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DAY 01:
Departure from the United States for flight to Scotland.
DAY 02: GLASGOW.
Arrive Glasgow International
Airport. Glasgow prospered in the 18th and 19th centuries as a center of
the coal and steel industries, textile manufacturing and shipbuilding.
See one of the best examples of pre-Reformation Gothic architecture,
Glasgow Cathedral, on a city sightseeing tour. View also the stunning
Victorian architecture of George Square, located in the city center,
featuring magnificent statues of Robert Burns, James Watt and Sir Walter
Scott. Continue to your hotel for rest, dinner and overnight.
DAY 03: GLASGOW / LOCH LOMOND / GLENCOE /
OBAN. A wonderful day of
touring as we drive northwards along the shores of Loch Lomond,
immortalized in the famous song, to Crainlarich and Tydrum. Through
Glen Coe, scene of the massacre of the MacDonalds of Glencoe by the
Campbells of Glen Lyon in 1692; it is a valley of haunting beauty,
perhaps he finest of all Highland Glens. Continue to the busy holiday
town of Oban.
DAY 04: OBAN / IONA / OBAN.
A full day trip of the island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides, off the
southwest tip of Mill, an early centre of the Celtic Church. St.
Columba and his disciples lands here from Ireland in 536 AD and founded
the famous monastery. This became a key centre for the spread of
Christianity throughout the northern part of Britain. Return to our
hotel in Oban for dinner and overnight.
DAY 05: OBAN / FT. WILLIAM / LOCH NESS /
INVERNESS.
Drive northwards this morning to Ft.
William in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British
Isles. We continue to Loch Ness, where a highlight will be a one-hour
cruise on this loch of monster fame. We then rejoin our motor coach and
drive to Inverness, capital of the Highlands. Our orientation tour of
this fine city, delightfully situated on the banks of the River Ness
which gently winds it’s way through the town, will show us the statue of
Flora Mac Donald; we also see the castle and the cathedral and admire
the summer floral displays which have regularly won top prizes in the
“Beautiful Scotland in Bloom” competition. Dinner and overnight at our
hotel.
DAY 06: INVERNESS / CULLODEN / CAWDOR / ELGIN / ABERDEEN.
Our first visit today will be to Culloden, site of the famous battle
where the Highlanders were defeats by the Duke of Cumberland and his
troops. No name in Scottish history evoke more emotion than that of
Culloden, the bleak moor which in 1746 saw the hopes of the young Prince
Charles Edward Stuart crushed, and the end of Jacobite Rising. Then to
Cawdor village and Castle to visit the most romantic castle in the
Highlands. See the fine collection of paintings, tapestries and
furniture and explore the beautiful gardens and nature walk. Then via
the pleasant coastal town of Nairn, charming Forres and Burghead. On
through Elgin and spectacular Highland scenery on our way to the
gleaming granite-built city of Aberdeen, gateway to the Grampian
Highlands. Our afternoon orientation tour of this thriving North Sea
oil capital city will show us the university, flow filled streets and
stately architecture. Aberdeen has a wide range of attractions
including museums, art galleries and theatres. Dinner and overnight at
our hotel.
DAY 07: ABERDEEN / ROYAL DEESIDE /
BALMORAL / AVIEMORE. A
wonderful day of touring today as we drive through Royal Deeside and
along the banks of the River Dee to Balmoral to visit the Highland
holiday home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The castle is set in a
beautiful marvelous collection of paintings and works of art we may have
time to stroll in the beautiful gardens. On through the small village
of Tomintoul and through the Spey Valley to the popular resort of
Aviemore, surrounded by the beautiful Caringorm countryside and
Scotland’s leading winter sports centre, for dinner and overnight at our
hotel.
DAY 08: AVIEMORE / BLAIR ATHOLL / DUNKELD
/ STIRLING / EDINBURGH.
We
drive southwards this morning through the Grampian Mountains to Blair
Atholl to visit Blair Castle, the ancient home and fortress of the Earls
and Dukes of Atholl for over 725 years. We will see he beautiful
furniture, fine collection of paintings, arms, armor, china, costumes,
lace and embroidery as well as Jacobite relics and other unique
treasures. Hopefully some time to stroll the extensive gardens before
continuing through Pilochry to the picturesque cathedral town of Dunkeld,
beautifully situated in the richly wooded valley of the River Tay. On
via Stirling to visit Stirling Castle, the grandest of Scotland's
castles and one of the most popular visitor attractions in the country. Stirling became the strategic military key to the kingdom during the
13th and 14th century Wars of Independence and was the favorite royal
residence of many of the Stuart Monarchs. Continue to Scotland’s
exciting capital city of Edinburgh for dinner and overnight.
 DAY 09: EDINBURGH.
Our
morning sightseeing tour of this wonderful city will include a visit to
Edinburgh Castle, the medieval fortress perched above the city as well
as the Palace of Holyrood. See the prestigious university, Greyfriars
ad the Mound. The afternoon is at leisure for independent activities,
dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10: EDINBURGH OR
GLASGOW / USA. Transfer this
morning to the airport for our return flight to the United States. |
