About your tour
Hotels
Modern Marriott hotels in Edinburgh
and Glasgow
contrast with the hotels to be found in
the Highlands, which are much simpler
establishments
although typical of the region, and
often family run.
Fellow
Passengers
This itinerary appeals to those who
have a Scottish
background, as well as those who want to
see the country’s dramatic scenery
while at the same time tasting Scottish
history.
Highlights
The beautiful setting for the cruise
on Loch Lomond,
the delights of the Scottish evening
with haggis and bagpipes, the grandeur
of Edinburgh
and the overwhelming Highland landscape
and hospitality are all highlights.
Enjoy our
Premium Highlights plus
these extra tour
features
Excursions
& Sights
- See the Honours of Scotland
(Scottish Crown Jewels)
in Edinburgh
- Drive along the Royal Mile
past St Giles’ Cathedral to
Holyroodhouse
Palace
- See Edinburgh’s
‘New Town’ and Sir Walter
Scott Monument on
Princes Street
- Visit St Andrews with its
cathedral, long-established university
& famous golf course
- Visit Caithness Glass
Factory
- Visit a whisky distillery
and taste a ‘wee dram’
- Visit Culloden where the
Jacobite Army under Bonnie
Prince Charlie was finally defeated
- Visit the Highland capital of
Inverness and drive
along Loch Ness to spot the
monster
- Visit John O’Groats, the
most northerly
town of mainland Britain
- Visit the fishing port of
Ullapool & admire the scenery
of the North West Highlands
- See the Isle of Skye’s
dramatic Cuillin Hills and
stay in its capital of Portree
- View pretty Eilean Donan
Castle, set on an island
in a loch & surrounded by
mountains
- See the Second World War
Commando Memorial
and Ben Nevis, Britain’s
highest peak
- Travel through Glencoe
- Visit
a woollen mill
Guided City Tours
- Indepth sightseeing tour in
Edinburgh
- Orientation
tour in Glasgow
Insight's First Class
Services
- Escorted by a professional Tour
Director
- Luxury
air-conditioned 40 seat coach with
onboard toilet
- First-class hotels with all service
charges, taxes and porterage
- Travel bag, document wallet, map
book journal and information
pack
Quality Dining
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Your itinerary
8 Days ~ Scotland
Tour Pace
This tour is well paced with an
initial two-night
stay in Edinburgh followed by nights in
the Highlands, Thurso, Ullapool, the
stunning
Isle of Skye and Glasgow. The driving
days are of a comfortable length and have
frequent stops.
DAY 1
– SAT – EDINBURGH
On arrival in the beautiful city of
Edinburgh, make your way to the tour
hotel. (See train option on the price
page to join
from London). The rest of the day is
yours to relax or start exploring.
Perhaps take a stroll around
the shops of Prince’s Street before
joining your Tour Director and fellow
passengers
for a Welcome Drink. In the evening,
selected departures attend the spectacular
Military Tattoo - a colourful mix of
pipes and drums, dance and display, set
against
the floodlit backdrop of Edinburgh
Castle. Hotel: Marriott.
DAY 2 – SUN –
EDINBURGH SIGHTSEEING
Join a local guide to see the
highlights of ‘Athens
of the North’. Drive along
Prince’s Street to see the ornate
Scott Memorial,
then visit the 18th century New Town
with its classical Adam facades. Over in
the
Old Town, visit the awesome Castle,
perched high on its rock. See the house
where
John Knox, leader of the Protestant
Reformation in Scotland, spent the last
10 years
of his life, and St Giles’
Cathedral, where he preached his fiery
sermons.
At the bottom of the Royal Mile, see the
Palace of Holyroodhouse, where Mary Queen
of Scots lived – it is still the
official Scottish residence of the Queen.
The rest of the day is yours to explore
the city at leisure: perhaps research your
family tartan in the Tartan Centre or
visit the art treasures in the National
Gallery.
(B)
DAY 3 – MON
– EDINBURGH –
HIGHLANDS
Cross the Firth of Forth into Fife
and make your
way to St Andrews, where golf was born
on the Old Course in the 15th century.
After
some time to explore, continue to Perth
to watch the Caithness glass-blowers at
work. Afterwards, visit a whisky
distillery, where local water, the best
malt and
age-old skills combine to produce a
‘wee dram’ for you to taste. A
short
journey over the Grampian Mountains and
you arrive at your Highland hotel for the
night. This evening, enjoy a Highlight
Dinner with haggis and traditional Scottish
entertainment. Hotel: Highlander. (B,HD)
DAY 4 – TUE –
HIGHLANDS – THURSO
Travel to the tragic battlefield of
Culloden,
where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army
was finally crushed. Drive via the stately
town of Inverness, home of world-famous
Pringle knitwear, and along the scenic
shores
of Loch Ness to search for the elusive
monster. Now follow the rugged coast north
to John O’Groats, the most
northerly town of mainland Britain. The
coastal
road to Thurso then offers splendid
views out over the Pentland Firth.
Hotel: Royal.
(B,D)
DAY 5 – WED
– THURSO – ULLAPOOL
Through stunning and unspoilt
landscapes along
the northern coastline with its white
sandy beaches, and further inland to misty
valleys and glens, lochs and rushing
waters. Arrive in the little fishing town
of Ullapool on Loch Broom. Hotel:
Caledonian. (B,D)
DAY 6
– THU – ULLAPOOL – ISLE
OF SKYE
An exciting day takes you past remote
Eilean Donan
Castle, which under a clear sky offers a
perfect reflection in its loch. Then
it’s
over to Skye to hear romantic tales of
Flora MacDonald and her daring rescue of
the Bonnie Prince. See the island’s
most famous feature, the Cuillin Hills
on your way to Skye’s quaint
capital, Portree, which is situated in a
sheltered
bay. Hotel: Tongadale. (B,D)
DAY 7 – FRI –
ISLE OF SKYE – GLASGOW
Enjoy a feast of scenic splendour as
you return
to the mainland and head past Loch Garry
into the Great Glen, stopping along the
way at the Commando Memorial to enjoy
views of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest
mountain. Continue through Glencoe, its
hills echoing with the ghastly cries of
massacred clansmen, and on to Loch
Lomond to join a Highlight Cruise. Spend
the
night in the thriving commercial city of
Glasgow. Hotel: Marriott. (B)
DAY 8 – SAT –
GLASGOW
The tour ends after breakfast. There
is the option of taking the train to
London, see price page for details. (B)
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