a taste of scotland specially designed by dream escape 2019 taste of scotland.pdfpage 5 of 12 day...

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A Taste of Scotland

Specially Designed

By

Dream Escape

2019

www.dreamescape.co.uk | [email protected] | +44 (0)845 260 1085

http://www.dreamescape.co.uk/

mailto:[email protected]

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Day One: Arrival in Edinburgh On arrival into Edinburgh Airport, you’ll be met and welcomed by your experienced chauffeur-guide who will provide a safe and comfortable transfer into the city centre.

Edinburgh, sometimes referred to as the “Athens of the North”, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It has two distinct areas: the Old Town, dominated by a medieval fortress; and the neo- classical New Town, dating from the 18th century. The harmonious connection of these two contrasting historic areas, each with many important buildings, is what gives the city its unique character and what saw it be awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO in 1995.

Check-in to your first luxury accommodation. Situated in a stunning Victorian building with Scottish baronial influences, it is a luxury hotel in the true sense of the word. While many Edinburgh hotels claim to have the city’s landmarks on their doorstep, few can say their own doorstep is a landmark.

Spend the rest of the day at leisure, resting and relaxing following your international flight. Rather than a late dinner, you may wish to indulge in the hotel’s award-winning Afternoon Tea enjoyed in the beautiful Palm Court.




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Day Two: Historical and Culinary Highlights Meet your qualified private guide in the hotel foyer and set off on foot to spend the morning exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Begin with a visit to Edinburgh Castle – from its volcanic rock, it towers over the city. Step inside the ancient walls to uncover the castle’s secrets.

Learn of the battles fought over it and the struggles for control of the nation, visit the Jewel House to see the Scottish Crown Jewels, and keep an eye out for ghosts! No castle in Scotland would be complete without ghostly goings-on; there are stories of a mysterious piper lost in the tunnels below and of a poltergeist in the castle dungeon.

To follow, walk along the Royal Mile which lies at the heart of the Old Town and is arguably one of the most famous streets in the world. Today, it is peppered with stores selling whisky, cashmere and hand-crafted silver jewellery.

However, in centuries gone by it was a different story: delving into the Old Town is like leafing through the pages of a dusty historical novel, as each era unfolds with its own legends and characters.




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This afternoon, a private specialist foodie guide will take you through the Old and New Towns and into unusual or hidden restaurants, shops and bars. At each location you will have the opportunity to taste dishes specially prepared for you, and sample individually selected wines and malt whisky.

Along the way, your guide will entertain you with stories on the history of Scottish food and the city. The locations chosen are unique or off the beaten track, and many have a story to tell in their own right. Though the portions are all sample and starter sized, it is best to skip lunch in order to enjoy the experience to the full!

Edinburgh is renowned for its impressive collection of dining options and we will make suitable recommendations for your dinner this evening.




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Day Four: ‘Learn then Lunch’ at a Michelin-Starred Restaurant This morning, your chauffeur-guide will transfer you to a well-known locally based Cookery School to join a small group for a seasonal cookery demonstration with one of their Senior Chefs.

After the demonstration, travel to the Michelin-starred restaurant where you will enjoy canapés, amuse bouche and a three-course lunch menu with two glasses of wine, plus coffee and petit fours. The restaurant’s dishes are classically French and showcase Scottish produce at its very finest.

Round off the afternoon with a tour of the Restaurant Kitchen before returning to your hotel.

For the balance of the afternoon, explore the city at your own pace.

Perhaps spend some time exploring Edinburgh’s shopping options. Multrees Walk is home to brands including Burberry and Louis Vuitton, as well as Scotland’s only Harvey Nichols meaning the shopping experience is second to none in the city. Inside Harvey Nichols, find the likes of Céline, Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney and a profusion of other luxury fashion brands all under one roof.

On George Street, find an array of British brands, including Hobbs, Whistles and Aspinal of London. You may also wish to visit Hamilton & Inches; the jewellers have been an Edinburgh institution since they opened their first store in 1866 and have held a Royal Warrant for more than 120 years.




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Day Five: Picturesque Perthshire and on to Speyside This morning, depart Edinburgh and travel north with your chauffeur-guide. Your day begins with a special visit to the picturesque base of the internationally-renowned Highland Chocolatier.

This award-winning chocolatier is the creator of the Velvet Truffle; it took over three years to perfect and went on to be judged the “Best Dark Chocolate Truffle in the World”.

You will be welcomed into the Chocolate Lounge where you will be guided through a chocolate tasting flight of five chocolate, allowing you to learn and identify the flavour profiles that make up each chocolate. Each is created with the finest ingredients to ensure a sumptuous taste experience that will not soon be forgotten.Learn what makes the meticulously crafted chocolates so unique and, by special arrangement, meet with the master chocolatier himself.

Afterwards, travel through the stunning Cairngorms National Park to Speyside. This famed region is awash with whisky and is home to more than half of the country’s working malt whisky distilleries, including some of the world’s best-sellers.

Arrive at your hotel, a small 26-room property which stands at the very heart of Speyside and its malt whisky trail. The hotel bar has over 900 whiskies lining its walls and is the perfect setting to start your whisky tasting.




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Day Six: The Best of Speyside Begin the day with a privately guided tour of Ballindalloch Castle. Known as ‘The Pearl of the North’ the castle is considered to be one of the finest remaining examples of a classic Scottish baronial castle.

On arrival you will be met by the owner, Guy Macpherson-Grant, whose family have lived in the castle since the sixteenth century.

Originally a fortified tower house that was erected circa 1546, Ballindalloch underwent a significant period of renovation and extension during the Victorian era which transformed it into the sumptuous country retreat that stands today.

An independent company of what was to become known at the Black Watch regiment was formed under the command of Colonel William Grant, the 9th Laird of Ballindalloch. The Black Watch was formed in 1725 to watch and patrol areas of the Scottish Highlands, and to prevent cattle-rustling and smuggling, after the Jacobite Rising of 1715.

In spite of its history and grandeur, Ballindalloch remains first and foremost a beloved family residence and there are plenty of personal heirlooms and memorabilia belonging to the current occupants scattered amongst the general finery.




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This afternoon, we recommend a guided visit at one of Scotland’s most distinctive distilleries ensuring that when it comes to take your leave, you will depart with a true appreciation and a great understanding of this timeless spirit, affectionately called the water of life.

We personally suggest a visit to the Macallan Distillery to learn how they create The Macallan’s rich spirit in a working still house and introduce you to the ‘Six Pillars’. After a full immersion into the world of The Macallan, you will experience a nosing and tasting of four of The Macallan whiskies.

Or, another highlight could be Cardhu Distillery. Founded by Helen Cumming in 1811 as an illicit distillery and licensed in 1824, Cardhu is the first distillery to be officially pioneered by a woman. A tour here takes you on a journey of the whisky making process and ends with a tasting of six of the Single Malts.

Your chauffeur-guide will return you to your hotel late afternoon.




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Day Six: Head to the Isle of Skye Depart Speyside this morning and travel west to the Isle of Skye with your chauffeur-guide. Your journey takes you along the north shore of Loch Ness. Extending 23 miles, the loch provides spectacular views - the scenery is breath-taking regardless of the time of year.

You may wish to pause at Eilean Donan Castle. Situated on a small island where three great sea lochs meet, it is now an iconic image of Scotland. Step inside to view historic artefacts and displays of dangerous weapons. Learn of the 13th century castle’s fascinating history, from feuding clan chiefs to Jacobite risings with an explosive ending.

From here travel to the Isle of Skye, unquestionably the most popular isle of the Inner Hebrides. Voted by National Geographic as one of the world’s top five islands, it is an enchanting place rich in history and romance, famed for its natural beauty, traditional charm, breath-taking scenery and abundant wildlife.

Your hotel for the next two nights is a former 16th century hunting lodge set in a particularly beautiful part of the island on the shores of Loch na Dal in the Sound of Sleat. The hotel restaurant is headed up by Marcello Tullo who has won and retained a Michelin star for seven consecutive years.

Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.




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Day Seven: Simply Skye Should you wish to work off some of the wonderful excesses from the previous few days, a private guide can take you on a gentle hike this morning. Simply explore the area around your hotel or travel further afield and visit the Fairy Pools, beautifully crystal clear blue pools on the River Brittle.

On Skye, you will find some of Scotland’s most varied and dramatic scenery. Dominating the skyline is the country’s finest mountain range, the Cuillins; the ice-sculpted peaks raise more than one jagged edge to the sky. It is the mist that often veils the mountain range which inspired the isle’s name which comes from the old Norse sky-a, meaning ‘cloud island’.

The island boasts a long and captivating history which stretches back to the age of dinosaurs through to Viking rule, clan rivalries and the Jacobites before the Highland clearances caused a sharp decline in the island’s population.

For the whisky connoisseur, a taste of the local Talisker whisky is a must. On the tour, you will gain an insight into the inner working of the distillery and the processes involved in producing world- class single malt. At the end of the tour there is an informal tasting where you can taste a number of expressions of Talisker single malt.

Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.




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Day Eight: Onward to Glasgow via Glencoe An early departure from your hotel this morning allows you to take the morning ferry to the mainland.

On your journey south visit Glencoe, Scotland’s most famous glen. It lies in the heart of an ancient volcano; glaciers and fiery explosions carved out the rugged and forbidding mountain peaks. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in the country and certainly one of the most dramatic; thundering waterfalls tumble down the sides of mountains into sparkling lochs.

Scenery and geology aside, the glen has its place firmly in the history books due to its savage history. It was the site of the infamous massacre of Clan Macdonald of Glencoe by government troops in 1692. The atrocity saw thirty-eight members of the clan pursued and killed, and a further forty women and children died of exposure after their homes were burned.

Perhaps take the time to visit the tiny village of Glencoe itself. The local folk museum, housed in 18th

century thatched cottages, although small is very personal and provides a rich and unrivalled insight into the area and its people. Some of the most fascinating treasures include weapons found in the thatched roofs of local houses, concealed after the massacre for more than 200 years.

Travel onwards to Loch Lomond, another of the country’s most famous stretches of water. It is steeped in legend, folklore and history and has inspired artists, poets and writers for centuries.

After lunch, experience Loch Lomond in true luxury and style with a private cruise on board a gleaming 46ft luxury motor cruiser. With a glass of champagne in hand, your cruise will take you past islands and hidden coves found situated around the banks of the loch.

Your final night is spent in a stunning 17th century castle which has recently been transformed into one of Scotland’s most luxurious hotels. To end your holiday in style, perhaps dine in the opulent surroundings of the hotel’s fine dining restaurant (payable directly).




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Day Nine: Homeward Bound Your chauffeur-guide will provide a transfer to Glasgow Airport where you will board your flight for onward travel.




a taste of scotland specially designed by dream escape 2019 taste of scotland.pdfpage 5 of 12 day...

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