Dunnottar Castle

Scottish Castles Experience

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Overview

Itinerary

What's Included?

Why Book a Small Group Tour?

Accommodation & Prices

Overview

Small Group Tours

6 Nights

Prices from: £895 per person
Start: Edinburgh
Finish: Edinburgh
Tour duration: 4 days
Availability: May - September
Transport: Luxury mini-coach and tour guide

Highlights

Falkland Palace

Inspired by a grand French château, Falkland Palace was built in the 16th century and is an impressive example of Renaissance architecture in Scotland. It was home for many of the Stuart royalty, including Mary, Queen of Scots.

Dunnottar Castle

Explore the brooding ruins of Dunnottar Castle, the dramatic cliff top fortress once home to one of the most powerful families in Scotland: the Earls Marischal.

Fyvie Castle

Admire the ancient tapestries at Fyvie Castle, where the ghosts, legends and folklore of 800 years of history is woven into the fragile fabric.

Culloden Battlefield

Take the Clan Walk at Culloden Visitor Centre. The Clan Stone walkway was designed to commemorate the Scottish Clans and their clansmen, who fought in one of the most harrowing battles in British history and where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end.

Lochleven Castle

Travel by boat to the dramatic Lochleven Castle located in the middle of Loch Leven, where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned and forced to abdicate in favour of her son, James VI.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is Scotland’s ancient capital city and a hub for culture and creativity. Sample a dram in one of Edinburgh’s traditional Whisky Pubs, explore The Royal Mile and enjoy a tour and tasting session at The Scotch Whisky Experience.

Discover Scotland’s Ancient Castles

Immerse yourself in Scottish history and culture with this captivating tour of Scotland’s majestic castles and delve into the country’s medieval past and defining moments.

This castles, legends and heritage tour takes you on a wonderful and unique journey around Scotland, where you can experience the country’s turbulent history first-hand, by visiting the castles, fortresses and tower houses that pepper this spectacular land.

Explore the ancient battlefields and imposing castles, tower forts and palaces which have shaped the history of Scotland. Breathe life into the harrowing past as you wander the halls of manor houses and admire the strongholds of Scottish clans. Your driver-guide will blend local stories with epic destinations, making this a trip of a lifetime.

This tour visits some of Scotland’s most impressive castles, including picture-perfect Dunnottar Castle, majestic Falkland Palace, Castle Fraser with its stunning portrait collection and inaccessible Lochleven Castle surrounded by water. Join history lovers on this unique adventure around the Highlands, as you travel over sea, loch and glen.

From Edinburgh you will travel north through the Kingdom of Fife, into Aberdeenshire, known as ‘Scotland’s Castle Country’, before exploring the Moray Coast and Inverness area. You will then travel south through some of the most stunning scenery Scotland has to offer, stopping at Dalwhinnie Distillery for a dram of whisky, before returning to Edinburgh.

This tour is your ticket into Scotland’s glorious past and royal history.

Itinerary

This is our suggested itinerary for our Scottish Castles Experience small group tour. This tour combines a four day group guided experience with independent sightseeing days in Edinburgh to make the most of your time in Scotland.

We love the opportunity to use our first-hand knowledge and experience to design and deliver the perfect, bespoke holiday experience for you.

You may wish to extend your holiday before or after your small group tour, or combine it with another of our tours.

Day 1: Arrive in Edinburgh

Arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland’s majestic capital city. Edinburgh is a great place to wander – particularly through the Old and New Towns where you will find an unusual mix of medieval and Georgian buildings – each beautiful in their own right.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 2: Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Your small group tour begins this morning as you depart Edinburgh and travel north across the Queensferry Crossing into the ancient Kingdom of Fife. Your first visit of the day is Falkland Palace located in the medieval village of Falkland. You’ll then continue to St Andrews with its cobbled streets, historic buildings and golden sandy beaches.

After lunch in St Andrews, the tour travels north towards Aberdeen. With over 260 castles, stately homes and ruins dotted around the landscape, Aberdeenshire is known as ‘Scotland’s Castle Country’.

In the afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to visit spectacular Dunnottar Castle – perched on a clifftop and surrounded by stormy seas, this is a must-visit destination for history buffs.
Overnight – Aberdeen

Day 3: Exploring the Castle Trail

Today is packed with stunning historic castles and formal gardens. Your first stop is Castle Fraser, a grand Scottish baronial tower house with a wonderful 18th century walled garden. Hereafter, you’ll visit Banchory and the Falls of Feugh, before enjoying lunch at Ballater in the heart of Royal Deeside.

Crathes Castle is a vision, with its turrets, gargoyles, ghosts stories, original interior and famous garden, this is a real tour highlight. You’re free to explore the house and grounds, and get lost in the turbulent tales of the past, before returning to civilisation.
Overnight – Aberdeen

Day 4: Aberdeen to Moray

This morning your tour heads north towards the Moray Coast. Your first visit is Fyvie Castle, dating back to the 13th century, known for its incredible tapestries. Admire the impressive portrait collection and glorious natural setting, before continuing on to the charming Highland town of Nairn.

Enjoy lunch near Brodie Castle, before exploring the castle’s unique art collection – from Dutch Old Masters to modern watercolours. In the afternoon, you can take a memorable Clan Walk at Culloden Visitor Centre, commemorating the final brutal battle in the Jacobite Rising.
Overnight – Forres

Day 5: Moray to Edinburgh

Today it’s time to travel south through picturesque scenery, as you make your way to Kingussie where you may have an opportunity for a quick photo stop at Ruthven Barracks. The tour continues to Dalwhinnie Distillery, the highest distillery in Scotland, for a taste of delicious single malt whisky.

From here you’ll continue to Pitlochry in Highland Perthshire for lunch, then travel to Loch Leven for a boat trip to the island where Mary, Queen of Scots was held captive. The ruin of Loch Leven Castle dates back to the 14th century, and is a historic place to explore on foot.

The tour returns to Edinburgh in the early evening.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 6: Edinburgh Sightseeing

Spend another day exploring the many delights of Edinburgh. Visit the most iconic castle of them all – Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, climb Arthur’s Seat, or dine at a Michelin star restaurant in fashionable Leith.
Overnight – Edinburgh

Day 7: Depart Edinburgh

After breakfast your unforgettable holiday will come to an end.

What's Included?

Your holiday includes:

Carefully selected en-suite accommodation for 6 nights including traditional Scottish breakfast
4 day Scottish Castles Experience Tour by top of the range Mercedes mini-coach with a maximum of 16 passengers
Services of a professional driver-guide
Comprehensive information pack and local visitor guidebooks
Personalised itinerary with our recommendations for the best places to eat and drink and sightseeing suggestions
Map of Scotland
Tickets for the Edinburgh City Sightseeing Tour
All ferry crossings (as per your itinerary)
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Flights
Lunches and evening meals
Entry to visitor attractions

Why Book a Small Group Tour?

Your Tour Company

We work closely with an award-winning company whose expert guides truly take you beyond the guidebooks to explore the stunning scenery and extraordinary history of this country.

Some guides are history geeks and can tell you who owned every castle, others are geologists and know the age of every mountain. All of them are friendly, passionate people who are dedicated to making you fall in love with their home country.

Explore Scotland in a modern, air-conditioned mini-coach. You will never get lost, always take the scenic route and have great views, and you are free to sample the local tipple without worrying about driving.

Touring with a maximum of 16 passengers will allow you to meet people from all over the world and make friends for life. Knowing all of the arrangements are taken care of means you can sit back and relax. It’s an experience you will treasure for a lifetime.

Accommodation & Prices

Standard

Budget

We know that after a busy day of sightseeing an exceptional place to stay makes all the difference. That’s why the accommodation we select is hand-picked using our first-hand knowledge of the best places to stay. We specifically choose accommodation suitable for your tour, close to local attractions, pubs and restaurants.

Our discerning team have a wealth of experience, and we extensively research and regularly review all of the accommodation we select for our clients.

Please choose from one of our accommodation categories below.

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