Swept by strong winds almost all year around and covered in rolling green fields, hills and cliffs, Shetland is amongst the most remote islands in Europe. Here trees are a rare sight and each summer the flowering heather turns the moorland into a purple carpet. The lack of wood means you will see peat stacked to dry inland and it is still used for domestic heating during the cold and long winters. Fauna on Shetland is one of the highlights! Along the coastline and in the moorland migrant seabirds can be found. However, the real superstar is the puffin, which with its bright colours is always a favourite for our guests’ cameras! Tranquil bays are often populated with marine mammals such as: seals, dolphins, even orcas sometimes! Amongst those mammals the otter though it is the most widely seen and Shetland is, in fact, the best place in Europe to see this clever and bright little creature. However Shetland is not just about flora and fauna but also culture, ancient traditions, a history which goes back thousands of years, local folklore and a great sense of community; here you will discover a remote, unique place offering a wealth of opportunities ranging from Bronze Age archaeological sites to a museum dedicated to the key role Shetland had during WW2.

Here is our list for you of things to do and see in Shetland! Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest and budget, you can pick whatever you like the most and combine it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Towns of Kirkwall and Lerwick
• Skara Brae, UNESCO site, beautifully preserved neolithic village, older than the Egyptian Pyramids
• Whole bundle of UNESCO sites
• Jarlshof archaeological site
• Fauna including otters and puffins
• Attendance at the Up Helly Aa festival, the largest fire festival in Europe
• Italian Chapel, Scapa Flow, Churchill Barriers
• Northernmost UK lighthouse and Post Office
• 19th Century Lighthouses and the Island which allegedly inspired R.L. Stevenson “Treasure Island”
• Local produce such as Shetland wool and lamb, Orkney Jewellery
• The northernmost whisky distillery in Scotland and, in fact, on Earth!
• The Ba’ Festival at New Year’s Eve and the summer festival both of which take place on Orkney
• Trekking along the coastline
• Boat excursions

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you prefer, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for a different or even quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 8 and 15 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in group we can hire you a bus or minibus! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Ferry

Mini-bus

Starting from £1900 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Although Scotland is a wee country it has something to offer to everyone.
The dream-like Scottish landscape is worldwide famous for being wild and almost untouched by human intervention and it surely will not let down those guests fascinated by wild nature and preserved eco-systems. Every year in late Summer the flowering heather turns the moorland into a purple carpet, whilst Autumn the foliage sees the landscape turn into a riot of gold, orange, yellow, red and brown.
During Winter the snowy landscape perfectly suits a romantic as well as unusual honeymoon! However, Scotland is much, much more than just pristine nature. Its history and culture from its dawn in the Neolithic Era and through its long and varied past is somehow embedded into the modern and lively cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. In these cities the visitor will discover the names of those who made Scotland great in so many different fields such as Medicine, Economics, Engineering, Literature and Science to name but a few.
Edinburgh, with its capital status and treble UNESCO status (the Old Town with its medieval street layout and Castle; the New Town for its unrivalled 18th Century architecture and city planning, and also one as the World’s first UNESCO City of Literature – Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle are only few authors who were from this city) is a true treasure chest to explore and to learn from.
Glasgow, with its glorious industrial past, wealth of museums and galleries and stunning architecture will blow your mind.
Aberdeen, also known as the Granite City, welcomes the visitors with its precious building built with the local granite.
During this tour the visitor will have the time to experience many famous places such as Loch Ness, Glencoe, medieval castles and fortresses with experiences which will feel more like a lifetime discovery!
In other words, this tour can be regarded as a taste of Scotland for those who are having their very first experience of this magic country!

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and combine it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness
• Glasgow and Elgin Cathedrals
• Inveraray, Urquhart, Dunottar, Glamis, Blair, Doune, Stirling and Edinburgh castles
• Picturesque villages of Luss, Pitlochry, Dunkeld
• Ben Nevis, the highest mountain, not just in Scotland, but the whole of the British Isles
• Glencoe
• The Great Glen and the Caledonian Canal
• Highland Lochs: Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, Loch Ness etc.
• Dundee Victoria and Albert Museum, The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Riverside Museum in Glasgow, or in Edinburgh the National Museum of Scotland and much more
• The Forth Rail Bridge, UNESCO site
• Holyrood Palace
• One or more whisky distilleries
• Trossachs and Cairngorms National Parks
• Movies locations (Outlander, Skyfall, World War Z, Braveheart, Harry Potter and many more)
• Wool manufacturing
• Tartan: history and design
• Highland Games
• Lochs cruises

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle, at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 7 and 9 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Ferry

Mini-bus

Bus

Starting from £1500 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Scotland West Coast is wild, yet full of surprises. Narrow, winding roads, rise and fall and twist and turn following the stunning landscape. The land is untamed, mountains and moorland on one side of you, whilst the other side is dotted with cliffs sweeping down to the wild Atlantic Ocean and large white sandy beaches and coves. There are many itineraries one can choose from: some more secret than others with many including a visit or two to hidden huts selling fresh shellfish and others which are smokeries selling freshly, smoked fish! The West Coast provides a wealth of different landscapes where the visitor will have the chance to see 19th Century lighthouses, medieval castles, ruined churches, uninhabited islands, and Ancient monasteries whose origins are rooted in the Ancient Celtic culture. The islands of the Hebrides are numerous, and it would be impossible to visit them all, however we strongly recommend including at least two of the islands; you will not regret it! An old legend has it that God created the world in 7 days and on the 8th, He threw on a whim a handful of precious stones which upon falling into the Atlantic Ocean became the Hebrides. Fish and shellfish are amongst the most prized local produce along with famous whiskies such as those produced on the small island of Islay. The Atlantic coast represents a treasure chest to dip into also for its historic architecture best represented by its thatched roof cottages and Neolithic Stone Circles. The fauna is another aspect which will amaze you, as this area of Scotland is a paradise for puffins and other seabirds as well as seals, dolphins, basking sharks, eagles, otters, deer and much more! The Gulf stream helps maintain mild temperatures and in making this coast a couple of degrees warmer than the East Coast. Even more importantly the Gulf Stream allows the growth of beautiful native, as well as exotic trees, plants and flowers to be seen in the many beautiful Botanic Gardens!

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and combine it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• National Trust of Scotland gardens and other private gardens
• Beer breweries, smokeries, whisky distilleries
• Lewis and Harris and the Standing Stones of Callanish
• St. Kilda, UNESCO site
• Mull and Iona with its Abbey
• Staffa, Skye, Arran Isles and the many other islands of the West
• Ardnamurchan and Kintyre peninsulas
• Mull of Galloway
• 19th Century Canals and historic villages along the coast
• Kilmartin Glen Neolithic rock art
• Ben Nevis
• North Coast 500
• Highland Games
• Loch cruises
• Boat excursions for fauna observation

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 4 and 8 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Ferry

Mini-bus

Bus

Starting from £1100 per person.

Los precios por persona son para temporada alta y son puramente indicativos; nunca incluyen vuelos y seguros, pero siempre incluyen medio de transporte, alojamiento en media pensión en hoteles de 3/4 estrellas y entrada a las principales atracciones.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

The visitor will explore the beautiful coastline bordered by the North Sea where the climate here is much drier than the West Coast. The historic fishing villages unveil the history of trade with the Low Countries, France and the Baltic, and still retain their strong links, which can be seen in the architecture and building materials. Here, the last windmills can be observed along with distilleries and oats and barley fields which are vital to the economy of the area. Saint Andrews is amongst the most famous towns not just because it is the Birthplace of Golf, but also because of its ancient University (the oldest in the country), and its evocative ruins of the castle and the cathedral, clinging to the cliffs above the North Sea. Another jewel is the town of Arbroath, where the Scottish Independence Declaration was signed in 1320 in the famous, but now ruined Abbey. Also, a must is Stonehaven, famous for its fire Festival which takes place every 31st December and the ruins of Dunnottar Castle. Further north the visitor can explore the beauty of the so-called “Granite City”; Aberdeen, where every historic building has been made using the local granite which sparkles in the daylight! Other historical places not to be missed are the 18th Century Fort George and the ruined Cathedral in Elgin “the Lantern of the North”. Again, in this area cashmere, lambswool and merino production is still very much artisanal while being based on centuries of innovation. Inverness, “the Capital of the Highlands” is a city not to be missed; its the city centre still features the late medieval plan and local restaurants, pubs, cafe and shops provide the perfect setting for a break after the Loch Ness visit! This tour is also perfect for those wanting to deepen their whisky knowledge as well as improve their knowledge of the Picts!

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and build it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Forth Rail Bridge, UNESCO site
• Culross, Arbroath, Stonehaven and Fife fishing villages
• The oldest golf links
• Glamis, Dunottar, Balmoral, Brodie castle
• St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness
• Culloden Battlefield
• Fort George
• Ruined Cathedral in Arbroath, Elgin and Saint Andrews
• Speyside for its distilleries, woollen mills and Pictish trails, as is the Black Isle
• Moray Firth and its fauna
• Arbroath Smokie, smoked haddock

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 4 and 8 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Mini-bus

Bus

Starting from £1100 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Trekking in Scotland is very popular. Scots love camping in remote areas furthermore in Scotland there are no restrictions for camping however it must be done using common sense while respecting the environment and the others. Scottish weather can be challenging at times but everyone knows that in Scotland it is not unusual to experience four seasons in a day; and while fresh mountain air will fill your lungs, the surrounding landscape dotted with dreamy glens, lochs, streams and waterfalls will blow your mind! With this tour, climbing the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis is a must! However for those fancying a different trekking experience we would, instead recommend a long distance walk along the Skye coastline where stunning, jagged mountains and islands surround you, deep sea lochs (fjords), gouge the coastline, and the freshest of air fills your lungs. The West Highland Way is an incredibly popular long-distance trail, this is a 154Km/99 miles walk, which is doable in a minimum of six and a maximum of nine days, running from just outside Glasgow in the South, all the way to in the Fort William in the Highlands, allowing you to see so much more and experience the changing landscape at close range. The visitor will also be able to spot beautiful wildlife such as deer, grouse, otters and many species of birds of prey. Whilst along the coastline you might spot either basking sharks or whales as well as many, many types of seabirds. Whether you want an easy trekking experience or a more challenging one Stilla has a tour to suit all types of hiking. These Boots Are Made for Walking!

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interests and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and combine it with your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond and Munros (mountains over 3,000 ft/914,4m)
• Loch Ness, Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine and many more
• Loch Lomond and Trossachs and Cairngorms National Parks
• West Highland Way
• Great Glen Way
• Southern Upland Way
• Inner Hebrides (Mull, Jura, Skye, Iona)
• Local flora and fauna
• Scottish Geology
• Local Produce (beers, whisky and food)
• Castles

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation!
From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 6 and 8 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Mini-bus

Bus

Train

On foot

Starting from £1400 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Given its nature, this tour is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Gardens and parks are one of the aspects which every year draws thousands of visitors over to Scotland. No matter whether you are a fan of the Italian, French of English Garden, Scotland has one for every taste! In Edinburgh, the Royal Botanic Gardens (the oldest in the UK) are the perfect place to satisfy your botanic curiosity whilst sampling the rich legacy of Scotland’s capital. Here, the visitor will be able to retrace the steps of famous scientists like Charles Darwin, David Douglas or John Hope, (the latter responsible for introducing rhubarb!). Here you will find the impressive Victorian Winter Gardens and hothouses which house their many horticultural treasures amongst them, some of the rarest species on the planet such as the Amorphophallus titanum or Titan arum! With a short trip outside Edinburgh both gardens of Little Sparta and Greywalls can be enjoyed. For those who are keen on rhododendrons a visit to the Glendoick gardens cannot be missed: this privately owned garden boasts a unique collection of plants collected by three generations of the Cox family from their plant-hunting expeditions in China and the Himalaya and is nowadays the largest private collection in Europe of this species. Also, the “three colours” rhododendron can occasionally be observed in Scotland.
Just as you come into the historic city of Perth, you can see one of the most romantic and picturesque gardens in Europe, where you can find trees and plants from far away corners of the globe. Scotland’s gardens are testament to the great and adventurous botanists of the 19th Century, it is thanks to these great “Plant-hunters”, who travelled far and wide to bring back plants from all four corners of this planet. Up on the rugged and remote north west coast of Scotland, one can visit Inverewe Gardens, these romantic gardens on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, are a haven to many types of plants which one would not expect this far north, but thanks to its micro-climate, due to the Gulf Stream, many varieties of exotic plants from warmer climates prosper, even in this remote, northern location. You will even see palm trees in towns and villages, these survive the winter, without even having to be brought indoors thanks to this gentle micro-climate. Pitmedden Garden in Aberdeenshire, (also home to Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s Scottish holiday house), is another of Scotland’s great formal gardens, along with those at Drummond Castle, Inverary Castle and Crathie, to name but a few. However, it is not only in the great homes and castles that you will find beautiful gardens, often you will find extremely stunning gardens behind the little cottages and villas dotted along the roadside. Thanks to the personal contacts that we at Stilla have here, should you decide to choose this tour, you will enjoy the pleasure and privilege of visiting one or more of these privately-owned gardens.
Let’s not forget trees, scattered throughout the country, even this far North, are some quite incredible trees. Great monuments like the Douglas Fir at Scone Palace (the first one to be brought to Scotland by, and named after David Douglas, once a gardener at the Palace), or the Fortingall Yew, which is believed to be one of Europe’s oldest trees, at around 5,000 years old. Trees are to be found everywhere, and the importance of wood can be seen in many industries to this day, from whisky distilleries to fish smokeries, you will never cease to be amazed by your experiences whether you are sampling and tasting local products, or enjoying local traditions.

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest, and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and build it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• The Royal Botanic Garden
• Numerous private gardens
• The Gardens of the Great Historic Residences
• The National Trust for Scotland Gardens
• The Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
• Heather Gems, unique in the world, where the wood from the heather plant is made into jewellery
• Natural botanic dyes used in the dyeing of cloth and materials
• Local high-quality produce, like wool, cashmere and whisky
• Gin, flavoured with local botanic essences
• Heather honey and heather ale
• Smokeries and whisky distilleries
• Panoramic boat trips on the lochs

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 4 and 9 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Mini-bus

Bus

Train

On foot

Starting from £1600 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Our tours for those travelling with children wonderfully combine landscapes, culture, local traditions and connections to children’s literature. In Glasgow you can visit the wonderful Kelvingrove Museum, favourite museum for family days out in Scotland; the Riverside Museum of Transport, an interactive experience for adults and kids alike: the Hunterian Museum, which houses the footprints of the world’s smallest dinosaur, found right here in Scotland. From the Central Lowlands, where Edinburgh and Glasgow lie, you will head north , where you immerse yourself in the wonderful and pure, wild nature of the Highlands, dotted along your route, you can visit old castles, full of mystery, or stop for a pleasant visit to a Botanic Garden walking amongst magnificent, old trees, where you might even stumble across the Gruffalo! The good-natured monster, created by author Julia Donaldson, and now famous throughout the world. Above all, children love the Fairy Trails, created for their fun, bells and little gates adorn the paths, semi-hidden in amongst the roots of great trees. Crossing glens, sea lochs, mountains and lochs you arrive at Loch Ness, world-famous for its Monster, affectionately called Nessie by the Scots. Did you know that there are more sheep than humans living in Scotland?! On this tour you can take part in an amusing, but informative Sheepdog Demonstration. The Border Collie, the famous Scottish breed used as a sheepdog is known for its acute intelligence and memory, at the end of the demonstration , if you are lucky, you might even get the chance to play with the puppies. At the delightful, historic village of Dunkeld, you could take the kids to visit Beatrix Potter’s House, it is here, where the English author spent her holidays, taking inspiration for her famous characters of Peter Rabbit. Whether old or young, the City of Dundee, with its many, many museums is a great visit. The Discovery, in particular, is always a hit, this hip, famously built in the city for the British Arctic Expedition of Captain Scott, sits in a dock and is a floating museum, impressive with its sails unfurled and billowing in the breeze. Let’s not forget Edinburgh, capital city, wealthy and elegant, and three times a UNESCO City, with its medieval Old Town, its elegant Georgian New Town, and its literary past making it UNESCO’s first ever City of Literature. Of the many, many museums, your children will find the National Museum unforgettable, here you will find everything, from Ancient Egypt to Dolly the Sheep! Edinburgh is also the city which inspired the Harry Potter novels. Your guide will not only show you the classic sites of this stunning city, but also follow in the footsteps of Hogwarts’ most famous pupil Harry Potter, and if you are not too frightened to pass into an old cemetery, you can visit the tomb of Lord Voldemort!

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest, and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and build it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee
• Interactive Museums for all the family
• Visit the historic villages of Luss, Inverary, Pitlochry, Dunkeld,…
• The famous Border Collies
• Highland cows
• Beatrix Potter’s House and Peter Rabbit
• The inspiration of Harry Potter, from Hogwarts to the Tomb of Tom Riddle
• The Gruffalo and the Fairy Trails
• The largest Lochs in Scotland (and the UK), Loch Lomond and Loch Ness
• The famous Highland Games (Summer months)
• Panoramic boat trips on the lochs

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 6 and 9 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Starting from £1600 per adult. Children go free in most attractions and benefit from reduced rates in most accommodations.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Scotland is a country home to many internationally-renowned chefs and a plethora of world-class, local produce of the highest quality imaginable. You want examples? The renowned Aberdeen Angus cattle, one of the most celebrated breeds of beef cattle in the world. The lamb from Scotland’s most northerly islands of Shetland, also top-quality and D.O.P., this met is succulent, tender and naturally, lightly-salted (like other breeds of sheep in Scotland which feed on algae and salt-marsh grasses on the coastlines and islands of Scotland); venison, known for its delicious taste and low-cholesterol, due to the deer’s diet of grasses from the heather-clad moorlands; oatcakes, oats are one of Scotland’s most widely-grown cereals; the wide array of vegetables, like Kale, used in many, many different dishes: in Summer you will find a wide array of soft fruits, often for sale direct from the farms, where along the roadsides you will see signs offering you to “Pick your own”; fresh fish and seafood from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, haddock, oysters, mussels, scallops, lobster, crabs and many, many more; baked goods like pies and bridies. The list goes on, you will find Scottish cuisine truly wonderful, from the pop-up, simple street food stalls to exquisite and elaborate more traditional of the more renowned restaurants. From seasonal kiosks selling seafood to little smokeries where you can try some of the many types of smoked foods that Scotland is famed for (whilst Scotland is famous for its smoked salmon, why not try some of the lesser-known products, like smoked mussels in malt vinegar, or smoked venison. From the famous pies of Scotland’s butchers and bakers, to multi-award winning restaurants situated in ancient castles, from Hebridean cottages to the great cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the gastronomic scene in Scotland is exciting and constantly evolving. There is enough in Scotland to satisfy the taste and palate of even the most ardent Foodie. Let’s not forget the booming gin sector, craft beer brewing, Honey Cider and the hundreds of various whiskies, exported across the globe. Why not try a tasting at a distillery, or go for something even more refined and try whisky-tasting accompanied with fine chocolates Forget about any connections to the poor reputation of “British Cuisine”, and let your taste-buds run riot with a wonderful, sublime, Scottish gastronomic experience. As well as being massive foodies, Diana and Federica are passionate about the quality and origins of the produce, and at Stilla we actively support Slow Food UK in Scotland, this movement founded by Carlo Petrini, this movement includes Chef Alliance, a network of chefs who only use locally-sourced products of the highest quality. Maybe you will have heard of some of the names involved, like Neil Forbes, Colin Clydesdale, Carina Contini, Graeme Pallister, Marcin Madregal, Suzanne O’Connor, Tom Lewis and Zoltan Szabo. All these chefs contribute to the protection and over 60 products included in the Scottish Ark of Taste. By choosing Stilla, you not only guarantee a delicious, culinary experience, but you will also be actively helping to support the conservation of Scotland’s biodiversity, but also to protect a traditional way of living with nature, which otherwise could be in danger of disappearing.

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest, and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and build it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• The Ark of Taste Scotland
• Slow Food UK restaurants adhering to strict Chef’s Alliance rules on produce
• Award-winning restaurants whether in cottages or castles
• The restaurants of Edinburgh and Glasgow
• Quality Street Food and Seafood Shacks
• Fish and Seafood
• Bakery products
• Pubs and Gastro-pubs
• Artisan breweries
• Whisky and gin distilleries
• Single Malt whiskies
• Peated whiskies
• Scottish chocolates, fudge and honey
• The Full Scottish Breakfast
• Berries and soft fruit
• Wild game
• Meat and fish smokeries
• Techniques of traditional food preservation
• Castles, gardens and stately homes

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 3 and 8 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Ferry

Starting from £900 per person.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!

Scotland is a country steeped in mystery, legends and traditions going back to the mists of time where castles and homes and narrow city streets are home to ghosts and spirits, some friendly however many are less so! A long and bloody history, battles between clans and families; evil rulers, massacres and treachery , heroes and villains, have all added to the legends, tales and folklore of the country, from remote Highland glens, to the great Lowland Estates and lands, islands to mainland, male and female, William Wallace, the great leader and freedom fighter, to Flora MacDonald, heroine of the Jacobite Rebellion, spirits and stories still haunt the land.However, it is not just the great and famous and their tales, but Scotland is also about Celtic Gods, Sea Monsters, fairies and evil spirits, and which even today locals are still aware of and show respect towards. The legend of the Clootie Trees, still to this day, people bring an item of clothing to tie to the tree, in the hope that the fairies take away their troubles, which are in the clothes left, these can be found at a few different locations in Scotland, and are haunting sites. The gift of the Second Sight, often believed to have been given to the seventh child of the seventh child by the fairies; the magical powers were so strong, that even Clan Chiefs are said to have been seduced by fairies and “gifts” from these fairies are still jealously guarded by the ancestors of the Clan. However they weren’t all good fairies; the Kelpies, which were believed to have the form of a water-horse, who lived along the banks of rivers and streams, were said to lie in wait to lure children away into the depths of the water with them. It is thought that this is where the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie came from. As it is believed that these mythical creatures were afraid of metal, it might be best to keep a coin or two in your pocket if venturing for a walk near water! Ancient Celtic churches are still guarded by water-sculpted stones from the rivers; these stones, with weird, human-like forms are believed to protect the church, and are so revered, that in many cases, they are still housed inside in Winter, to save them from intemperate weather. Many of the local festivals celebrated still have their roots in these thousand-years old Pagan beliefs. The best of these are the Fire or Light Festivals, so old that many of the participants may have forgotten the reasons behind them, but still continue, every year to participate in and celebrate these festivals which herald the beginning of the return of daylight to the now lengthening days. Standing Stone Circles and Monoliths dot the landscape; these sites, dating back millenia are still a puzzle to many today, and allow the modern traveller to steep themselves in these evocative locations and to let their imagination run riot.

Depending on the length of your trip, personal interest, and budget, you can pick out whatever you like the most from the list below and build it into your unique Stilla Finest Scotland Experience!

• Mysterious Edinburgh
• Mysterious Glasgow
• Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Mary King’s Close
• The Castles of Glamis, Cawdor, Urquhart, Dunottar
• Dunvegan Castle and the Fairy Flag
• Strathtay
• Kilmartin Glen and its prehistoric sites
• The Fairy Tree in Aberfoyle
• The Isle of Skye and its legends
• Loch Ness and the monster Nessie!
• Trossachs and Loch Lomond National Park
• Stone Circles on the Islands and on the Mainland
• The Clootie Well on the Black Isle
• The Mystical Ancestral Pilgrimages
• Celtic traditions
• Winter Fire Festivals
• Old Clan Battlefields
• The Kelpies
• Ruined abbeys and monasteries
• The life and times of Mary, Queen of Scots
• In the Footsteps of William Wallace
• The Fairy Bridge
• Pictish Stones
• Local legends
• The history of the Seers, Second Sight and premonitions in Scotland

We normally offer 3- or 4-star hotels or if you wish, we can provide luxury accommodation.

However, if you are more on the adventurous side don’t be afraid to ask us for quirky accommodation! From the safari tent to the baronial Scottish castle at Stilla we have everything covered!

We reccomend a minimum between 3 and 8 days.

You can choose to drive a rented car or be accompained by a driver and/or a guide or if travelling in a group we can hire a bus or minibus for you! Again, at Stilla we have everything covered!

Our best suggestions for this tour::

Hire car

Hire car with driver and/or guide

Ferry

Mini-bus

Bus

Starting from £700 per adult.

The prices per person are for the high season and they are purely indicative; They never include flights and insurance, but they always include transports, accommodation in 3/4 star hotels and entrance to the main tourist attractions.

Although most of our tours are suitable for everyone please do take into consideration that a few sites, especially those in remote areas may not be fully accessible to guests with reduced mobility, therefore feel free to enquire with us as to the suitability of each tour; it is our priority to design itineraries our guests can enjoy to the fullest satisfaction!