Spirit of Scotland

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Welcome to Glasgow, Scotland's biggest city! Upon arrival at Glasgow Airport, continue to our hotel where we'll have some time to relax and get settled before we enjoy a welcome dinner with our fellow travelers.

This morning, our tour begins with one of Scotland's grandest castles. Situated on a volcanic outcrop guarding the lowest crossing point of the River Forth. Stirling Castle is a symbol of Scottish independence and a source of national pride. We'll return to Glasgow for a panoramic city tour taking us past the magnificent St. Mungo Cathedral, the People's Palace, and Glasgow Green. We'll explore Glasgow's rich past as a religious center and one of Britain's most important industrial cities. The city center's Victorian architecture is a striking contrast to the extensive parks of the West End. Among those, Kelvingrove offers a haven of peace in the city with amazing views of Glasgow University's striking buildings and the Kelvingrove Museum.

Today, we'll journey to the West Coast with a scenic drive along Loch Lomond. We'll visit the iconic Inveraray Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll and Chief of Clan Campbell, with a chance to explore the many historical rooms open to the public. This castle may look familiar as Inveraray was chosen to serve as Duneagle Castle in Downton Abbey. Next, we'll visit Falls of Dochart Smokehouse, a working salmon smokehouse. Our host will explain the smoking process, where the salmon comes from, the local countryside, and the River Tay system. Before we continue to the West Coast, we'll enjoy a selection of canapes featuring Whisky Smoked Hot and Cold Smoked Salmon, Whisky Smoked Pate, and cheese accompanied by locally made chutney.

This morning we'll take a ferry to the Isle of Mull and travel to mystical Iona, a holy isle. St. Columba and his followers came here from Ireland in 563 AD and founded a monastery that became the heart of the early Scottish Church. Today, the Iona community continues the tradition of worship first established by St. Columba 1450 years ago and Iona Abbey is one of Scotland's most historic and sacred sites as Iona remains an enduring symbol of Christianity in Scotland and a celebrated focus for Christian pilgrimage. After our visit, we'll return to our hotel on the mainland.

We'll depart the West Coast today and journey through the Highlands to Inverness with a Loch Ness cruise en route. Loch Ness is the deepest, freshwater lock in the Scottish Highlands and is one of the most visited locations in Scotland. Loch Ness is best known for alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie".

After breakfast at our hotel, we can spend the day at leisure exploring Inverness independently or join an optional full-day excursion to explore the Highlands.

On our way to Aberdeen today, we'll visit the remains of Elgin Cathedral, one of Scotland's most beautiful medieval buildings, and the inspiration for many an artist. The imposing yellow sandstone ruin is one of the most important architectural legacies from a bygone age, whose intriguingly complex building history will reward the patient visitor. We'll have some free time for shopping and an independent lunch at Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere Visitor Centre. Afterward, we'll continue to a distillery to enjoy a tour and a dram of whisky. This evening, we'll enjoy a traditional Scottish dinner at our hotel.

Today we'll enjoy a scenic drive along the coast to the Kingdom of Fie and St. Andrews. First, we'll visit St. Andrew's Cathedral, Scotland's largest and most magnificent medieval church and the seat of the country's leading bishops. Next, we'll enjoy some leisure time in the seaside town of St. Andrew's, known for its historic university and medieval streets. We'll continue to Edinburgh by crossing from Fife, with a chance to admire the splendid view of the red Fort Railway Bridge.

This morning, we'll embark on our combined panoramic and walking tour of Edinburgh. Thanks to its cultural diversity and impressive history, Edinburgh is one of the world's finest capital cities. Each of the many medieval streets that run through the whole city tells its own story about the 1,000-year-old traditions and myths that permeate Edinburgh. We'll get to know the different parts of the city including the Royal Mile, the Princes Street Gardens, Calton Hill, and many more. We'll also have a fantastic view of the city, the port, and many more. This afternoon, we might consider an optional tour to Edinburgh Castle or explore Edinburgh independently. This evening, we'll enjoy a farewell dinner together at a local restaurant.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will take a last look at Scotland before our airport transfer and flight back to the U.S.