23rd October 2018
Edinburgh is amazing all year round, but from Fire Festivals to the Fringe, it truly comes alive in the summer. The Edinburgh International Festival takes over the city for the month of August with the highlight for many being the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This amazing spectacle began in 1950 to raise spirits in the midst of post-war austerity. It has grown over the decades to become one of the world’s leading multi-genre arts festivals showcasing the greatest contemporary artists performing a diverse range of art forms. Amongst other of the world’s greatest artists, 2019 will see the premier of Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible as part of the festival with a new musical score performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.
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Visit Edinburgh Castle for an exclusive pre-opening breakfast or dine in splendour at the Castle enjoying amazing views of the city and a private recital by cast members. Or perhaps take a stroll to a restored fifteenth century tenement building, now a renowned restaurant adjacent to the castle. Enjoy the finest Scottish cuisine complimented with castle views and feel yourselves soaking up Edinburgh’s history. Enjoy a whisky tasting in the extensive whisky bar and don’t forget to take note of the cannonball embedded in the castle-facing wall! Take your VIP seats, where you are able to mingle with guests and performers in the Royal Gallery then sit back and enjoy the show.
This spectacular event attracts members of Scottish Clans across the globe which can tie in with those on a personal ancestral discovery. Take part in your own ‘Clan Gathering – meet a Clan Cheiftan and enjoy a mini Highland Games, complete with haggis hurling and caber tossing. Prepare for the event with a private workshop to create a unique and personalised tartan. A bespoke kilt making session will ensure you can wear your tartan with pride. Follow with a visit to one of the many Summer Highland Games including The Braemar Gathering attended by The Royal Family.
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Dream Escape will design the perfect programme to explore Edinburgh at festival time with exclusive experiences and private guided activities and tours to make the most of this vibrant city. You may prefer to escape from the hustle and bustle and experience the history and heritage of Scotland as a whole – anything is possible. Whether you are travelling with family or friends or a multi-generational group, we will pair you with the perfect guide to make the most of your Scottish experience. Discover Edinburgh by foot or by bike, even by custom Mini Coopers, uncovering ‘off the beaten track’ experiences, foodie tours or even delving underground for an Edinburgh ghost walk.
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Please click on the links below for exceptional programmes featuring The Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo
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Update on David's Wild Atlantic Way Cycle. Check out this amazing video of David finishing his Wild Atlantic Way Cycle Challenge, ...
There is nothing quite so special and pleasurable on a visit to Edinburgh than an exclusive, private post opening visit to the very beautiful Royal Yacht Britannia.
Stroll up the red carpeted royal gangway (set at an exact 12 degrees) and enjoy champagne and canapés in the State Apartments. A personal guide will then give a unique insight into the history of the Royal Yacht and how the Royal Family and crew lived and worked on board.
Commissioned by King George VI days before his death in 1952 the project was was personally overseen by the new Queen and her husband Prince Philip. The name, Britannia, was a closely guarded secret until her launch on 16th April 1953 when Her Majesty christened the ship with a bottle of Empire wine at John Brown shipyard on the River Clyde.
During the Royal Yacht Britannia’s 43 years at sea, she took Her Majesty, other members of the Royal Family and Commonwealth dignitaries on almost 968 official voyages. She travelled 1,087,623 nautical miles, calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries until being decommissioned on 11th December 1997. Every clock on The Royal Yacht Britannia is set at 3.01pm, the moment Her Majesty left her beloved Royal floating palace for the last time.
2018 marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. 11th November 2018 is the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice recognising the significance of the end of the First World War, and the sacrifice made by so many men and women during the war.
A special installation at The Tower of London, Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers as well as Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance and other memorials are public acts of remembrance for the lives of the fallen, honouring their sacrifice. We at Dream Escape remember.
The history of the area of The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew goes back to 1299 and the reign of Edward I and in later centuries it was associated with the Tudor dynasty and even later still there was a connection with the Suffrage Movement.
In 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden and in 2003 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A beautiful autumn day at Kew today and so many fascinating stories from the 18th Century: Scottish Plant Hunter, Archibald Menzies, bringing back the seed of what became known as the Monkey Puzzle tree from Chile to the 21st Century and The Hive, highlighting the importance of pollination in our food chain. A fabulous visit for all ages.
Always a pleasure to visit Ashford Castle, Co. Mayo, Ireland. A warm welcome is always guaranteed and comfort and luxury await. Fresh red roses are always on display in the reception area which gives a feeling of coming home.
A frequent stay for Dream Escape clients visiting Ireland, our Dream Escape Planning Team design tailor-made programmes taking in the very best experiential activities in the area which include: foodie tours, hawk walk, hiking, historical tours, sheep herding, Irish Coffee tasting afloat, treasure hunts or perhaps a helicopter ride to somewhere very special and much, much more.
Dream Escape often incorporates a privately guided visit to a whiskey (Ireland), whisky (Scotland) distillery into a programme for interested visitors to learn about the history of whiskey/whisky and to see the process of distillation.
Teeling Distillery, Dublin was established in 2015 and Dream Escape first visited in 2016. It was the first new distillery in Dublin in 125 years and located in the area called The Liberties: so named because it was outside the original Dublin city walls therefore the residents were at 'liberty' to set their own rules and regulations and they did!
We love the fact that the 3 pot stills in Teeling Whisky Distillery are named after Jack Teeling's 3 daughters Alison, Natalie and Rebecca. Meet Natalie!
Dream Escape can arrange private tours and tastings for our clients in private booths overlooking The Liberties - Teeling's whiskey cocktails are something pretty special! Slainte.
