DianeO

Visit Ireland and not kiss the Blarney Stone? Go on, walk up all the narrow spiral stairs, look through all the little windows and then kiss the stone! The stone itself is set in the wall below the battlements and to kiss it, one has to lean backwards (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk.

“I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot,” wrote Queen Victoria, no stranger to the allure of the Highlands, who stayed at Inverlochy Castle in 1873 shortly after its completion.

Whether you believe in the Loch Ness monster or not, the sight of the beautiful glacier-gouged Loch Ness and the crumbling ruins of Urquhart Castle, atop its own promontory, is not to be missed.

Awaken to the sound of a strolling bagpipe player beneath your window, the same wake-up call that roused King Edward, Rudyard Kipling, the Rockefellers and Madonna on her wedding day.

Blazing with brightly coloured tartans and ringing with the sound of bagpipes and ancient clans dancing and celebrating all things Scottish, these unique summer sporting events have their roots in the Middle Ages.

Just as true Champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France, you must go to Scotland to find authentic Scotch whisky (spelled without the “e”) on its native soil.

A newish bridge has diluted some of its mystique and otherworldliness, but the Isle of Skye still remains a land apart in history and fantasy.

The drama of Scotland’s Hebrides (“islands at the edge of the sea”), created by earthquakes, volcanoes and retreating glaciers, is topped only by the floating-country-manor luxury of the Hebridean Princess.

Absolute must-sees include the Tower of London (especially if staying overnight, the Ceremony of the Keys takes place at seven minutes to ten), Buckingham Palace (The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September) and the Houses of Parliament.

York Minster is definitely one of the highlights in the city. It is the largest Gothic church north of the Alps. If possible, don’t miss going to the Undercroft (an extra £3.50). There is an audio tour “The Story of the Minster through the Ages” – a fascinating way to bring to life the past of the Minster.