Leith - Historic Royal Scotland
On this tour we will explore Scotland’s Royal past: We will visit the impressive Stirling Castle, strategically the most important of all Scottish castles, and Scone Palace, the crowning place of kings and capital of Scotland in the 12th century.
Published- Visit two iconic sites with great historical significance
- Learn more about Scottish history
- Free time to enjoy the magnificent gardens
From Leith to Stirling Castle
We start out from the port of Leith to the city of Stirling, with its towering Wallace Monument and imposing castle, set high atop a rocky hill overlooking the whole of the surrounding area. Located at the centre of Scotland and of huge strategic importance, the historic city provides innumerable tales of battles, heroes and bloodshed.
At our visit to the castle we can explore history and marvel at the magnificent architecture. The furniture and décor in the Royal Apartments gives us an insight into how the King’s and Queen’s chambers may have looked in the mid 16th-century.
As we enter the King’s Inner Hall we look up to admire the wonderful replicas of the “Stirling Heads”. The medieval metre wide oak medallions are often described as Scotland’s other Crown Jewels.
All around the castle we encounter “great lords and ladies” as well as “servants” that bring history to life by introducing us to daily life at the castle. We can end our visit of Stirling Castle with a visit to the Tapestry studio and see world class weavers at work on one of the world’s finest surviving set of medieval tapestries. We then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
The history of Scone Palace
Afterwards, we drive north to Scone Palace. This is a place that breathes history like nowhere else in Scotland. Today it is home to the Earls of Mansfield, and a major attraction to visitors from all over the world. Fifteen hundred years ago, it was the capital of the Pictish kingdom and the centre of the ancient Celtic church. In the intervening centuries, it has been the seat of parliaments and the crowning place of Kings. It has housed the Stone of Destiny and been immortalised in Shakespeare's Macbeth.
The lawns and formal gardens are home to free roaming peacocks and highland cattle may be seen in adjacent fields. The castle stands high above the River Tay, overlooking the routes to the Highlands and the coast.
We have a guided tour of the palace and free time to enjoy the beautiful and magnificent gardens.
We then return to the ship in Leith, via the magnificent Forth Bridges, a major landmark and Victorian marvel of steel construction.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
- Included: lunch and entrance fee
- Language: English
- Max. participants: 90