St Andrews and Royal Deeside

Our Scottish adventure begins today as we meet our group and Tour Manager in the lively city of Edinburgh. Tonight, we stay at the 4-Star Hotel Du Vin Edinburgh, a beautiful royal-themed boutique hotel.

• Dinner

We transfer by coach this morning to Edinburgh's historic port, Leith, home to the former yacht of Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Yacht Britannia. We spend the morning exploring the floating royal residence, seeing rooms such as the Queen's former bedroom and the elegant sun lounge. This afternoon we travel to Stirling where we enjoy a guided tour of the dramatic hilltop castle, once the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. We continue to the seaside town of St Andrews, famous as a popular golfing location. Here, we check into the 4-Star Hotel Du Vin St Andrews, which boasts wonderful views across the bay.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our day begins with a guided tour of St Andrews, introducing us to its famous sights, such as the prestigious university and the Cathedral of St Andrew. The rest of the day is at leisure to discover the charms of Scotland's oldest university town; take in the glorious Scottish coastline, as well as the delightful town centre with its plethora of charming shops and restaurants.

• Breakfast

After breakfast, we transfer to nearby Leuchars. From here, we travel by rail to Aberdeen, enjoying an orientation tour on arrival. This afternoon we visit the Gordon Highlanders Museum, a fascinating museum set in a 19th century cottage which honours the Gordon Highlanders regiment. Next, we transfer to our hotel for two nights, the 4-Star Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel, a beautiful, castle-style hotel located in a 19th-century mansion house and set within in 30 acres of grounds.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's excursion takes us to Banchory, where we join the Royal Deeside Railway. Our scenic, heritage rail journey harks back to a bygone era of rail travel, taking us along the route of the pretty River Dee in lovingly restored carriages. We continue to Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home of the royal family since 1852, for a guided tour of the impressive estate. To round off a fantastic day, we visit the Royal Loch Nagar Distillery for a tour and whisky tasting, before a farewell dinner together at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a final breakfast at the hotel this morning, we transfer by rail to Edinburgh, where our tour concludes and you are free to continue home.