Insider’s Guide To Scotland: How To Experience Legendary Golf, Whisky And Castles

09.01.2024 - 22:32 / forbes.com

Scotland is one of the most stunning destinations, filled with enormous castles, rolling green hills, and magical lochs. Considering my ancestors were from Scotland, I took a road trip from Glasgow to St. Andrews for a customized experience of iconic golf, whisky tasting, and castle hopping, all with a private dedicated chauffeur.

While it is impossible to see a lot of Scotland in such a limited time, I enlisted the support of the fantastic Luxury Scotland Tours, experts in their field who curate some of the most memorable and elite experiences for travelers. Owned by two young, energetic local Scots, Struan Baird and Ruaridh Norton, the company crafts customized tours just for you, offering bucket list experiences of a lifetime where every hotel, distillery, golf course, and restaurant has been quality checked from first-hand experience. One of their most popular packages is the unbelievable 10-day Ultimate Lux Tour of Scotland, which checks off everyone’s bucket list adventures.

While the weather in Scotland is unreliable and often rains, we decided to mix up the journey to ensure we covered as much as possible even though a major storm was headed our way. Scotland is one of the prime destinations in the world for golf enthusiasts, so we included some of the most outstanding courses in the world while staying in some of my favorite castles along the way.

"Scotland is the king of castles, boasting over 1500 of them sculpted into its iconic landscape," says Luxury Scotland Tours Director & Co-Founder Struan Baird. "From fairy-tale castles like Dunrobin to clifftop beauties like Dunnottar. Scottish castles excel on three fronts: historical significance, architecture, and effortlessly nestling into the majestic landscape. Our castle experiences range from being piped into the magical Glamis Castle to enjoying champagne afternoon tea at Edinburgh Castle. We can even organize a haunted castle tour, but this is not for the faint-hearted! You can live like royalty in one of Scotland's exquisite castle hotels. Our favorites are Glenapp Castle on the west coast and Inverlochy Castle near Fort William."

By customizing the experience for the individual guest, the company also offers exclusive access beyond the iron gates. "Why not have bagpipes and whisky on arrival, too?" says Co-Founder and Director Ruaridh Norton. “We give you the chance to walk in the footsteps of royalty with private tours of Scotland's most iconic castles. Why not arrange a private viewing of the Crown Jewels? Or experience life in the 1500s with a private visit to the Renaissance palace of James V, the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. These ultimate experiences continue as you will need a fortress for the night. Stay and Dine in