Tours &
Activities
As always we have an exciting range of tours and activities for delegates to enjoy whilst in Edinburgh.
Please see below descriptions and useful information. To see the full conference agenda please click here.
If any of the tours are fully booked, please email admin@fidievents.org and request to be added to the waiting list.
Palace of Holyrood House, followed by free walk around Old Town & Royal Mile
Your guide will walk with you from the Sheraton Hotel down to The Palace at Holyrood House along the famous Royal Mile. Once inside, the guide will leave you to explore the palace's close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures, such as Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Learn how today it is used by the King when carrying out official engagements in Scotland.
One of the most famous names associated with the palace is that of Mary Queen of Scots. Her chambers at Holyrood House contain works connected to her life there, including an embroidery created by her during captivity under Elizabeth I. Here visitors can also see items linked to the Stuart line, including relics assembled by successive monarchs such as the Darnley Jewel and the personal dining tray made for Cardinal York, the brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Date: Sunday 12 May only
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Cost: 65€
Silverknowes and Cramond Island
We will take the bus to Silverknowes and walk along the River Almond to the Forth of Firth with views across to Cramond Island and the imposing defences (approximate 40-minute walk). A visit to the grounds of the Cramond Kirk (church) and the roman ruins... a walk along the beach from Cramond Kirk to Silverknowes Beach (approximate 45 minute walk) to the pick-up point to return back into Edinburgh.
You will need to have walking clothes and sensible shoes for walking as well as a waterproof jacket or coat.
TOURS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED
Blair Street Underground Vaults
Your guide will walk you to the Blair Street Vaults from the Sheraton Hotel.
Discover the largest system of underground caverns in Edinburgh. Built in the 18th century beneath South Bridge, this is the only walking tour with access.
Beneath the bustle of Edinburgh’s Old Town, you’ll discover a dark, damp world unchanged since the 18th century. Your expert guide will lead you deep into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, and together you’ll explore their ghostly history –including how they became home to the city’s most destitute inhabitants.
It’s a story rooted in Edinburgh’s Georgian past –grand feats of engineering, the expansion of the city, and those who were left behind in its darker corners.
Date: Sunday 12 May and Wednesday 15 May
Time: 14:45 - 17:00
Cost: 55€
Guided Tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia
Her Majesty's (Queen Elizabeth II) Yacht Britannia, also known as the Royal Yacht Britannia, is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. She was in service from 1954 until 1997. Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard In Clydebank, Scotland and served the royal family for over 44 years, travelling more than a million nautical miles and becoming one of the most famous ships in the world.
All the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01pm the exact time Queen Elizabeth II was piped ashore for the final time during the decommissioning ceremony.
Once on board, you can visit the Admiral’s quarters, the crew’s quarters, the royal deck tearoom, state apartment and the Bridge. Moored in Leith, the coach journey takes approximately 30-40 minutes to reach the yacht. You will have your own private transfer by coach and your own tour guide.
Date: Sunday 12 May and Wednesday 15 May
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Cost: 90€
Visit the Holyrood gin and whisky distillery, followed by free walk around Old Town & Royal Mile
Holyrood Distillery is in an historic Edinburgh location.
The area is rooted in the capital’s heritage of brewing and distilling thanks to its excellent water source -a network of underground springs that became known as the ‘charmed circle’. It is housed within an 184-year-old Category-B Listed former Victorian railway building which has been renovated and extended.
The building was previously a goods warehouse for St Leonard’s Station, the terminus of Edinburgh’s first railway, the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway.
The Holyrood Distillery Tour is approximately 60-minutes long, and is a fully guided and immersive experience of the entire distillery. You will be introduced to a world of flavour, testing how well you taste, getting hands-on with botanicals, learning about both malt whisky and gin production, and enjoying our spirit samples along the way. Includes 3 spirit samples.
Date: Sunday 12 May and Wednesday 15 May
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Cost: 60€
Edinburgh Castle Tour, followed by free walk around Old Town and Royal Mile - SOLD OUT
Your guide will take you from the Sheraton Hotel, past Princes Street Gardens up onto the Royal Mile and to Edinburgh Castle, a fortress in the heart of the city.
The castle sits upon an extinct volcano and the castle rock area was the first human settlement in the city dating back to the Iron Age. A visit to Edinburgh Castle is an opportunity to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland, to discover the importance of the castle in protecting the people of Edinburgh from invasion and its use over the years from a castle for monarchs to a base for the army.
Date: Wednesday 15 May only
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Cost: 70€
Day trip to Loch Lomond
Sit back and relax on a one-hour cruise on Loch Lomond. You will venture out beyond stately homes, which line the lochside and you can admire the beautiful view to the magnificent Ben Lomond, the highest hill in the area. You will cruise past Inchmurrin Island, the largest of the Loch's 33 islands and home to the ruins of the 12th century Lennox Castle, where May Queen of Scots once stayed, before returning along the east shoreline, passing Balloch Castle.
Enjoy a delicious lunch by the banks of Loch Lomond in the Colquhoun Restaurant then take a fascinating tour of a local whisky distillery.
Date: Sunday 12 May and Wednesday 15 May
Time: 09:00 - 17:00
Cost: 240€
Hot Yoga Edinburgh - SOLD OUT
Hot Yoga has become a popular exercise in recent years and is effectively a yoga class practiced in a heated studio. It offers the same benefits as traditional yoga, such as stress reduction, improved strength and flexibility. But, with the heat turned up, hot yoga has the ability to give your heart, lungs and muscles an even greater, more intense workout.
At Hot Yoga Edinburgh, the studio is heated to around 35C which offers an intense heat without being too aggressive on the body. You’ll be guided through a flowing sequence of standing, balancing and floor poses for a full body stretch with a strong focus on calm, steady breathing. The combination of mindful movement linked to the breath has been shown to have a positive effect on the nervous system and offers an improved sense of wellbeing. The added intensity of practicing in the heat in a safe manner increases the calming effect of the practice leaving you feeling energised and focused for the day ahead.
Date: Monday 13 & Wednesday 15 May
Time: 07:15-08:30
Cost: 30€
Golf at the Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club
Dalmahoy is one of the top golfing destinations in Scotland.
Dalmahoy’s rich golfing heritage attracts golfers of all levels, looking to test their skills at the famous venue where the European Ladies won their first Solheim Cup, and where famous names such as Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance and Nick Faldo have competed in the Scottish Seniors Open.
The East Course was designed by James Braid to Championship standards, and is a monster from the Championship tees. For members’ competitions and corporate events, it’s a more manageable 6,684 yards, but is still a formidable challenge.
Transport, club hire and golf trolley included. A grab and go breakfast will be provided at the Sheraton before departure.
Date: Tuesday 14 May
Time: 06:30 - 12:00
Cost: 325€
Tour4All - sponsored by Move Assist
Join the FIDI President and his fellow Board members for an afternoon of culture and fun at Gosford House, the seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March, set in 5000 acres of combined coast and parkland, located on the south side of the Firth of Forth.
Tour the house and grounds and learn the history of Gosford House, or take part in traditional Scottish Highland Games in the grounds of the neoclassical country house.
If you are taking part in the Highland Games, please wear trainers and comfortable clothes.
Gosford House is only open to the public for a few set days a year, so this really is a rare opportunity to visit a neoclassical country house built between 1790-1800.
As Gosford House is still a private family home we would ask all attendees to conduct themselves accordingly.
Date: Tuesday 14 May
Time: 13:00-17:30
Cost: Free to all registered delegates
Gerson Relocation Fun Run/Walk
Join us for an early morning jog or walk in The Meadows. We will leave the Sheraton at 7am to walk for 10 minutes to The Meadows. The Meadows is a beautiful public park in Edinburgh which consists largely of open grassland crossed by tree line paths. If you want a 5k walk or run then it's two loops of the route before we head back to the Sheraton.
Date: Tuesday 14 May
Time: 07:00-09:00
Cost: 50€
