July 26 - August 5, 2012
10 nights

Orkney and Shetland, Scotland's Viking Treasures, were annexed in 1472 as payment of a dowry for a Danish princess. It has been said that if you scratch Orkney, it bleeds archaeology. Shetland was called Ultima Thule by the ancient Romans -- the mythical island which was believed to lay on the edge of the world. Join us for this journey to Scotland's most remote, mysterious, well-preserved wonders of the past.

Includes premium tickets to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo!

This tour begins in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh with a day trip to Stirling Castle. Situated in the center of Scotland, this strategic location ensured that whoever held control of the castle had control of all movement within the Scotland. The Palace has recently been restored to the splendor of the Renaissance period and the astonishing richness of royal life in the 1500s. The day concludes with a performance of the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a music and cultural extravaganza on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. The "Tattoo" was conceived and first performed in 1950 as the Army in Scotland's contribution to Edinburgh's International Festivals. Today with its unique blend of music, ceremony, entertainment, and theater set against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, it is without question one of the world's greatest shows.

The following morning we depart for Aberdeen and for the ferry to Shetland stopping along the way at Dunfermline Abbey, the final resting place of Robert the Bruce. The abbey's foundation goes back to 1072AD and was built by King David I in memory of his mother, Queen Margaret.

The sailing to Shetland from Aberdeen is an overnight journey which you'll enjoy in the comfort of your stateroom. When the Romans sailed around the north coast of Scotland and found that Britain was an island, they "discovered and subdued" Orkney but they left Shetland alone. Lying midway between Scotland and Norway and on the same latitude as Greenland, Shetland enjoys a mild climate because of the influence of the Gulf Stream. Like Orkney, Shetland has long summer nights and the 'simmer dim' twilight of midsummer adds a touch of timelessness. The rugged landscape, 6,000 years of history, abundance of wildlife and sea birds -- including delightful puffins -- set the scene for three magical days at the edge of the world.

Arriving into Lerwick on Saturday morning, we tour the mainland -- Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village, with a guided tour and demonstrations by the Living History team. This archaeological site of one of Britain's most remarkable relics; St Ninian's Isle - Site of St Ninian's Pictish treasure and one of Europe's best examples of a sand tombolo; Sumburgh Head - Nature Reserve and home to thousands of sea birds (including puffins) and the site of Shetland's first lighthouse designed by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the famed author Robert Louis Stevenson; Tingwall & Asta Lochs - Site of ancient Viking parliament; and Shetland's famous ponies!

A short boat ride takes us to explore the small island of Mousa and to see the finest surviving example of a 2,000-year-old fortification, Mousa Broch. And back on the mainland, we visit a Shetland knitwear company for a special glimpse at the Fair Isle style of knitting and items made of pure Shetland wool. We visit the stunning and remote north mainland with the rugged Cliffs of Eshaness and unique rock formations which seem to be adrift in the ocean.

An evening ferry across the North Atlantic takes you to Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site collectively for four natural archaeological wonders. Skara Brae, a Stone-Age settlement hit by a massive storm that buried it in sand for about 4,000 years; Ring of Brodgar - Stone circle with 36 of the original 60 still standing, some etched with Viking Runes; Maeshowe - mysterious and solemn, this is the finest chambered tomb in Western Europe. The entry is aligned so that a shaft of sunlight pierces its 36ft length into the chamber on Winter Solstice; built before 2,700 BC, it was raided by Vikings in the 12th Century. Largest collection of Runic inscriptions in the world; Standing Stones of Stenness - a small circle dating from the third millennium BC. Also of high interest is the Broch of Gurness, dating from about 1st Century BC, occupied by both Picts and Vikings. A new and exciting discovery -- a huge settlement known as the Ness of Brodgar -- gives insight into what is believed to include a palace of epic proportions from the Neolithic age.

A tour of eastern Orkney includes the magnificent St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall - built in 1064 in the oldest part of the town; Earl's Palace - 16th-century ruin built for Earl Robert Stewart, one of Orkney's true villains; Bishop's Palace where King Haakon of Norway died after his defeat by Alexander III at Largs; the Italian Chapel - built from scrap by Italian prisoners of war during World War II; Scapa Flow and the Churchill Barriers -- a series of four causeways built in the 1940s as naval defenses to protect the ships in Scapa Flow during World War II.

Visit local crafters including Orkney designer Sheila Fleet Jewellery for a private tour of the workshop. A visit to Orkney wouldn't be complete without a tour of Highland Park Distillery -- the northernmost distillery in the world and an award-winning whisky, as it was named the "Best Spirit in the World" twice by Spirit Journal, and also the Worlds Whiskies Award in 2009 for the "World's Best Single Malt."

Returning to the mainland, we make our way down the coast and inland to Inverness with a visit to Dunrobin Castle, the seat of Clan Sutherland and the Dukes and Earls of Sutherland, with its fairytale turrets and acres of formal gardens. The Palace of Versailles in Paris was the inspiration for these gardens, which were laid out by the architect who designed the Houses of Parliament.

We spend two nights near Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, in the historic 18th-century Culloden House Hotel which has been awarded, by Conde Nast, the the distinction of being one of the top 50 country manor houses in the world. Our private tour of Culloden Battlefield with a local historian will bring you to the very heart of Scottish history. A life-long resident of Culloden, our guide will take you back in time to the events that led to the battle and the devastation it brought to the Highland clans in the aftermath.

We'll visit Clava Cairns, a remarkable Stone Age and Bronze Age site, and hear about the mysterious people who built them and subsequent cultures who "recycled" them. Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness -- once the largest castle in Scotland -- is a romantic ruin that lived a long and turbulent history until it was blown up by government forces of William and Mary to keep the castle and its strategic position from the hands of the Highland Clans.

The magnificent Cairngorm Mountains are the backdrop for our return to Edinburgh, an area which affords some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Cairngorms National Park, Britain's largest national park, covers more than 2,300 miles and includes five of Scotland's six highest mountains. We'll visit Pitlochry, a small Victorian town which became well-known after Queen Victoria's visit in 1842, and the arrival of the railroad in 1863. This charming village completes our Scottish tapestry of special places to visit.

Tour begins and ends in Edinburgh. It is suggested that you arrive one day early (July 25) to avoid flight delays and cancellations.

Includes:

• Deluxe motorcoach transportation
• Ensuite accommodations in 4-star properties
• Premium tickets to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Full Scottish breakfast daily (Continental breakfast in Edinburgh)
• Four 3-course dinners, including gourmet dinner at Culloden House Hotel
• An evening with a Jacobite soldier
• Private tour of Culloden Battlefield
• Ferry transportation throughout (seven sailings) with stateroom accommodations to Shetland
• Professional Blue Badge Guide throughout
• Entrance fees into all sites listed
• Tax of 20%

Price:

• $4,395.00 per person, double occupancy (two sharing one room).
• Single supplement is $750.00 - Single travelers have the option of sharing a room with other singles (if available) to offset this supplement, but this is solely at the discretion of the travelers and not the responsibility of Celtic Journeys.

More information:

• Reservations require a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 per person. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, and checks are accepted forms of payment. Balance is due 60 days prior to departure.
• Airfare is not included; Celtic Journeys can make your arrangements for you with no booking fees.
• Tour begins and ends in Edinburgh; additional hotel nights in Edinburgh are available at reduced rates; booking service is complimentary.
• To book your space or for additional information, contact Judy Lowstuter at judy@celticjourneys.us or call (703) 941-6455 . Tour is limited to 16 guests. Tours are never cancelled except in the event of a natural disaster, airline strike, or travel warning of imminent danger.

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellation insurance is available to protect against cancellation penalties:

• 60 days or more prior to tour date full refund less deposit
• 59-30 days prior to tour date 50% refund less deposit
• 29-15 days prior to tour date 25% refund less deposit
• Cancellations of 14 days or less, no refund