The Grand Tour of Scotland and England

Your chauffeur will meet you inside the arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport, assist with luggage and escort you to the vehicle. Come and explore Windsor Castle with your guide and discover the story of the Kings and Queens of England. 

For almost 1000 years this vast castle has been home to 40 monarchs and Royal families. From conquering Kings to Royal princesses sheltering from enemy bombs to imperial Queens, the stylistic evolution of this castle dramatically reflects the personalities, ticks, and ambitions of these royal creators. Approach this intimidating fortress, with its substantial stone battlements and forbidding towers and you might feel a little nervous. Follow your guide into the heart of the castle, and you will discover that behind this hostile facade is a palace with interiors of the utmost elegance and opulence. Its fortified walls and dominating towers are Windsor’s armour, protecting the treasures within, and of course, the most valuable jewel in the land was the monarch. 

Today the exotic, extravagant and enticing treasures are from the Royal collection and are not to be missed.

Head to a riverside pub for lunch before reaching London. Your hotel room will be ready for you to flop into, relax and sleep before dinner. You will feel ready to continue your Town and Country tour tomorrow. 

Recommended Hotel Bath: The Royal Crescent Hotel.

Older than the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, Europe's most famous prehistoric monument, is around 5,000 years old.  A temple to the sun, moon and stars, this mystical and magical site holds within its stones the key to understanding the cultures and rituals of the Neolithic people that built it. Your private guide will reveal the mystery around this world-famous stone circle, explaining how experts have exposed the secrets of this enigmatic site. The interactive experience doesn't stop at the stone circle. Your guide can also take you to meet a 5,500-year-old man and discover the tools and domestic artefacts handled by these people who lived thousands of years ago.

The last stop is one of Britain's most magnificent cathedrals and one of the world's most excellent examples of early English Gothic architecture. Salisbury was built over a 38-year period from 1220. Its spire boasts a height of 404 feet and may be the tallest medieval structure in the world. Salisbury Cathedral commemorated its 800th birthday in 2020 and has seen some things in its time. Plague and royal feuds ravaged the city, and secret WW2  operations took place. Come and discover all this and more with your guide. See the Magna Carta and a beautifully preserved stone frieze depicting scenes from the Old Testament.

Recommended Hotel Bath: The Royal Crescent Hotel.

Oxford is home to the oldest university in England, home to C.S Lewis, JRR Tolkien and the birthplace of Stephen Hawking. Twenty-six British Prime Ministers all educated at Oxford University, along with many famous individuals such as Tim Berners Lee, computer scientist and inventor of the World Wide Web. Enjoy a walking tour with your guide and visit Christ Church College with its vaulted staircase and elegant Tudor dining hall, the inspiration for locations in the Harry Potter films.

One of England’s ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ with picturesque towns and villages made of honey-coloured limestone; the Cotswolds are a delight to explore. Once a wealthy wool-producing area, this region is now a filmmaker’s dream.

Home to the Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace is a grand aristocratic home befitting the high status of a Dukedom. There is one way to arrive at the Palace, and that is to drive through the victory gate into Capability Brown’s world-famous landscaped grounds.

Time permitting, tour the magnificent staterooms. Stroll around the formal gardens and stroll through the collection of Italian, secret, rose and pleasure gardens along with the water terraces.

Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended Luxury Village Spa Hotel: The Lygon Arms Hotel.
Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Hotel: Buckland Manor.
Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended English Estate Spa Hotel: Dormy House.
Overnight: South Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Spa Hotel: Whatley Manor.
Overnight: South Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Spa Hotel: Calcot Manor.

Take a journey through England’s timeless countryside and visit the pretty villages surrounded by the Cotswold Hills. England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

See traditional thatched cottages and delightful shops full of unusual and unique items. Stop at Chipping Campden, the perfect Cotswolds market town, with its old pubs, tea rooms and a quaint market hall. Bibury first earned its title of ‘the most beautiful village in England’ from the artist and craftsman, William Morris.

During the afternoon you may wish to tour some of the quintessentially English gardens of the Cotswolds region. Tour Hidcote Manor Gardens, one of England’s finest gardens, a complete dream set high in the Cotswold Hills. The herbaceous borders and chambers of hedges add to the theme and character of the garden - every corner turned brings a smile to the face. Finish the day with a stop at the Broadway Tower; the site offers wonderful views of the surrounding hills and valleys.  

Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended Luxury Village Spa Hotel: The Lygon Arms Hotel.
Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Hotel: Buckland Manor.
Overnight: The Cotswolds - Recommended English Estate Spa Hotel: Dormy House.
Overnight: South Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Spa Hotel: Whatley Manor.
Overnight: South Cotswolds - Recommended Country House Spa Hotel: Calcot Manor.

After breakfast, head north, stopping for morning tea before arriving in York at lunchtime. Check into the Grand Hotel and stop for lunch at The Star Inn the City.

York started life as a military town in the Roman period. Became a Viking stronghold and then a medieval gem. York once held the title of Britain's second city and became famous for the manufacturing of chocolate and confectionery.  

Your guide will take you on a 2,000-year journey through the snickets and backstreets before exploring the huge Minster, one of the largest gothic buildings in the world. Spend the afternoon shopping or visiting the various museums and galleries. 

Overnight: The Grand, York.

To the Dales and Fountains Abbey.

We head into the lush green Yorkshire Dales, cruising on "B" roads, passing miles upon miles of stone walls and glacial carved hills dotted with millions of sheep. See the geological wonders of the Butter Tubs, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and the impressive waterfall of Hardraw Force.  

We stop for lunch at Fountains Abbey before seeing this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage visitor attraction. The site is a ruined ancient Cistercian abbey and an 18th-century green water garden. King Henry VIII dissolved Britain's monastic institutions in the 1530s, and over 100 "romantic" ruins litter the countryside. Fountains must surely be the most beautiful of them all, with the addition of green water gardens made of moon-shaped pools of dark water reflecting the trees growing on the craggy boundaries.

Dinner: On your own in York. The city is famous for having a pub for everyday of the year; there are 365 and around 150 restaurants within the city walls. Early on in the trip, we will provide a city and restaurant guide.

Overnight: The Grand, York.

Bamburgh Castle is another piece of Northumberland Coastal history. Bamburgh has guarded the northeast shoreline for 1,400 years. Nine acres of walls, turrets and barbicans sit on its rocky plateau. Incidentally, Bamburgh Castle is one of the largest homes in the country. Northumbria was just one of several Kingdoms, but the largest within England and Bamburgh was the royal capital.

A short drive from Bamburgh is a rather majestic old fort, Dunstanburgh Castle. Its battered remains is a testament to its exciting existence as a castle under siege on many occasions. The Earl of Lancaster built the castle between 1313 and 1322. The Crown upgraded the defences due to worrying threats from Scotland. 

During the famous royal family feud, the Wars of the Roses, the castle changed hands from the House of Lancaster to the House of York several times, much like a series of the Game of Thrones. Ultimately, troops left the site in ruins, so now battle-scarred Dunstanburgh is a romantic old fort on the beautiful Northumberland Coast - Head north to Edinburgh.

Overnight: Edinburgh - Recommended Five Star Hotel: The Caledonian Hotel.
Overnight: Edinburgh - Recommended Luxury Townhouse Hotel: Kimpton Charlotte Square.

Scotland’s capital is bursting with character and charm. Edinburgh is a tale of two cities, the hilltop settlement with alleys, snickets, old churches and The Castle, and the NEW City, of 18th-century origin. Speculators constructed a new town on the back of new money and investment following the Union with England in 1707. There are cashmere and kilts for sale, but our guide will help you authentically navigate Edinburgh.

Tour the official residence of HRH King Charles, the Palace of Holyrood House. The Palace was once home to Mary, Queen of Scots and the setting for many dramatic episodes in her short life. Enjoy a walking tour up the famous Royal Mile with your guide – cobbled streets, tiny shops, mysteries and the stories of Scotland’s significant figures of literature. 

Tour Edinburgh Castle, which dominates Edinburgh’s skyline and gives stunning views across the city and countryside. Home to the Scottish Crown Jewels, the legendary Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg – a giant cannon. Tour the New Town and visit the Georgian house, built in the late 18th century and furnished as it would have been in 1796, presenting a fascinating insight into the past. Get off the beaten path with your guide and see a side of Edinburgh not typically seen. 

Overnight: Edinburgh - Recommended Five Star Hotel: The Caledonian Hotel.
Overnight: Edinburgh - Recommended Luxury Townhouse Hotel: Kimpton Charlotte Square.

Our day begins with the military key to Scotland, Stirling Castle. The strategically located fortification is at the junction of the River Forth and Teith, perfect for launching attacks into the Highlands and surrounding settlements. 

Stop for a photo stop of Stirling Castle or go inside. Perched high and proud on impressive cliffs, Stirling Castle has played a crucial role in Scottish history; namely, the Battles of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn took place within its shadow. The controversial Mary Queen of Scots lived here as a child. The Queen was the focus of a Roman Catholic succession to the English, and Scottish thrones, encouraged by the great Catholic powers of Europe Queen Mary plotted the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I, and ultimately she lost her head. 

Made up of mountains, forests, rivers and lochs, the Trossachs National Park is a miniature version of the Highlands with historical connections to Rob Roy. The Corbetts mountains are between 2,500 and 3,000 feet and erratically break the horizon. 

Inveraray Castle featured in an episode of Downton Abbey, which will interest Downton fans. Within the town is Inveraray Jail, a 19th-century prison with three-foot thick walls. The jail holds 4345 former prisoner records, so there are many tales to be told by the costumed characters walking around the prison.

Overnight: Western Highlands - Recommended Manor House Hotel: The Isle of Eriska Hotel.
Overnight: Western Highlands - Recommended Restaurant with Rooms Hotel: The Airds Hotel.

The western coast of Scotland is genuinely wonderful; the best way to explore is by car and boat.

Enjoy a Wildlife Boat Trip and see some of Scotland’s treasured wildlife. Expect to see dolphins, basking sharks and porpoises not to mention sea eagles, puffins and otters. The boat will circle the rocks allowing you to see the heart-warming seals lazing around. The Corryvreckan natural whirlpool is one of the most impressive in the world and feeling its pull on the vessel is a strange but enjoyable experience. Stop for a light lunch on the coast and enjoy afternoon tea at the hotel.

Overnight: Western Highlands - Recommended Manor House Hotel: The Isle of Eriska Hotel.
Overnight: Western Highlands - Recommended Restaurant with Rooms Hotel: The Airds Hotel.

Drive along the Great Glen Fault, a colossal geological valley from the north-east to the south-west Highlands and beyond skimming Ireland and into the Atlantic ocean. 

Loch Ness is a massive body of water covering 22sq miles with depths of almost 800 ft. The Loch is famous for its monster mysteries, reported sightings of giant aquatic lizard gained international interest in the 1930s. Is the creature of Scottish folk law real? Or a strange sea-serpent species? Now it is your chance to see the beast of the deep.

Visit Edradour Distillery. The surviving farmhouse distillery opened in 1825 and is the smallest distillery in Scotland. With everything made by hand, the distillery only produces eighteen casks a week. Let us tailor the afternoon and visit your favourite distillery on the Whisky Trail.

Overnight: Perthshire - Recommended Five Star Resort Hotel: Gleneagles.
Overnight: Perthshire - Recommended Boutique Castle Hotel: Fonab Castle.
Overnight: Stirling - Recommended Boutique Country Hotel: Cromlix.

Please contact us for Golfing choices. There are ten authentic links courses in and around St Andrews, including the world-famous Old Course. St Andrews, the home of golf and real-life royal love stories. The sport was invented here, and the Scots have been playing it here since around the 12th century. It was particularly popular with Mary, Queen of Scots, who was chastised in 1568 when she chose to 'tee off' straight after her husband's murder. These stories and more are shared and displayed at the British Golf Museum, which documents the game from the Middle Ages to the modern day. 

The seaside and university town is the place where Kate Middleton stole Prince William's heart, now the Duchess of Cambridge! The university is the oldest in Scotland with over six centuries of teaching, and the surrounding milieu includes medieval cobbled streets, a 13th-century castle, and the haunting gothic ruin of St Andrews Cathedral.

Alternatively, Glamis Castle is a Category A listed building and haunted! It is arguably one of Scotland's most famous castles. With over 1000 years of history, the extensive estate covers more than 14,000 acres (57 sq km). It was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother who spent her childhood there and Princess Margaret's birthplace (sister to Queen Elizabeth II) in 1930. 

Glamis Castle is a classic aristocratic Scottish Castle surrounded by magnificent grounds and countryside. The property is within easy reach of Pitlochry and a day tour from Edinburgh.

Overnight: St Andrews - Recommended Hotel: The Old Course Hotel. 

Your driver will be with you 15 minutes before you need to leave the hotel. We aim to get you to the airport 2 hrs 30 minutes before your departure.