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The group will enjoy a panoramic tour of the picturesque city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), including the Medieval Old Town, the Georgian New Town and the Royal Mile.
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Edinburgh Castle, the iconic fortress that has guarded Edinburgh for nine centuries on its high bastion of volcanic cliffs. Highlights including the thunderous Mons Meg cannon and Scotland’s glittering crown jewels.
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Shopping on Princes Street and George Street, with a collection of traditional Scottish shops and world famous designer outlets.
Day 2 – Rosslyn Chapel and Holyroodhouse
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Rosslyn Chapel, with its superabundance of ornament and sculpture and connections to Knights Templar legend. Famous as the final resting place of the Holy Grail in Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”.
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Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence in Scotland of Queen Elizabeth II. The Palace was also home to Mary, Queen of Scots and was the setting for many dramatic episodes during her turbulent reign.
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Alternatively, the group may wish to visit St Andrews, the Home of Golf, where the game has been nurtured and developed for 600 years.
Day 3 – Whiskey and Stirling Castle
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Antonine Wall at Rough Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wall survived as the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire for a generation before being abandoned in c.160AD.
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Stirling castle, guarding the Gateway to the Highlands and the nearby site of the Battle of Bannockburn, where we recall legendary Scots including Robert the Bruce and “Braveheart” William Wallace.
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Group tour of a Scottish whiskey distillery and opportunities to sample a wee dram of the national drink.
Day 4 – Inverness and Loch Ness
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Pitlochry, with its spectacular setting in the heart of Scotland under the dramatic skyline of Ben Vrackie. Group visit to the famous Salmon Ladder at Pitlochry Dam.
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Inverness, beautifully situated on the River Ness, with mountains to the east and west and the Moray Forth to the north.
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Group cruise on Loch Ness including a visit to the 16th Century battlements of Urquhart castle.
Day 5 - Glasgow
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Spean Bridge Commando Monument, where the statues of three soldiers stand as tall as giants, a tribute to the troops that trained in the mountains of Lochaber.
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The spectacular Loch Lommond, the largest expanse of fresh water in Britain with the backdrop of the mountains looming beyond.
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The group will enjoy a panoramic tour of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, with breathtaking Victorian architecture and a reputation for offering the UK’s best shopping outside London.