Country Roads of Scotland – 8 nights – 9 days

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN EDINBURGH

Join your Travel Director for dinner at a local restaurant. On select departures, during your time in Edinburgh, you will also attend The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo — a colourful mix of pipes and drums, dance and display, set against the floodlit backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

DAY 2: EDINBURGH

Join a Local Expert to see the highlights of the city. In the Old Town, see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the King.

Drive along Princes Street to the ornate Scott Monument, then see the 18th-century New Town with its neoclassical Georgian facades. Venture up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle, home of Mons Meg and Scotland’s Crown Jewels.

The rest of the day is at leisure; why not visit the art treasures in the National Gallery? Later, you could choose an Optional Experience at a Scottish cultural dinner with haggis, music, and ceilidh dancing.

Optional Experiences:

1. Royal Edinburgh
2. Edinburgh – The Untold Story
3. Scottish Feast and Ceilidh

DAY 3: EDINBURGH – ST. ANDREWS – INVERNESS

Cross the Firth of Forth into Fife and journey to St. Andrews, passing the Old Course, home of golf since its creation in the 15th century. Enjoy free time to explore. Perhaps stroll to West Sands Beach, where the famous ‘Chariots of Fire’ scene was filmed? Alternatively, wander to St. Andrews University, where the current Prince and Princess of Wales first met.

Stop at Atholl Palace and Gardens for a delicious cream tea. Originally opened in Victorian times, the hotel retains many traditional features. Continue via Blair Atholl and pass the Grampian Mountains on the way to the sparkling Spey Valley.

Optional Experiences:

1. Blair Castle Visit

DAY 4: INVERNESS – CULLODEN – LOCH NESS – WICK – THURSO

Keep your eyes peeled for the Loch Ness monster this morning during a scenic drive along the legendary lake. See Culloden Battlefield, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army was crushed in 1746. Visit the Culloden Visitor Centre.

Next, with your own choice, discover the fishing port of Wick. Choose to visit the Old Pulteney Distillery to taste a wee dram of its award-winning whiskies. Alternatively, join an experience to visit the Wick Heritage Museum and hear about the past of this once thriving fishing community.

 Optional Experiences:

1. An Evening of Scots-Gaelic Culture

DAY 5: THURSO – ORKNEY ISLANDS – THURSO

Start the day by boarding the ferry to the beautiful Orkney Islands, where the countryside is breathtakingly majestic, and the tranquility supports a quieter pace of life. Here, the hardy locals say they live ‘below the wind and above the water’.

Your Travel Director accompanies you as you visit the small chapel built by Italian prisoners during World War II, the old Norse town of Kirkwall, the 5,000-year-old village of Skara Brae, and the mysterious Ring of Brodgar.

DAY 6: THURSO – SKYE

Travel through stunning, pristine landscapes along the northern coast with its white sandy beaches, and further inland to misty valleys and glens, lochs and rushing waters. Then it’s ‘Over the Sea to Skye,’ the largest and most beautiful island of the Inner Hebrides. On the way to Broadford, hear romantic tales of how young Flora MacDonald helped rescue Bonnie Prince Charlie and see the dramatic Cuillin Hills.

DAY 7: SKYE – EILEAN DONAN CASTLE – GLENCOE

This morning, explore this wild and beautiful island on your own, before crossing to the Kyle of Lochalsh. Stop for a photo at remote Eilean Donan Castle, which, under a clear sky, offers a perfect reflection in its loch.

Move on to the WWII Commando Memorial, where there is a fine view of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Enjoy spectacular scenery en route to the Valley of Glencoe. Join a ranger for an experience, and learn about the protection of this rare ecosystem and the important work of reintroducing lost indigenous species to its flora and fauna. In the evening, enjoy market-fresh Scottish ingredients and wine as you get together with your newfound friends for a sumptuous dinner. Don’t be surprised if, by the end of the evening, you’re ‘Toasting to the Lassies’ or singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

 Optional Experiences:

1. Isle of Skye Tour

DAY 8: GLENCOE – LOCH LOMOND – GLASGOW

Spend time around peaceful Loch Lomond, ‘Queen of Scottish Lochs’ according to Sir Walter Scott, and the largest in Great Britain. Perhaps experience the beauty and tranquility of the loch with an optional cruise before continuing to Glasgow?

An orientation drive through the city will show you the grand public buildings, including George Square and St. Mungo’s Cathedral. Then the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

 Optional Experiences:

1. Loch Lomond Boat Trip
2. Glasgow Dinner
3. Guided Visit and Dinner at The Mackintosh at the Willow

DAY 9: GLASGOW

Today, bid farewell to your journey along the country roads of Scotland as you transfer to the airport.