Self-Drive Tour of Scotland

Welcome to Scotland! You’ll arrive at Edinburgh Airport where a private transfer to your city-center hotel awaits. You will be met at the airport from your domestic European flight; the driver will have a sign with Tenon Tours and your name. They will be in the arrivals area in the terminal as you exit customs and will take you to your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time, if your rooms are not ready, you may leave your bags with the desk, get a bite to eat and start exploring on your own or have a rest in the comfortable hotel lobby while your rooms are made ready.

Your first day in Edinburgh is at leisure and you are free to explore at your own pace. Should you have the energy for a show tonight we recommend The Spirit of Scotland show which includes dinner and some traditional Scottish entertainment.

Highlights (included): Private airport transfer
Highlights (optional): Spirit of Scotland Show

Overnight in Edinburgh
Breakfast included

Today, have a leisurely breakfast then make your way over to Edinburgh Castle. Your time in the Castle will be self-guided to enjoy at your own time and pace. We recommend planning at least 2 hours for your visit. We’ve included skip-the-line entry tickets for you!

Tenon Tip: Sometimes the line is really long for the crown jewels and it’s ok to skip seeing them as it will take 30 minutes plus to get to them if it’s busy!

After all this touring, you’ll be in need of refreshment. We’ve included a unique Afternoon Tea experience for you at the Edinburgh Castle Tea Rooms. The Queen Anne Tea Room is located in the heart of the castle in Crown Square. The walls have been painted a rich Dutch blue, embellished with touches of copper/brass, vintage mirrors and botanical foliage to keep things feeling fresh, and modern but still with a rugged Scottish ambiance. It is the perfect setting to relax and enjoy afternoon tea!

This evening for dinner – if you are still hungry – we recommend Deacon Brodies, Howies or Rabble Taphouse and Grill.

Highlights (included) Admission to Edinburgh Castle, Afternoon Tea at the Queen Anne Tea Room

Overnight in Edinburgh
Breakfast included

Make your own way to the tour meet-up to start your small group tour to St Andrews and the Fishing Villages of Fife! Today’s tour is operated by our partner, Rabbies.

In Fife, you’ll stop at Anstruther where you can walk the cobblestone streets and shoreline along the harbor.

Next, you’ll head to the medieval town of St Andrews. St Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland, and according to legend, his remains were washed up on the Fife coast. You have around two and a half hours to explore this fascinating town.

Next, you’ll drive through Fife to Falkland, one of the most beautiful villages in Scotland. It’s dotted with cottages and is home to Falkland Palace.

On your way back to Edinburgh, your group will pass through Loch Leven where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned by her Protestant nobility. You’ll return to the city at approximately 6 pm where you’ll have the rest of your evening at your leisure.

Highlights (included): Small Group Day Tour to St Andrews & Fishing Villages of Fife

Overnight in Edinburgh
Breakfast included

After breakfast and checking out from your hotel, have your hotel arrange a taxi to the airport. You are not departing Edinburgh by plane; just picking up your rental car! At the airport, you’ll fill out paperwork at the car rental desk before picking up your car.

Say farewell to Edinburgh as you begin your journey north into Perthshire! Begin your journey over the Queensferry Crossing – you might remember this from your tour yesterday.

There’s a lot to see along the way. You cannot do it all, but here are some sites and stops to consider. Please take into account weather and drive time for your first day on the road.

Culross: Outlander fans may enjoy a detour here, which poses as the fictional town of Cranesmuir. You might stop and look for Claire’s herb garden or peek at the palace.
Dunkeld: a beautiful town with historic buildings, the Dunkeld Cathedral and lovely walks by the River Tay.
Falkland’s Renaissance Palace: a great stop. The oldest royal tennis courts in Britain can be found here, along with small but charming gardens. The village will also be familiar to fans of Outlander.
Loch Leven Castle: The island prison of Mary, Queen of Scots
Scone Palace: Located near Perth, this is the crowning place of the ancient Kings of Scotland and is immortalized in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Your destination is Pitlochry, the largest town in Highland Perthshire, about 25 miles north of Perth. A tour and whisky tasting at Blair Athol Distillery, just outside of the main town, is a must! Check out the blackened tree trunks as you walk in – the vapors from the “angel’s share” of the distilling whisky supposedly causes this strange phenomenon. We’ve included admissions for this afternoon!

This evening, try the popular MacKay’s for dinner! The Old Mill is another good choice.

Highlights (included): Rental car, admission to Blair Athol Distillery in Pitlochry
Highlights (optional): Stops at Culross, Dunkeld, Falkland, Loch Leven Castle and Scone Palace

Overnight: Pitlochry

After breakfast, the day is yours. We suggest you take a scenic drive through the Cairngorms National Park or visit some of the suggestions recommended for day 4. If you choose to visit the National Park please note some of the roads will be quite curvy, but the drive offers great views of the mountains.

If you prefer to stay local, you can take a walk to the scenic spot called Queens View, named after Queen Isabella, a 14th-century queen married to Robert the Bruce. Queen Victoria also visited the site in 1866 making it hugely popular in Victorian times and it has remained popular to this day.

There are many charming shops and places to have tea or a pint all along the high street. Other places of interest include the Atholl Palace Museum, taking you back to 1878, and showing you the type of accommodations the Victorians would have enjoyed.

Tenon Tip: The Heather Gems Store is a nice place to buy gifts – the heather makes lovely jewelry!

Highlights (optional): Cairngorms National Park

Overnight in Pitlochry
Breakfast included

Have a hearty breakfast and then the day is yours to enjoy as you travel north! Start your drive north along the Cairngorms National Park. This could be a very relaxing day with a chance to enter the park again and enjoy more hiking. You might also find quaint little towns within the park; Aviemore and Newtownmore are some of the more popular ones along your drive.

As you head out of Pitlochry, you may wish to stop at the House of Bruar. This is a wonderful place to do some shopping, enjoy afternoon tea and discover some new local products while others may wish to enjoy a walk to see the lovely Falls of Briar!

Arrive in Inverness in the afternoon to take full advantage of this highland capital town. Meaning “Mouth of the River Ness” in Scots Gaelic, Inverness sits on the northeast coast of the Scottish Highlands, straddling the banks of the river for which it is named. The city is flanked by mountain views to the north and south with a lively downtown area in the middle. Its history is frequently marked by violence and battles, the most well-known of which is the Battle of Culloden, which brought an end to the Jacobite Rising in 1746.

Inverness is also known as the setting of Shakespeare’s great work MacBeth, though due to the city’s violent past, few buildings from the time of this historical king remain. Still, the reconstructed castle found within the city reminds visitors of the storied past of Inverness, set among the urban progress of the future.

Points of interest include The Victorian Market, the Flora MacDonald statue; the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery; the Old High Church, St. Andrews Cathedral and Georgian Steeple.

For dining in Inverness tonight, there are fine dining options (such as Rocpool Reserve at Chez Rous) as well as casual pubs (such as Castle Tavern). We also recommend enjoying a laid-back meal at The Mustard Seed or perhaps an afternoon tea at the Ness Walk Hotel (reservations recommended). For live music, check out the Hootananny!

Highlights (included):  Admission to Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Center

Highlights (optional): Cairngorms National Park, House of Bruar, the Victorian Market, the Flora McDonald statue, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Old High Church, St. Andrews Cathedral.

Overnight in Inverness

Breakfast included

Today is another small group day tour, but this time, you’re heading to the famed Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle! Make your way to the designated tour meet-up location to start your day tour. You can ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for you.

Operated by our partners at Rabbies, you’ll be leaving the city at 8 am and traveling along the Great Glen Fault Line towards Loch Ness. You’ll return to Inverness at approximately 8 pm.

The evening is at your leisure. For dining options, we recommend Cafe One (everything is made on-site, including ice cream) or the Fig and Thistle Bistro, which is popular among our travelers.

Highlights (included): Small Group Day Tour to Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle

Overnight in Inverness
Breakfast included

Today is a leisurely day for you to explore. Head out after breakfast with your rental car and enjoy the views and photo ops along your drive through the Loch Ness area. Follow the Caledonian Canal to the source of Loch Ness.

Along the way, you might want to start with a stop in Drumnadrochit – a cute little highland town, if a little heavy on the Nessie lore. We’ve included an hour cruise on Loch Ness and admissions to Urquhart Castle for you today.

You won’t want to miss Urquhart Castle! This is one of the better castles in history and its atmospheric ruins are stunning (if windy!) against the scenery of the loch. There’s an audio-visual presentation too, a good gift shop and cafe and restrooms too.

Continue to Fort Augustus, where you could stop to enjoy lunch. With a population between six and seven hundred, the village is compact, picturesque and sometimes bustling with activity. Plan to arrive for your castle stay in the mid-afternoon so you can check in, relax and enjoy the grounds before dinner.

Highlights (included): One-hour cruise on Loch Ness, admission to Urquhart Castle

Overnight in Loch Ness
Breakfast included

After finishing breakfast and checking out of your hotel, you’ll continue south through Fort William and on to Glencoe. Keep in mind your touring day and timings – there’s a lot to see on your last full day in Scotland!

Continuing on through the scenic Trossachs (Callendar and Crianlarich are wonderful Highland towns), go south to follow Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond is the UK’s largest inland waterway, interspersed by unspoiled, picturesque islands and surrounded by a stunning mountainous landscape. We suggest a drive along the shores – set in beautiful, picturesque surroundings on the edge of the Highlands, views of the lake are spectacular!

Continue on and plan to spend time at the end of your day in Stirling. Stirling Castle is one of the best castles, in our opinion, for getting a true sense of history. The guides are excellent! Plan for at least 1-2 hours of touring. Admissions are included!

Stirling is an incredibly walkable city. Visit Scotland information, halfway up Castle Hill, and pick up a city map, or you can simply wander around. It is hard to get lost in Stirling! Points of interest include the Wallace Monument, Stirling Bride, Stirling Old Town Jail, Cambuskenneth Abbey and the Settle Inn, Stirling’s oldest pub.

We recommend having an early dinner tonight in Stirling before finally making your way toward Edinburgh Airport. Ask reception at your airport hotel for the best way for you to take care of dropping off your rental car at the airport tonight so that you can easily take the airport shuttle in the morning.

Highlights (included): Admission to Stirling Castle

Overnight in Edinburgh
Breakfast included

It is time to say goodbye to Scotland! Check your flight status and head to Edinburgh Airport via the hotel shuttle. We hope you have safe travels home.

As the Scottish would say “Cheerio the Nou and Slainte Mhath!” or “Goodbye and Good
Health!”

Breakfast included