Nearly 1,900 years ago, Emperor Hadrian ordered a wall built across the width of Britain to mark the northern edge of Roman rule — and at Heddon-on-the-Wall, one of the best-preserved stretches still runs across open countryside exactly as it has for centuries. It's a proper hidden gem: far fewer crowds than the famous forts further west, just you, rolling Northumberland fields, and nearly two millennia of history under your feet.

Please note: this stop is for photographs and comfort facilities only — it is not an included visit inside the abbey. Even so, the soaring red sandstone arches of this 12th-century Augustinian abbey are extraordinary to see from the outside, framed by the Scottish Borders hills. If you'd love to explore inside properly, it's a lovely spot to plan a return visit.

If there's one optional experience to say yes to on this entire tour, it might be this one. Right in the heart of Edinburgh on Princes Street, Johnnie Walker has turned eight floors of a historic building into one of the most talked-about visitor experiences in Scotland — and it is spectacular.

We round off a huge day with dinner right in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town — the cobbled, atmospheric Royal Mile stretching from the Castle down to Holyrood Palace. This dinner is part of the optional Johnnie Walker experience, not a separately included meal. Good food, good company, and the perfect way to properly arrive in Scotland's capital after a long day on the road.