Page 53 - Cork & Tee Sample Program Flipbook, 2018
P. 53

Day 2: Exploring Edinburgh. This morning you will meet Ken, Christine or another of our
               handpicked local guides for a leisurely, private 4-hr walking tour of Old Town Edinburgh.  The
               grand Old Town district features a well-preserved medieval plan and many Reformation-era
                                                             buildings. One end of the so-called Royal Mile is
                                                             closed by the castle and the main artery, The High
                                                             Street (or the Royal Mile), leads away from it to the
                                                             Palace of Holyroodhouse; minor streets (called
                                                             closes or wynds) bud off the main spine in a
                                                             herringbone pattern.  The hilltop crag was the
                                                             earliest part of the city to develop, becoming
                                                             fortified and eventually developing into the current
                                                             Edinburgh Castle.  The rest of the city grew slowly
                                                             down the tail of land from the castle rock. Due to the
               space restrictions imposed by the narrowness of the "tail," the Old Town became home to some of
               the earliest "high rise" residential buildings in existence.  Multi-story dwellings were the norm from
               the 1500s onward. During the 1700s, the Old Town had a population of about 80,000 residents.
               Today’s tour will be very much focused on the history of Edinburgh, which is intertwined with
               Scotland’s. A guided tour of the castle is included.

               In the afternoon, meet one of our local drivers
               for a private transfer 45 min to North Berwick
               where we have included a 1-hr group Seabird
               Catamaran Cruise to Bass Rock. The cruise
               will take you by Craigleith Island where you
               can get close views of the nesting puffins,
               guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, cormorants
               and shags. Next up, circle around Bass Rock
               and experience the wonder of seeing 150,000
               Gannets up close!

               Return to your accommodations by private transfer.

               Proposed Accommodations:  The Balmoral


               Day 3: An Excursion to St Andrews. Meet Sylvia this morning, one of our handpicked
               driver/guides.  Sylvia will lead you through Scotland for the next 7 days. While we have
               provided a general itinerary for each day, she will go off script, with your consent, as she gets to
               know you and your preferences. Today she will drive you 1 hr 30 min east to the Fife Coast and
               the university town of St. Andrews, which is also known as the home of golf. Meet Ken, our St.
               Andrews guide, for a 2-hr private walking tour of the town.  St. Andrews was once a major
               ecclesiastical center and is home to the University of St. Andrews, one of the finest institutions


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