CLICK HERE to view a movie clip of a 2009 Scotland soccer tour!
CLICK HERE to view a movie clip of a 2008 Scotland soccer tour!
Bagpipes, Braveheart and the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, think you know everything there is to know about Scotland's history, tradition and roots? Think again. Scotland, a land with a great history and scenic landscapes. Thousands of acres of green stretch from the ragged coastline up the hills to be replaced by scenic mountains, lakes, castles and churches.
Glasgow
Glasgow is one of Europe's most exciting and beautiful destinations. It combines the energy and sophistication of a great international city with some of Europe's most spectactular scenery. Glasgow boasts world famous art collections, the best shopping in the UK outside London, and the most vibrant and exciting nightlife. Just beyond the city of Glasgow lies some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery. The local area is rich in history and heritage and each of its delightful country towns and villages has its own fascinating tale to tell.
Sights to see in Glasgow: City Chambers, People's Palace, Merchant's House, Glasgow Cathedral, Queen's Cross Church, Clyde Auditorium, and much more!
 Edinburgh
Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, is famous for it's history, architecture, festivals, friendly people, and city walking. The city is divided between the Old Town and the New Town. The Old Town is where you will find the vast amount of ancient buildings whilst the New Town is more a celebration of business, order and classical Georgian architecture. A great way to get a good feel for the city is to take one of the Open Top Bus City Tours. The majority of these tours allow you to hop on an off as you wish at each stop.
Sights to see in Edinburgh: Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Royal Mile, St. Giles Kirk, Parliament House, Arthur's Seat, the Edinburgh Military Tatto (August Only), Sir Walter Scott Monument, Canongate Kirk, Castlehill, and much more!
St. Andrews
St. Andrews has a special place in Scottish history and legend, it takes its name from the saint whose relics were brought to the town, it played an important role on Scottland's affairs, its cathedral was the largest building in Scotland and it was the centre of the country's religious life. It has the oldest University in Scotland (where Prince William studied) and of course has been a pilgrimage to golfers wishing to play on the Links where golf was first played. The historic town is easily and best explored on foot where the shops, many intersting building, muesums, bars and restaurants are all easily accesible.
Sights to see in St. Andrews: St. Andrews Cathedral, St. Andrews University, St. Andrews Castle, St Andrews Links Golf, St. Salvator's Quad, the Swilcan Bridge and much more!
Stirling
Stirling is Scotland's youngest city gaining the status in the summer of 2002. This is Scotland's heritage capital, where the Wars of Independence were fought and won; where, for three centuries, monarchs ruled in regal splendour and where merchants and craftsmen plied their trade below the castle rock. Nowadays you can literally touch and feel the sense of history and nationhood which is Stirling's trademark, as you meander through the Old Town, enter the spectacular cliff-top castle or sample the town's unique 'living history' events programme.
Sights to see in Stirling: Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, Stirling Old Bridge, Cambuskenneth Abbey, Bannockburn, Argyll's Lodging, Stirling Old Town Jail and much more!
For more information about Scotland, please visit the Scottish Tourist Board website.
Read about Hope College's Women's Soccer Team's recent trip to Ireland on their Blog.
“Excel Sports is a world class organization running first class tours. Our Olympic Development Program trip to Scotland was educational both on and off the field. Our players experienced a level of soccer that was second to none. They played professional youth teams rated first and second in Scotland. Each game day, the players were given the opportunity to tour professional stadiums such as Rangers, Celtic and Livingston. These stadiums have fields and training facilities we could only dream about. Our accommodations were an old historical castle surrounded by beautiful mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Off the field, we were very fortunate to attend two professional games and even had enough down time to roam the streets of Glasgow - where our players were amazed with the quality and quantity of soccer stores! The highlights of the week was spending a day at the Edinburgh Castle and seeing the crown jewels. I could not recommend a more professional organization to manage a team’s international experience.”
--L. Caudle, Maryland Olympic Development Program, Scotland
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