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Online Program

Adventures Online: A Look at Ancient & Modern Edinburgh

Program No. 2423260MEADV-0219
Whether you’d like to explore the Royal Mile or be immersed in a vivid arts scene, there’s no better way to explore Edinburgh than on this online learning adventure.

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DATES & PRICES

Online Program
Learn from the comfort of your own home.

DATES & PRICES

Online Program
Learn from the comfort of your own home.
This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!

At a Glance

Experience the history and culture of Scotland’s capital city during this online learning adventure. With our experts, immerse yourself in stories of Roman occupation, fascinating monarchs and modern politics and culture. Embark on field trips that enable you to “walk” along the Royal Mile and explore Edinburgh Castle, and “roam” historic cemeteries like Greyfriars Kirkyard. Delight in presentations led by Giles Ramsay as he offers a behind-the-scenes look into the world-famous Edinburgh Festival and chats with theater critic and journalist Joyce McMillan. Along the way, get to know your fellow Road Scholars as you learn about the Enlightenment Period, get insight into the city’s active art scene and enjoy a look into the craftsmanship of kilts, bagpipes, whisky and more.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Discover the best of Edinburgh during walking field trips along the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriar’s Cemetery, and learn why the city’s Old and New Towns are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  • Go behind the scenes of the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival with theater expert Giles Ramsay, and delight in a conversation with journalist and theater critic Joyce McMillan from The Scotsman.
  • Trace the history of Edinburgh from Roman times to present day during insightful lectures and presentations on the Enlightenment, Mary Queen of Scots, as well as modern day politics and the city’s cutting-edge arts scene.

General Notes

You’ll enjoy 2-3 hours of daily instruction, discussion and/or field trips, which includes sufficient breaks throughout the program. This online program is through Zoom, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. We’ll provide a how-to guide to make sure you’ll have a hassle-free experience. This session is offered live only and will not be available on demand. Please review the daily itinerary for start and end times to ensure you won’t miss a minute of this live experience. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Kirsty McAlister
Kirsty is a Blue Badge guide with a Ph.D. in Scottish history and a background in higher education, historical research, and cultural heritage. She was a researcher and lecturer at Scottish universities including St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Stirling before transferring from academia to become Cultural Heritage Officer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). She has coordinated and overseen numerous community history and archaeology projects while allowing continuing to explore and discover more about Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Giles Ramsay
Giles Ramsay View biography
Giles Ramsay is an independent theater director and producer who specializes in creating new work with artists in developing countries. He is the founding director of the charity Developing Artists, a fellow of St. Chad’s College, Durham University. and course leader in theater at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He has devised and instructed on Road Scholar programs since the early 1990s and has run theater projects in countries ranging from Kosovo to Zimbabwe.
Profile Image of Kevin Durjun
Kevin Durjun View biography
Kevin Durjun began his career in theatre arts as a radio producer and presenter. He then served as manager at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and later as membership and communications manager for the Independent Theatre Council as well as two leading off-West End theatres.
Profile Image of Joyce McMillan
Joyce McMillan View biography
Joyce is theatre critic of “The Scotsman” and also writes a political and social commentary column for the newspaper. She has been a political and arts columnist, theatre critic, and broadcaster for more than thirty years, living in Edinburgh and working for various Scottish and London-based newspapers. She also broadcasts regularly, mainly on BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 4, and has been involved in Scottish and European campaigns for democracy and human rights.
Profile Image of Kirsty McAlister
Kirsty McAlister View biography
Kirsty is a Blue Badge guide with a Ph.D. in Scottish history and a background in higher education, historical research, and cultural heritage. She was a researcher and lecturer at Scottish universities including St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Stirling before transferring from academia to become Cultural Heritage Officer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). She has coordinated and overseen numerous community history and archaeology projects while allowing continuing to explore and discover more about Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
5 days
Experience the history and culture of Scotland’s capital city during this online learning adventure. With our experts, immerse yourself in stories of Roman occupation, fascinating monarchs and modern politics and culture. Embark on field trips that enable you to “walk” along the Royal Mile and explore Edinburgh Castle, and “roam” historic cemeteries like Greyfriars Kirkyard. Delight in presentations led by Giles Ramsay as he offers a behind-the-scenes look into the world-famous Edinburgh Festival and chats with theater critic and journalist Joyce McMillan. Along the way, get to know your fellow Road Scholars as you learn about the Enlightenment Period, get insight into the city’s active art scene and enjoy a look into the craftsmanship of kilts, bagpipes, whisky and more.)
Best of all, you'll...
  • Discover the best of Edinburgh during walking field trips along the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriar’s Cemetery, and learn why the city’s Old and New Towns are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  • Go behind the scenes of the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival with theater expert Giles Ramsay, and delight in a conversation with journalist and theater critic Joyce McMillan from The Scotsman.
  • Trace the history of Edinburgh from Roman times to present day during insightful lectures and presentations on the Enlightenment, Mary Queen of Scots, as well as modern day politics and the city’s cutting-edge arts scene.
General Notes
You’ll enjoy 2-3 hours of daily instruction, discussion and/or field trips, which includes sufficient breaks throughout the program. This online program is through Zoom, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. We’ll provide a how-to guide to make sure you’ll have a hassle-free experience. This session is offered live only and will not be available on demand. Please review the daily itinerary for start and end times to ensure you won’t miss a minute of this live experience. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
Featured Expert
Profile Image
Kirsty McAlister
Kirsty is a Blue Badge guide with a Ph.D. in Scottish history and a background in higher education, historical research, and cultural heritage. She was a researcher and lecturer at Scottish universities including St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Stirling before transferring from academia to become Cultural Heritage Officer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). She has coordinated and overseen numerous community history and archaeology projects while allowing continuing to explore and discover more about Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Profile Image of Giles Ramsay
Giles Ramsay
Giles Ramsay is an independent theater director and producer who specializes in creating new work with artists in developing countries. He is the founding director of the charity Developing Artists, a fellow of St. Chad’s College, Durham University. and course leader in theater at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He has devised and instructed on Road Scholar programs since the early 1990s and has run theater projects in countries ranging from Kosovo to Zimbabwe.
Profile Image of Kevin Durjun
Kevin Durjun
Kevin Durjun began his career in theatre arts as a radio producer and presenter. He then served as manager at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and later as membership and communications manager for the Independent Theatre Council as well as two leading off-West End theatres.
Profile Image of Joyce McMillan
Joyce McMillan
Joyce is theatre critic of “The Scotsman” and also writes a political and social commentary column for the newspaper. She has been a political and arts columnist, theatre critic, and broadcaster for more than thirty years, living in Edinburgh and working for various Scottish and London-based newspapers. She also broadcasts regularly, mainly on BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 4, and has been involved in Scottish and European campaigns for democracy and human rights.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List (21 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
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Activity Note
Today’s session will start at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and end at 1:00 p.m.
Morning:
11:00 a.m. Welcome & Orientation, Our Group Leader, Kevin Durjun, will greet everyone and review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, Zoom meeting protocols, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions. 11:15 a.m. Lecture. Dr. Kirsty McAlister will give us a broad overview of Scotland’s history and then focus on the origins of it's capital, Edinburgh. We’ll learn how it came to dominate Scottish trade, politics, and law in the medieval period. We’ll consider how Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns — a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site — display a glorious partnership of medieval passageways and stunning 18th-century Georgian architecture.
Afternoon:
12:00 p.m. Break. 12:10 p.m. Introductions. We will say hello to our fellow Road Scholars. 12:40 p.m. A Field Trip to the most famous street in Edinburgh, The Royal Mile. At one end sits Edinburgh Castle, high on its volcanic rock, and at the other is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. We’ll also explore the Grassmarket with its wonderful array of pubs and hear some tales from Scotland’s murkier past. This session will end with a Q&A on today's activity. 1:00 p.m. Today’s session will end.
Activity Note
Today’s session will start at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and end at 1:00 p.m.
Morning:
11:00 a.m. Welcome to Day 2 with Kevin Durjun. Answer any questions from Day 1. 11:05 a.m. Lecture. Come face to face with Scotland's best known Kings and Queens from the founding of Holyrood Abbey by King David in 1128 to the exploits of Mary, Queen of Scots in the 1560s. Learn what happened when Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Highland Jacobite army arrived in Edinburgh in 1745 and unravel the relationship that today's monarchy has with Scotland's capital city. 11:45 am. Break.
Afternoon:
11:55 am. Field trip. Dense overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in what came to be known as the "Old Town" led to the construction of the "New Town" between 1767 and 1890 - this was urban planning on an unprecedented scale that involved a number of renowned architects.. The result was a neoclassical masterpiece. 12:45 p.m. Q& A, wrap-up and notes for tomorrow. 1:00 p.m. Today’s session will end.
Activity Note
Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and end at 1:00 p.m.
Morning:
11:00 a.m. Welcome with Kevin Durjun. Answer any questions from Day 2. 11:05 a.m. Lecture. Giles Ramsay provides an introduction to the world famous Edinburgh Festival. We travel back in time to its origins in 1947 and the aftermath of the Second World War when a group of artists attempted to heal international wounds through the power of music…and leap forward over 70 years to the present day and its uncontested place as the largest Arts festival in the world. We also discover how these decades helped to shape Scotland's modern destiny. 11.45 a.m. Break.
Afternoon:
11:55 a.m. In conversation. In this lively and interactive forum Giles Ramsay and political journalist Joyce MacMillan discuss the state of the Scottish Nation: Brexit, Scottish Independence and Scottish politics. How did we get to where we are today and what does the next decade hold? Joyce Macmillan has been a political and arts columnist, human rights campaigner and broadcaster for over thirty years. She is Theatre Critic and political and social commentary columnist for The Scotsman newspaper and broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 4. 12:40 p.m. We’ll engage in an interactive Q&A session facilitated by Kevin Durjun. 1:00 p.m. Today’s session will end.
Activity Note
Today’s session will start at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and end at 1:00 p.m.
Morning:
11:00 a.m. Welcome with Kevin Durjun. Answer any questions from Day 3. 11:05 a.m. Lecture. With Dr. Kirsty McAlister, today we dive into the 18th century when Edinburgh was at the heart of an unprecedented period of intellectual development: The Enlightenment. We will meet key players of this movement, the extraordinary achievements that took place in literature, philosophy, medicine and science, and uncover the circumstances that released this fountain of knowledge. This session will be followed by an interactive discussion forum.
Afternoon:
12.00 p.m. Break. 12:10 p.m. Field trip. We will roam around some of Edinburgh’s fascinating graveyards and find out about the many prominent Scots buried within. We visit the Scottish American Soldier's Monument in Old Calton Burial Ground dedicated to those Scots that lost their lives during the American Civil War, hear the heartwarming story of Greyfriar's Bobby at Greyfriar's Kirkard, and discover the graveyard's link to the Harry Potter books. 12:30 p.m. Lecture. In this lecture Dr Kirsty will throw open the doors to Surgeon's Hall which is one of the city's oldest and most astonishing museums. Learn the stories behind some of its remarkable objects, and find out more about Edinburgh's reputation as a centre of medical advancement. This session will be followed by an interactive Q and A to discuss and consolidate the learning from today's events. 1:00 p.m. Today’s session will end.
Activity Note
Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and end at 1:00 p.m.
Morning:
11:00 a.m. Welcome and introduction to the final day.. 11:05 a.m. Lecture. Dr. Kirsty McAllister will focus on Edinburgh and the arts. We will uncover some of the fine sculptures and paintings that adorn the beautiful city of Edinburgh and understand how it came to be recognized as the world's first UNESCO city of Literature. We will meet some of Edinburgh's esteemed and beloved writers including Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott.
Afternoon:
11:45 a.m. Break. 11:55 a.m. Interactive Q and A on this morning's session and any other questions. 12:15 p.m. Lecture. In our final lesson Dr. Kirsty will reveal some of the inspiring artisans and craftspeople that call Edinburgh their home. From kilt makers and bagpipe makers to producers of textiles, soaps and Scottish fudge, and of course whisky! We will round off our online adventure together with a final Q and A and farewells. 1:00 p.m. This concludes our program.
Participant Reviews
5
Based on 12 Reviews
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Mary Ellen – Class of 2022 | Trevor, WI
The five-day course on Edinburgh was very thorough and entertaining. All presenters knew their subject and purpose well.
— Review left March 4, 2022
Vicki – Class of 2019 | Jacksonville, FL
After this on-line trip, I definately would like to actually visit Scotland.
— Review left December 17, 2021
Martha – Class of 2021 | Cary, NC
The Road Scholar website is easy to use and completely friendly to users.
— Review left December 17, 2021
Gail – Class of 2017 | Elsmere, DE
A look at ancient and modern Edinburgh. There is more to know about Edinburgh than The Royal Mile. This Road Scholar on line program is an exciting travel tour through Scottish history, politics, theatre, arts, literature, and crafts.
— Review left July 24, 2021
Anne – Class of 2021 | Santa Elena, Costa Rica
My trip to Edinburgh Scotland online this week was a covid-19 lifesaver. This Road Scholar Zoom online class completely wetted my appetite to get to Scotland and Edinburgh in real time when travel is more conducive to actually sitting next to another person in a bar and sampling Scotch. The experts spoke to us in a very personal manner about arts and literature and politics and history were top drawer. In my extracurricular reading about Scotland I keep noticing that I know an amazing amount as a result of my five days visit online.
— Review left March 27, 2021
Trisha – Class of 2021 | Round Lake, IL
The opportunity to travel to places unknown, even if only virtually, saved the day (or year+) during this pandemic. I spent days combing through the library and online bookstores for the suggested reading, maps, and videos. I learned so much. Now I hope to actually go to these places and I know I'll enjoy them so much more with all of this shared knowledge and experience under my belt. Thank you!
— Review left March 27, 2021
David – Class of 1994 | Virginia Beach, VA
Very informative and interesting program and a great introduction to both Scotland and Edinburgh
— Review left March 27, 2021
Carol – Class of 2013 | Tuscaloosa, AL
This was the next best thing to actually getting to visit Edinburgh. Well organized, personably presented, covered a myriad of topics, but without feeling rushed. The presenter and instructors were gracious and hospitable. I love the RS virtual trips and this is one of the best!
— Review left March 26, 2021
Rebecca – Class of 2021 | Street, MD
This was an excellent, well paced program providing overview of Ancient and modern Edinburgh. The program solidified my desire to physically travel to Scotland and Edinburgh when possible.
— Review left March 26, 2021
Denise – Class of 2016 | Ledyard, CT
I would highly recommend the "A Look At Ancient & Modern Edinburgh" program. It provides a great look at Edinburgh and its history. The program left me with a strong wish to see Edinburgh in person.
— Review left March 26, 2021
Jean | Fort Collins, CO
This program was great. I was in a Edinburgh about 40 years ago. As a result of this program, I can’t wait to visit Edinburgh and Scotland in person. Would highly recommend taking this program. I often forgot I wasn’t there in person. That is how engaging the material and presentations were.
— Review left March 26, 2021
Ann – Class of 2018 | Menlo Park, CA
Online courses are a great way to explore places you would like to visit once travel is safe.
— Review left February 26, 2021





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