10-Nights Tailor Made Scotland: Edinburgh & the Highlands - Luxury Tailor Made Travel — CALL

Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made Scotland: Edinburgh & the Highlands

Day 1 EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Arrive in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, where you are met by your Guardian Angel and privately transferred to your hotel.

Unravel the history of Edinburgh, starting at Edinburgh Castle, a royal fortress that symbolizes the Scottish nation. It is home to the Honours of Scotland, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in Europe. Take in stunning views of the city from the castle’s impressive military installations. Proceed along the Royal Mile, through the Old Town of Edinburgh, to view St. Giles Cathedral. Next, visit Holyrood Palace, the Queen's official residence in Scotland. Explore the staterooms and visit the historic apartments in which Mary, Queen of Scots resided (provided no member of today’s royal family is present). Also view the nearby Scottish Parliament Building to see how its striking contemporary design contrasts with the classical style of the palace. Afterward, enjoy an evening at leisure.

Head out into the Scottish Borders, a picturesque stretch of rolling hills and farmland lying between Edinburgh and the boundary between Scotland and England. View the salmon-rich River Tweed as it gently winds its way through this bucolic landscape. Visit Floors Castle at Kelso, home to the Duke of Roxburgh. Marvel at its fabulous furniture and paintings, stroll its splendid gardens, and learn of the Duke’s passion for racehorses. Next, stop in the charming town of Melrose, which hosts dramatic ruins, including Melrose Abbey, the burial place of both Alexander II of Scotland and Robert the Bruce. Return to Edinburgh.

Leaving Edinburgh, head north into the Highlands of Scotland, crossing the Firth of Forth on one of the three iconic Forth bridges that showcase Scotland’s enduring talent for engineering. Continue past Perth and upstream to the quaint town of Dunkeld. Enjoy a short detour to Loch Tummel for a photo stop at the Queen’s View, widely considered to be one of the loveliest panoramas in the country. Continue across the scenic Pass of Killiecrankie where Jacobite forces were victorious over troops loyal to King William in 1689, arriving at white-turreted Blair Castle, the home of the Duke of Athol. Explore the sumptuous rooms here at your leisure during your visit. Then, proceed through spectacular countryside, taking in the peaks of the Cairngorms, en route to the highest-elevated distillery in Scotland: Dalwhinnie Distillery. Learn how the chilly average annual temperature makes the whisky produced here truly unique, and then taste three single-malt whiskies paired with specially selected hand-made chocolates. Afterward, continue to your hotel in the Inverness area.

Continue today through the Scottish Highlands, absorbing their wild beauty, grandeur and a rich cultural heritage. Arrive in Dornoch, viewing its glowing medieval town center of golden sandstone buildings and its impressive cathedral. To the north, see Dunrobin Castle and Gardens, which resemble a French Chateau. This is the largest inhabited castle in the Northern Highlands, and the magnificent gardens, designed by the architect Sir Charles Barry, were inspired by those of Versailles. After your visit, journey along the B9176, also known as the Stuie, as your driver-guide explains the history of this Georgian military road, and stop at a scenic viewpoint. Time permitting, you may wish to visit a local distillery for a public tour and sample a wee dram before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Start your day with a visit to Culloden Moor, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated in 1746 by government troops, thereby ending his attempt to regain the throne for the Stewart family. Then, follow the long straight valley called the Great Glen to Fort Augustus, a town at the southern end of Loch Ness, keeping watch for fabled Nessie along the way. En route, walk the ruins of Urquhart Castle, which dominate the central part of the loch. From here continue your journey to Loch Duich, where you visit the romantic Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most recognized castles in Scotland. Strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye, the castle sits at the point where three great sea-lochs meet in a truly breathtaking setting. Cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye, where you still see road signs in the Gaelic language, en route to your hotel located in the capital town of Portree.

Set out to explore some of the most iconic places and best-loved landscapes of the Isle of Skye, beginning with a tour of Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and the ancestral home of the chiefs of clan MacLeod for 800 years. Journey on to the Armadale port for a short ferry ride to the west coast port of Mallaig and continue along the spectacular Road to the Isles. Enjoy a photo stop at Glenfinnan Monument, where Bonnie Prince Charlie famously raised his standard in 1745, in the shadow of the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct. Check in to your castle hotel in Fort William, set at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain.

Enjoy optional local sightseeing this morning, perhaps boarding the gondola-style chairlift high into the Highland scenery close to Ben Nevis, good for magnificent views on a clear day. Alternatively, explore Neptune’s Staircase, a unique collection of locks. Drive to the Isle of Eriska along the shores of Loch Linnhe and, on arrival, check in to enjoy an afternoon at your leisure. You may also wish to fit in a quick visit to the nearby town of Oban, with its bustling harbor.

Step aboard a ferry for a pleasing excursion to the Isle of Mull in the Hebridean Islands. Disembark at the town of Craignure for a drive to Iona, passing through unspoiled countryside, where the locals live in crofts and livestock roam freely across the moorland. Arrive at Fionnphort at the far southwest of Mull, where you board the small ferry on foot to Iona. Once there, discover the Abbey, the monastery originally founded by Saint Columba in the sixth century, and much restored in recent decades. Considered the cradle of Scottish Christianity, this site was also reputed to be the burial ground of the medieval Scottish Kings. Gaze out at the white-sand beaches as you explore, taking in scenery that helped inspire the painters of the Scottish Colourist movement in the early 20th century. Return to Oban.

Journey to Glasgow, visiting Inveraray Castle, home to the Duke of Argyll, the chief of the Campbells, en route. Enjoy the castle’s impressive interiors, considered the most richly decorated in Scotland. View the “bonnie banks” of Loch Lomond as you continue to Glasgow for a city tour. Marvel at the largest medieval cathedral in Scotland and discover the university district with its wealth of fine buildings. At the House for an Art Lover, see the building that Art Nouveau architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed in 1901. Alternatively, visit the impressive Riverside Museum, to admire its superb collection of vehicles, including the second-oldest Rolls-Royce in the world. Continue to your hotel nestled in the countryside outside the city.

After breakfast, transfer to the Glasgow airport for your departing flight.