Scotland's Two Cities & Outlander Tour: Edinburgh, Glasgow and Highlands of Scotland

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The Two Cities & Outlander

Day 1 - You will be met at either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport (or other suitable place of your choosing if required) by your Inspiring Travel representative and transferred in a Private Vehicle to your 5-star hotel in Scotland’s capital Edinburgh, where you will stay for 2 nights. If you arrive before check in time just leave your bags with the concierge and hit the streets, it’s up to you, the rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Take a stroll down Princess Street and into the Prince Street Gardens or have a look around the New Town and grab something to eat or drink near St Andrews square. There is also the option of jumping onboard one of the hop on hop off bus tours that can help you orientate yourself and learn about the city. Perhaps in the evening you may want to take the option of a walking tour of the old town to find out more about the colourful and sometimes unsavoury parts of Edinburgh’s past?

Day 2 - Today you will no doubt want to wander the cavernous feeling Medieval Old Town, to get a real sense of the Edinburgh’s history, where you can almost feel the past. Why not walk down the Royal Mile and see Holyrood House, not only is it a backdrop for Outlander it is also an official Royal Residence. Or Simply relax in the shadow of the castle in Princes Street Gardens and take it all in. Later continue on to visit & tour Edinburgh Castle and learn about its 1100-year history and the part it played in the Wars of Independence in the 14th Century and perhaps more fittingly for this tour – the Jacobite Rebellions and in particular the rising of 1745.

(Breakfast Included)

(if you prefer we can arrange for a guide for the day and a pre-arranged tour program, just let us know – we would love to talk to you to arrange your ideal trip to Scotland, simply call or click the Tailormade - Customised Tours button)

Day 3 - After a morning pick up from your hotel by your Inspiring Travel Driver/Guide – you will leave beautiful Edinburgh behind and begin your Outlander themed tour of Scotland in earnest, today you will visit 3 of the locales used in the famous series. The fictional Castle Leoch, home of the Mackenzie Clan, the Castle HQ of Black Jack that doubles as Fort William and a visit to Linlithgow Palace which as well as being a set has its own huge historical significance as the birth place of Mary Queen of Scots. You can enter each of these sites and tour them at your leisure, your Driver/Guide will discuss options with you before hand so you know how long to spend at each and what would be of more interest to you & your party.

Why not take the optional audio tour of the fictional Castle Leoch, narrated by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame, however your guide will always be on hand too to tell you all about the places you are visiting. After a busy day of sightseeing you will be dropped off at your traditional Scottish lodgings. Tonight you will enjoy a stay in Perthshire in a 5-star Spa Hotel or Castle.

(Breakfast Included)

Day 4 - After breakfast you continue your journey through the beautiful countryside of the Kingdom of Perth, scene of lots of sets and backdrops for Outlander. Today you will visit a Castle Gardens that doubles as The Gardens of the Palace of Versailles, these particular gardens have been voted one of Europe’s best examples of a formal garden, keep an eye out for Peacocks wandering the lawns, as well as that you will visit the church where Claire stood trial for being a Witch and visit the town that is the set for Inverness in the 40’s and 60’s, we are sure this location will seem very familiar.

You will travel through the spectacularly picturesque Cairngorms today on your way up north, but before that you have the option of either a short walk in beautiful Dunkeld or visiting the fictional Craigh na Dun where Claire from Outlander was transported back in time, simply discuss the options with your Driver/Guide. After your drive through Cairngorms National Park you will be dropped at Culloden House Hotel, HQ of Bonnie Prince Charlie before the battle of Culloden, where you will stay for 2 nights.

(Breakfast Included)

Day 5 - After an early breakfast you will leave the Jacobite HQ where you spent the night, to take in the history that is pivotal to Outlander, the battle of Culloden. Here you will be able to get a feel for the atmosphere and explore the battle site with your Driver/Guide as well as visit the visitors centre to find out more about the last battle to be fought on British soil. Today you will also visit a prehistoric site, called the Clava Cairns where there are some examples of prehistoric standing stones and you too like Claire will feel the connection with them to the past. You will also visit Beauly Priory and Wardlaw Mausoleum, resting place of the ‘old fox’ Clan Chief of the Fraser Clan, Jacobite leader and last man to be beheaded in Britain. After a day of discovering and unlocking the history, myth and legend on which Outlander is based you will be taken back to relax in the Culloden House Hotel to spend the night there again.

Glenfinnan is also the site of raising of the Jacobite standard by Charles Edward Stewart otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, which was the catalyst to the ill-fated Jacobite rebellion leading to the final battle fought on British soil, Culloden. You will see the spot where that is marked by the statue of the lone Highlander. Tonight you will stay in Glencoe area in what is now a traditional 5-star hotel which was previously the stately home of a laird.

(Breakfast Included)

Day 6 - In the morning after breakfast you will visit the real town of Inverness, a town that features heavily in the Outlander books and series, here you will have the chance to do the Ness Islands walk before being taken to a viewpoint of Loch Ness (Nessie sighting is never guaranteed). After which you will visit the immersive Highland Folk Museum, where history will come to life, as actors in period costume show you what life would have been like for highlanders hundreds of years ago. Later cross over to the west of Scotland, marvelling at the wonderful scenery on the way to Glenfinnan, made famous by the Harry Potter Railway scene, here you may recognise the viaduct used on the films.

(Breakfast Included)

Day 7 - Glenfinnan is also the site of raising of the Jacobite standard by Charles Edward Stewart otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, which was the catalyst to the ill-fated Jacobite rebellion leading to the final battle fought on British soil, Culloden. You will see the spot where that is marked by the statue of the lone Highlander. After travelling through arguably some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery, tonight you will stay in Glencoe area in what is now a traditional 5-star hotel which was previously the stately home of a laird.

(Breakfast Included)

Day 8 - Today you are free to explore Scotland’s largest city, with its abundance of Museums and Parks. There are many own expense options, perhaps jump on the hop on hop off bus to visit some sites and get your bearings, or visit the Art School designed by famous Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. If you want to stick with the Outlander theme why not pay a visit to Glasgow Cathedral, one of the few medieval Scottish churches to have survived the reformation which also doubles as L’Hopital des Anges where Claire volunteers or visit Pollock Country Park once voted best park in UK and Europe, it doubles as the grounds around fictional Castle Leoch and is also the backdrop of the French countryside that the characters travel through.

You will no doubt visit George Square redubbed Freedom square by some during the run up to the Independence Referendum in 2014, from here you can see the statue of Duke of Wellington with his customary cone placed on his head, which has come to symbolise the fun and friendly nature of the inhabitants of Glasgow. If you have time why not get some last minute gifts for loved ones on Glasgow’s style mile of Buchanan Street.

(Breakfast Included)

(if you prefer we can arrange for a guide for the day in the cities and a pre-arranged tour program, just let us know – we would love to talk to you to arrange your ideal trip to Scotland, simply call or click the Tailormade - Customised Tours button)

Day 9 - You will be collected from your hotel in Glasgow by an Inspiring Travel representative and transferred to either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport by Private Transfer.

(Breakfast Included)