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.

1- The Lion King

The Lion King is a must-see show! Of course everyone knows the story because of the famous animated Disney film. The Lion King London opened in 1999 and has been a best-selling show ever since. With music by Elton John, the African rhythms and décor, you will be completely immersed in the magical story of Simba.

2- Mamma Mia

Mamma Mia is a musical gathering Abba’s greatest hits around Sophie’s story. Living on a Greek island with her mother, Sophie is in search of her identity. She is getting married but she doesn’t know her father so she decides to look for him before the big day. This musical is the highest grossing live action musical film of all time; book your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

3- Wicked

Based on the famous novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, Wicked tells the story of the Witches of Oz: a friendship between two young women who meet as sorcery students. The show has been acclaimed as “a world class West End musical with stunning spectacle, a heart-warming story and unforgettable songs” (Official London Theatre).

4- Matilda

Matilda’s character is inspired by Roald Dahl’s novel (Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Matilda is a young girl neglected by her parents; she is very clever and discovers that she has a special power! Go to the show to find out the ending 😉

5- Thriller

A tribute to the king of Pop Michael Jackson, Thriller will astonish you! Featuring the first songs performed by the Jackson 5 to his most famous hits such as Billie Jean and of course Thriller, the show brings back to life one of the best singer in the world for a few hours. The dance movements and mimics are quite impressive as well!

These musicals sell fast, so don’t forget to book in advance to secure your seats, get in touch here to book.

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- Highland Games

If you are travelling to Scotland you must participate or at least attend the Highland Games, a famous competition celebrating the Scottish Celtic culture. During the games, opponents go up against each other around trials such as the caber toss, weight throw etc. The event is a unique symbol of gathering, especially around Celtic music (bagpipes, harp…) and Scottish dance.

2- Surf

Who says you only surf in Australia?! The United Kingdom offers numerous surfing spots such as Watergate Bay in Corwall, Llangennith and Freshwater in Wales, and for the most experienced Thurso East in Scotland. Don’t worry if you don’t like surfing  – get your cameras ready to shoot some amazing landscapes!

3- Curling

Curling is a sport played on ice. It originates from Flanders but it became a “proper” sport in Scotland. The aim of the game is to slide stones closer to the target area marked on the skating rink. A game lasts 10 rounds, when each team has tossed eight times the team whose stone is the nearest to the target area wins a point. Only stones tossed inside the house (black circle) earn a point. Of course the team who wins the more points wins. Why not give it a try?

4- Haggis’ tasting

Haggis is a Scottish traditional dish composed of sheep’s stomach, minced with onion, oatmeal, spices and salt. Traditionally the haggis is placed in the sheep’s stomach and cooked for a few hours. Preparation can now vary; it can be cooked with beef/pork or can even be vegetarian. If this dish is not the most attractive it’s however very savoury and deserves a tasting.

5- Horse racing

Horse races are huge events in the United Kingdom, whether for people who love the sport, animal lovers, the gambling or simply to wear your most beautiful hat. It’s a one-time must-see event. Amongst the most famous races we can mention Ascot, Cheltenham and York.

Start booking your accommodation (in host families or hostel) from now on and come experience one of these surprising activities, we can of course take care of the attractions’ booking. For more information, contact us.