Literary Scotland, & the Edinburgh festival

If you have any interest in drama, literature, music or dance, then this is the week to be in Scotland’s capital – during the International Festival.

Edinburgh is alive with the arts. Every hole in the ground houses a performance of some nature – and we’re not joking! There are an estimated 3000 plus events during the festival. It includes the main arts festival (opera, dance, theatre), a book festival, a TV and film festival and the world renowned ‘fringe’ festival where you’ll see the stars of tomorrow launching their careers.

There’s street entertainment on virtually every corner and, adding yet one more layer to an incredible time, there’s also the searchlight military tattoo on that most amazing of stages, Edinburgh Castle.

This wonderful week combines the ‘best of the fest’ (you have tickets for two main shows, two fringe performances and the Tattoo) with an exploration of some of Scotland’s greatest literary figures, their homes, museums and parts of the country from which they drew their inspiration. Walter Scott, Robbie Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thomas Carlyle, Boswell and Englishman, Daniel Defoe, are just some of the featured writers. www.go-edinburgh.co.uk

To add to your pleasure, our guide-companion on this tour will be someone who has performed at the festival.

Remember that the tour is available for just 11 persons.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY	NIGHTSTOP
Day One - Sunday
Morning arrival in Edinburgh. Today, we’ll be giving you a general orientation tour of this city dubbed the ‘Athens of the North’. It will give us time to get acquainted with festival schedules and venues as well as seeing some of the primary tourist sites. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel.	Edinburgh
Day Two - Monday
Edinburgh Day. We start this stupendous week’s entertainment with a walking tour of old Edinburgh with particular focus on the city’s literary monuments, museums and inspirations. You’ll see where Robert Louis Stevenson lived, where Boswell first met Dr Johnson and be introduced (figuratively!) to some new contemporary writers through local points of interest. Tonight, we attend our first show, a main festival performance.	Edinburgh
Day Three - Tuesday
Robbie Burns Day. We’ll take Robbie Burns as today’s writer and explore the area most associated with this giant amongst Scotland’s literary lions. The county of Ayrshire and the town of Ayr itself are the setting for the Robbie Burns trail. We’ll visit his birthplace museum cottage, the famed Brigadoon and several other sites connected with the 18th century poetic genius. We’ll also visit Ecclefechan, home of Thomas Carlyle, arguably Scotland’s finest historian. Tonight, naturally, dinner will include haggis and Burns’ ode will be said over the dish! Later, we’ll visit a fringe event.	Edinburgh
Day Four - Wednesday
Walter Scott Day. That terrific novelist Walter Scott is today’s literary figure. Scott's novels, ‘Ivanhoe’ and ‘Rob Roy’, still stand the test of time. Although Scott found inspiration across the length and breadth of Scotland, particularly for his 'Waverly' novels, it is the ‘Border’ region that we’ll concentrate on today. Abbotsford was Scott’s home. It is a fascinating visit, not only because there are a great number of his own possessions, art and artifacts, for his presence can be sensed in every room. We’ll visit various castles and abbeys throughout the Border, linking each to moments in Scott’s works. Tonight a quiet evening in Edinburgh with the chance to simply stroll and absorb the energy of the city.	Edinburgh
Day Five - Thursday
A Literary Highlands day. The Highland region of the Trossachs call us today. This is ‘Rob Roy’ country and we’ll certainly visit his tomb and loch-side village. This is a day of stunning scenery. We’ll also be visiting Stirling and its mighty fortress. Our final main Festival performance tonight will feature music and/or dance.	Edinburgh
Day Six - Friday
The Royal Kingdom of Fife. Across the Forth lie the ancient Stuart ancestral lands of Fife. Dunfermline, Falkland Palace and St Andrews have featured in many a tale of history and romance. More modern authors of historical romance, such as Jean Plaidy and Nigel Trantner, have made extensive use of the tempestuous history of the region. At Lower Leven, on the Fife coast, lived a certain Andrew Selkirk. This 17^th century sailor was marooned on a deserted island and his story provided Daniel Defoe with the inspiration for ‘Robinson Crusoe’.	Edinburgh
Day Seven - Saturday
Edinburgh: free day. Time to revisit the castle or perhaps the Scottish National Museum to see literary manuscripts. Maybe, you’ll prefer to simply ‘hang-out’, take in another fringe event, watch street performers, tour the whiskey centre, buy a kilt (!) or just some souvenirs. Tonight we have our finale to a memorable week, the unforgettable Edinburgh Tattoo. There can be no finer spectacle than the sight of precision marching to the swirl of bagpipes set in Edinburgh’s majestic and historic castle. You're free to eat independently before we meet for the Tattoo.	Edinburgh
Day Eight - Sunday
Our week is at an end. Today you’ll be either transferred to your embarkation point or, perhaps, you’ll want to extend your stay in Edinburgh. When you do finally leave, you’ll be taking home treasured memories of one of the world’s greatest festivals, of sites evoking the works of some of Scotland’s greatest writers and - or we won’t have done our job well - a new knowledge of contemporary writers to read and explore during the months ahead.