Itinerary Details
Day 1: Arrive in Edinburgh & Secrets of Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle - Walking Tour
Transfer: Edinburgh Airportto Edinburgh - City Centre
Hotel: Ten Hill Place Hotel, BW Premier Collection (4 Star Rating)
Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection was opened in November 2006. The hotel is one of Edinburgh's premier City Centre hotels. From airy public places to each of the 77 smart bedrooms, the mood of Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection is one of quiet sophistication, and one they believe sets them apart from other Edinburgh hotels. They have four fully equipped accessible rooms with an elevator from street level to all floors.
This innovative Edinburgh hotel is within easy walking distance of Princes Street, the historic Old Town, and the City Centres main tourist, shopping, and business districts; yet peacefully situated away from the main thoroughfares. The best of Edinburgh opens up before you right outside our front door. The Festival Theatre is across the road, the National Museums are around the corner and the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood Palace are just a stone's throw away. Whether on business or a short city break in Edinburgh, make Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection your first choice.
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Book this tour if you’d like…
- A unique journey round the sites, stories and secrets of the Old Town you might otherwise miss
- A tour led and loved by Mercat historians
- A wonderful introduction to Edinburgh, it’s past and people
- A guided visit to Edinburgh Castle
Our beautiful city is waiting for you…
This walking tour is the perfect introduction to Scotland’s capital. The first secret you’ll learn? That you can skip the line at Edinburgh Castle!
Discover an Edinburgh beyond the reach of tour buses and guidebooks. A beautiful city steeped in awe-inspiring history that has been perfectly preserved to this day, in the wynds, closes, courtyards and homes of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Take a journey through time with them, and explore the lives of Edinburgh residents from generations past and gone – from historical figures like Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns, to the everyday folk who never left the city’s walls their entire lives.
Hang on your tour Storyteller’s every word, as they walk you through the crime and culture to the politics and everyday events, and show you the evidence that has survived to this day, throughout the Royal Mile.
Want to visit Edinburgh Castle? Skip the line with Mercat Tours.
The castle towers over Edinburgh from up high on its great ancient rock – a literal fortress, looking out over the city’s stunning landscapes. Battles and sieges were fought over it, royalty lived and died within its walls, and countless generations have been inspired by it.
Visit Edinburgh Castle with your Mercat Tours Storyteller, and from the Royal Mile you’ll walk straight over the drawbridge, and straight past the ticket line – to continue your journey into Edinburgh’s history uninterrupted.
Day 2: Explore Loch Lomond and ObanDeparting from Edinburgh, we begin our journey to Islay, the home of peaty whisky, where tradition, nature, and craftsmanship come together to create legendary spirits. As we head northwest, the landscape transforms, from the rolling farmlands of the Lowlands to the forested hills and mountains surrounding Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Known for its breathtaking scenery and abundant wildlife, this region is marked by rugged crags, shimmering lochs, dense forests, and tales of the legendary hero and outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor. A short stop in the charming village of Callander, with its gleaming loch, provides a refreshing break before continuing the journey.
We continue through winding trails and hidden glens within the Trossachs National Park, before journeying onward through the mountainous landscapes of the Western Highlands to reach Oban for lunch.
The port town of Oban was once the strategic heartland of powerful, feuding clans. Today, however, it's celebrated as the "Gateway to the Isles" and is renowned for its fresh seafood straight off the boats. For an authentic taste of local flavor, visit the Oban Seafood Hut, located right by the ferry terminal. This local favorite offers affordable seafood platters featuring scallops, langoustines, crab, and lobster, all fresh from the sea. After indulging in these local delicacies, we continue through Kilmartin Glen, where you can explore standing stones and ancient strongholds that date back over 1,500 years. At Kennacraig, we board the evening ferry to Islay.
The two-hour ferry ride to Islay offers the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy the stunning views. Keep an eye out for dolphins or the Paps of Jura, the mountains that mark the approach to Islay, the "Queen of the Hebrides." Upon arrival, settle into your accommodation in Bowmore, a peaceful town by Loch Indaal, where you'll stay for the next three nights. Overnight Bowmore.
Hotel: Bowmore Cottages (3 Star Rating)
The single malt created here by generation after generation of Bowmore craftsmen has long been regarded as one of the finest in the world. A stay at Bowmore Distillery Cottages offers the chance to reflect on the heritage of these ancient practices in beautifully renovated cottages, located at the centre of a charming village on a beautiful Hebridean island. The cottages are all beautifully renovated, all are located within or beside the distillery complex, and our guests are invited to join us for a complimentary distillery tour, to savour a dram, and to simply relax.
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Day 3: Discover Bowmore, Bunnahabhain and Kilchoman DistilleryToday, we focus on savoring some of the finest and most unique whiskies on Islay. We begin at Bowmore Distillery, which has captured the essence of Islay for over 240 years.
Explore the rich history of Bowmore Distillery, uncover the secrets of its production process, and enjoy a tasting of three drams of their signature sweet and smoky whisky, along with a complimentary whisky glass. Afterward, we'll continue along the coast to Kilchoman Distillery for a tour and a lunch featuring local specialties.
Kilchoman is Islay's only Single Farm Single Malt Scotch Whisky, reviving the traditional "barley-to-bottle" process to create a whisky that's 100% Islay. On Rabbie's exclusive tour, explore the production site and savor Kilchoman's unique whisky, with notes of peat smoke, crisp citrus, spice, and fruit. Afterward, enjoy a lunch featuring local flavors. Following lunch, we'll travel through Islay's scenic countryside to your third distillery of the day, Bunnahabhain, where you can experience the unpeated, salty notes of whisky in Islay's most remote distillery.
Return to Bowmore, where you can relax by the loch, enjoy the local pubs and seafood, or take a leisurely stroll through the streets lined with whitewashed houses, soaking in the town's charm and history. Overnight Bowmore.
Hotel: Bowmore Cottages (3 Star Rating)
The single malt created here by generation after generation of Bowmore craftsmen has long been regarded as one of the finest in the world. A stay at Bowmore Distillery Cottages offers the chance to reflect on the heritage of these ancient practices in beautifully renovated cottages, located at the centre of a charming village on a beautiful Hebridean island. The cottages are all beautifully renovated, all are located within or beside the distillery complex, and our guests are invited to join us for a complimentary distillery tour, to savour a dram, and to simply relax.
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Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 4: Experience Ardbeg Lagavulin DistilleryToday, we explore the southern side of the island, home to some of the most famous whiskies in Scotland: Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg. We take a scenic drive southward to Ardbeg, passing narrow, winding roads flanked by rolling green hills, fields dotted with sheep, and stretches of open moorland. As we approach Port Ellen, we'll pass through areas dense with peat bogs, a key element in Islay's smoky whisky production, contrasting with the vibrant green landscape.
Distillers at Ardbeg Distillery are resilient pioneers with a rocky 200-year history. They've created a whisky, which is out of this world, as they're the first to send this spirit to outer space to mature. Enjoy a Rabbie's exclusive tour and tasting of three drams of their exceptional whisky. Then, savor fine Scottish produce in Ardbeg's beautiful restaurant, offering direct views of the rocky coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. If your tour departs on Friday, your visit to Ardbeg will not include a full tour of the distillery facilities; instead, it will include a visit to the still house and a tasting, including four drams of whisky.
Throughout the day, your driver-guide will take you to historical sites like the ruins of Kildalton Church, home to an 8th-century cross, one of Scotland's finest early Christian monuments. Surrounded by Islay's tranquil countryside, this site offers a glimpse into the island's spiritual past. Later, we visit a distillery that varies by departure day. Tours departing on Mondays feature a visit to Lagavulin Distillery, with their whisky packed with deep richness, signature smoothness, and bold layers of smoke you'll never forget. Return to Bowmore for your last evening on the island.
Hotel: Bowmore Cottages (3 Star Rating)
The single malt created here by generation after generation of Bowmore craftsmen has long been regarded as one of the finest in the world. A stay at Bowmore Distillery Cottages offers the chance to reflect on the heritage of these ancient practices in beautifully renovated cottages, located at the centre of a charming village on a beautiful Hebridean island. The cottages are all beautifully renovated, all are located within or beside the distillery complex, and our guests are invited to join us for a complimentary distillery tour, to savour a dram, and to simply relax.
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Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 5: Tour Inveraray then Return to EdinburghThis morning, we head to Port Ellen to catch the ferry back to the mainland, leaving the rich aromas of whisky behind as we take in the fresh, clean air of Scotland's West Highlands.
As you sail from Islay, take in sweeping views of the island's rugged coastlines, iconic distilleries, and the towering Paps of Jura on the horizon. The open waters offer the chance to spot marine life, so keep an eye out for dolphins, seals, and sometimes even minke whales or basking sharks.
Traveling along the coast, we'll reach the picturesque village of Inveraray. With its historic buildings, old boats, and a great whisky shop, this is your lunch stop. You can sample local specialties, explore the town, visit the 18th-century Inveraray Castle (open April-October), or tour the Old Jail. Next, we head east through the rugged Arrochar Alps, stopping at the 'Rest and Be Thankful' viewpoint. Then, we continue to Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, making a short stop in the charming village of Luss, known for its quaint houses and stunning loch views.
With time, the rugged mountain peaks and forest-filled glens of the majestic Highlands change into the flat fertile plains of the Lowlands as we return to Edinburgh.
You return to Edinburgh at approximately 7pm.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Hotel: Ten Hill Place Hotel, BW Premier Collection (4 Star Rating)
Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection was opened in November 2006. The hotel is one of Edinburgh's premier City Centre hotels. From airy public places to each of the 77 smart bedrooms, the mood of Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection is one of quiet sophistication, and one they believe sets them apart from other Edinburgh hotels. They have four fully equipped accessible rooms with an elevator from street level to all floors.
This innovative Edinburgh hotel is within easy walking distance of Princes Street, the historic Old Town, and the City Centres main tourist, shopping, and business districts; yet peacefully situated away from the main thoroughfares. The best of Edinburgh opens up before you right outside our front door. The Festival Theatre is across the road, the National Museums are around the corner and the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood Palace are just a stone's throw away. Whether on business or a short city break in Edinburgh, make Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection your first choice.
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Hotel: Ten Hill Place Hotel, BW Premier Collection (4 Star Rating)
Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection was opened in November 2006. The hotel is one of Edinburgh's premier City Centre hotels. From airy public places to each of the 77 smart bedrooms, the mood of Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection is one of quiet sophistication, and one they believe sets them apart from other Edinburgh hotels. They have four fully equipped accessible rooms with an elevator from street level to all floors.
This innovative Edinburgh hotel is within easy walking distance of Princes Street, the historic Old Town, and the City Centres main tourist, shopping, and business districts; yet peacefully situated away from the main thoroughfares. The best of Edinburgh opens up before you right outside our front door. The Festival Theatre is across the road, the National Museums are around the corner and the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood Palace are just a stone's throw away. Whether on business or a short city break in Edinburgh, make Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection your first choice.
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Day 6: Admission to Royal EdinburghTransfer: Edinburgh - City Centre to Edinburgh Airport
Transfer: Edinburgh - City Centre to Edinburgh Airport
Day 7: Half-Day Walking Food Tour of EdinburghEmbark on a culinary adventure through Edinburgh's historic streets, savouring the city's diverse food and drink scene. This guided walking tour takes you on a journey through the heart of Edinburgh, where you'll discover hidden gems and iconic establishments. As you stroll through the city's charming neighbourhoods, your knowledgeable guide will share fascinating stories about Edinburgh's food heritage and culinary traditions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Sampling unique Scottish food: From Smoked Fish Chowder (Cullen Skink) to Scotch Eggs or Haggis.
2 local soft drinks
Savouring Edinburgh's vibrant modern food scene: Creative dishes by talented chefs using the
freshest and finest local ingredients.
Visiting characterful restaurants and pubs: From banking halls to wine cellars, each venue has its
charm and story.
Discovering the unexpected: Places and stories only locals know
Day 8: Depart from EdinburghTransfer: Edinburgh - City Centre to Edinburgh Airport
North & King Signature Travel
