This ten-day pilgrimage provides an exploration of the history of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland and an introduction to Celtic Spirituality. Pilgrims will connect with the contemporary Iona community in Glasgow and on Iona. Highlights include Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Isle of Iona with its evocative abbey, and key sites related to the life and ministry of John Knox in St. Andrews and Edinburgh. Schedule may be adjusted for efficiency and guide availability.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is available from Trawick International while completing your registration or until 48 hours before departure.

1. You should be able to walk, with luggage, for up to half a mile on uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.

2. On most days, you will be out of the hotel between 9am and 5pm, with breaks along the way and some free time to rest.

3. You should be able to walk 12,000 steps per day and stand while listening to our professional guides

4. You should be able to sleep in hotels located in city centers, which may have road noise. Air conditioning in Europe is less effective than in the US and may not cool your room as much as you're used to back home.

5. You should, after a brief orientation, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.

Today, the group departs Charlotte International Airport at 2:10pm on Delta 5639 to Boston, arriving at 4:40pm. We connect to Delta 122, departing 7:20pm, arriving in Edinburgh at 6:45am +1. Flight numbers and times subject to airline changes and adjustments.

We arrive in Edinburgh this morning and leave directly for Glasgow. We will begin by connecting with members of the Iona Community to learn about their mission and ministry. After lunch, we’ll visit Govan Church, home of the Govan Stones – carved stones, crosses, and sarcophagi dating to the Viking period in Scotland. We’ll then visit St. Mungo’s Cathedral before checking into our hotel in the mid afternoon, giving you some free time before our opening dinner (included). Overnight at Radisson Blu, Glasgow.

Today is a full travel day. We depart early for Oban, the gateway to the Hebrides. We’ll travel through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, arriving in Oban in time for you to enjoy lunch at any of the cafes or restaurants in town. In one or two groups, we’ll visit the Oban Distillery, before departing Oban by ferry. We arrive on the Isle of Mull, travel across Mull, and arrive in Fionnphort for our final ferry of the day. We arrive on Iona in time to unpack and settle in before our dinner (included). Overnight at Argyll Hotel, Iona.

We start our day with worship at the Iona Abbey. Following worship, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Abbey, Nunnery, and village. After lunch (included), our guide will lead a nature walk towards the south end of the island, discussing the natural history, geography, and geology of the island and the region. Dinner is included and overnight at Argyll Hotel, Iona.

On our final day on Iona, we’ll join the Iona community for worship, followed immediately by a mini-retreat at the Iona Parish Church. We’ll conclude just before lunch. Lunch is on your own and the afternoon is free so you can explore the island, play a round of golf, or fill your time as you desire. Dinner (included) and overnight at Argyll Hotel, Iona.

Today, we repeat our arrival travels in reverse, leaving Iona on a small ferry, traveling across the Isle of Mull, crossing from Craignure to Oban, and boarding our private coach for Dundee, our home for the next two nights. We’ll stop along the way at Glencoe, site of the Massacre of Glencoe. We arrive in Dundee in time to relax before dinner (on your own). Overnight at Apex City Quay, Dundee.

From the hotel, we’ll head over to St. Andrews Cathedral, headquarters of the Scottish Catholic Church before the reformation. The cathedral fell into disuse after the Reformers banned the Catholic Mass. From the cathedral, we’ll visit Holy Trinity Church, a congregation of the Church of Scotland. John Knox preached his first sermon from the Holy Trinity pulpit and returned later to condemn the Catholic Church. After our visit, you will have the balance of the day to explore St. Andrews. Lunch and dinner (on your own) and overnight at Apex City Quay, Dundee..

We depart Dundee this morning for Perth, visiting St. John’s Kirk, where John Knox preached his famous sermon on Idolatry. After St. John’s, we’ll visit the Giraffe Cafe, a social enterprise providing training and work experience to people facing barriers to employment. After lunch, we depart to Stirling Castle, the former residence of Stewart kings and queens and the Church of the Holy Rude  – “rude” means “cross” in Scottish – with its important role in the history of Scottish rule. We arrive in Edinburgh in the late afternoon or early evening. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at Radisson Blu Edinburgh, City Centre.

Today, we’ll start with a visit to Greyfriars Church in the Grassmarket. Greyfriars is a congregation that continues to actively seek their call to serve their neighbors, most visibly through the Grassmarket Community Project. We’ll meet with a member of the clergy and a representative of the Grassmarket project, and enjoy lunch at the Grassmarket Cafe, one of the social enterprises founded by the church. After lunch, we’ll walk from the Grassmarket to Edinburgh Castle, exploring John Knox’s impact on the country and city and visiting St. Giles Cathedral. Our touring will conclude just inside Edinburgh Castle, where after a brief introduction by our guide, you’ll have the balance of the afternoon to explore the castle or other sites in Edinburgh. We re-gather in the evening for our closing dinner (included). Overnight at Radisson Blu Edinburgh, City Centre.

We depart Edinburgh at 11:20am on Delta 123 to Boston, arriving at 1:30pm. We connect to Delta 5837 to Charlotte, departing at 3:59pm and arriving at 6:34pm. Flight numbers and times are subject to airline changes and adjustments.