2023 Scotland: 11 Days, 10 Nights, $4100 in Twin/Double Room, add $900 for single room.
Draft Itinerary
Thursday 06 July, Fy from USA
Book your flight to leave from the USA by July 6 to arrive in Edinburgh by July 7.
Friday 07 July, Arrive into Edinburgh
Option of coach pick up if many are coming off same flight (included)
Group may want to explore the city but Andy can do a walking tour if the flight is early
Overnight Yotel – Queen street – https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotel-edinburgh
*dinner included this night and 3rd night – not 2nd – thought group might want to try restaurants close by
Very good location in the New Town, accessible rooms etc Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast at the Yotel hotel
Saturday 8 July: Edinburgh
Day tour of Edinburgh
*Including Edinburgh Castle and the option of either Holyrood Palace or Royal Yacht Britannia.
Lunch in the city (own arrangements)
1730 approx – Johnnie Walker Experience for the group on the Journey’s tour. – This is just a 10 minute walk (at the most) from the hotel.
Dinner own arrangements after Johnnie Walker
Overnight Yotel – Queen street
*Dinner own arrangements after Johnnie Walker Experience
Sunday 9 July: Edinburgh, St. Andrews
Day tour to St.Andrews (via the Forth Bridges and Dunfermline)
*visits to Dunfermline Cathedral burial place of Robert the Bruce, Forth Bridges view point, St.Andrews Old Course (able to walk the course on a Sunday, Castle and Cathedral ruins)
Lunch at leisure in St.Andrews before heading back to Edinburgh via fishing villages along the Fife Coast.
Overnight Yotel – Queen street – https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotel-edinburgh
*dinner included this night
Monday 10 July: To Loch Lomond
Depart Edinburgh and travel towards Loch Lomond.
Cruise Loch Lomond with Sweeneys Cruises (1 hour) starting from Balloch
Lunch own arrangement in Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond – I’ll book my favorite spot here for everyone – The Coach House
Free time to explore the Old church and the Bonnie Banks before going up the road to the Tarbet Hotel
Overnight 1 night at the Tarbet Hotel on a dinner B&B basis – https://bespokehotels.com/tarbet-hotel/
Tuesday 11 July: Islay
Depart Tarbet and go over the ‘Rest and be Thankful’ pass through Inveraray towards Kinnacraig
Take ferry to Islay (takes around 1 hour) – times to be announced
*could be a chance to do a distillery when we arrive near Port Askaig before going to the hotel
Overnight 2 nights at the Machrie Hotel and Golf Links – https://themachrielinks.com/
All on dinner bed and breakfast – Superb hotel of a very good standard – I’m surprised I got this to be honest
Wednesday 12 July: Islay
Day tour of Islay including distilleries.
I’d like to book us in to Ardbeg for lunch but not yet open for bookings next year.
We can however visit Laphroig, Lagavulin and another great distillery at the other side of the Island.
Leave lunch up to me and this day but I’ve forecasted 3 distilleries in total on the Island – I think that’s enough
Overnight at the Machrie Hotel and Golf Links – https://themachrielinks.com/
Thursday 13 July: Glencoe
Depart Islay (might be a good thing after all the Whisky)
Ferry back to Kennacraig then up the West Coast through Kilmartin Glen
Visit Neolithic Cairns and standing stones.
Stop in Oban for lunch (own arrangements) as well as a bit exploring before going north to the fantastic Glancoe (our base for 3 nights)
Overnight for 3 nights at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel – https://www.islesofglencoe.co.uk/
All dinner, bed and breakfast included
Friday 14 July: Glencoe
Day free – Drivers day off
Options are to take the boat to the Coe Islands, go for a pub lunch at the Clachaig Inn or just relax in a stunning setting.
Overnight at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel – https://www.islesofglencoe.co.uk/
All dinner, bed and breakfast included
Saturday 15 July: Glencoe
Day tour up to Fort William and Glenfinnan.
*A tour up the Mountain gondola to Nevis Range then a trip down to see the Harry Potter Bridge – the Glenfinnan Viaduct
Lunch in Fort William at some stage between these visits – a nice day around the Lochaber area.
Overnight at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel – https://www.islesofglencoe.co.uk/
All dinner, bed and breakfast included
Sunday 16 July: Return to Edinburgh
Depart through Glencoe – stop at Visitors Centre and viewpoints en-route
Travel towards Stiling and visit Stirling Castle and the Bannockburn Battlefield site before going back to Edinburgh
Overnight at the Doubletree by Hilton – https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ediccdi-doubletree-edinburgh-city-centre/
Great hotel in the Old Town and near Grassmarket
***option here is to stay at this hotel, not do dinner there and have ‘Spirit of Scotland Show’ at Surgeons hall.
Alternative hotel is the Jury’s Inn but would rather get this one to be honest so we will have to move quickly.
Spirit of Scotland Show potentially can happen this night with music, dance and 4 course dinner with wine etc – in the approx costs for attractions
Monday 17 July: Fly from Edinburgh
Depart for the airport
| PARTICIPANTS | ARRIVAL In Edinburgh | DEPARTURE From Edinburgh |
| Andy Plews | ||
| Driver | ||
| Jim & Sharon Fox | ||
| Greg & Judy Parks | ||
| Carrol Smith | ||
| Barbara Filipiak & Kay VanNostrand | ||