Legendary Scottish Isles, Edinburgh & Glasgow

Tour begins 6:00 PM. A transfer is included from Edinburgh Airport or Edinburgh Waverley train station to your choice of hotels in the heart of the city: Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel or the Intercontinental Edinburgh The George. Settle in and join us this evening for a Tauck Exclusive special welcome reception and dinner aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. Stay Two Nights: Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel (D)

Under the watch of its lofty clifftop castle, Edinburgh rambles over rocky hills beside the sea, inviting you into its captivating maze of crooked medieval streets, cozy passages, avenues, shops, pubs, townhouses, and monumental palaces. Begin the day with a visit to Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland where you'll explore the magnificent state apartments, the royal gardens, and the royal art collection. Then take a ride through Holyrood Park, a patch of wild Highland landscape, once the royal hunting estate.

Next, enjoy a guided walk along the Royal Mile, the cobbled main street that runs between the castle and Holyroodhouse, lined with shops, pubs, museums, and intriguing alleyways called "closes" and "wynds,"as well as churches, law courts, the Parliament house and St. Giles Cathedral. The rest of the day and evening are free to explore on your own. (B)

More Edinburgh sightseeing takes you to Old Town for a tour of iconic Edinburgh Castle, standing on a crag of volcanic rock above the city skyline; over one thousand years of turbulent history have played out within its venerated halls, gates, courtyards, and battlements. Next, enjoy an exploration of Edinburgh's "New Town" and "Old Town" on a guided walking tour that includes the Botanical Gardens, Inverleith Terrace, the Robert Lewis Stevenson Birthplace along with Charlotte Square, Queen Street, George Street and Princes Street. Then drive to Leith and embark; enjoy cocktails on deck followed by dinner as you sail for the Shetland Islands. Stay Seven Nights: Le Bellot (B/D)

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea today as we sail towards the Shetland Islands. A full schedule of activities will be offered throughout the day for you to choose from or simply sit back and enjoy a peaceful cruising day. (B/L/D)

The Shetland Islands are an archipelago of more than a hundred windswept islands, of which only 16 are inhabited; the rest are havens for wildlife. Towns and villages are few, but there are thousands of archaeological sites throughout the islands, including the remains of prehistoric fortresses and settlements.

Arrive dockside at Lerwick on the largest island, where you have a choice of shore excursions. Drive to the southern tip of mainland Shetland to visit the uninhabited island of Mousa*, site of a 2,000-year-old broch (round stone tower), 43 feet high, the best preserved in the world; explore its beehive-like chambers and climb the internal staircase to the top for panoramic views; cross to Shetland's east coast for a view of St. Ninian's Isle, where a cache of Pictish treasure was discovered in the 1950s (the Picti were tribes known to the Romans as "painted people".); venture into the Shetland countryside for a visit to a croft for an authentic crofting experience with a local crofter and his sheep dogs; visit Jarlshof near Sumburgh Head to see a 5,000-year-old settlement with remains dating from the Stone Age to the 17th century AD, a microcosm of Shetland history; then ride to the top of Sumburgh Head for views of the sea, seabird colonies, and Shetland's first lighthouse, built in 1821 by Robert Stevenson (grandfather of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson); lighthouses were the family business, and there are Stevenson lighthouses all over the Highlands; head to the west mainland for a visit to Scalloway, its 17th-century castle, and the Scalloway Museum; learn about the village's clandestine role in World War II, and visit a farm that breeds Shetland Ponies.

Or, take a tour through Lerwick, visiting its lifeboat station, lodberries (waterside houses for unloading ships), the town hall, and the Shetland Museum and Archives, followed by time to explore the town on your own. Aboard ship this evening, a local historian will lecture on the "Shetland Bus," a secret operation during World War II that smuggled agents in and refugees out of occupied Norway at night by way of fishing vessels. (B/L/D)

The Orkney archipelago belonged to Norway until 1468 when the king of Norway gave them to the king of Scotland as collateral for a loan. When Norway tried to repay the loan, Scotland wouldn't give the islands back. But after all, who would? Arrive in Kirkwall, once a medieval Norwegian port, now the largest town on the Orkney Mainland, where you have a choice of shore excursions. Take a guided walking tour of Kirkwall that includes its medieval cathedral and Bishop's and Earl's Palace, then visit Scapa Flow and the stunning Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II.

Take a walk along the cliff tops of Orkney's rural east mainland, rewarded with stunning views over Mull Head. Or discover the remarkable range of food and drink found throughout the Orkney's on an excursion that combines the finest local produce with the beautiful landscapes and coastline. Our final excursion offers an exploration of the four monuments that make up the heart of Neolithic Orkney as well as a visit to the best-preserved Neolithic settlement, Skara Brae. Join us for a lecture aboard the ship, featuring a local historian and storyteller well-versed in local myths and legends. (B/L/D)

The Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides offers a dreamlike landscape of windy rolling hills, moors, vivid colors, and dramatic, rugged shores. Dock in the town of Stornoway, founded by Vikings in the 9th century, and take your choice of excursions. Set off on a sea safari* to view marine life and some of the most magnificent coastline in Scotland; the coastal waters warmed by the Gulf Stream are known to draw porpoises, bottle-nosed dolphins, pilot whales, orcas, grey and common seals, basking sharks, and seabirds including puffins, gannets, fulmars, shearwaters, and petrels.

Alternatively, explore the Victorian-era Lews Castle; or take a panoramic coach excursion that includes the Standing Stones of Callanish, Dun Carloway Broch, one of the best-preserved stone-built circular constructions, and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village situated in a beautiful secluded bay. Spend some time at leisure in Stornoway before a private tasting of Scottish Whiskey. Your ship sails for the Isle of Skye this evening. (B/L/D)

Known in Gaelic as "isle of mist," Skye is steeped in Celtic and Norse legend, a land of faerie glens, storybook mountains, and otherworldly landscapes that seem to spring from Tolkien's Middle Earth. At Portree, a fishing town in a harbor sheltered by cliffs, take your choice of shore excursions. Take a cruise around Portree Bay and the Sound of Raasay on a wildlife safari which may include seals, otters, dolphins, and sea eagles along with enchanting coastal views.

Alternatively, travel to Kintail where iconic Eilean Donan Castle stands on a small tidal island; destroyed in 1719 and restored in 1932, it is the most photographed castle in Scotland, and you can explore it while learning its turbulent history. Your third choice is a visit to medieval Dunvegan Castle, the seat of the MacLeod Clan, rising four stories high on a promontory overlooking Loch Dunvegan and the sea. The fourth choice takes you on a guided tour of a working Croft.

Afterwards, you'll have the opportunity to spend the afternoon in colorful Victorian Portree to explore on your own, or you can return to the ship. Late afternoon, a professional photographer will give a presentation of his works and discuss photography on the Scottish Isles. Set sail this evening for the Isle of Mull. (B/L/D)

Sail to the Isle of Mull, a popular destination for naturalists and photographers in search of Britain's more elusive birds and wildlife. Anchor in Tobermory on a morning arrival for a choice of three excursions. Drive along the scenic coastline to Duart Castle, a medieval landmark on the sea cliffs, home of the Maclean Clan – restored in the 20th century – a rare opportunity to visit a clan seat that is still owned by its members; enjoy a short but scenic drive to Aros Park* for a guided nature hike; or visit the Lip na Cloiche Gardens. Join us this evening for the captain's farewell reception followed by dinner as you sail for the Scottish mainland. (B/L/D)

Disembark at Greenock or Fairlie and drive to Glasgow, where a tour of city sights includes the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, George's Square, Buchanan Street, the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, and Prince's Square.

This afternoon, visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, one of the city's most popular attractions, featuring a wide-ranging collection of art and artifacts of cultural history, ancient history, natural history, and more. Join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner. Stay: Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel (B/D)

Tour ends: Glasgow, Scotland. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow, or VOCO Grand Hotel Glasgow to the Glasgow International Airport or the Glasgow Central Train Station. Allow three hours for flight check-in. (B)