Grand Tour of Scotland

Welcome to Scotland! Once you’ve exited customs, you will find your private driver waiting for you in the arrivals hall, ready for the short transfer into Edinburgh. Drop your luggage at the hotel and head out to start your discovery of this fabulous city!

Highlights (included): Hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tour, Edinburgh Castle with afternoon tea, Scotch Whisky Experience, Palace at Holyroodhouse
Highlights (optional): Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour

Overnight in Edinburgh
Tenon Recommends: Intercontinental Hotel The George

Walking an ancient volcano might not come to mind when you think of activities in Edinburgh, but Arthur’s Seat, located in Holyrood Park adjacent to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, is a great morning workout. At 251 meters above sea level, the views over the city are the reward for the climb – or perhaps the reward can be a dram at the Holyrood Distillery, the newest distillery in the city in nearly 100 years.

Highlights (included): Treasures of the Old Town tour, Holyrood Distillery
Highlights (optional): Walking food tour of Edinburgh, Edinburgh gin tour

Overnight in Edinburgh
Tenon Recommends: Intercontinental Hotel The George
(Breakfast included)

While crossing over the Queensferry bridge on your way to St Andrew’s, you will be amazed at this modern creation – the largest cable-stayed bridge in the world? Stop in Queensferry first and take some photos of this and the Forth Bridge, another UNESCO World Heritage Site that Scotland boasts. For Outlander fans, go a little further on for and make a detour to Falkland, which was used in the series to portray Inverness.

Highlights (included): St Andrew’s Cathedral, St Andrew’s Castle, St Andrew’s food tour.

Highlights (optional): Falkland Palace, St Andrews ghost tour, Old Course walking tour, British Golf Museum, Eden Mill gin experience, golf

Overnight in St Andrews
Tenon Recommends: Hotel Du Vin
(Breakfast included)

Make your way to Aberdeen, also known as the Granite City or Silver City because of the granite used in many of its buildings. On your way to Aberdeen, make sure to visit Dundee, a UNESCO City of Design. Visit the V&A Museum and see the RRS Discovery, on which Ernest Shackleton and his team had their first and highly successful journey to the Antarctic.

Highlights (included): Glamis Castle, Dunnottar Castle
Highlights (optional): RRS Discovery, V&A Museum

Overnight in Aberdeen
Tenon Recommends: Jurys Inn Aberdeen
(Breakfast included)

Take time to discover the city of Aberdeen by seeing its Maritime Museum and the Gordon Highlander Museum, which tells the story of the 200-year old regiment said to be the finest regiment in the world. How about meeting Aberdeen highland cows today and tasting the world-famous Aberdeen beef on a unique farm visit? You will have the whole day to discover all that Aberdeen has to offer.

Highlights (optional): Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Gordon Highlander Museum, Highland beef farm visit

Overnight in Aberdeen
Tenon Recommends: Jurys Inn Aberdeen
(Breakfast included)

Known as Scotland’s Castle Trail, Aberdeenshire has so many castles to view! As you travel to Inverness, one castle you must stop at is the beautiful Baronial-style Fyvie Castle. Traveling on toward the tip of Cairngorms National Park, you have the opportunity to visit the Glenlivet Distillery, founded in 1824. Continue on to the Highlands and then to your destination of Inverness for the night.

Highlights (included): Fyvie Castle, Aberlour distillery
Highlights (optional): Glenlivet Distillery, Speyside Cooperage

Overnight in Inverness
Tenon Recommends: Kingsmills Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Learn about the history of the Jacobite rising, which culminated in a fierce battle in nearby Culloden. Immerse yourself at the visitor center in a 360-battle immersion theater, get your heart racing as you experience what it would have been like in battle. Head onward to Loch Ness to see if you have any luck in finding the shy Nessie!

Highlights (included): Culloden Visitor Centre, Loch Ness cruise
Highlights (optional): Inverness Castle viewpoint, golf

Overnight in Inverness
Tenon Recommends: Kingsmills Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Wake up early to make the most of your trip to the Isle of Skye. Before taking the bridge over to the Isle of Skye, be sure to visit Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most iconic Scottish castles. Cross over the Skye Bridge to Kyleakin and arrive on the Isle of Skye. Just a short drive away is Portree, the largest town on the island and your final destination for the day. If you have the time and energy, traverse the Scorrybreac Loop walk, which offers views over to the Isle of Raasay.

Highlights (optional): Eilean Donan castle

Overnight in the Isle of Skye
Tenon Recommends: Skeabost Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Discover more of the charm of the Isle of Skye traveling to the tip of the island to Trotternish and the area of Quiraing, which is a photographer’s dream. You will need some energy for that trek, so if you are looking for a relaxed day, travel west to Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, the seat of the Clan MacLeod. Enjoy some whisky at Talisker Distillery, the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye overlooking the Cuillins.

Highlights (included): Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, Talisker Distillery

Overnight in the Isle of Skye
Tenon Recommends: Skeabost Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Leave some time in the morning to travel a little south of Portree to see the Fairy Pools at Glenbrittle. Beautiful rock pools of crystal-clear spring water fed by a series of waterfalls, this is a must-see spot. Then head back over the bridge and on to Glencoe.

Highlights (included): Glencoe Mountain Resort chairlift
Highlights (optional): Fairy Pools, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glenfinnan Monument

Overnight in Glencoe
Tenon Recommends: Kings House Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Drive through the stunning roads of Glencoe. You might even recognize Glen Etive road from the James Bond Skyfall movie. Walk through Glencoe, take a chairlift ride or walk part of the West Highland Way. For the Clan MacDonald, Glencoe has a special significance. This was the site of the Massacre of Glencoe on February 13, 1692. A trip to the Glencoe Visitor Centre will explain the history of the area.

Highlights (included): Glencoe electric bike activity
Highlights (optional): Glencoe Visitor Centre

Overnight in Glencoe
Tenon Recommends: Kings House Hotel
(Breakfast included)

Discover Scotland’s other national park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Scotland and is a great base to discover the central belt of Scotland. Some unique activities include taking a seaplane trip over the loch or visiting the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre.

Highlights (included): Hawk Walk at Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre
Highlights (optional): Loch Lomond cruise, Loch Tay Safari with 4×4 driving

Overnight in Loch Lomond
Tenon Recommends: Lodge at Loch Lomond
(Breakfast included)

Savor more of the beautiful scenery by paying a visit to some of the lovely little towns in the area, such as Luss, Arrochar or Balloch. For whisky lovers, just under one hour away is the stunningly located Glengoyne Distillery, which has a fantastic visitor center with plenty of tour options, including a masterclass or a blend-your-own whisky class.

Highlights (included): Loch Lomond seaplane trip
Highlights (optional): Glengoyne Distillery visit

Overnight in Loch Lomond
Tenon Recommends: Lodge at Loch Lomond
(Breakfast included)

Enjoy the last views of the loch before getting on the road. Learn to make the ultimate Scottish haggis dish when you stop for lunch. Then it’s on to Stirling Castle, the castle in which almost every Scottish monarch either lived, was crowned or died. Just 10 minutes away is The National Wallace Monument, where you can see the sword used by Scottish hero William Wallace. Arriving in Glasgow in the afternoon affords you time to visit this city, which is very different architecturally than Edinburgh but has a lot of character. Enjoy a night out in Glasgow with a beer tour!

Highlights (included): Stirling Castle, Stirling haggis experience, Glasgow beer tour
Highlights (optional): The National Wallace Monument, Doune Castle

Overnight in Glasgow
Tenon Recommends: Jurys Inn Glasgow
(Breakfast included)

Say goodbye to Scotland and start your journey home with memories that will last a lifetime. As the Scots say, Haste ye back!
(Breakfast included)