Scotland has the sheer personality that makes for a trip of a lifetime. The most beautiful places in Scotland include its castles, world famous lochs, national parks, buzzy cities, historic towns, white sand island hideaways and natural wonders. You can visit Scotland with Luxury Gold as part of either our British Royale or our Castles & Kingdoms journeys – both of these travel from Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England, across the border to Edinburgh, where we take in Edinburgh castle, a whisky tasting and the 17th century Mary King’s Close. And you could easily extend your journey to fit in some of the special Scotland attractions below.

Edinburgh

It’s hard to believe Edinburgh is real until you’re within it, meandering its cobbled streets and otherworldly nooks in search of ice cream or Harry Potter or whisky or books or vintage clothes, while the castle looms above you, as though it’s floating in the clouds, and the sound of bagpipes drifts on the wind. Edinburgh’s dazzling array of architectural styles makes it one of the most beautiful cities on earth to behold. See it all on a Scotland luxury tour.

2. Isle of Skye

Were you to ask, what is the prettiest part of Scotland?, many people will respond: the Isle of Skye. The largest island in the Inner Hebrides archipelago is a dramatic, rugged, 50-mile beauty, graced with nature’s most bountiful riches: mountains, volcanic rock formations, craggy coastline, shimmering lochs and heather-covered hills. Despite all the drama, it’s a distinctly serene place, ideal for those seeking a quiet, restorative Scotland trip.

You may also enjoy reading: The 10 Most Scenic Train Rides in Europe: From Switzerland to Scotland.

3. Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is the largest of the lakes of mainland Britain but only the second most famous lake in Scotland (after Loch Ness, of course). Alongside the area of wooded glens and braes that surround it (the Trossachs) this is a scenic area with a little bit of everything to offer. You can take a waterbus from various piers around the loch and explore the landscape – and you’re rarely more than an hour from Glasgow.

4. Cairngorms National Park

What is the most magical place in Scotland? Well, this national park in northeast Scotland looks like an ice queen took up residence centuries ago. The mountains that give the national park its name provide a unique arctic-alpine environment, with snowy peaks and reindeer at large. It’s a semi-tundra moorland habitat, home to ospreys, golden eagles, snow buntings, crested tits and many more rare species of wildlife. They’re not Scotland’s highest mountains, but they’re easily the wildest.

Bookmark for later: The Great Clans of Scotland

5. Stirling

There is something very special and uniquely Scottish about this little city that sits surrounded by swathes of gorgeous scenery, with a mighty castle sitting on an intrusive crag. The Old Town offers cobbled streets and historic buildings, and the castle ramparts have seen attacks, sieges and royal business dating back to the 12th century. You can look out from them, over the Forth Valley, the National Wallace Monument and the strategic approach to the castle gates.

6. The Argyll Peninsulas

There is a deliciously protected little microclimate in this glittering, oasis-like area of the west coast, where so many little nuggets of land jut out into the sea that Argyll comprises 3,000 miles of coastline, about the same as the whole of France. There are castles and forts aplenty and some incredible wildlife to spot too, including basking sharks, otters and white-tailed eagles.

You may also like to read: The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World You Need to Visit

7. The Highlands

People travel to Scotland on the sleeper train in order to fall asleep in one magical European city (London) and wake up in another (Edinburgh), but also because the views out of the window of the Highlands are spectacular – it feels like the most beautiful places in Scotland are flashing through your window. There’s the wilderness of Rannoch Moor and then lochs and glens all the way to the Glenfinnan Viaduct – the one from the Hogwarts Express.

8. Ben Nevis

This one is Scotland’s highest mountain, and the wider UK’s highest mountain too. And on a clear, crisp day the views from the top are electric, making the climb well worthwhile. If you don’t fancy the six to nine-hour hike, though, you can take the gondola up Aonach Mor next door. It’s intended for use by hill walkers looking to reach specific routes, but it offers panoramic views of the Scottish Highlands up and down, all year long, including the Great Glen and Ben Nevis himself.

Discover what’s so special about your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge: How Travel Concierge Shona Goes Above and Beyond

9. Isle of Mull

Embrace nature on Mull in the Inner Hebrides, where crags of solid black basalt sit against Maldives-esque white sand and whales, dolphins and porpoises can be spotted off the coast. The main town, Tobermory, is as beautiful as it sounds, too, with its row of colourful houses on a sheltered bay – a place to slow down, pottering in the old pub, tea room, cheese shop and mini distillery.

10. The Borders

The much-contested border between England and Scotland is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland for some leisurely sightseeing, with its unique blend of Scottish and Northern English charm, majestic landscapes and historical landmarks. Pretty towns here bustle with independent shops and cafes, which sit almost impossibly between castles and ruins. Particularly atmospheric is Jedburgh, a picturesque town which boasts the ruins of a Romanesque and early Gothic abbey, a brilliant castle-turned-jail-turned-museum.

Bookmark for later: Meet Andy Coulter, the Highland Piper with Royal Connections

11. Fingal’s Cave

A short boat ride from Mull, this enchanting sea cave is found on the uninhabited isle of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides. Formed over 50 million years ago, Fingal’s Cave is similar in structure to Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, sculpted entirely by nature from hexagonal basalt columns which appear to rise directly from the sea. The volcanic columns are home to black guillemots and puffins, creating a scene that is pure fantasy.

12. Isle of Barra

In the Outer Hebrides, Barra is a rugged beauty that has been jokingly referred to as Barradise and Barrabados – for its white sands, turquoise waters, but also its hills, machair and moor, not to mention the sight of planes landing on the hard-sand beach at low tide. There are epic adventures to be had on Barra, including sea kayaking trips, surf lessons. snorkelling with seals and coasteering.

For the ultimate luxury tour to Britain, including Scotland, take a look at our British Royale or our Castles & Kingdoms small-group journeys.

The great thing about bucket lists is that every single one is different. Your particular bucket list may be about unique places to stay or unique places to eat, it may centre around traditional local cultures or culinary experiences, you may be in the market for outdoor activities, or you may just want to add some breathtaking views to the memory bank. Wherever your travel interests lie, we know that as a Luxury Gold guest, you will want to do it in style. Here are 10 unique vacations of the moment.

1. Chase the Northern Lights

Scientists think the furthest south the aurora borealis has been spotted is in Honolulu, and over recent years parts of Europe have had surprise sightings. But if you want to be fully immersed in the holographic splendor of the sun and earth’s clashing magnetic fields, you will have to commit more time and patience to the experience. To “chase” the northern lights, your best bet is to head to northern Norway, somewhere like Tromsö, where your probability of seeing the sky lit up with blues, greens and purples is 70-90% in cloudless conditions between August and April.

You may also enjoy reading:Unusual Architecture: Design Marvels Across Europe

2. Receive a Shaman’s Welcome in the Sacred Valley

Our Treasures of the Incas journey is one of our most unique vacations; once you’ve met a local artist in Lima, it’s time to venture into the Sacred Valley in the Andes of Peru, north of the Inca capital of Cusco. Here, a local shaman will perform a welcoming ceremony, designed to connect you to this magical, mystical place of natural beauty, before you head on to the travel bucket list classic, Machu Picchu. Dating back to pre-historic times, the welcome ceremony is a way to celebrate and show gratitude to Pachamama, the only goddess revered by the Indigenous people of the Andes. The journey continues on to Buenos Aires and to Rio de Janeiro for cocktails on Copacabana Beach.

3. Sleep Under the Stars in California

Don’t overlook what’s on your doorstep in favor of getting off the beaten path to find the world’s “hidden gems”. California’s National Parks are home to some of the most iconic views and landscapes on the planet. Yosemite is popular because it’s special – it has glacier-sculpted geology, fairytale sequoias, jewel-like lakes and so much more. Everyone who enters falls in love, particularly if they stay at one of 13 campgrounds, with access to a campfire.

4. Enjoy a Soothing, Open-air Onsen in Japan

Hot springs and the bathing facilities around them are called “onsen” in Japan, where they constitute an important part of daily life and are deeply rooted in the culture. Benefits of bathing in hot springs include relaxation, improved sleep, improved circulation, less joint pain, better skin and a clearer mind. Onsen etiquette usually requires full nudity and no tattoos. Our Majestic Japan journey features the Oirase Keiryu Hotel, one of our most unique places to stay, thanks to its onsen deep within the forest.

Bookmark for later: These Are The Most Unique Romantic Getaways The World Has To Offer

5. Get a Taste for the Wine Life in South Africa

South Africa is home to some of the most breathtaking views in the world. It’s a wildly diverse place to travel, with culinary experiences, wildlife spotting and outdoor activities all on the agenda. Those looking for unique family vacations choose the safari, but if following the vines has always appealed to you, this is the place to do that, too. On our Spectacular South Africa journey, we head to the historic Cape Winelands, where we travel by chauffeured vintage car to indulge in a wine tasting at Vergelegen Estate and a farm-to-table lunch at Boschendal Wine Estate. Sip a delicious Pinotage surrounded by astounding natural beauty – it’s one for the books.

6. Behold an Uluru Sunset

Two weeks in Australia – you’ve probably been meaning to do it for a while, if you haven’t already. Our luxury journey takes in some of the country’s more unusual vacation destinations, as well as classics like Sydney, Melbourne and the Great Barrier Reef. Near the centre of Australia is Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, a large sandstone monolith. It is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area, known as the Anangu. Stopping here to see the sun slip behind the rock is soul-stirring experience – this is a landscape of surreal proportions, awash with the pinks, purples and oranges that only the sun can conjure.

7. Spy the Elusive Tigers of Ranthambore

On the Essence of India, we take the Jan Shatabdi Express from historic Bharatpur to Ranthambore, one of our favorite and most unusual vacation destinations. It’s a vast expanse of wild jungle, with a 10th century palace at its centre, and it’s the greatest place to spot wild tigers. In the former private hunting grounds of the maharajahs of Jaipur, we join a Local Expert on a quest, exploring the fort’s crocodile-filled lakes and vine-laced chhatris (dome-shaped pavilions) along the way.

You may also like: Step Inside the Most Unique Luxury Retreats in India

8. Take the Orient Express to Venice

This one is high on many bucket lists, and rightfully so. It is simply one of the world’s most decadent ways to travel, and it seems fitting that you should take it between two similarly decadent destinations: Paris and Venice. The carriages on the world famous train date from the Golden Age of travel, the 1920s and 30s, and the art-deco features are a feast for the senses, even without the views through the windows. Every detail and moment of a journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has been carefully considered.

9. Go Whale Watching in Kaikoura

New Zealand dazzles from top to bottom, with the makings of unique vacations every stop of the way. Our luxury journey, The Long White Cloud, takes in the wilderness of Wanaka, the adventure of Queenstown, the mammoth serenity of the Fiordland National Park and sulphuric Rotorua, where we tour a working kiwi nursery and hatchery. There are nonstop bucket list ticks here, but Kaikoura often tops them all, particularly if you love wildlife spotting. Giant sperm whales live reasonably close to the shore of Kaikoura year-round, and there is little on earth that tops spying one of these glorious creatures from a catamaran.

More travel inspiration for those seeing a unique vacation: These Are The Most Unique Romantic Getaways The World Has To Offer

10. Dance at Mardi Gras in New Orleans

You are never short of unique things to do in New Orleans, and a trip here should be considered a bucket list trip anyway, particularly by those seeking new culinary experiences. But if you can make it here for Mardi Gras, there is simply nothing on earth like it. On Fat Tuesday, right before Ash Wednesday, it’s an epic carnival featuring parades and parties of pure, unadulterated revelry. And if you can’t make it in March, our Southern Grace journey includes a behind-the-scenes tour of Mardi Gras World’s Blaine Kern Studios, a workshop that has created floats, costumes and props since 1947. It’s a whirlwind of colour and culture.

Feeling inspired be there unique vacations? Take a look at our collection of small group luxury journeys. 

If you’re looking for a vacation that focuses on wellbeing and relaxation, you may be eyeing up some spas and wellness retreats, but where to begin? It all depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. Perhaps you’re seeking stress relief and rejuvenation and would like world class treatments in a pampering setting that’s supportive and sumptuous? Or maybe you’re looking to jump-start a lifestyle change, with a vacation that includes fitness, healthy food, meditation and yoga. Here, we’ll begin by answering a few FAQs about spas and wellness retreats, and then we’ll jump into some of our favorite options.

What is a spa?

There are always exceptions, of course, but generally speaking, a spa is a place of wellbeing, pampering and relaxation. You might attend a spa for one treatment, or for a package that spans the whole day. And there are countless types of spa – for instance, medical spas offer advanced aesthetic treatments alongside the usual facials, while thermal spas use heat to soothe the body, through baths, steam rooms and hammams. Spas might have specialisms in aromatherapy, ayurveda or thalassotherapy. Increasingly, the world’s best hotels are devoting time and money to elaborate spa offerings, so in the best case scenario, you’re also sleeping in the same building.

What is a wellness retreat?

This tends to be a structured vacation, based around one or more activities, like yoga, pilates, hiking or meditation. Guests are encouraged to really break from their everyday lives and feel invigorated by programmes that include meals cooked by private chefs, time for reflection, nature walks, rest, and classes and workshops, possibly with some treatments woven into the itinerary, too.

What is included in a spa day?

Sometimes, you just want to lie down and luxuriate somewhere that was purpose built to be soothing, and not leave it for a full day. That’s where spa days come in. Whether you choose one or six treatments to have while you’re there, a spa day will usually involve paying a fee to use facilities like relaxation lounges, thermal suites, baths and pools.

Read more about spa treatments with: Ayurveda to Onsen: These Wellness Practices Have Stood the Test of Time

Soma Byron Bay, Australia

 

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Give our Inspiring Australia journey a boost by booking into one of the best wellness retreats in the world while you’re in the right hemisphere. In the middle of the Australian rainforest, Soma is architecturally unique – all sharp-edged and super luxe, purpose built to offer people a place to escape and “reengineer their lives”. It’s run by Gary Gorrow, a Vedic meditation expert with CEO clients, and Peter Ostick, a founder and business person who went on his own life-saving mindfulness journey. Through the bamboo thicket is a see-through geodesic dome, where classes take place. Retreats are two to three days long, with a focus on meditation, yoga, rounding (advanced, for Vedic meditators) or immersion (for those experiencing burnout). When guests are not in breathwork, yoga or meditation classes, there is a freshwater infinity pool, a whole food plant-based menu, and a schedule of bodywork treatments.

Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

On our Majesty of the Rockies journey, we spend two nights at this hotel, a castle in the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by lush forest. The castle contains one of the best spas in the world, and certainly one of the most picturesque: the Willow Stream Spa. Here, a gentle soundtrack for your relaxation is provided by burbling mineral pools and trickling waterfalls, and treatments are designed with the landscapes in mind. The Signature Healing Ascent is two hours of deep relaxation and rejuvenation for your whole body: a warm, aromatic footbath, followed by a dry-brush exfoliation and a soothing, hydrating massage. And the Alpine Glow LED Facial promotes healing, stimulates collagen production, and leaves you as radiant as the Rockies.

Bookmark for later: In Canada’s Rocky Mountains, Natural Wellness and Luxury Go Hand in Hand

Acquaforte Thalasso and Spa, Sardinia

 

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This dreamy, bougainvillea-adorned Sardinian estate contains one of the best spas in the world, and one of the best thalassotherapy centres in the world. Thalassotherapy is all about the healing powers of seawater, something the Romans knew all about – there are ruins of their thermal bath in Nora, a few minutes from the resort. Then, 25 years ago, a medical team led by Dr Angelo Cerina came to finish what the Romans started, creating an extraordinary method for detoxing and rejuvenating the body. At Acquaforte now, there are six pools of Sardinian sea water, with varying saline densities and at varying temperatures. There are also wonderful massages, including one with honey and salt, designed to “purify and smooth the skin, preparing it to welcome the smiling sun”.

Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand

This tends to be a wellness retreat for people who are serious about doing a lot of work on themselves, people who might describe themselves as being on a journey. There are also what you might call regulars who return year after year to this, one of the best spas in the world. On the other hand, maybe you just feel it’s high time for a gut cleanse, or to master some pranayama breathing techniques, and you’d like to do so on a tropical hillside sanctuary, with a private beach. Rightfully on any list of best spas in the world, Kamalaya offers comprehensive wellness programmes dealing with detoxing, stress and burnout, and creating healthy lifestyles. Whether you’re searching for “internal harmony” or something less ambitious, as soon as you land here, you’ll feel better.

You might also enjoy:  For Stress-Free Travel, These Luxury Products Make All the Difference

Six Senses Vana, India

 

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This one-of-a-kind Himalayan resort falls wholeheartedly into the wellness retreat category. Your experience begins before you even arrive, when you’ll be asked for all the information staff need to draw up your custom health and wellness plan. On arrival, your guest experience manager will provide detox tea and linen kurta pyjamas, and from there it’s a minimum of five days of immersion in healing, rebalancing, rewilding and rechilding. Each day of your stay involves yoga, meditation, workshops, functional fitness, wellness consultations and treatments. The food is wonderful and your menus will be tailored to which Ayurvedic dosha you are diagnosed as: vata, pitta, or kapha. Meals are not meagre bootcamp offerings, but feast-like thalis, abundant with curries, salads, rice and chutneys. Explore our luxury India vacations.

The Spa at Coworth Park, UK

If you’re the sort of traveler who has our Castles & Kingdoms journey on your to-do list, you will adore the traditional spa at this Berkshire country estate, amid green fields and wildflower meadows, a mere hour from London. Guests in thick, white robes follow the English oak trees to the dual level eco-luxury spa, where they can pick and choose from personalised massages, skincare (“the Germaine de Capuccini Timexpert Hydralyronic facial” reaches deep into the skin for “noticeable outcomes”), nail care and more. Visit for one treatment or stay for the day; it’s a beautiful place to luxuriate, with a gym and a gorgeous indoor pool.

Go behind the scenes: Skip The Jacuzzi and Brave the Ice Bath: Industry Insider Joanna Moran Reveals Her Top Spa Secrets

Le Grand Spa at Le Grand Bellevue, Switzerland

 

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Extend your Luxury Gold journey through Majestic Switzerland to incorporate the divinely alpine town of Gstaad. Le Grand Bellevue is a lemon-coloured Wes Anderson-style palace that’s spilling with blooms through summer and thickly snow-clad through winter. Within, there’s caviar at Leonard’s, truffle fondue at the log cabin Le Chalet, adaptogenic coffee at the art deco bar and reviving sleep in sumptuous suites. But Le Grand Spa is the cherry on the layer cake, with its 17 wellness zones including steam baths, an ice fountain, a herbal sauna, a hay sauna, a salt inhalation grotto and an outdoor relaxation pool. And if that doesn’t soothe and calm you, the Swiss Back Release will restore you to a truly blissed, Swiss state.

SHA Mexico

The original SHA opened in Alicante, Spain in 2008, when its in-depth approach to holistic living made it stand out from wellness culture as a whole. Their follow-up property is even better. It’s in the north of the Riviera Maya, on the coast of Costa Mujeres, with acres of wild white sands and turquoise waters. If you want all that natural beauty, but you also want a program that’s “data driven and science-led”, SHA is for you. The ‘recover and energize’ program, for instance, is a minimum of four days and includes a 3D body scan, various medical appointments with clinicians, tailored meal plans, acupuncture, osteopathy, Abhyanga massage, intravenous ozone therapy treatment, personal training, cryotherapy and so much more. SHA’s are the best wellness retreats in the world if you want a true 360-degree experience.

Dior Spa at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, France

 

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There are a few Dior spas, including a cocooning, white, sanctuary-like space at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris, but for a more escapist wellness vacation, this one in Antibes is more invigorating. The spa is on the edge of the hotel grounds, beyond a 150-year-old rose garden and a grove of imposing pine trees. The treatment rooms are adorned with Dior textiles, mostly white and blue to echo the glittering French Riviera location. There are four Dior-designed wellness programs available: relaxation therapy, detox and slimming therapy, reverse aging therapy and homme therapy. And there’s an Eden-Roc eau de parfum to take home with you, so the scent of salty sea air and pine lingers, along with your newfound sense of wellbeing. Our Ultimate France journey begins at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, less than an hour from here.

More inspiration for spa lovers: Expert Selected: The 4 Best Hotel Spas You Can Visit With Luxury Gold

Two Bunch Palms, USA

An actual oasis in the Californian desert, this is a contemporary wellness hotel and hot springs, with mineral waters emerging from a 600-year-old spring. Sprinkled among the palm groves are hammocks, parasols and shaded rock grotto pools – it offers the sort of relaxation that involves quietly padding around barefoot in the sunshine. One of the best spas in the world, the treatment rooms are cool, breezy standalone bungalows for individual massages and facials, or you can go all-in with the four-hour Desert Revival, which includes massage, reiki and an adaptogen wrap. The rest of the experience is distinctly Californian, with sound baths, cacao ceremonies and vision board creation available, plus vegetable-forward dinners, matcha lattes and date shakes made with dates from Coachella Valley.

Amanemu, Japan

 

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Aman are responsible for many of the best spas in the world, and each suite or villa has its own onsen at their ryokan-inspired retreat in the south-western Ise-Shima National Park. Ancient pilgrim trails through dense forests lead to Shinto shrines, and guests have access to boats on Ago Bay, home to a community of pearl fishers and female freedivers, the ama. The spa features two private onsen pavilions, an outdoor yoga deck and hydrotherapy, and treatments incorporate local, seasonal ingredients, such as pearl powder, seaweed, and herbs and plants used in traditional kampo therapies. The area is renowned for its seafood, so there’s plenty of post-spa spiny lobster and abalone. And the Ise Jingu shrine breakfast is a deeply soothing tray of rice, fish, tofu, miso soup and pickles – a very alive way to start the day. Experience the majesty and mystery of Japan on our 11-day journey.

You may also enjoy reading: A Haven of Tranquility: Discovering the Best Luxury Spas in Japan

BodyHoliday Cariblue Beach, St. Lucia

This is everything you want from a luxury all-inclusive vacation in the Caribbean – beach location, lush tropical garden, butler service, hammocks, six restaurant options, spectacular views, scuba diving and kayaking – but with an added holistic living dimension at one of the best spas in the world. It’s a BodyHoliday, after all. Not a grueling one, though – the food is organic, with a farm-to-table focus, the daily lineup of fitness activities ranges from Beach Fit and BodySpin to beach trails, triathlon and yoga, and each day you can choose from a selection of 50-minute treatments, such as an aloe body wrap and a serenity massage. The resort also runs some more structured five-day wellness retreats, but it’s a delicious health and wellbeing reset whichever way you do it.

For the ultimate luxury vacation, take a look at our collection of limited-edition small group luxury journeys.