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Authentic Europe · Self-guided

The Scottish Highlights Tour

Self-guided 8-day rail trip through Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness

Illustration of The Scottish Highlights Tour

Authentic Europe runs this 8-day, 7-night rail trip around Scotland, starting and ending in Edinburgh. It is described as self-guided, though two parts of the trip are guided: a 1.5-hour walking tour of Glasgow on day 4 and a full-day excursion to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle on day 6. The trip opens with two days in Edinburgh, including a day at leisure, then travels by train to Glasgow on day 3 and on to Inverness and the Highlands on day 5, before the train returns to Edinburgh on day 7 for departure on day 8. Full Scottish breakfast is included at each hotel, along with standard-class train tickets for the whole route. This suits travelers who want the structure of fixed hotels, pre-booked trains and two set excursions, but who are also comfortable with unguided time in Edinburgh and during the train journeys between cities, rather than a fully escorted tour.

What to know before you look closer

  • Market Street Hotel is listed with no city given. Since Edinburgh (Ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge) and Inverness (Ness Walk Hotel) already have named hotels, this is presumably the Glasgow hotel, though the evidence does not say so directly.
  • Authentic Europe labels this trip 'self-guided,' but two parts of it are guided: a 1.5-hour walking tour in Glasgow and a full-day excursion to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. The rest of the trip, including travel between cities and time in Edinburgh, is unguided.
  • No current departure dates are listed in the evidence available to us; confirm availability with Authentic Europe.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Edinburgh

    Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland

  2. Day 2overnight: Edinburgh

    Day at leisure in Edinburgh

  3. Day 3railovernight: Glasgow

    Travel by train to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city

  4. Day 4overnight: Glasgow

    Guided walking tour of Glasgow

  5. Day 5railovernight: Inverness

    Train to Inverness and the Highlands

  6. Day 6overnight: Inverness

    Guided day tour to Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle

  7. Day 7overnight: Edinburgh

    Return to Edinburgh

  8. Day 8

    Departure from Edinburgh

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3The trip travels by train to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city.
  • Day 4A 1.5-hour guided walking tour explores Glasgow.
  • Day 5The train continues to Inverness and the Highlands.
  • Day 6A full-day guided excursion visits Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

Included

  • 7 nights hotel accommodation in a standard room with private shower and or bath/WC, including full Scottish breakfast
  • Train tickets as per the itinerary in standard class
  • 1,5h guided walking tour in Glasgow
  • Full day guided excursion to Loch Ness & Urquhart castle
  • Electronic travel documentation, including a detailed travel itinerary and travel vouchers
  • 24/7 emergency phone service while travelling

Questions travellers ask

Is this trip guided or independent?
Authentic Europe describes it as self-guided overall, but it includes a guided 1.5-hour walking tour of Glasgow and a full-day guided excursion to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.
Which trains are included?
Standard-class train tickets covering the Edinburgh to Glasgow to Inverness to Edinburgh route.
Where does the trip start and end?
It starts and ends in Edinburgh, with stops in Glasgow and Inverness in between.
What hotels are included?
Ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge in Edinburgh, Ness Walk Hotel in Inverness, and Market Street Hotel (no city given in the evidence, presumably Glasgow).
How much does it cost?
Prices start from 1,282 EUR per person, about $1,468 USD, roughly $184 per day.
Is Loch Ness included?
Yes, a full-day guided excursion to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle is included in the price.

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