If you have three/four days only, plan a short itinerary including Edinburgh and an insight of the Highlands with Loch Lomond. If you have more than a week, have a look at the itinerary below:

First step: Edinburgh

Necessary time: 2 days

Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital, the city reveals much curiosity: between its cobbled streets, its neo classical and neo gothic architecture, its legends and undergrounds you cannot be bored! You cannot miss Edinburgh castle as it dominates the town, perched high up on Castle Rock hill. Then, visit the Mary King’s Close, a maze of streets and undergrounds built by the inhabitants in the 17^th century, the Mary King’s Close is well-known for its scary legends and myths.

Afterwards, have a stroll in the city centre, the Royal Mile is the main road and the heart of the old town, admire its cobbled streets, listen to the bagpipes’ players in the street and why not have a haggis tasting?

Keep in mind that the National Museum of Scotland is free, its internal architecture is beautiful and its collection very varied. If the sun is up, plan a walk to the summit of Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano located very close to the city and offering a spectacular view over Edinburgh!

Step 2: Glasgow

Necessary time: 1 day

Although Edinburgh is the Scottish capital, Glasgow is the biggest city of Scotland and the third city of the United Kingdom. It hosts many free museums such as the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the Riverside Museum! To know more about the Bagpiping let’s go to the National Piping Centre! Then, have your lunch break in the Botanical Gardens of Glasgow.

Step 3: Loch Lomond

Necessary time: 1 day

This lake (or loch) is located in the south of the Scottish Highlands, it’s the biggest of the United Kingdom’s lochs, its surface area is 27.5 square miles. Stop for a walk and a picnic at the edge of the loch before embarking on a mini cruise of approximately one hour (to book it’s this way). Bring warm clothes and a waterproof jacket 😉

Step 4: Fort William & Glenfinnan viaduct

Necessary time: 1 day

Fort William is the second biggest town of the Highlands after Inverness. Fort William is located at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest summit in the United Kingdom (4,411 ft high). There is also a train station from which the Jacobite Train departs to reach Mallaig, via the Glenfinnan viaduct (famous scene in the Harry Potter saga). The cult films Braveheart and Highlander were shot not far from Fort William.

Step 5: Ile of Skye

Necessary time: 1 or 2 days

The Isle of Skye is the widest of the Inner Hebrides’ archipelago. It is famous for its wild atypical landscapes. We can find the Storr, a series of sharp rock pinnacles located at the top of a ridge, the Fairy Pools, which is a fall of crystal-clear water and the Kilt Rocks and Mealt Falls, a cliff from which a waterfall cascades into the sea! So, still not convinced?

Step 6: Loch Ness & Inverness

Necessary time: 1 day

The Loch Ness? You have surely heard about this mysterious Scottish lake where would live a marine monster most commonly known as the Loch Ness Monster or Nessie. This legend has made the lake famous, indeed, since the so-called monster was spotted in the 30’s many underwater expeditions and researches have been conducted without any result. The creature is fictional but the lake still rouses the public’s interest and tourists are still coming to unravel the mystery! On the edge of the lake we can find the ruins of Urquhart’s castle where the Visitor Centre and a café stand.

Step 7: Crieff & the Glenturret Distillery

Necessary time: Half a day

Crieff is a market town mainly known for its whisky which is produced in Glenturret distillery. If you are interested in the preparation method of this typical Scottish drink (or Irish, the debate is still open) then come visit Glenturret’s distillery!

Step 8: St Andrews

Necessary time: Half a day

St Andrews is a small seaside town hosting the third oldest university in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. It is a very famous university, Prince William and the Duchess of de Cambridge used to study there! St Andrews is considered as the cradle of golf, the Golf legislative authority was founded there in 1754. The town now counts 5 golf courses; so, are you tempted by an introduction to this typical sport?

Step 9: Stirling

Necessary time: 1 day

Stirling was once the capital of the Scottish kingdom and a medieval town, it hosts an impressive castle and Wallace Monument, a tower elevating to 67 metres, built to commemorate Sir William Wallace, one of the main leaders during the First War for Scottish Independence.

Step 10: The Kelpies

Necessary time: 1 hour

On your way back to Edinburgh stop at the Kelpies, 30-metre-high sculptures representing horses. According to the legends, kelpies are mythological creatures living in running waters, they often take the form of a horse but they can also take a human form.

Return to Edinburgh

Here you are, it’s the end of this itinerary, have a last stop at the Elephant House Café which is now famous for often hosting J.K. Rowling when she started to think about the Harry Potter story.

Feel free to adapt timings of each step of this itinerary according to your wishes! You can also combine Scotland and a bit of England!  As for nature, don’t forget Wales which has not been invaded by tourists yet 😉

We can organise your accommodation, transport, itinerary and attractions from A to Z, contact us here for further information.

There are many green areas in London, but the cherry on the cake is the parks! London has many beautiful parks; discover below the top 5 of the nicest parks of the city:

1- Regent’s Park

Regent’s Park is one of eight royal parks in London. It is located close to the Primrose Hill neighbourhood and is an ideal area for a Sunday brunch. In the park you’ll find a small lake, an outdoor theatre and London Zoo. You will also have to walk to Primrose Hill summit to admire the view. Now you know what to do next Sunday 😉

2- Hyde Park

Hyde Park is the biggest of the royal parks and is classified Grade I at the historical parks and gardens register. The park is separated by the lake Serpentine. In the park there is an open-air café, a restaurant, playground, rose garden and a memorial fountain in honour of Princess Diana.

3- Brockwell Park

This park is located close to Brixton, between Herne Hill and Tulse Hill. Given its location (zone 2) the park is less frequented as tourists generally don’t adventure too much further than zone one.

Therefore, it’s the ideal place for a chilled walk and a stunning view over London. There are also tennis courts, big fields to play football, an outdoor swimming pool (Brockwell Lido), a clock tower, a miniature train and a café. Concerts and circus often take place in the park in the summer.

4- Battersea Park

Battersea Park is just below the Thames, opposite Chelsea. The park has many assets: a small zoo, a lake and all the necessary sporting facilities such as a running track, tennis courts, football grounds and even a treetop adventure park. One of the most surprising things of the park is the Peace Pagoda, replica of a Buddhist temple. Not to be missed!

5- Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park is situated on the Prime Meridian, in South-East London. The park hosts the Royal Observatory of Greenwich which role was huge in the history of astronomy. The park’s summit offers an impressive view over Canary Wharf. Greenwich area deserves a stop: there is a cute covered market, narrow streets and the Cutty Sark museum (one of the fastest tea clippers ever built, see the picture below). Greenwich looks like a small seaside town; you would almost not believe you are in London!

Feel free to contact us to book a guided tour or attractions in London and anywhere in the United Kingdom.

Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

It’s this viaduct located in Scotland that the Hogwarts Express goes through to reach the famous School. You can embark on the Jacobite Train, a steam railway leaving from Fort William going to Mallaig. Perfect for an authentic visit of Northern Scotland!

Christchurch College, Oxford

Who ever dreamt of going to school and have a dining room looking like the Hogwarts’ one, with its endless ceiling and all those appetising delicacies?!

This room is real and looks very much like the one in the film which had been modified by special effects. It is actually a part of the famous Oxford University, located in Christchurch College. This big Hall is not only used as an attraction for tourists, university students also have their meals here every day and formal dinners are regularly held here.

Gloucester and Durham Cathedrals

Durham Cathedral

These two cathedrals have served for filming locations for Hogwarts’ corridors and cloister.

London

Many scenes in this saga have been shot in London, among them include King’s Cross station, where the 9 ¾ platform stands.

Saint-Pancras station (see picture) has also served as a filming location due to its impressive architecture. The building is classified Grade 1 (Westminster Abbey is classified Grade 1 as well to give you a better idea).

We can observe a few bridges such as Lambeth Bridge (the magical bus shrinks to go through two double-decker buses on that bridge) and the Millenium Bridge which is destroyed by Death-eaters in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince; in real life this bridge is intact and can be crossed to reach St Paul’s Cathedral or the Tate Modern.

We can also see Piccadilly Circus in the sixth film, London Zoo and the Leadenhall Market (Diagon Alley) in the first film.

The nature locations

They have mostly been shot in Scotland which is famous for its mountains and endless landscapes. We can mention the following Lochs: Loch Etive, Glen Coe, Loch Eilit, Loch Arkaig.

The cottage where the heroes take refuge in the seventh film is located in Pembrokeshire National Park in Wales, on Freshwater West Beach.

The Seven Sisters’ Cliffs (South England, close to Eastbourne) have also been used for several scenes in this saga.

But where did the magic happen at the very beginning?

It’s because her train is running late that J.K. Rowlings starts to imagine the story of a normal boy who discovers he is a wizard. Rowling started to take notes, imagine characters and arrived in King’s Cross with a bunch of ideas in mind.

Rowling wrote a lot in a café which became famous afterwards: the Elephant House café, located in the heart of Edinburgh. From this place we can see Edinburg castle, which looks a bit like Hogwarts castle.

If you are interested in a programme on which Harry Potter is the theme, you can contact us here.

We organise accommodation, attractions and guided tours all across the UK and Ireland. If you don’t have enough time to visit all the filming location it only takes 3 hours to visit the Warner Bros Studios located in Watford, North London! We can book your tickets but be careful there are in great demand so plan it early!

1- Visit the Titanic Museum

The Titanic experience is the world’s largest Titanic Museum, telling the story of the most famous cruise ship in history. In the museum you will find reconstructions of the ship’s rooms, artefacts, as well as testimonials, history of the ship and the unfortunate story of its ending. The building itself is modern and very impressive (see picture below).

2- Stroll around the Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway is a Unesco World Heritage site composed of a series of approximately 40 000 basalt rock columns located by the sea. They create a natural protection against the sea and the storms. The columns are all symmetric, how intriguing!

3- Have a guided tour of Belfast

Belfast is a city full of history, mainly known for the intense political violence which occurred in the 20th century. Discover the history of this unique city through a political murial’s tour in a black cab or on foot with a local guide.

4- Cross the Carrick-a-Rede rope Bridge

Carrick-a-Rede is a tiny island where the rope bridge links the island to the mainland. It was initially erected by salmon fishermen 350 years ago. It is 20 meters long and stands over 30 meters over the sea. Very impressive, even for people not afraid of heights! The Republic of Ireland is also surrounded by small islands such as the Aran Islands.

5- Enter the Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges is a road surrounded by beech trees which form an atmospheric tunnel. According to the legend, the hedges are visited by a ghost called Grey Lady, she could be the ghost of a maid from a nearby house who died in mysterious circumstances but this is not certain. The road now is mainly famous for having been a filming location for the Games of Thrones TV series.

So, what are you waiting for? Book your flights straight away! We will take care of the rest (accommodation, attractions etc.). Contact us for more information.

The Isle of Skye is located in the Highlands of Scotland; it is famous for its stunning landscapes and wildlife: you can easily see otters, seals, whales and dolphins around the island. Besides it is a paradise for hiking and climbing lovers. Don’t miss the Old Man of Storr (look at the picture above), the most famous walk on the island; bring your cameras for amazing Instagram pics!

2- Isle of Wight, England

The Isle of Wight is probably the easiest island to access as it is not too far from London. It is located just below Portsmouth, South of England (45 minutes in the ferry). The Isle of Wight is the perfect location for a day trip off the beaten track: you can do a bike tour, visit Osborne House (Queen Victoria’ favourite summer home) and even do surf initiation!

3- Inishmore, Aran Islands, Ireland

Inishmore is the biggest of the Aran Islands, a group of three islands located on Ireland West Coast, in Galway Bay. Inishmore Island is quite atypical, inhabitants primarily speak Irish, and there are many mysterious places such as Dun Aengus fort, which is a series of concentric walls located on the edge of a 100 meters cliff. Please watch out, it’s slippery! You will also see a striking natural rock formation with the shape of a swimming pool called Poll Na Bpeist, every year a cliff diving competition is held by Red Bull, how scary!

So, are you interested in visiting one of these islands? We can book accommodation for your group in one of our closest homestay centres or a hostel. We can even book the trip to the island!

For further information, please send us an email here.