Celtic Christianity in Scotland | Sept. 3, 2025
Join us for a Celtic Christianity in Scotland tour on September 3, 2025, starting at $4,398* from New York, NY. You will see the “bonny, bonny banks” of Loch Lomond as we make our way north to Celtic Scotland to the coast to Oban. Ferry to Lismore, where there are two ruins of 13th-century castles, Coeffin and Achanduin, on the island to explore. Continue to Iona, the internationally renowned place of Celtic Christianity. See St. Martin’s Cross, take a city tour of Glasgow, George Square, and Clyde Arc known by the locals as “Squinty Bridge". Visit the Church of St. Mungo, the coastal town of Whithorn, Candida Casa, St. Ninian’s Cave, the Torhouse Stone Circle, considered a Druid site, and much more!
Register Early & Save
$150 by October 3, 2024
$125 by November 3, 2024
$100 by December 3, 2024
$75 by January 3, 2025
$50 by February 3, 2025
$25 by March 3, 2025
What’s Included
- All Inclusive Pricing
- Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
- Entrance and Program Fees
- First Class Hotels
- Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes
- Guided Tours
- Hotel Gratuities
- International Airfare from NY
- Overseas Airport Transfers
- Meals as listed on itinerary
- Administrative fees
^ Additional Baggage & Optional fees may apply.
† If air purchased through EO.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 September 3 – Depart the USA
Day 2 September 4 – Welcome to Scotland
Your representatives will meet you at Glasgow airport and escort you to your bus. Pass the “bonny, bonny banks” of Loch Lomond as you make our way north to Celtic Scotland. From here, you will follow the coast to Oban, where you will check into our hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 3 September 5 – Lismore
Take the ferry today to Lismore. Saint Moluag founded a monastery on Lismore in the 6th century AD. The island was a center of Celtic Christianity and later the seat of the medieval bishopric of Argyll. There are also two ruins of 13th-century castles on the island, Coeffin and Achanduin. Return to Oban for dinner and your overnight stay.
Note - The Isle of Lismore involves over 7 miles of walking. Those not willing or able to walk the distance are offered the option to stay in Oban for the day and enjoy the various sites, shops, and restaurants in the town.
Day 4 September 6 – Mull & Iona
Iona is the internationally renowned place of Celtic Christianity. In 563, Columba was exiled from Ireland and founded the monastery here in 564 AD. From one of the best-preserved abbeys to St. Martin’s Cross, the island is a place of pilgrimage and reflection for Christians from around the world. The ancient burial ground contains the graves of many of the early Scottish Kings. You will take the ferry back, returning to Oban for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 5 September 7 – Oban to Glasgow
Depart Oban and head south for your city tour of Glasgow. Drive to George Square at the heart of the city. See the Clyde Arc or “Squinty Bridge” as locals refer to it. On the south side is the Pacific Quay and several parks to enjoy. Visit Glasgow Cathedral, also known as the Church of St. Mungo. Raised by St. Serf while ministering to the Picts (local Scots), he became a missionary to the people along the Clyde River, now Glasgow. His tomb is in the lower crypt. Check into your Ayr hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 6 September 8 – Whithorn
Journey south to the coastal town of Whithorn. Here, Candida Casa, or “White House,” was built by St. Ninian around 397 AD. A monastery was founded around the site and became a place of pilgrimage for centuries. The late medieval priory is ruinous, with only a portion of the nave still visible. The museum in town contains the Latinus Stone, a 5th-century, Christian memorial, as well as other finds from the site. See St. Ninian’s Cave along the shore. See the Torhouse Stone Circle, considered a Druid site, and be reminded of the local traditions that Celtic Christians faced in Scotland. Return to Ayr for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 7 September 9 – Glasgow to Edinburgh
Today, you’ll cross Scotland and stop in Stirling. Visit the Church of the Holy Rude, built over the original structure in the 1400’s. See the Battlefield at Stirling Bridge and continue to Edinburgh for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 8 September 10 – Edinburgh
Edinburgh replaced Scone as the capital of Scotland in 1437. The site of Edinburgh Castle has held a fort since Celtic times and St. Margaret’s Chapel dates to the 12th century. The present-day fortress continues to serve as a military post as well as a museum. Tour St. Giles Cathedral. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Edinburgh, which oldest portions date to 1124. See Holyrood Palace, an official residence of the British Crown whose grounds date back to an Augustinian Monastery. Return to your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 9 September 11 – Dunfermline & St. Andrews
Cross the Firth of Forth to Fife. Stop at Dunfermline Abbey, where St. Margaret and Robert the Bruce are buried. Continue past picturesque fishing villages to St. Andrews, the ancient ecclesiastical capital of Scotland. Visit the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral and the nearby castle with its notorious “Bottle Dungeon.” Take a look at the “Old Course” at St. Andrews, renowned as the home of golf! Return to Edinburgh for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 10 September 12 – Farewell or enjoy an extension
Return home from Edinburgh with memories of the people and places of Celtic Christianity in Scotland or continue on to the Celtic Ireland extension.
Enhance Your Journey
Celtic Ireland Extension Starting from $1628
September 12 - 15, 2025 Starting at $1,628*
September 12 – Dublin
We will start our day in Dublin with a walking tour of Trinity College. Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, it is the oldest college in Ireland. We’ll visit the Old Library here and see the Book of Kells, an ornately illustrated Bible produced by Celtic Monks around 800 AD. Continue on to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The church was transitioned from a Catholic church to the Church of Ireland over the centuries. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels and a critic of British rule, was a pastor here. Enjoy a driving tour of the city before checking into the hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.
September 13 – Bru na Boinne, the Hill of Tara & Monasterboice
Head north and discover the rich history of Celtic life at the Bru na Boinne Prehistoric Monuments. You will see one of the Passage Tomb sites here, such as Newgrange and Knowth. They are richly decorated with megalithic art. From the time of the first Celtic influence until the 1169 invasion, the Hill of Tara was the island’s political and spiritual capital. It contains several ancient monuments and, according to tradition, was the seat of the High King of Ireland. Walk the grounds of Monasterboice Monastery, where some of the finest 9th-century High Crosses can be seen. Founded in 521 AD by St. Buite, the ruins remain a testament to their Christian heritage. Return to your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.
September 14 – Glendalough & Dublin
Board the bus for a ride through scenic Wicklow County to Glendalough, one of the most beautiful spots in all of Ireland. Here, St. Kevin founded a monastery in 498. See the Celtic High Crosses and a stone-roofed church. Explore the wonderful hiking trails around the two lakes. Finish the day with time on your own this afternoon in Dublin before dinner and your overnight stay.
September 15 – Return to the USA
Return home with memories of the people and places of your Celtic Christian heritage.
*A 3.5% surcharge will be added to all credit card transactions.
Guests taking an extension may be on a different flight than their group and/or traveling companion.