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Edinburgh Tattoo and Stirling Castle

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4.0 stars(3 reviews)
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Small Group

An escorted tour featuring a world-class spectacle

4 days From £645 per person
Flexible Booking

Book your 2021 holiday before 28th February and you can transfer your holiday for free - no questions asked. T&C's apply

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2021 Tour code: ETE21

About the tour

Experience the spectacle of the Edinburgh Tattoo, with pipes and drums resonating from the castle's elevated setting. Complimenting our holiday, we travel by heritage railway and rotating boat lift as we explore the River Forth and magnificent Stirling Castle.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Edinburgh

Our tour begins in Scotland's cosmopolitan capital, where we meet at our hotel. Take some time to settle in or explore Edinburgh at your own pace. The heart of Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its medieval Old Town, Georgian New Town, and award-winning modern architecture.

Includes
  • Dinner
Edinburgh
Day 2 - Edinburgh Tattoo

We set out by coach for the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway for an atmospheric trip through the Scottish countryside in one of the lovinglyrestored locomotives. The line takes us past a number of quaint, preserved stations, along the shore of the Forth and into the hills before pulling into Birkhill, a picturesque town set on a wooded incline. We return to Edinburgh, where you're free until tonight's event.

This evening, we settle into our seats for the highlight of our trip, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This musical spectacular, featuring the massed pipes and drums of the Scottish regiments, is set against the magnificent, floodlit backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, perched high above the ancient city. The Tattoo is an incredible annual event combining music, entertainment, and ceremony, including the Massed Bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines and a fantastic firework display.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Edinburgh Tattoo
Day 3 - Falkirk Wheel and Stirling Castle

After a relaxed morning, we transfer to Falkirk for a journey on the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift and amazing piece of engineering that connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. Opened in 2002, the wheel is the only one of its kind in the world, coming in at an impressive 79 feet high. We continue to Helix, stopping to admire the iconic Kelpies sculpture en route. Depicting two 'Kelpie' heads - mythical, horse-like beasts common in Scottish folklore said to possess the strength of ten horses - the sculpture was completed in 2013 after an eight-year-long project and stands at an astonishing 98 feet tall.

This afternoon, we visit Stirling Castle which sits perched on a dramatic hilltop overlooking the city. Once the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots, this stunning castle is one of the most impressive in Scotland, and a fine example of Renaissance architecture. You have time to explore the grand interiors, including the impressive Great Hall, pretty Chapel Royal, where Queen Mary was crowned in 1543, and the kitchens, which offer a striking contrast to the sumptuous decor of the rest of the castle. With replicas of traditional dishes and detailed, life-sized models recreating the atmosphere of a busy workspace, this immersive exhibit gives a true sense of the royal kitchens in their heydey. You might also like to take a stroll though the splendid gardens before we return to Edinburgh.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Falkirk Wheel
Day 4 - Homeward Bound

After breakfast this morning our holiday concludes, and you are free to say your goodbyes and leave Edinburgh.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Edinburgh

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Doubletree by Hilton Edinburgh, Queensferry

Doubletree by Hilton Edinburgh, Queensferry

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Train

Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway

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UK rail connections
Extending your holiday in Edinburgh

Reviews

4.0 stars4.0 / 5 · 3 reviews

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  5. 1 star
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Mr D Findlay

4 stars

Submitted 19 Sep 2017

Overall experience was good. The Tattoo was wonderful but the dinners at the hotel were very disappointing and also the cancelled train trip which curtailed the boat trip (which was good but very short)

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr J Ashmore

4 stars

Submitted 07 Sep 2017

Could be better people with walking difficulties had to climb to many stairs at the tattoo

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Ms S Jones

4 stars

Submitted 03 Sep 2017

First evening dinner at hotel....service very disappointing...took far too long.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Europe & UK by Rail 2021

Europe & UK by Rail 2021

The definitive guide to our 2021 summer & winter rail holidays to a wide range of destinations in Europe.

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Edinburgh Tattoo and Stirling Castle

An escorted tour featuring a world-class spectacle

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