Scotland Food Tours 2023
Your home for this unique Scottish cooking vacation is Dalriada, once the kingdom of ancient Scotland, which is located in the unspoiled coastal region known as the Mid Argyll. Stay near Dunadd, the historical capital of Scotland, where Scottish kings used to be crowned, and experience the wild and wonderful nature of rural Scottish life in this unique Scottish Highlands area. Our excursions for our week long Scotland culinary vacations vary by season, and will include such fun trips as guided whiskey tastings, visits to the Scottish islands, excursions to castles, forts, stone circles, and more.
Scotland has a wealth of natural products that you will discover on your cooking holiday in Scotland, and that you will use to create your meals. Produce from the rich mountains and glens, wild game from the moorlands, venison from the mountains, salmon and trout from the rivers, shellfish of all kinds from the sea, and beef and lamb from the Highland herds: all will delight you during your private Scotland tour. You will use these ingredients and more to create a wide variety of delicious feasts featuring traditional and modern Scottish dishes.
The presentation and delivery of this Scottish cooking and cultural vacation will be very informal, friendly and personal. The cooking classes are based in a traditional Scottish family style fully equipped kitchen and each Scottish cooking vacation will be limited to a maximum of 4 guests. Participants can expect a fun week experiencing the ‘real’ Scotland combining traditional Scottish culture along with delicious Scottish food. You can expect to dine with the locals on at least one occasion as neighbors and friends will always be invited to dinner to sample the amazing dishes we have prepared.
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Scotland Cooking Vacation Details
Your week long culinary vacation in Scotland includes everything you would expect from a cooking vacation with The International Kitchen, including:
- 4 cooking classes in a family-style kitchen with local Scottish cook Jane Chaplin
- cultural excursions exploring the Scottish countryside, towns, and history
- accommodations in a charming private cottage
- meals as indicated
- and more!
Itinerary
Please note that this is a sample itinerary for your Scotland cooking vacation. Adjustments may be made based on the season, the weather, the specific dates booked, or the travelers’ interests.
Day One
- Arrival at Glasgow airport and private transfer to the Mid Argyll. Upon arrival check in to your cottage. Meet with your instructor Jane, then relax and settle in for a couple of hours.
- Depending on the time of year, you may wish to go for a walk to explore the local area or just relax.
- Dinner will be served at the cooking school around 7 pm when you will have an informal meeting to discuss further and plan the aspects of your stay and ask any questions that you may have.
Day Two
Day Two- Breakfast most mornings will be at your cottage, and you will help yourself from the fresh provisions supplied for you. One morning you will be invited to the cooking school for a full Scottish breakfast.
- This morning is for you to relax and recover from your travels. During your free time this week there are several activities we can recommend, including:
- Long or short walks along the Crinan canal
- Ardishaig and Lochgilphead
- Dunardy forest walk, near a nature trail
- Visit to the local pub (around 5 minutes’ walk from your cottage)
- Historical Rock Art – Cup and Ring Marks walk (behind your cottage)
- This afternoon around 4pm your first cooking class, with dinner to follow based on your efforts. You might make any of the following dishes during your cooking classes this week: Cullen skink (smoked fish soup), Braden Rost (hot smoked salmon), oatcakes and oatmeal baps, Scotch pies, Cranachan (dessert), and yes, even haggis.
Day Three
Day Three- Breakfast, and then enjoy a half day excursion. Inveraray is a very picturesque town on the shores of Loch Fyne with a variety of shops and cafés. Its historic Castle is home to the clan Campbell and dates back to the 14th Century. The current castle with its gothic turrets dates from the 18th Century and is home to the current Duke of Argyll. The gardens are beautiful in all seasons but May and September are particularly stunning for color.
- Lunch will be served at your cottage upon return. Time to relax after lunch.
- This afternoon, around 4 pm, your Scottish cooking course number two, followed by dinner, served around 7 pm.
Day Four
Day Four- Breakfast and your next cooking session, followed by lunch.
- Afternoon at leisure, and dinner served around 7:00 pm.
Day Five
Day Five- Today you will have a full-day excursion. Visit the traditional harbor town of Oban, including a visit to Oban whisky distillery and Dunollie Castle and museum. Oban is a vibrant little harbor town on the west coast of Scotland, with opportunities for you to browse the shops, walk the history trail up to McCaigs tower, or maybe sample some fresh shellfish from the many shore side huts. On this day lunch out is included in a traditional pub in Oban – or we can substitute this lunch for you to try the tradition of Scottish Afternoon Tea with views over the sea.
- Dinner back at the cooking school this evening.
Day Six
Day Six- Breakfast, followed by your second half-day excursion. Your vacation is based in one of the most historically significant areas of the United Kingdom. This 3 hour relaxed walk will take you through some of the most beautiful countryside to experience standing stones, stone circles, cairns and rock carvings that date back 5,000 years to the Bronze Age.
- Afternoon free time, and dinner on your own tonight. (We recommend the local pub, located a few minutes’ walk from your cottage.)
Day Seven
Day Seven- After breakfast, beginning around 10 am, you will have your last cooking course, in which you will help decide the menu. Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- Afternoon at leisure to enjoy your last day in Scotland!
- Farewell dinner at the cooking school.
Day Eight
- Breakfast, and departure to Glasgow airport via private car or train from Oban.
Optional Excursions
Depending on the season and how active you want to be, we can also add other excursions on request, including:
- Wildlife and Corryvrecken whirlpool Boat Trip (May to Sept only) $115 per person
A 45 minute drive to the island of Easdale where you will board the day cruiser for a 3 hour cruise out to the gulf of Corryvrecken to experience the tide races , whirlpool and watch for whales and other wildlife. - Day trip to the island of Jura and whisky distillery tour $115 per person.
A short drive to the picturesque village of Tayvallich from where you take a 1 hour catamaran ferry to the famous whisky island of Jura. The Jura whisky distillery is a short 5 minute walk from the ferry jetty. - Guided Sea kayaking – 6 hour trip $130 per person.
Enjoy the local flora and fauna on a relaxed day of peaceful, guided sea kayaking exploring the spectacular lochs and coasts of this area. All equipment, guiding and relevant clothing will be provided.
Trip Details
Included in Your Scotland Cooking Holiday
Accommodations
7 nights accommodations in private cottage
Food & Beverages
- Daily breakfast at your cottage
- 7 lunches
- 6 dinners
- Beverages with all included meals
Classes & Instructors
Your culinary host for this vacation is cook Jane Chaplin. Jane has had many years’ experience in traditional and modern Scottish cooking. In addition to providing the cooking input for this vacation Jane continues to provide culinary and catering services to adventure groups during their vacations in Scotland. Jane is passionate about Scotland, cooking, and growing as much fresh ingredients as possible in her organic garden. She loves sharing her ideas and recipes with our culinary travelers.
Excursions
- Half-day excursion to Inveraray town and Inveraray Castle
- Half-day excursion to Kilmartin Valley and ancient Kingdom of Dalriada
- Full-day excursion to the town of Oban, including visit to Oban whisky distillery and Dunollie Castle estate
Please note there are many other optional excursions that can be added on request.
Transfer Details
- Arrival from Glasgow airport: earliest airport pick up time is 10:30 AM.
- Departure transfer to Glasgow airport: earliest arrival time at the airport is 12:00 noon. Please keep this in mind when booking your flights.
- Optional departure by train : Transfer to Oban to take a train to Glasgow. These trains will depart most days at 9.00 am or 12:30 pm, and the journey is approximately 3 hours right into the city center. This train journey is listed in the top 10 train journeys of Europe! (To get from the Glasgow city center to the airport there is a convenient 25-minute shuttle that runs every ten minutes, 24 hours a day).
If you choose to fly in and out of Edinburgh there are shuttle services that you can take between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Please inquire for details.
Miscellaneous
- Local guided walks for the collection of wild foods to be used in the cooking classes
- Whiskey tasting session
Country:
United Kingdom
Tour Dates:
Available select weeks for a minimum of one person. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$2,400
Accommodation Information
Your home away from home will be a genuine, private Scottish cottage.
Karibou Cottage
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Scotland Cooking Vacation Tour Pricing & Dates
Find pricing and dates for our week long Scotland food tours below, and contact us for availability or to book your trip.
2023 Scotland Cooking Vacation Pricing:
Week Long Scotland Cooking Vacation Pricing
US$2700 per person based on double occupancy
- Subtract US$100 per non-cooking companion
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 90 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Early Bird Special Pricing:
April through July dates only
Book by March 31, 2023
Week Long Scotland Cooking Vacation Pricing
US$2400 per person based on double occupancy
- Subtract US$100 per non-cooking companion
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 90 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Early bird pricing is available for a minimum of 2 people for April, May, and July weeks. Some restrictions may apply. Must be booked by March 31, 2023. Are you a solo traveler? Contact us with dates and we’ll try to pair you with another traveler.
Scotland Cooking Vacations Tour Dates
Our Scottish cooking vacations are available April through October with a Saturday start date. Scotland benefits from long summer days from around the beginning of May to late August when daylight remains until around 11.00 pm. These seasonal variations will not affect the itinerary, but may assist you in planning your trip to your own preferences; Scotland offers fantastic visitor experiences during all seasons. Please note that the first people to book a week get to choose the optional excursions.
2023
April 1-8
April 8-15
April 15-22
April 22-29
April 29-May 6
May 6-13
May 13-20
May 20-27
May 27-June 3
June 3-10
June 10-July 8 – UNAVAILABLE
July 8-15
July 15-22
July 22-29
July 29-August 5
August 5-12
August 12-19
August 19-26
August 26-September 2
September 2-30 – UNAVAILABLE
September 30-October 7
October 7-14
October 14-21
October 21-28
Reviews
We can help plan the best Scotland food tours!
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Country:
United Kingdom
Tour Dates:
Available select weeks for a minimum of one person. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$2,400
Want more flexibility? We can customize all of your trip details for you, including:
- Trip length and Itineraries
- Hotels and Tours
- Transfers and Airfare
Let us show you how we can create a complete package just for you. Contact Us