Scotland's Highlands Islands and Cities

Edinburgh's allure as one of the world's most beguiling capitals will captivate you as you ease into the charm of Auld Reekie and explore the labyrinthine lanes and grand façades of this fascinating city. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure before joining your fellow travellers and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception to kickstart your turas through an unimaginably beautiful part of the world.

Let your Local Specialist take you on an informative sightseeing tour of Edinburgh, stopping to view the regal Palace of Holyroodhouse and nearby new Scottish Parliament Building. We ramble down the Royal Mile, delving into the heart of the city, before visiting Edinburgh Castle, from whose Castle Rock vantage point we can admire beautiful cityscapes. Meander through the grand New Town with its Gothic façades enjoying the rest of the day at leisure to discover the city's centuries-old heritage. If your visit coincides with the Edinburgh Festival, tickets for the rousing Edinburgh Tattoo will be included.

A scenic day's excursion brings us to the ruins of the 12th century Augustinian Jedburgh Abbey, which we will have an opportunity to view before admiring the ornate decorations that adorn the façades of nearby Melrose Abbey, said to be the final resting place of the embalmed heart of Robert the Bruce. We take the scenic route back to Edinburgh this afternoon, following the lush green landscapes along the Tweed River.

This morning we cross the Firth of Forth to the celebrated home of golf, St. Andrews, where we will view its ancient university and the course that golfing greats have clamoured to play for centuries. Shakespeare's Macbeth takes centre stage as we visit Glamis Castle next, once the home of the beloved Queen Mother and birthplace of Princess Margaret. Enjoy a guided tour of the castle and explore its beautiful gardens before we travel to the waterfront city of Dundee, distinguished for its status as the first UNESCO City of Design, and the original home of marmalade.

Indulge in a Cultural Insight into local whisky production at a famous distillery, which includes a tasting of Scotland's much-loved golden nectar. Hearts and hands warmed, we wind our way to visit the tragic battlefield and Visitor Centre at Culloden past rugged landscapes and the imposing Cairngorm Mountains. Visit the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army was finally defeated. Our final stop for the night is Inverness, the heart of the Scottish Highlands and gateway to Loch Ness.

The mystical haunt of Nessie is our first stop today en route to Dunrobin Castle. This stately home and its magnificent gardens inspired by the Palace of Versailles comes straight from the pages of a fairy-tale. Spend your afternoon exploring its château-like façades and picturesque setting that was once home to the Clan Sutherland. Arriving in Thurso, our home for the next two nights, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Embrace the charming character of John O'Groats, the starting point for the famous 'End-to-End' journey to Lands End in England. We board a ferry across the Pentland Firth to South Ronaldsay in the Orkney Islands, viewing the 1.5 mile stretch of WWII causeways known as the Churchill Barriers. Delve into the stories of the Neolothic Skara Brae village, which was 'lost' for millennia, before seeing the prehistoric free-standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar. En route to our hotel for dinner, we stop at beautiful Kirkwall Cathedral for a photo opportunity.

Dramatic landscapes accompany our scenic drive along the rugged north-west coastline of the Scottish Highlands until we reach the remote village of Ullapool on the shores of Loch Broom. We journey to the magical setting that is the 13th century Eilean Donan Castle, perched on a tiny island where three sea lochs meet, before continuing to the Isle of Skye where we'll stay overnight and enjoy a delicious dinner in our hotel.

The breathtaking scenery of the Isle of Skye behind us, we travel back to the mainland following a beautiful route that takes us past the Glenfinnan Viaduct along which Harry Potter's Hogwarts Express would journey to his beloved school of magic. We pass Fort William, a quaint town on the shores of Loch Linnhe renowned as the gateway to Ben Nevis, before continuing to Ballachulish, our Highland home for the next two nights.

Set sail from the resort town of Oban to the holiday retreat that is the Isle of Mull, where we disembark at Craignure. We cross the pretty countryside of this small island to catch a ferry from Fionnphort to the island of Iona, once the home of a Gaelic monastic community whose legacy we will have an opportunity to visit in the beautifully preserved Iona Abbey. Before our journey back to Ballachulish, we'll have the chance to view Rèilig Odhrain, the final resting place for many of Scottish kings.

A solemn reminder of the MacDonald clansmen who were massacred at the Glen of the Weeping in 1692 marks our morning meander south to Glasgow. We follow the banks of picturesque Loch Lomond - its tranquil waters set against the backdrop of Ben Lomond, before arriving in the edgy city of Glasgow. Enjoy an orientation tour that will see us view George Square with its statues of Britain's famous sons, and St. Mungo's Cathedral before spending the rest of the evening at leisure.

Mary Queen of Scots and several Scottish kings and queens have made Stirling Castle their home over the centuries. Enjoy a visit of its grounds to delve into the history of this royal residence and fortress that was besieged by Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 18th century and today remains as one of Scotland's most impressive castles. We'll visit the splendidly decorated Royal Palace of King James V and view the renowned Stirling Heads, before venturing to Bannockburn, where King Robert Bruce of Scotland defeated Edward II of England during the First War of Scottish Independence. We join the Wood family this afternoon for a memorable Be My Guest lunch at their 15th century historical farm on the shores of Loch Ard where we'll enjoy tales of Rob Roy. This evening, we return to Glasgow for time at leisure to enjoy true Scottish hospitality.

Our epic journey across Scotland's highlands, islands and cities has come to an end. It's time to say a fond farewell to our travel companions and Travel Director as our memorable holiday comes to an end. Airport transfers are available. Conditions apply.