Scotland Revealed: Legends, Lochs & Highland Landscapes

DAY 1
Depart U.S.

Evening: You depart today on your overnight flight from the U.S. to Glasgow, Scotland.

DAY 2
Arrive in Glasgow, Scotland
Destination: Glasgow
Accommodations: Apex City of Glasgow Hotel or similar

Morning: You’ll arrive in the lively city of Glasgow in the late morning or early afternoon, depending on your specific flight arrangements. Upon arrival, an O.A.T. representative will meet you at the airport and assist with your hotel transfer.

When we arrive to our hotel, we’ll check in, and meet up with our Trip Experience Leader and those travelers who took our The Gaelic Island Culture of the Scottish Hebrides: Skye, Lewis & Harris pre-trip extension and those who arrived early in Glasgow before the main adventure. You’ll have some free time to settle in and unpack.

Lunch: On your own. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to provide you with recommendations.

Afternoon: We'll gather for an orientation walk around the hotel's vicinity, after which you’ll have some free time to rest or explore Glasgow on your own.

Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you'll seek out one of Scotland's classic dishes: haggis.

Evening: You have the freedom to retire to your room for the night to rest, or to experience Glasgow's nightlife. You might like to find a local pub where you can grab a pint with your fellow travelers.

DAY 3
Explore Glasgow • Grand Circle Foundation visit: Soul Food Sisters
Destination: Glasgow
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: Apex City of Glasgow Hotel or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll begin our day with a panoramic tour of Glasgow, including the West End and the Glasgow Cathedral. The Necropolis is a Victorian-era cemetery, spanning 37 acres on a hill adjacent to the Glasgow Cathedral that features monuments designed by major architects and sculptors, and is the final resting place of 50,000 people.

Then, we'll head to lunch at Soul Food Sisters, an organization supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation.

Lunch: At Soul Food Sisters.

Afternoon: Following lunch, you'll have time to explore Glasgow at your own pace. Then, we'll reconvene to walk to the historic Willow Tea Room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1903. Our Trip Experience Leader will lead a Welcome Briefing before dinner.

Dinner: We’ll sit down to a Welcome Dinner, featuring a variety of Scottish dishes to welcome you to the country.

Evening: Your evening is free—you may choose to enjoy a nightcap at the hotel bar.

DAY 4
Glasgow • Visit Alloway • Home-Hosted Dinner
Destination: Glasgow
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Apex City of Glasgow Hotel or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll drive to Alloway to learn about the life of one of Scotland's national treasures: Robert Burns. A beloved author and poet, Burns is celebrated for works like Auld Lang Syne, the famous song sung around the world when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve. The Scots even have an annual holiday dedicated to the literary giant: On Burns Night (celebrated on January 25), Scottish friends and families come together to read Burns’s poetry and share a meal of haggis.

Upon arrival, we'll meet a local enthusiast who will walk us to Burns Cottage, the humble home where the poet was born and raised, which has been converted into a museum. Here, we'll see handwritten manuscripts and other historical artifacts that will offer us a glimpse into his life. Next, we’ll weave through the village along the Poet’s Path to Auld Kirk, where his parents are buried. You will then have time to independently explore the writer's memorial and exhibition at your leisure before returning to Glasgow.

Lunch: On your own in Glasgow—your Trip Experience Leader can offer local recommendations.

Afternoon: Enjoy a few hours of free time in Glasgow. Perhaps you'd like to take a stroll through the Glasgow Botanic Gardens where you can enjoy the serenity of nature. Later, we’ll meet up in the hotel lobby and drive to Glasgow’s south side. Here, in a suburb of the city, we’ll break into smaller groups for what many travelers report is a highlight of their time in Scotland: A meal with a local family.

Dinner: We’ll be welcomed into the home of a local family for our Home-Hosted Dinner. Our hosts are likely from middle-class backgrounds; many are teachers (or former teachers) and have school-aged children at home. We’ll share a home-cooked meal that the family would typically have on a weeknight—such as meat and potatoes. Expect simple, hearty fare showcasing the traditional flavors of Scottish cuisine.

This experience offers us a rare opportunity to connect with local culture on a more intimate level: In our hosts’ homes, we’ll see the family go about their evening routine and get an authentic look into what life is really like in Glasgow. There will be plenty of time to ask our hosts any questions we may have. Perhaps you'd like to know how they celebrate Burns Night, or how they feel about the possibility of Scottish independence.

Evening: We’ll say goodbye to our new friends and return to the hotel. From there, the rest of your evening is free—you may choose to enjoy a nightcap at the hotel bar, or you may retire to your room to pack for our overland journey to Oban tomorrow.

DAY 5
Scottish Highlands hike • Explore Glencoe Visitors' Center • Oban
Destination: Oban
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: The Scot or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll bid farewell to Glasgow and begin our overland journey into the Scottish Highlands to Oban. Along the way, we'll stop to enjoy a hike in the Scottish countryside, taking in the region’s scenic beauty on foot.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After our lunch, we will continue to Glencoe village, nestled in one of the most beautiful valleys of the Scottish Highlands, pausing at the Glencoe Visitors' Center en route.

Then, we'll continue our journey to Oban and check in to our hotel. You'll have some free time to settle in. Later, we'll gather for an orientation walk around the hotel's vicinity which will conclude a local restaurant.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Oban.

Evening: Free to make your own discoveries in Oban—you may choose to retire to your room to get some rest, or perhaps you'll set off on an evening stroll.

DAY 6
Oban • A Day in the Life of a Highland cattle farm
Destination: Oban
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: The Scot or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today, we set off to Argyll to experience A Day in the Life of a Highland cattle farm. Here we'll meet the owners of the farm, and learn about the native Highland cattle, the oldest breed in the world and now an iconic symbol of Scotland.

Lunch: At the farm, featuring Scottish delights such as cold cuts, local cheeses, and fresh fruit.

Afternoon: We’ll bid our hosts farewell and return to Oban, where the remainder of the afternoon is yours to make your own discoveries.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: The rest of your evening is at leisure. Perhaps you'll relax in your room or seek out a nightcap at a local pub in Oban.

DAY 7
Oban • Explore Isle of Iona
Destination: Oban
Meals included: B L
Accommodations: The Scot or similar

Activity Note: Depending on weather conditions, we may enjoy alternate activities on this day.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today we'll begin our journey to the Isle of Iona, boarding two ferries to reach our destination. Our total journey will take around three hours. Along the way, you can soak up views of white-sand beaches and rugged cliffs cloaked in green vegetation.

Lunch: At a local restaurant on the Isle of Iona.

Afternoon: After our lunch, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of Iona, learning all about the island’s historical significance with a local resident and theology student. She will introduce us to the important role of Christianity here over the centuries. She'll even provide us with insights into the everyday lives of the locals. We’ll also learn about St. Columba of Ireland, who in the sixth century traveled to this small Scottish island to spread Christianity. He also built a Celtic church, Iona Abbey, where the famous Book of Kells is believed to have been written. And we'll learn how over the centuries, the church was repeatedly raided by Vikings, destroyed, rebuilt, and then abandoned during the Scottish Reformation. We’ll take in breathtaking views of the nunnery and of Iona Abbey itself during our visit. We'll also have some free time following our tour to explore the island on our own.

Dinner: On your own in Oban. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to offer local recommendations.

Evening: Free to pursue your own interests.

DAY 8
Oban • Travel to Inverness • Visit Urquhart Castle
Destination: Inverness
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Glen Mhor Hotel Inverness or similar

Activity Note: Today's transfer to Inverness will take approximately 4 hours, with a few stops along the way to break up our journey.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll say beannachd leibh, or goodbye, to Oban and begin our journey to Inverness, dubbed the capital of the Scottish Highlands. We'll make a stop in the village of Fort Augustus, located on the shores of Loch Ness.

Lunch: On your own upon arrival in Fort Augustus. Your Trip Experience Leader can recommend one of the many local cafés in the village.

Afternoon: We'll continue our discoveries on our way to Inverness when we stop to see the ruins of the medieval Urquhart Castle. Our visit starts with a video charting the castle's 1000-year-old history. Then, you'll have time to explore the castle's many towers and chambers on your own. After, we'll drive to our hotel. Located in the northern Highlands, Inverness is a quaint city of modest stone homes and a castle that appears to be straight from a storybook.

Enjoy some free time this afternoon to get settled in or start exploring on your own before we meet our Trip Experience Leader for a walk around the hotel's vicinity.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: On your own with the freedom to make your own discoveries.

DAY 9
Inverness • Visit Culloden Battlefield • Whisky tasting
Destination: Inverness
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Glen Mhor Hotel Inverness or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll set off to uncover a bloody chapter of Scotland's history at the Culloden Battlefield. On April 16, 1746, the last major battle fought on mainland British soil occurred here, and as a result more than 1500 soldiers perished. This battlefield was the site of the final Jacobite uprising, an effort to restore the House of Stuart to the British throne. The battle only lasted one hour and came to a close when Government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland crushed the army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart.

Lunch: On your own—Inverness features a variety of cuisines, including Chinese, Indian, American, and Scottish fare.

Afternoon: After lunch, you'll have some time for independent exploring in Inverness before we gather together for a short walk over to The Malt Room for a whisky tasting experience. This cozy bar in the heart of Inverness is the city's first venue specializing in the Scottish national drink, and we'll have an opportunity to sample three whisky varieties from different regions of Scotland.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the evening as you wish. You can return to your room to pack before we leave Inverness tomorrow morning, or head to a nearby pub where you can grab a pint.

DAY 10
Explore Dunkeld • Discover Glamis Castle • Overland to Dundee
Destination: Dundee
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today we'll drive to through the sweeping landscapes of Cairngorms and enjoy a hike with a local naturist along a lovely stretch of the River Tay, where we can view Birnam Oak, the iconic tree from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Then, we’ll continue on to Dunkeld, one of the most preserved historic towns in Scotland.

Lunch: On your own in Dunkeld. Your Trip Experience Leader will provide recommendations based on his or her favorite local restaurants.

Afternoon: Following lunch, we set out to explore Glamis Castle, situated in Angus, Scotland, a captivating blend of stunning architecture, rich history, and intriguing legends. Dating back to the 14th century as a royal hunting lodge, it has evolved into a sprawling fortress owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. Glamis is steeped in folklore, including associations with Shakespeare's Macbeth and tales of ghosts like the Monster of Glamis. With its royal connections and pivotal role in Scottish history, the castle remains a symbol of the country's heritage. Visitors can explore its opulent interiors and tranquil grounds, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking a glimpse into Scotland's past.

After our visit, we’ll continue our drive to Dundee, Scotland’s fourth largest city. When we arrive, we'll check in to our hotel and you'll have some time to settle and unpack.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: The remainder of the evening is yours.

DAY 11
Visit St. Andrews • Explore Dundee
Destination: Dundee
Meals included: B
Accommodations: Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today we'll drive to St. Andrews. Quaint stone buildings, cobbled streets, and crumbling ruins instantly transport you back to the old days of this history-rich city. Considered to be the ecclesiastical capital, St. Andrews was the first location to feel the stark changes of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The introduction of the new ideas of Protestantism and the traditional beliefs of Christianity ignited conflict within Scotland and the country's ruling parties.

We'll take a deep dive into this period of Scotland's history as we explore St. Andrews today with our Trip Experience Leader. We'll set off on a walking tour, beginning at the clubhouse of The St. Andrews Golf Club, where we'll learn about the history of one of the oldest golf clubs in the world. Our tour will take us from the ruins of Scotland's greatest cathedral and St. Andrews Castle to the University of St. Andrews. One of the oldest colleges in the world, the University of St. Andrews was founded in 1413 in response to Scotland's lack of higher education opportunities. Notable alumni include Kate Middleton and Prince William.

Lunch: On your own. You might like to seek out bridie, a popular meat pie that is typically served with beans. Your Trip Experience Leader will share some local restaurants to try.

Afternoon: We’ll return to Dundee, and you’ll have the remainder of the day free to relax or explore independently.

Dinner: On your own—your Trip Experience Leader would be happy to offer a local recommendation.

Evening: The remainder of the evening is free for you to do as you’d like.

DAY 12
Overland to Edinburgh • Visit a local Scottish Estate
Destination: Edinburgh
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today we’ll drive to a local Scottish estate, where we’ll be greeted by a bagpiper and learn a bit of the history of the pipes and the tartans and plaids that make up a piper’s kilt. Travelers can then dress in traditional tweeds worn in the Highlands, before we meet members of the estate's team who are instrumental in its running and will provide insights into land management and everyday life in a typical Scottish estate.

Lunch: Enjoy a light lunch at the estate.

Afternoon: After our visit, we'll continue our drive to our hotel in Edinburgh. After checking in, you’ll have some free time to unpack, settle in, or begin exploring on your own. Then, we'll take a short orientation walk around the hotel's vicinity, ending at a local restaurant in the center of town.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: We’ll return to our hotel. Or, if you’d like, you can remain in the city center to take advantage of the capital city’s nightlife.

DAY 13
Explore Edinburgh • Optional Falkirk Wheel & the Kelpies tour
Destination: Edinburgh
Meals included: B
Accommodations: Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll kick off our discoveries in Scotland’s capital with a tour of the city led by a local guide. As we explore, we’ll see the stark contrasts between Edinburgh’s labyrinthine Old Town and its well-organized New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll begin our explorations in Old Town, where we’ll be transported back into Edinburgh’s history as we stroll the winding cobbled closes, or alleyways, narrow stairways, curving steep streets and walk up the Royal Mile. Running through the heart of Old Town, the Royal Mile connects the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which lies in the shadow of the extinct volcano known as Arthur's Seat, up to our final destination, the magnificent Edinburgh Castle.

When we arrive at Edinburgh Castle, we’ll be able to see how New Town and its neoclassical buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries contrasts with Old Town during our tour. Perched high above the city, the iconic castle was used as the royal residency for Scottish monarchs, a fortress for armies, and a prison for pirates and POWs. During free time here, you'll be able to discover St. Margaret’s Chapel—the oldest surviving building in the city, which dates back to the twelfth century. And you'll want to stay for the firing of the famous one o’clock gun—locals and sailors have been setting their clocks to it since 1861.

You can also choose to join an optional tour to the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies, which begins with lunch in the ancient town of Linlithgow, followed by a boat tour of the famous Falkirk Wheel, a modern engineering marvel, which transfers boats between the Union Canal and Forth and Clyde Canal by way of a rotating elevator. The tour continues to the Kelpies, a pair of nearly 100-foot-high horse head statues honoring the equestrian heritage of Scotland, before returning to Edinburgh later in the afternoon.

Lunch: On your own. Travelers on the optional tour will have lunch at a café in Linlithgow.

Afternoon: The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore more of the city on your own.

Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent discoveries this evening, with dinner on your own—perhaps you'll find a restaurant that serves traditional dishes like haggis with neeps and tatties, or turnips and potatoes.

Falkirk Wheel & the Kelpies - $140/person

Discover the beauty and cultural heritage of the lowlands on an optional tour to the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies. We’ll begin with a drive to the ancient town of Linlithgow, where we’ll enjoy lunch at Mannerstons Farm Shop. Then, we’ll head to the town of Falkirk for a boat tour of the famous Falkirk Wheel, a modern engineering marvel, which transfers boats between the Union Canal and Forth and Clyde Canal by way of a rotating elevator.

After some time in Falkirk, our tour continues to the Kelpies, a pair of nearly 100-foot-high horse head statues honoring the equestrian heritage of Scotland. You’ll also enjoy a short walk through the peaceful environs of Helix Park, where the statues are located.

After our visit, we’ll return to Edinburgh, where dinner is on your own.

Please note: A minimum of six travelers is required to operate this optional tour.

DAY 14
Edinburgh • Visit Leith
Destination: Edinburgh
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll depart our hotel and take a local tram to the port district of Leith. Due to Leith's location on the water, it has served as the gateway into Edinburgh for ships for centuries. A ship that has permanently dropped anchor here is the Royal Yacht Britannia. A mighty vessel fit for royalty quite literally served as a home for the monarchy over the course of 40 years. We'll walk over to the Royal Yacht and learn more about its fascinating history—from hosting business endeavors to transporting royals to their honeymoon locations.

Lunch: On your own—perhaps you'll seek out the traditional flavors of Scotland that we have come to know.

Afternoon: We’ll return to Edinburgh by local tram, and then you’ll have a few hours to rest or do any last-minute sightseeing before dinner.

Dinner: Enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Your final night is free. Choose to retire early to pack before tomorrow’s flight, or stop at pub for one final dram of whisky or pint of ale.

DAY 15
Return to U.S. or begin your post-trip extension
Meals included: B
Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Drive to the airport for your return flight home, or to begin the post-trip extension to The Remote Shetlands: Wildlife, Nature & Time-Honored Traditions. Travelers on our Dramatic Landscapes of North Wales & Liverpool, England post-trip extension will drive to Edinburgh's Waverley Station to begin their train transfer toward Wales.