Luxury · London & Edinburgh
London & Edinburgh by Rail
The Tower of London with a private guide and a West End show, then first class by train to Edinburgh for the castle, a whisky tasting, Stirling and Loch Lomond.
- Duration
- 6 nights
- Guide price
- from $3,900 pp
- Best time
- May–Sep
Three nights in each city, joined by a train rather than a flight, so the trip has one travel day in the middle. London is busy by design and Edinburgh is calmer, and the day out to Stirling and Loch Lomond gives you a first look at the Highlands without a long drive.
The itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Arrival in London
Overnight flights land at Heathrow in the morning, and a driver brings you into town. Walk through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace, and keep dinner early.
Day 2
The Tower and the West End
Be at the Tower of London as it opens. Your guide tells the story of the Crown Jewels outside the Jewel House, then you go in to see them before the lines form. Cross Tower Bridge for lunch at Borough Market, and spend the evening at a West End show.
Day 3
Westminster and Afternoon Tea
Visit Westminster Abbey in the morning and take afternoon tea at the hotel. The rest of the day is for the museums, many of them free, or for the shops of Mayfair.
Day 4
North by Train
A first-class train from King's Cross reaches Edinburgh in about four and a half hours, the last stretch running along the Northumberland coast. Walk the Royal Mile before dinner.
Day 5
The Castle and the Whisky
A guide takes you around Edinburgh Castle and its views across the city to the sea. In the evening, a whisky tasting explains the difference between the regions.
Day 6
Stirling and Loch Lomond
A driver-guide takes you to Stirling Castle, about an hour away, then west to Loch Lomond, at the edge of the Highlands, for lunch by the water.
Day 7
Home from Edinburgh
Edinburgh airport is about 30 minutes from the city, with flights home direct or through London.
Want it a little different?
Continue north for two nights in the Highlands near Loch Ness, add the Harry Potter film studio tour for children, or come in August for the Edinburgh festivals and book early.