Depart the USA

Welcome to Scotland! Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by your guide, and you will enjoy a walking tour of the National Gallery of Scotland, as well as the Scot Monument and Princes Street. Visit Rosslyn Chapel, founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a Catholic church in 1446. Then, walk the halls of the John Knox House, a historic home in Edinburgh, Scotland, reputed to have been owned and lived in by Protestant Reformer John Knox during the 16th century. Enjoy a visit to the Scotland Museum. Then, visit the statue of Greyfriars Bobby located next to the Elephant House and hear a heartwarming story of loyalty about a dog and his master. Your overnight stay is in Edinburgh.

Visit St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and enjoy a guided tour afterward. Then, head to Edinburgh Castle, where James VI, who authorized the King James Bible, was born. Afterward, walk the ‘Royal Mile’ which stretches between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. Tour the palace and explore its close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historical figures, such as Mary, Queen of Scots, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Your overnight stay is in Edinburgh.

Explore the remains of Scotland’s largest and most magnificent medieval church. Visible from the sea, the cathedral remains a prominent landmark, even in its ruined state. Continue on your journey to Dunfermline Cathedral, a Church of Scotland Parish Church. In 2002, the congregation had 806 members. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reformation and permitted to fall into disrepair. Dunfermline Abbey remains one of Scotland’s most important cultural sites. Journey to Aberdeen and check in at your hotel for your overnight stay.

Visit the historic Kirk of St. Nicholas, also known as ‘the mither kirk’ (mother church) of the city. Visit St. Machar Cathedral and enjoy a tour past the Fish Market, the Old City, and its cobbled streets and quaint cottages. Learn the history of commerce and politics in Aberdeen. After a break for lunch, travel to Dunnottar Castle, an impressive ruined fortress seated 160 feet above the sea on a rocky cliff. Learn about the fascinating history of the castle and the Earl Marischal from the 14th century. Royalists failed to dislodge the earl, a fierce Presbyterian Covenanter, from the castle. Scotland’s crown jewels were hidden and then smuggled out of there by the wife of a minister from Kinneff and hidden under their church pulpit. In the 1600s, 167 Covenanters were imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon. Return to Aberdeen for your overnight stay.

On the way to Inverness, stop in Elgin, the “Lantern of the North.” See its beautiful cathedral ruins before traveling to Cawdor, the 14th-century home of the Thane of Cawdor. Visit the castle and see its unique furnishings and a portrait of the 18th century Thane (Lord) wearing several different tartans at once in defiance of the Banning of Tartan by the British government. Stop at Culloden, the site of the last battle fought on the British mainland. It was here that the dreams of Bonnie Prince Charlie to capture the British Crown were shattered. Check into your hotel in Inverness this evening.

Enjoy a walking tour of the beautiful and historic city of Inverness, a source of inspiration for Macbeth, as well as the home of Inverness Castle and Cathedral. Enjoy a boat ride on Loch Ness, and keep your eyes out for ‘Nessie.’ Then, head towards Fort William, where you can see Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. Enjoy some free time in Fort William for lunch and then travel to Appin to view Castle Stalker. The castle is a small tower house built on an islet known as the Rock of the Cormorants at the mouth of Loch Laich. It was built by Lord John Stewart, Lord of Lorn in the 15th century. The castle is only reachable by boat and is highly defendable. Continue to Oban for your overnight stay.

Iona is an internationally renowned place in Celtic Christianity. In 563, Columba was exiled from Ireland and founded the monastery here in 564 AD. From one of the best-preserved abbeys to St. Martin’s Cross, the island is a place of pilgrimage and reflection for Christians from around the world. The ancient burial ground contains the graves of many of the early Scottish Kings. Enjoy time to ramble around the island before you take the ferry back, returning to Oban for your overnight stay.

Journey through the Trossachs region – a majestic region of mountains, lochs, valleys, and rolling countryside. The region inspired Sir Walter Scott to write “The Lady of the Lake” and provided the setting for hero Rob Roy. Drive to Stirling, where we will stop at the Old Bridge, the site of the battle between William Wallace and the Scots against the British. Look out across Scotland from Abbey Craig and the Wallace Monument. Built to commemorate the Scottish hero in 1869, it is said Wallace watched the armies of King Edward I of England gathering from this spot prior to the Battle of Stirling. You’ll also visit Stirling Castle, one of the best-preserved castles in Scotland. From here, visit the Church of the Holy Rude, founded in 1129. King James VI was crowned here in 1567. Stop at the monument and visitor’s center at Bannockburn, the site of the pivotal battle in the Scottish Wars of Independence in 1314. Spend the night in Edinburgh.

Return home with beautiful memories of the Highlands to share with family and friends!