Scotland Travel Guide

We just spent two weeks in Scotland and Ireland, arranged for us by Zicasso’s travel specialists. What a five-star experience! Both of them have traveled extensively in the UK and Ireland, with one having grown up in the UK. They always seemed to know where we wanted to be.

This trip was a bit more challenging due to unexpected spine surgery a mere eight weeks prior to the trip. Between the perfect selection of lovely hotels at all the right locations and the nice people of these two countries, everything was accessible, despite using a walker. We could not have asked for more beautiful vistas, castles, and cultural amenities, ranging from lively Irish pubs to the finest museums (we’re art buffs). We also ate at spectacular restaurants selected by the travel company, in addition to terrific tours tailored to our specific interests.

Not only was the planning for the trip exceptional, but the travel specialists were there for us at a moment’s notice when things went awry. All trains in Scotland were canceled for a day due to 100mph winds from Storm Amy. We were pinned down in Edinburgh (a great place to be trapped) and took in additional sites, while the travel company saw to it that we had a lovely hotel room to spend our extra night in Edinburgh. Many people wound up sleeping in the train station. Our train was rescheduled strategically for the next day by the travel specialists, while we enjoyed Scotland’s National Art Gallery and our vacation continued seamlessly.

The transition from Scotland to Ireland was delightfully easy and our time in Ireland was spent exactly as planned. As I’m unable to drive and did not want my wife to be unable to sightsee while we traveled, the travel company got us (per our request) to far western Ireland and the Aran Islands, where Gaelic languages are still spoken and centuries-old Irish traditions are still maintained. We traveled by train so we could both sit back and take in the beautiful countryside.

There, we used our castle hotel in County Clare as a base for travel by car and enjoyed several days pursuing our own agenda and taking in the splendor of castle living. This was amazing, likely the most elegant place my wife and I have ever stayed, yet the venue had a comfortably casual vibe and an incredibly helpful staff that made accessibility problem-free. We would definitely block out a day just to stay on the castle grounds and enjoy the property and activities if we are able to return.

The Cliffs of Moher were spectacular, as were the Aran Islands, right down to a rainbow which vanished before we could find the “pot of gold” at the end. That being said, we think “the pot of gold” is Ireland itself... the sites, the people, the music, the food… the list is endless. We cleared US Customs in Shannon so we were able to fly to the US with no TSA or customs issues.

We returned to find an itinerary summary prepared by the travel specialists for submission to our travel insurance company for any storm-related refunds that the travel company had not already arranged for us. Simply a wonderful, stress-free trip, with the travel company at work continuously to assure that the experience was optimal, and it was five-star from start to finish. We can’t extend a higher recommendation to Zicasso’s travel specialists for a wonderful, intimate tour of the UK and Ireland.      

To start off, if you’re considering Scotland, consider no more, book it! This was one of the best vacations of my life. Flying into Edinburgh was a rush! Thick cloud coverage kept the city and surrounding area a secret until the plane’s wheels practically touched down. From that point on, Zicasso's travel specialist and his team had us on the move.

After getting our rental car from the airport car rental (fantastic service, by the way), we headed to our first historical site of many, Linlithgow Palace. When I say it takes your breath away, I mean it! It was everything I hoped for and more.

I won’t go into all the details of where we went because we went all over. Instead, I’ll say this: the tour operator had us staying at the best, most unique, and charming accommodations, took care of all our palace, castle, tour, and attraction tickets, handled restaurant reservations, and set us up with the best tour guide for Edinburgh I’ve ever had. Our guide was fabulous! I could’ve spent a week listening to her teach us about Scotland’s deep, rich, immense history and culture. I cannot wait to return to this gorgeous country and will absolutely use the tour operator’s service again. Highly recommended!

Slàinte mhath! 

Zicasso’s tour operator was able to put together a last-minute trip to Scotland for us! The trip was wonderful! Everything was seamless and so well planned!

Zicasso’s travel agent and her team strived and succeeded in making the vision I had for this trip become a reality.

Zicasso’s tour operator is a top-notch company that listened carefully to our needs and curated a wonderful trip for our family. Communication went well in the planning process, during the trip, and afterwards, when we had to rely on the tour operator to help us with an insurance claim. Overall, we are very happy with this travel company and the Zicasso recommendation.

We were especially happy with our driver, who was assigned to us throughout our trip. He was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely accommodating to our group. So a big shout-out to him.

The trip was beyond my expectations! It was well organized, with a personable, and knowledgeable guide. I cried saying goodbye to him at the end of the tour! I have had an experience of a lifetime.