But it is not just the villages that give the East Neuk its appeal. The shoreline of the Firth of Forth is dotted with some of the finest beaches in Britain...and some of the most spectacular links golf courses. There are attractive shoreline walks to be enjoyed, as well as a vast array of places to visit, ancient castles and museums to country parks and nature trails. Add some of the best watersports and sea-angling to be found and you have the perfect venue for a healthy and relaxing visit.

Situated in North East Fife, and the seat of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, St Andrews is a historic and picturesque Royal Burgh at the center of the golf world. It boasts several fine courses, including the famed Old Course, beloved of champions past and present.

But St Andrews is renowned for more than the game it gave to the world...for centuries it was the center for the religious life of the nation. St Andrews Castle was the dramatic backdrop of many of the bloodiest episodes of the Reformation. At the Cathedral you can climb the daunting St Rule's Tower for magnificent views of the town and its surroundings. The town boasts two fine beaches, with the West Sands being judged top ranked beach by the Tidy Britain Group.

St Andrews is also an ancient seat of learning, with Scotland's first University set amongst elegant, ivy-clad buildings and delightful quadrangles and gardens. The timeless atmosphere of St Andrews will last in your memory forever.

The towns and villages of the north coast of the Kingdom of Fife, along the shores of the Firth of Tay, provide an excellent base to explore Fife or across the Tay Bridge to Dundee. Communities such as Tayport, Wormit and Newport-on-Tay grew as the wealthy jute barons of 19th century Dundee sought quieter, cleaner surroundings in which to live, They commuted across the old Tay Rail Bridge, which famously collapsed one stormy December night in 1879. The coast road meanders west to the town of Newburgh, an agricultural community with an important 12th century abbey overlooking the famed salmon-fishing waters of the River Tay.

To the east, the town of Leuchars has prospered through its association with an RAF base. It is also the site of one of the finest examples of Norman architecture, the 12th century Church of St Athernase. Further inland, the peaceful farming communities have many absorbing places of interest. The Lomond Hills provide ample opportunity for walking and other activities, with spectacular vistas over the surrounding countryside.

The rich agricultural land of the valley of the River Eden, known as the Howe of Fife, is scattered with small, pretty villages, such as Ceres, home of the oldest highland games in the world. The old county town of Cupar was the original seat of justice and government for the whole of Fife. Two miles south is the Hill of Tarvit, a glorious mansion house now in the hands of the National Trust for Scotland.

Nestling in superb gardens, the Royal Palace of Falkiand was once the country residence of the Stewart kings and queens as they hunted deer and wild boar in the forests of Fife. Built between 1501 and 1541 by James V, the palace has some of the most exceptional architecture of its time in Britain. The surrounding village of Falkland is equally picturesque.

Dunfermline's royal and monastic past dominates a town whose lifeblood is history. The ancient capital of Scotland, Dunfermline boasts a royal palace, a 12th century Abbey - the final resting place of King Robert the Bruce and the post-Iona burial site of the Kings and Queens of Scotland - the restored 15th century Abbot House and the cave in which St Margaret prayed. King Malcolm Canmore held court after the death of Macbeth at the now ruined fortified tower in the bean of Pittencrieff Park, which abounds in wildlife.

This is the birthplace of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie - in a humble weaver's collage - contrasting with the ornate City Chambers in the French Gothic style and the elegant spire of the Old Sherriff Court which remains an impressive landmark.

Close by is the Royal Burgh of Culross, with its picturesque 17th century cottages, now fully restored. Meander through the cobbled streets skirting the shoreline of the Firth of Forth, overlooked by the red pantiled roofs of the harled whitewashed cottages. Culross was once an important religious center and was the birthplace of St Mungo, Patron Saint of Glasgow. Charlestown is an attractive model village, built in the shape of the letter E to honor its creator, the 5th Earl of Elgin.

Along the coast lies Limekilns, the ancient port of the Benedictine monks of Dunfermline. Follow the coastal walkway east, past the magnificence of the Forth Bridges, to Aberdour, with its fine castle, granted by Robert the Bruce to his nephew in the 14th century, and the excellent beach at Silver Sands Bay.

Dunfermline and West Fife is located at the very heart of Scotland's fascinating history, where the past is very much alive.

One of Scotland's most ancient burghs, Kirkcaldy has a history stretching hack to the 11th century. It was the birthplace of the economist Adam Smith in 1723 and, five years later, the architect Robert Adam. Kirkcaldy became an industrial center in the 19th century and was the first town to use the power loom, which revolutionized the weaving industry. In later years it became "the world's linoleum capital"!

Today many of the vestiges of the area's industrial heritage have long since disappeared, replaced by bustling towns with extensive attractions to keep the whole family occupied. Kirkcaldy itself is the main shopping center of the area, and is popular for its arts and entertainment at the Adam Smith Theatre and the Art Gallery and Museum. Glenrothes is a new town which offers much for the visitor, with some of the finest leisure facilities available.

I believe that the best method of touring Scotland is that method which links national events with local history and antiquities. I don't put 52 folks on a large coach and drive round Scotland at a 100 mph. I prefer to base my tours out of a couple of locations, and travel out of these at a relaxing pace. You' will still see the best of Scotland, but you will also get a chance to meet and get to know local Scottish people. Each small group tour is organized specifically to meet the needs and interests of small group members. And each is in some way different from all the others.

If you would like to visit this area as part of a highly personalized small group tour of my native Scotland please: