. Close by is St Andrews Castle, a ruin today but with a superb backdrop of sea. The beach is famous for scenes in the film 'Chariots of Fire'; it forms part of the links that is the Old Course, the famous golf course of St Andrews, the Royal and Ancient going back to 1754. We continue through numerous fishing villages before stopping at Anstruther to visit the extensive and excellent Fisheries Museum. The museum gives us an insight to the harsh and dangerous life of fishermen in the North Sea over the centuries. We will even see a reconstruction of the inside of a typical fisherman's home. We also visit Falkland Palace, an impressive Renaissance building set in the heart of Falkland at the foot of the Lomond Hills. Built by James IV and James V between 1450 and 1541 the Palace was a country residence of the Stuart monarchs of Scotland for over 200 years. Lush green lawns, colourful herbaceous borders and many unusual shrubs and trees complete the setting for this memorable property. We return to Edinburgh. Overnight in Edinburgh. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 4   Edinburgh - Aberdeen
 
This morning we travel by train to Aberdeen. On arrival we enjoy a "hop-on-hop-off" guided tour of Aberdeen. Aberdeen's architecture is known for its principal use of granite during the Victorian era, which has led to its local nickname of the Granite City, or more romantically, the less commonly used name Silver City, since the quartz in the stone sparkles in the sun. The heart of the old city lies across the Brig O'Balgownie (one of the oldest bridges in Britain) leading to the old market square and King's College with its famous dome-crowned tower. The city's architecture is a reminder of its heritage and rich history, but Aberdeen also has a cosmopolitan buzz and is very much a city on the rise. Overnight in Aberdeen. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 5   Aberdeen - Royal Deeside & Dunnottar Castle - Aberdeen
 
Today's full day excursion takes us into the heart of Scotland and the magnificent valley of the River Dee. Rising high in the Cairngorm Mountains and running east to its mouth at Aberdeen the river flows through some of Scotland's finest scenery. Midway, in the shadow of Lochnagar mountain, lies royal Balmoral Castle, summer home of the Royal Family, hence the name Royal Deeside. (Our tour does not visit Balmoral as it is closed to visitors during the time of our trip). Today we have a guided tour of the area, including Crathes Castle and Gardens. With its portraits, oak ceilings, heraldic shields, Elizabethan fireplace and more, Crathes is uniquely preserved. The castle is particularly famous for its Jacobean painted ceilings, only uncovered in 1877. The colourful formal gardens are particularly beautiful and much praised. They are divided into 8 themed areas by Irish yew hedges which date from 1702. The avenues of lime trees may be even older. We'll pop into the nearby Royal Lochnagar Distillery for a tour and tasting. The distillery has had a turbulent past. The first Lochnagar distillery was burnt down in suspicious circumstances in 1824 and a replacement again burnt down in 1841. The distillery was awarded its Royal Warrant in 1848 when John Begg invited Prince Albert to visit the distillery from nearby Balmoral. The next day the distillery was visited by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children, after which the Queen reported from that point to having enjoyed Royal Lochnagar in her claret! Our tour continues to the coast and charming Stonehaven in time for a lunch break. Despite development and wealth related to nearby oil drilling operations, Stonehaven has maintained its own very distinctive character and charm. The historical focus of Stonehaven is its harbour, the only safe haven along this entire coast in a north-easterly gale. From Stonehaven we head for Dunnottar Castle, a dramatic and evocative ruin. As you wander around the extensive buildings,* you are almost completely surrounded by the sea, with gulls and other seabirds wheeling and screaming around the cliffs below you. But Dunnottar is more than a topographical curiosity, as this rock and the buildings on it reflect in microcosm much of the rich and tragic story of Scottish history. William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots and the Marquis of Montrose have all graced the castle with their presence. Most famously though, it was at Dunnottar Castle that a small garrison held out against the might of Cromwell's army for eight months and saved the Scottish Crown Jewels, the 'Honours of Scotland', from destruction. * NOTE: The castle is accessible by a footpath that is sloped and uneven in some places. There are also some steps within and around the ruins. We strongly suggest that you be prepared with sturdy walking shoes. We return to Aberdeen. Overnight in Aberdeen. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 6   Aberdeen - Inverness
 
Today we travel by train to Inverness, the 'Capital of the Highlands.' After our arrival and a chance to settle in, we'll have an informal walking tour of the principal sites of Inverness. Overnight in Inverness. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 7   Loch Ness & Glen Affric
 
This morning we travel by coach to Loch Ness, stopping on the way for some photos of this world famous Loch. Half way down the Loch, we head west into Glen Affric. This is a very beautiful and unique area, being one of the last remaining pockets of native Caledonian pine forest left standing. This landscape will take you back in time to how Scotland would have looked 500 years ago. From Glen Affric, we go east to Drumnadrochit, home of the Nessie Centre and Urquhart Castle. We travel south again along Loch Ness to Fort Augustus. You can have lunch in this charming village at the southern tip of the tip of Loch. After lunch we take a boat trip out onto the Loch to look for "Nessie". It was the construction of the A82 highway in the 1930s that sparked off the modern craze for monster spotting when workmen and locals claimed many sightings. Perhaps the digging and blasting disturbed the monster! The first mention of 'Nessie', as he or she is colloquially known, goes back to St Adamnan's chronicle of St Colomba who had to placate the monster following its attack on a fellow monk. Return to Inverness. Overnight in Ivernness. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 8   Speyside Tour
 
Today's day trip takes us to Speyside, the heart of Scotland's whisky country. Whisky distilleries were founded in an environment rich in the highest quality ingredients: pure, clear spring water and abundant supplies of fragrant golden barley. On the whisky trail of Speyside, you'll find more than half of Scotland's malt whisky distilleries, each with its own warm welcome and an invitation to see, smell, taste and absorb the magic of whisky. Even if you are not a Scotch enthusiast, our day is interesting from a socio-cultural standpoint since Scotch is such an important aspect of Scottish life and history. Our choice to visit and tour is Glenfiddich, is the world's favourite single malt Scotch whisky. William Grant & Sons Ltd is one of very few Scotch whisky companies to remain in the hands of the family who founded it. The facility is superbly located In the heart of the Highlands, surrounded by forest, the ruins of a medieval castle and a natural spring -- a landscape little changed since 1886. That's when Glenfiddich's founder, William Grant, gathered his family of nine children to build the distillery with their bare hands. We also visit a working cooperage with a unique visitor centre. See highly skilled coopers and their apprentices practising their ancient craft. Each year they repair around 100,000 oak casks which will be used to mature many different whiskies. Overnight in Inverness. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 9   Inverness - Stirling
 
This morning we travel by train to Stirling. On arrival we visit Stirling Castle, the largest in Scotland. The castle is well defended by cliffs on 3 sides, and became a military stronghold and seat of royalty and government. Stirling Castle rock has been used as a fortress for centuries, probably since Roman times. The earliest buildings upon it mentioned in surviving records are the castle and the chapel dedicated by Alexander I in 1120. From the 12th Century it became one of the principal royal strongholds in Scotland. Destroyed or rebuilt several times in the 13th and 14th centuries, it was close to great battles against the English during the Wars of Independence. We also visit Argyll's Lodging. Many nobles who owned nearby estates built town houses near the castle to be close to the King's Court. This house was bought and extended by the Earl of Stirling in about 1632. Before this he had travelled widely with the Earl of Argyll and had been made Governor of Nova Scotia where he encouraged settlement. His commitment to Canada is indicated on the carved stone panel over the main entrance. It is one of the most important 17th Century town houses to survive in Scotland today. Overnight in Stirling. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 10   Stirling - the Trossachs - Glasgow
 
Today we travel by coach to Glasgow. En route we stop briefly to see Robert the Bruce and the site of the Battle of Bannockburn. We also make scenic stops in the Trossachs, the wild glens and sparkling lochs between Callander and Aberfoyle, often regarded as the 'Highlands in miniature'. Here the contrast between Highlands and Lowlands is stark as we travel the twisting Duke's Pass to Glasgow via Loch Katrine. Overnight in Glasgow. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 11   Glasgow: City Tour
 
Glasgow is set on fairly gentle hills rising up from the basin created by the River Clyde, so the city is amenable to walking. We'll visit Provand's Lordship, a museum located at the top of Castle Street in the shadow of the Glasgow Cathedral and Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Provand's Lordship has become one of the few reminders of Glasgow's medieval past. In addition to Glasgow Cathedral it remains one of the few buildings from this time period that has survived Glasgow's turbulent history. A highlight of our programme is a visit to the Glasgow School of Art, designed by Charles Rennie MacIntosh, and famous for his distinctive style. The Mackintosh building is increasingly seen as a important architectural monument in its own right and is a listed building protected by statute. Also, with an ever-increasing interest being shown in the work of Mackintosh himself and Glasgow in general, the building has become a favoured destination for a growing number of cultural tourists. This afternoon we'll visit Culzean Castle, which stands on the brink of 150 ft cliffs that drop sheer into the Firth of Clyde. Regarded by many as one of the finest examples of the architect's art in Scotland, both externally and internally, it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. The castle became a centre for smuggling during the eighteenth century. Sir Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassillis, went on an extended grand tour in the 1750s and returned full of ideas as to how to improve his vast estates and home. His brother and heir commissioned Robert Adam to create his masterpiece and became bankrupt as a result. The estate was rescued when wealthy American cousins inherited it in 1792. Overnight in Glasgow. Breakfast and dinner. 
  
Day 12   Departure
 
Departure from Glasgow. Breakfast. BON VOYAGE !!

9/09

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