**Please note - this tour is operated by our highly trusted partners International Friends - clicking the BOOK NOW tab will open a new window with this tour page on their site** Fully guided tour to Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. Travel from London by fast train and stay in city centre accommodation. This tour departs from London every week throughout the year.
Join us on a magical weekend in Scotland and experience breathtaking scenery, amazing views and true Scottish hospitality.
We depart London on an early train to maximise your time in Edinburgh on Day 1. In less than five hours you are taken across the border to the historic and beautiful capital city of Edinburgh where our guide will give you the perfect introduction to the city with a full guided tour both on coach and on foot, giving you the chance to see the very best the city has to offer, Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mile, the views from Carlton Hill and the elegant New Town.
After a full tour of the city's rich and rewarding sites we transfer you to our centrally located hotel to relax and freshen up before an evening of fun and entertainment in the heart of Edinburgh. Try the famous whisky or sample haggis or attend one of the Ghost Tours if you dare (admission extra).
If you have chosen the Highlands Option on Day 2 then you will be heading out to a full day of stunning mountain scenery as we enjoy a fully guided tour of the Scottish Highlands and learn of it's history while admiring the ever changing beautiful landscape. We head north of Edinburgh to Braveheart country,the land of William Wallace, via Stirling and the famous battle sites of Stirling Bridge (1297) and Bannockburn (1314). We turn and head for the mountains to Rob Roy country and learn of the life of this Scottish hero.
Through the Trossachs National Park and up to the wilderness of Rannoch Moor, passing Loch Lubnaig and Loch Earn, we come across Glen Coe, the famous 'weeping glen' and learn of the massacre of the MacDonald clan at the hands of their bitter enemies, the Campbells.
Further west we hit the ocean and the beautiful sea lochs where salmon fishing is the main trade. We skirt around Loch Linnhe to Fort William in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Great Britain. Stopping for lunch in the Great Glen, we head north past Loch Oich and Loch Lochy to the world famous Loch Ness. This huge mass of water is said to be the home of the ancient 'beastie' known as Nessie.
We arrive at the ruins of Urquhart Castle to relax by the calm waters of the loch, but occasionally the water ripples, is it a boat, a seal or maybe the monster getting a little curious as to who's come over for a visit!! We will enjoy a visit to this spectacular castle (admission included) before we drive along Loch Ness further north to Inverness, Capital of the Highlands, the northernmost point on our tour.
We then turn southwards and drive through the Cairngorm mountains and over the majestic Forth Bridge back into Edinburgh.
For Day 3, you can choose a full day's free time in Edinburgh before our 5pm train back to London (transfer from the hotel to the station is included) or an informative and visually spectacular tour of the Scottish Lowlands, including Scott's View, Melrose and the famous Rosslyn chapel as featured in the Da Vinci Code (admission extra).
The chance to see the absolute BEST that Scotland has to offer in just 3 days. Edinburgh with optional added extras to the beautiful Highlands and Loch Ness and/or a special Da Vinci Code and Borders tour
"The most beautiful city in the UK", "the most desirable place to live in the UK" both titles often given to Edinburgh. The amazing capital of Scotland is dominated by the huge castle on top of a giant rock in the middle of Edinburgh. Streets full of fascinating history, incredible views from the castle and Carlton Hill, bars full of people laughing and joking over their whiskey and haggis, crazy nightclubs open until the early morning, Edinburgh has everything!
Unique, amazingly beautiful, deserted, mountainous, incredible. This is the only place in the world that you can find scenery like this mixed with castles, the Loch Ness Monster, whiskey distilleries, cute little villages, snow capped mountains and highland cows.
The area to the south of Edinburgh is home to the wonderful Rossyln Chapel, as featured in Dan Brown’s book and film ‘The Da Vinci Code’, full of mystery and symbolic carvings with links to the Knights Templar and possibly the resting place of the Grail?!
The "Borders" area to the south of Edinburgh is also home to some wonderful countryside and views - particularly from Scott's View overlooking the River Tweed and the hills of the Borders. You'll also have the chance to see the original William Wallace statue nearby then visit Melrose Abbey, where the heart of the famous King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, is buried.
The itinerary will vary depending on which package you select - Tour A (Free & Easy), Tour B (Loch Ness & Highlands) or Tour C (Da Vinci Code & Borders). Select BOOK NOW to be redirected to the International Friends web page dedicated to this tour for more information.
Our train leaves London Kings Cross at 7am for our scenic rail journey north through England and into Scotland to Edinburgh
After our scenic journey we will arrive at Edinburgh Waveley Station, located in the centre of Edinburgh
After arriving in Edinburgh we will transfer directly to a tour bus for a guided tour of the beautiful city with our guide.
After our tour has finished and we have checked you in to your accommodation the rest of the afternoon is yours! Why not explore the city and visit some of the many attractions available?
The evening is yours to enjoy - why not join your guide to enjoy some whiskey or haggis in a traditional atmospheric Scottish Inn?
Leaving Edinburgh we travel north west past spectacular Stirling Castle and infamous battlegrounds full of stories your guide will tell you all about! Then through some barren and spectacular highland scenery to Glen Coe - a simply incredibly stunning valley that will take your breath away!
Leaving the beautiful Glencoe, we descend to the coast, to sea lochs with salt water and fishing boats and on to Fort William and Spean Bridge with a stop for lunch and a chance to buy souvenirs. We now enter the Great Glen and follow the Caledonian Canal in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britian’s highest mountain. The huge fault line of the Great Glen is filled with deep lochs such as Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and the most famous of all, Loch Ness. We follow the banks of this huge body of water looking for a glimpse of the famous monster as your guide tells you tales of sightings and encounters of this elusive beast. Fact or fiction? You decide.
We arrive back to Edinburgh in the evening with plenty of time for you to enjoy yourself in the city and experience its famous nightlife!
On this tour we head south to the Scottish Lowlands to Scott’s View, without doubt one of the most breathtaking views in Britain, we gaze over the River Tweed meandering at our feet to the distant Eildon Hills, a place so admired by Sir Walter Scott. We visit the original William Wallace statue nearby then head to Melrose Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian house where the heart of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland is buried. After a scenic drive around the lowland hills we end the tour at the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel. Fans of Dan Brown’s book and film ‘The Da Vinci Code’ will know this place well. It’s crammed full of symbolic carvings and deep mystery. What are the links with the ancient order of the Knights Templar and does the Grail lie buried here? Our guide will uncover the facts and theories behind this historic and spiritual place then leave us to absorb its powerful presence.
We leave Scotland for the train journey down the east coast of Scotland and England back to London
This tour normally ends by 10pm in London. If you are travelling onwards to Cambridge, Ramsgate, Canterbury or Oxford, the final arrival time will vary, as the feeder service that we provide links in with our other tours. If we are unable to transfer you by our own transportation, we will provide free rail or coach transfers to Cambridge, Canterbury or Ramsgate. In the event that public transport (rail or coach) does not offer a practical and convenient service, International Friends will provide travel by taxi, minibus or coach.
