Caledonian Classic

Welcome to Scotland! Meet your tour guide at your designated pickup point before undertaking a panoramic tour of Glasgow. You will see Glasgow's highlights including red sandstone Victorian buildings, delightful parks, and the River Clyde, once important for shipbuilding.  We will visit Glasgow Cathedral, one of Scotland's most magnificent medieval buildings, Glasgow Cathedral is the only one on the Scottish mainland to survive the Reformation of 1560 intact. There will also be time to visit the extensive and varied art collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Afterward we check into our hotel where we spend our first two nights.

Dinner/Overnight — Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow or similar
 

Depart for Rabbie Burns Country, where the first stop of the day is Burns National Heritage Park. The museum is the focal point of this beautifully landscaped park where visitors can cross the Brig o’Doon and visit the poet’s birthplace. 
Later, continue to Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. Culzean is surrounded by surging seas, lush forests, and secret gardens.

Overnight — Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow or similar

Depart Glasgow for Inverness travelling along Scotland’s West Coast and Loch Ness. Highlights of the day include Loch Lomond, dramatic Glencoe, a visit to Urquhart Castle and a cruise on Loch Ness in search of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

Dinner/Overnight — Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness
Located just one mile from Inverness city centre and the River Ness the Kingsmills is set in four acres of carefully kept gardens and manicured lawns. All rooms feature luxurious ensuite  bathrooms with separate baths and showers, wi-fi, iPod docks, satellite television, goose-down quilts and cotton sheets. The hotel also has fully equipped leisure facilities and spa that guests can take advantage of during their stay.

Today a day trip to the Isle of Skye, one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands. First stop is Portree, capital of the island. You can enjoy some free time here, exploring the multi-coloured harbour, or warming up by a real coal fire in a local pub. On our return to Inverness, you will visit Eilean Donan Castle.

Dinner/Overnight — Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness

Today we head to Perthshire via Culloden Moor, site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden. Before leaving Speyside, stop at Kincraig for an impressive display from the Working Sheepdogs. Continue onto Perthshire, where on arrival at your hotel, you will be welcomed with “wee dram!”

Dinner/Overnight — Hotel Indigo Dundee, Dundee
Poised between Dundee’s waterfront and the heart of its shopping district, Hotel Indigo® Dundee reflects the fascinating heritage of this proud city. Indeed, a stay at this iconic hotel invites you to become part of a story spanning nearly 200 years! We also offer a fully-equipped gym, as well as a bar and a restaurant, perfect for experiencing Scotland’s finest produce and handcrafted bespoke cocktails, wines and coffees.

Enroute you will stop for a distillery visit at Kingsbarns Distillery. This tour is the perfect introduction to Scotch whisky. You will visit the exhibition space, go on a guided tour of the distillery, and then be led up to one of the tasting rooms for some sampling.  A shop and café await you at the end of the tour.  After the distillery tour, we will travel to St. Andrews, home of Scotland’s oldest university and capital of golf. Leaving St. Andrews, we head to Falkland to visit the village and the Palace, built by King James V in 1539. It became a favourite retreat of the Stuart Dynasty including Mary Queen of Scots.

Overnight — InterContinental Edinburgh The George
The InterContinental Edinburgh The George has been welcoming hotel guests since 1881. At its heart are five listed Georgian townhouses, built in 1775 as homes for Edinburgh’s most  prosperous citizens.  Winner of Luxury Brand Hotel of the Year at the 2019 Scottish Hotel Awards, The InterContinental Edinburgh The George is an ideal base from which to explore the city. The sensitive, multi-million-pound restoration and refurbishment combines luxurious natural materials such as oak, marble and leather with a palette of colours inspired by the great 19th-century Scottish landscape painters. The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen was once home to acclaimed novelist Susan Ferrier whilst Burr & Co. is a lovely coffee shop with a devoted local  following. The hotel also has a newly equipped gym.

After an early breakfast in the hotel, you will enjoy an exclusive, pre-opening tour of Edinburgh Castle. You will then enjoy a panoramic city tour of Edinburgh which features the “New” and the “Old” towns. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city further. Tonight, you will attend the Spirit of Scotland Show, an evening of traditional entertainment and dinner at The Royal College of Surgeons.

Dinner/Overnight — InterContinental Edinburgh The George

Our first stop today will be the Royal Yacht Britannia and discover what life was like during Royal service on board this former floating palace. Afterwards we journey south to the Scottish Borders, where we explore this less travelled area, full of charming towns, castles galore and stunning rolling countryside. Here we visit Rosslyn Chapel, for a guided tour of this magnificent 15th century architectural masterpiece. Tonight, we enjoy our dinner at the hotel.

Dinner/ Overnight – The Hydro Hotel, Peebles

Our day begins at Abbotsford House, extraordinary home and ‘palace of the imagination’ of the 19th century novelist Sir Walter Scott. Next, we visit The Great Tapestry of Scotland which reveals Scottish history and culture as experienced, as well as shaped, by its people. Our final stop today is Traquair House, Scotland’s Oldest Inhabited House dating back to 1107. We are welcomed by Lady Catherine, enjoy a guided tour, ale tasting and a delicious dinner in the scrumptious dining room.

Overnight – The Hydro Hotel, Peebles 
 

A day of textiles, an abbey and whisky! We start at Melrose Abbey, one of the most powerfully romantic ruins in Britain. Then onto Lochcarron of Scotland, where our guided tour gives us insight into tartan design and manufacturing. Next will visit the Borders Distillery, proudly the first Scotch Whisky Distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837, after our tour we enjoy a wee dram, Slainte! Tonight, you are free to dine on your own.

Overnight – The Hydro Hotel, Peebles

Today we jump across the border where we first stop at Alnwick Castle and Gardens, home of the Duke & Duchess of Northumberland, with over 950 years of history and the second largest inhabited castle in the UK. Next we travel west along the area of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site to Housesteads Roman Fort, dating back to the Roman Empire, here we can walk the barrack blocks whilst admiring the stunning panoramic views. Later we jump back across the border to reach our hotel.

Dinner/ Overnight – The Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries

We discover Dumfries and Galloway today, starting at Kitchen, Coos and Ewes, here we experience a tour that gets us up close and personal with Highland Cows and Beltex sheep, in their natural farm environment, followed by a sheep dog presentation. Next, we stop in one of the harbour towns, set along the River Dee, for some free time and then it is onto Cream o’ Galloway, the award winning dairy farm for an ice cream tasting, is any holiday complete without ice cream?

Dinner/ Overnight – The Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries

We have an earlier departure today as we mark our way to Ardrossan to embark on our ferry to Arran. Fondly referred to as ‘Scotland in miniature’, we will tour the island, taking in the glorious scenery, stopping to see Lochranza Castle, the Standing Stones at Machrie Moor, if the weather is clear we can see the mysterious Holy Island which sits just off the coast and also admire Arran highest hill, Goatfell. There will be some time on your own in Brodick (you may want to try some Arran Cheese or purchase some products from the famous Arran Aromatics) before we ferry back to the mainland.

Overnight – The Gailes Hotel & Spa, Ayrshire

Our excursion today is the Isle of Bute, nestled in the Firth of the Clyde and just a 40 minute crossing from Wemyss Bay. We arrive to swathes of palm trees and exotic plants lining the shore, the perfect demonstration that parts of Scotland’s west coast have surprisingly mild climate! We head to the spectacularly extravagant Mount Stuart. Designed by the 3 rd Marquess of Bute who was obsessed with architecture and just happened to be the richest man in Britain. Our guide tour takes us through the magnificent interiors and discover the history of the Bute family. You will have free time in Rothesay before we sail back to the mainland. Haste ye back.

Dinner / Overnight – The Gailes Hotel & Spa, Ayrshire

Your tour ends after a hearty Scottish breakfast. Please inquire about departure transfers.