Edinburgh 3 Days Tour

Edinburgh 3 Days Tour - 3 days!

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Guided tour to Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands

Fully guided tour to Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. Travel from London by fast train and stay in city centre accommodation. This tour departs from London every week throughout the year. All tours are 3 days duration, except our Easter tour which is 4 days.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo Tours now on sale - see this link for our special 3 star Premier Inn Package Tours.

Military Tattoo tickets also available with all our regular tours during August

• The best train times - giving you more time in Scotland

• The best guides - many years of experience and knowledge

• Centrally located accommodation

• More sightseeing options than all other weekend tours to Edinburgh

• Extra  - enjoy Edinburgh’s nightlife with our guides

Edinburgh Tour Highlights

Come with us across the border to Bonnie Scotland, to an ancient land of  mountains, lochs and glens and to its historic capital city of Edinburgh.

Hear the history of Holyrood Palace and Mary Queen of Scots, walk along the Royal Mile, climb to the monuments on Calton Hill, see Edinburgh Castle and the new Scottish Parliament building. Experience the breathtaking scenery of the Scottish Highlands* and see if you can catch a glimpse of the mysterious Loch Ness Monster*

Day 1

We travel north from London by comfortable train with reserved seating. A journey of less than 5 hours means you can have breakfast in England and lunch in Scotland. Once we have crossed the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-on-Tweed we travel above the cliff edges overlooking the North Sea as we make our final approach to Edinburgh’s station.

Once we have left the train our guide will transfer us to the coach for an eye opening informative tour of Scotland’s capital city. We will head to the Royal Mile that links the Palace of Holyrood House with the ancient castle on top of an extinct volcano. We will see the High Kirk of St Giles (the cathedral), the old Parliament Square and the Castle Esplanade. At the foot of this famous street we will stand outside Holyrood House and learn of  Scottish Royalty, of King David, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots.

We journey from the Old Town towards the New Town and climb Calton Hill to see the National Monument and admire the view towards Arthur’s Seat, a 250m high rocky crag that lies within the whole city. We will learn of Scotland’s writers, Robbie Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson, view their memorials and see where they lived.

After a guide drive through the elegant 18th century squares and terraces of the New Town we transfer you to your nearby accommodation and a chance to have a late lunch and explore some of the excellent free museums your guide will have talked about on the tour. Perhaps a visit to the National Museum of Scotland or one of the many free art galleries? Later on there is a chance to meet up with your guide and the group in one of Edinburgh’s atmospheric old inns to sample some local ales and whisky, it is a great opporunity for you to get to know some other fellow group members on the tour and we promise you’ll enjoy our evenings just as much as the sightseeing.

Day 2

If you have chosen our Tour B option to the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness prepare to see some amazing scenery. We operate a full day out into Scotland’s wild and rugged landscape leaving city life far behind as we head into the mountains and moors.

Firstly we head along the Forth Valley towards Stirling, entering William Wallace country. We pass the famous battle site of Bannockburn (1314) then onto the land of Braveheart. Our guide will point out Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument and we will hear of his famous victory over the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297.

We now follow the River Teith to Callander and the Highland Boundry Fault, rising up into the mountains to the land of Rob Roy. As we enter the Trossachs National Park we pass the still waters of Loch Lubnaig, the crooked loch. Climing even higher above Loch Earn towards Crianlarich we find ourselves on the windswept isolated desolate Rannoch Moor with nothing but marsh grass and distant mountains as far as the eye can see. After crossing one of Europe’s most sparsely populated areas we come across Glen Coe, the ‘weeping glen’ and learn of the bloody fate of the MacDonald clan at the hands of their bitter enemies, the Campbells.

Now, we descend to the coast, to sea lochs with salt water and fishing boats and on to Fort William and Spean Bridge with a stop for lunch and a chance to buy souvenirs. We now enter the Great Glen and follow the Caledonian Canal in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britian’s highest mountain. The huge fault line of the Great Glen is filled with deep lochs such as Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and the most famous of all, Loch Ness. We follow the banks of this huge body of water looking for a glimpse of the famous monster as your guide tells you tales of sightings and encounters of this elusive beast. Fact or fiction? You decide.

We stop at historic Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness and after a leisurely break there we continue to our northernmost point, Inverness the Capital of the Highlands before turning south through the Cairngorms and our return to Edinburgh.

Day 3

It is possible to have plenty of free time on the final day until our coach transfers us from the hotel to the train. However if you choose our optional tour on Day three (Option C) we will have further surprises in store. Here we will learn about the Da Vinci Code, the Knights Templar and the fate of the Holy Grail.

On this tour we head south to the Scottish Lowlands to Scott’s View, without doubt one of the most breathtaking views in Britain, we gaze over the River Tweed meandering at our feet to the distant Eildon Hills, a place so admired by Sir Walter Scott, then we will be heading to Melrose Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian house where the heart of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland is buried. After a scenic drive around the lowland hills we end the tour at the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel (entrance fee is included). Fans of Dan Brown’s book and film ‘The Da Vinci Code’ will know this place well. It’s crammed full of symbolic carvings and deep mystery. What are the links with the ancient order of the Knights Templar and does the Grail lie buried here? Our guide will uncover the facts and theories behind this historic and spiritual place then leave us to absorb its powerful presence before our return to Edinburgh and the transfer to the train back south.

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City Centre Accommodation Options

All accommodation on this tour is based on staying in a centrally located traditional Scottish family run hotel/guest house in rooms with private shower, toilet, television and tea/coffee making facilities. Properties featured on this web page are with 20 minutes walking time of Princes Street. During peak season (June, July, August and September), supplement accommodation of equivalent standard are also used; it is essential for customers to get in touch with us first in regards room availability if you have a specific room preference (double/twin/single) during the peak tourist season.

Value Bed & Breakfast - Elas Guest House (or similar) 1 Star Guest House/small hotel - Bed & Continental Style Breakfast -

Traditional family run accommodation close to the centre of Edinburgh. Our value accommodation offers single, twin, double and multi bedded room options. Places in multi-bedded rooms can be purchased individually (in the same way that you would book a place in a hostel dormitory) and are exceptionally good value for money, especially for single travellers who do not want to pay for single room upgrades.

International Friends 3 Star Guest House - Ecosse International - Bed & Continental Style Breakfast

This is a traditional family run guest house, which offers fantastic service and a great location. All rooms have private bathrooms are decorated to a high standard. This guest house has a lounge and free wifi.

Room types available

• Multi-bedded and family rooms - between 4 and 8 people per room
• Twin rooms  - 2 beds for 2 people
• Double rooms - 1 large bed for 2 people
  
• Single rooms - 1 bed for 1 person
  

Other Hotel Upgrades
If you would like a quotation on upgrading to 3 or 4 star accommodation, please contact our office and we will be happy to provide you tailor-made price.

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Travel to Edinburgh

Travel to Edinburgh by comfortable high-speed train from London with a journey time of just under 5 hours.

Northbound Train (first day)	Southbound Train (last day)
Depart London Kings Cross  07.00am	Depart Edinburgh Waverley 17.00pm
Arrive Edinburgh Waverley   11.32am	Arrive London Kings Cross 21.50pm

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to regular maintenance work carried out on East Coast Mainline railway, we have been informed that some of our dates will be affected. Therefore, Da Vinci Code tour may not be available on these dates due to earlier train we have to get on. Please click here for specific dates:

We also offer minibus transport to join this tour from the following locations:

Option to make your own travel arrangements to Edinburgh - Save £30 per person
If you would like to make your own travel arrangements to Edinburgh but still join this tour, we offer a £30 per adult or child reduction for not taking the train that is otherwise included in this package. If you would like to take up this option, please enter notravel in the promotion code box, after you have entered your name(s).

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Our tours to Scotland include:

Tour A (Free & Easy)

Tour B (Loch Ness & Highlands)
Same as Tour A but also including a 1 day tour into the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness with an experienced driver/guide

Tour C (Da Vinci Code & Borders)
Same as Tour A but including a 1 day trip to Rosslyn Chapel and the Scottish Borders

Our tours to Scotland don’t include:

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No passport or visa required

You do not need a passport or visa to travel to Scotland from England, as Scotland is part of the UK.

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Departure Date	Tour A Price / GBP per person	Tour B Price / GBP per person	English Speaking Guide
9,16,23,30 Sep 2011	189	224
7,14,21,28 Oct 2011	189	224
4,11,18,25 Nov 2011	189	224
2,9,16,30,Dec2011	189/299 30Dec	224/334 30 Dec
6,13,20,27 Jan 2012	189	224
3,1,17,24 Feb2012	189	224
2,9,16,23,30 Mar 2012	189	224
6,13,20,27 Apr 2012	189/249 6 Apr	224/284 6 Apr
5,11,18,25 May 2012	209/229 5 May	244/264 5 May
2,8,15,22,29 Jun 2012	209/229 2Jun	244/264 2Jun
6,13,20,27 Jul 2012	209	244
3,10,17,25,31 Aug 12	209/229 25 Aug	244/264 25 Aug