Best of Scotland
7 Day Scotland Tour from Edinburgh to Glasgow | Operated by Trafalgar
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7 Days
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1 Country
Scotland -
9 Cities
Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Pitlochry, Scottish Highlands, Culloden, Isle of Skye, Glencoe, Glasgow, Stirling -
10 Meals
4 Dinners, 6 Breakfasts -
Pace: Comfortable
Mainly 2–3-night stays in each location. Comfortable travel days with numerous stops. Requires 1-3 miles of walking per day that might involve some uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones and stairs.
Trip Itinerary
Get lost in the narrow lanes of Edinburgh – the Scottish capital with a mystical air that combines ancient heritage with the verve of a modern city. Spend your day at leisure delving into its rich history and embracing the warm culture of the Scots, before joining your travel companions and Travel Director for a light meal and drinks.
Join your Local Specialist this morning for an intriguing sightseeing tour of the city. Ascend Castle Rock and visit Edinburgh Castle, which watches over the surrounding city from its elevated vantage point. Stroll through the Old Town along the Royal Mile and see the stunning Palace of Holyroodhouse before enjoying time at leisure to soak up the city's festive atmosphere.
Tread in the footsteps of the world's golfing greats and head to St. Andrews en route to the glorious Scottish Highlands. A scenic drive takes us north and across the Firth of Tay, past the city of Dundee to Pitlochry. After lunch, enjoy some free time to explore its riverside setting or join an Optional Experience to Blair Castle, the ancestral home of the Clan Murray. Our day in beautiful surrounds comes to an end with a cozy dinner at our hotel located within the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands.
Continue your journey to the tragic battlefield of Culloden. Pay tribute to the brave men who lost their lives in the Jacobite Uprising, then travel past Scotland's infamous Loch Ness. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Dundreggan Rewilding Center, to learn about the preservation of the fragile Caledonian pine forest and rare animal species. The solitary beauty of Eilean Donan Castle will leave you speechless before you continue to the coast and cross to the Isle of Skye. Heather-clad peaks provide a stunning backdrop for our scenic drive across the Sleat Peninsula. Board your ferry in Armadale and cross to Mallaig, back on the mainland.
Our first stop today sees us commemorate World War II history at the Commando Memorial near Fort William, from which we admire spectacular views of Britain's highest peak – Ben Nevis. We journey through the volcanic ruins and precipitous mountains that lie just beyond Glencoe to see the 'Glen of Weeping'. Here we remember the MacDonald clansmen who were massacred in 1692. Continuing towards the River Clyde, we arrive at our final stop for the day – Glasgow.
Madainn mhath! While your Gaelic may be a little rusty, your orientation tour around this edgy city will be anything but. Begin your day seeing Glasgow's iconic sights. Enjoy views of the Necropolis, the regal George Square and River Clyde, for over 200 years the center of shipbuilding. Later, we Dive Into Culture at a whiskey distillery and enjoy a wee dram. Continue to Stirling, to see its hilltop fortress, which stands as a symbol of national pride. Stirling Castle was once the seat of Scottish kings and queens, including Mary, Queen of Scots. View the Wallace Monument from the castle walls, paying tribute to the Scottish hero who fought for Scotland's independence. After we join the Wood family at their 15th-century farm on the shores of Loch Ard to Connect With Locals over a home-cooked Be My Guest Farewell Dinner, amidst tales of Rob Roy and a few foot-tapping ceilidh tunes.
The rugged beauty and warmth of Scotland’s people forever in your memory, we enjoy one last hearty breakfast with our travel companions before wishing them and your Travel Director a fond farewell.
Price Includes
What's Included- - An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- - Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- - Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- - Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- - Optional Experiences and free time
- - Ferry from the Isle of Skye to Mallaig
- - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- - 4 Dinners (D)
- - 6 Breakfasts (B)
- Explore the city with your Local Specialist as you travel along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial, the neoclassical Adam facades of New Town and the official Scottish residence of the King, Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- Visit the university town where the famous beach scene from 'Chariots of Fire' was filmed and see the golf course where the sport was created.
- Admire picturesque lochs and glens as you travel through the Scottish Highlands.
- At the exciting Culloden Visitor Center, discover why the Battle of Culloden lasted only an hour yet changed the Highland way of life forever.
- Stop for a photo of this gorgeous castle.
- Enjoy an excellent view of Ben Nevis from the World War II Commando Memorial.
- See the grand public buildings of Glasgow, including George Square.
- Visit Stirling and see its castle, once the seat of Scottish royalty.
- Learn from a rewilding expert on the reintroduction of native animal species such as the Scottish red squirrel, lynx and beaver into the wild, and the reforestation of the Caledonian pine forest. This experience advances the United Nation’s Global Goal 15: Life on Land. Visitors to the rewilding center directly contribute to safeguarding one of the most beautiful and ancient landscape in Europe, that is in a critical condition.
- Drive through this Highland village on Loch Leven.
- Join the Wood family at their 15th-century farm on the shores of Loch Ard for a home-cooked Scottish Be My Guest dinner, tales of Rob Roy and a few foot-tapping ceilidh tunes.
- Visit Clydeside Distillery for a tour and a tasting of their whisky as you learn of their long history.
Optional Experiences
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Rosslyn Chapel (Available on Day 2)We’ll drive out of Edinburgh to the tiny village of Rosslyn, where we’ll hear the inside story of the famous Rosslyn Chapel from a Local Specialist. One of Scotland's most unusual 15th-century buildings, Rossyln is famed for its associations with the Knights Templar, the Masonic movement, and now 'The Da Vinci Code'.
Adult Price: £29 Dinner and Drive to Historic Torphichen (Available on Day 2)Enjoy a scenic drive to the ancient village of Torphichen, associated with Scottish kings and Knights Templar. At the Torphichen Inn, your arrival will be toasted by our gracious host before enjoying an excellent dinner of local specialties and entertainment.
Adult Price: £70 Ceilidh Evening and Dinner at Ghillie Dhu (Available on Day 2)Experience the best of Scottish tradition at Ghillie Dhu, where we'll be welcomed by a Scottish piper and enjoy a welcome drink before settling in for a delicious three-course meal and live Ceilidh music. And you can't miss the iconic Piping in the Haggis ceremony, a true highlight of the Scottish experience.
Adult Price: £85 Pitlochry, Visit of Blair Castle (Available on Day 3)Set in its own grounds against a backdrop of glorious scenery, we'll discover the ancient home of the Dukes of Atholl, home to Europe's last remaining private army. Unique amongst Scottish castles, Blair has hosted royalty from Mary, Queen of Scots, to Queen Victoria.
Adult Price: £30 Highland Farm Experience (Available on Day 3)Visit a real Highland sheep farm and meet Neil the Shepherd and his border collies. He’ll show you how he uses different whistles to command each dog to carry out different tasks. You’ll also have the opportunity to try your hand at feeding the lambs and discover his training techniques. Weather permitting.
Adult Price: £24 Loch Lomond Boat Trip (Available on Day 5)Discover the wild beauty of the 'Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond'. As we cruise across the loch, the skipper will share stories of the area and point out Rob Roy's cave as you relax and savor the stunning scenery.
Adult Price: £22 Glasgow City Evening (Available on Day 5)You'll enjoy a chance to experience a night out in the city of Glasgow. Your Travel Director will take you for an evening of good food, drinks, and undoubtedly interesting conversation.
Adult Price: £62 Music City Tour and Meal (Available on Day 5)Join us tonight for a chance to explore more of Glasgow, get beneath its skin and learn about its music scene and folk culture. After a guided walking tour, we'll enjoy a two-course dinner with live music from the city's up-and-coming folk performers. Afterwards, an informal trad folk session will see us through the night.
Adult Price: £74