Latest news with #Rabbie'sTours
The Herald Scotland
24-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
I found cave homes with a Star Wars vibe on my travels
I could spend my life gazing at the wonders in this treasure house: the wild works of Hieronymous Bosch, Bruegel the Elder, Goya and El Greco. But Andalusia was calling. We were adventuring with Rabbie's Tours - the gem of Scotland's travel industry. Rabbie's sets you up with a personal driver and guide. Read More: It's a unique experience, providing all the coolness and off-the-beaten-track surprise of independent travel, whilst making sure that you don't do any of the hard work. Our guide Violetta was like a charming Google, a personal storyteller dispensing info about local history or where to get the best lunch. Our driver Paolo made sure we were always where we needed to be without even having to think about it. By the end of a Rabbie's tour, your driver and guide feel like old friends and you'll be sad to say goodbye. This Andalusian adventure focused on food, culture and history, taking us from Roman ruins to Moorish monuments via the windmills of Don Quixote and bars and restaurants serving some of the best produce and wine you'll find in Spain. We began by travelling to the magnificent medieval city of Toledo. Set on a stunning hilltop, Toledo commands majestic views of the Tajo River. In the distance, the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada sparkle. One of the great joys of this holiday was staying in Cordoba, full of winding back streets amid whitewashed houses with pretty painted doors. It's home to La Mezquita, a grand and stately mosque, built when Spain was ruled by the Moors. In Andalusia the past constantly crashes up against the present, as Moorish and Christian influences weave together in architecture, music and cuisine. Andalusia (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) From Cordoba you can venture to the mountain fortress of La Mota, like a set from the movie El Cid. It was commanded by Christian forces during the long series of religious wars with Muslim Arabs, known as the Reconquista or the Reconquest. On your travels through Andalusia, make sure to visit the windmills of La Mancha, where Cervantes wrote of Don Quixote battling against modernity. The windmills sit on vertiginous hills overlooking the sprawling Spanish plain, stretching to horizon's end. Granada was the pearl of this tour. We stayed in a stunning hotel, right beside the famed Alhambra Palace. It was like living in a scene lifted from the pages of the Arabian Nights. Read More: It's a place of romance. At night, my wife and I sat on our balcony carved into the mountainside, surrounded by pines as the moon shone through the leaves. Make sure to take a whole day for the Alhambra. You won't be disappointed. It's a Xanadu. In Granada check out Telefonica, near the city's main square, for hip new twists on classic Andalusian food. From Granada we explored the strange little town of Guadix, comprised of caves, dug into the hills, and still inhabited. I spent a curious morning in the home of one elderly resident who saw me marvelling at his cave and invited me inside. The cave homes - which date back to Roman times but have a very Star Wars vibe - maintain a constant cool temperature in summer or winter. Next we ventured to the mountaintop town of Ronda, a place beloved by the likes of Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway. You can see its appeal to Hemingway. At the heart of the town, sits an iconic bullring. I had some of the best food of my holiday here and will be back. I could spend a week in this gorgeous, romantic and historic little town. On our way to Seville, we took a detour to Almazara olive oil farm built by the designer Philippe Starck. The factory is shaped like a Picasso bull. It's an extraordinary place where olive oil is treated with the same reverence as the finest bottle of champagne. I brought a few litres back and it's damn good. Our hotel in Seville overlooked the city's Parliament in the funky Macarena district. This city throbs with life, and the highlight for me was a visit to an authentic back-street flamenco bar. It wasn't some phoney tourist spot, but where folk from Seville go for a night time fix of sexy, sweaty, visceral music and dance. After two nights in Madrid and six spent travelling Andalusia, our adventure was to end in Portugal. We crossed the border and travelled to Tavira on the Algarve. With ceramics so integral to Portuguese culture, you can pick up some gorgeous bargains here. Then it was on to Lisbon, our final destination. I love this gutsy and very real city. It's earthy and honest and as friendly as Glasgow at its best. In Lisbon, please do not leave without trying the food at a little restaurant called Sto. This place has turned food into story-telling. Your Portuguese tasting menu is like an historic and cultural tour of the country. The sardines were stunning. The Vinho Verde the best I've ever drank, and the service impeccable. Like many folk, I've been to Spain a lot, though always as an independent traveller and usually to the big cities like Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. Andalusia (Image: PA) I thought I knew Spain. I didn't. This tour took me into the real heart of Spain. I met real people in real towns where tourists seldom tread and fell in love with places I'd never heard of but will return to often. My only concern is that I'm becoming somewhat addicted to Rabbie's tours. I want adventure and experience, and I don't want to be near those crowds of tourists all doing the same thing with an iPhone stuck to their face. But here's a confession: I'm now of an age where organising and executing that kind of holiday simply takes too much time. So I just let my mates at Rabbie's do all that for me, while I sit back in the lap of luxury and do what's good for the soul: make wonderful new memories that will last me a lifetime. Neil travelled with Rabbie's Tours. For more information and details of prices go to
Edinburgh Live
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh tour guide holding 24-hour gameathon says hobby has 'helped him escape'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh tour guide who is holding a 24-hour gameathon has said he's been able to 'escape the stress of everyday life' through gaming. Sean Forrest, who works for Rabbie's Tours, will be gaming for a full day in support of Health in Mind. While the pastime can often be seen through a 'negative perspective, Sean feels it has been 'critical' for him throughout his life in building relationships and spending 'quality time' with others. From 9am on June 20, Sean will be streaming his lengthy gaming session on Twitch. Sean said: "As someone lucky enough to have the support of a psychologist through my childhood, mental health quickly became a topic I strived to break the stigma about. "When I moved to Edinburgh to study, I worked as a resident assistant, where I first heard about Health in Mind. One of the students expressed feeling homesick, overwhelmed, and isolated. "They explained that if it weren't for Health in Mind helping build their resilience, hope and showing them ways to support their mental health, they would have dropped out. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "This experience spoke to me. It helped me understand how lucky I was to have received the help and support I needed when I was little, and that not everyone was so fortunate. "Shortly after, I decided I had to do everything I could to make my corner of the world brighter, and a great place to start was combining my inspiration – Health in Mind – and one of my core coping strategies, gaming. "Gaming can sometimes be seen through a negative perspective. However, for my whole life, gaming has been critical in fostering relationships, spending quality time with others, living shared experiences and escaping the stress of everyday life." (Image: Supplied) Sean believes 'play of any form' is necessary for building bonds with peers and 'testing your resolve'. He added: "It relieves the worry of failure and promotes creative and innovative thinking. "I believe that play is something hardly any of us allow ourselves to do with the stress of modern life but it should be encouraged in moderation, with other healthy coping strategies for mental health." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages Sean first organised a 24 hour gameathon back in 2019, and had 'huge success'. It's now grown from him sitting on a webcam to a 'full-blown' event. He's running it with the support of Rabbie's Tours, after colleagues expressed interest in joining. He added: "I took my passion and made it into a challenge. Many of my colleagues expressed that they would love to participate in a 24-hour gaming marathon, but would never have the time or space to do so. "Rabbie's has not only shown incredible support, but has been generous enough to encourage staff to use paid volunteering days to participate." You can find Sean's Just Giving page here.
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Perth Theatre Restless Natives cast in 'hold up' charity stunt
£2500 randsome to Keep Scotland Beautiful charity to free 'captives' The Perth Theatre cast of Restless Natives ambushed a tour bus - for a good cause – when it stopped in the Fair City. A Rabbie's Tours bus was full of influencers, media, and their guests who experienced the unexpected encounter on the way to Perth Theatre from Edinburgh. The cast of Restless Natives: The Musical staged a playful 'hold-up' in true rebellious spirit, celebrating the launch of the brand-new Scottish stage production. But instead of passengers paying a ransom Rabbie's Tours stepped in with a giant cheque - a £2500 donation to Keep Scotland Beautiful. Based on the beloved 1985 Scottish cult film two boys from a joke shop become 'Highland highwaymen,' cheekily holding up tour buses. As a playful nod to that, the cast of the musical staged their own 'hold-up' of the Rabbie's bus on arrival in Perth - complete with masks, costumes, and plenty of mischief. Keep Scotland Beautiful chief executive Barry Fisher said: 'While we don't normally condone holding up tour buses and visitors to our beautiful country, we are absolutely thrilled to have been selected by Rabbie's Tours to receive the ransom money from this Restless Natives stunt. 'We desperately need a sustained injection of cash to inspire and celebrate the efforts of communities across Scotland who volunteer their time to make the places they care about cleaner and greener. 'I guess we're all restless natives, trying to make Scotland a more beautiful place – from our rural beauty spots to our towns and cities. 'The impact this £2500 donation from Rabbie's Tours will have is immeasurable. We'll invest it in coordinating our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network – supporting and inspiring action on the ground and recognising achievements of 200+ groups across the country.' The cheeky stunt marked the opening week of Restless Natives: The Musical, which runs at Perth Theatre from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, May 10 before heading out on a Scottish tour, visiting venues including Leith Theatre (Edinburgh), Macrobert Arts Centre (Stirling), His Majesty's Theatre (Aberdeen), Eden Court Empire Theatre (Inverness), and King's Theatre (Glasgow). Produced and directed by the same team behind the 1985 original film, and co-produced by Perth Theatre, Restless Natives: The Musical brings the story of Ronnie and Will -Highland highwaymen turned folk heroes - to a new generation. Featuring iconic music inspired by Big Country, and a book by original creators Ninian Dunnett, Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson alongside composer Tim Sutton, the musical celebrates Scotland's rebellious, resourceful spirit. Restless Natives writer and lyricist Ninian Dunnett said: 'I'm a big, big fan of Keep Scotland Beautiful. Our glorious landscape and community mean so much to the story of Restless Natives, and I'm thrilled that our musical caper can help support their invaluable work.' Rabbie's Tours chief executive Hazel Rickett said: 'The landscapes featured in Restless Natives are the same ones we proudly share with our passengers - wild, breathtaking, and deeply loved. 'By supporting Keep Scotland Beautiful, we're helping to protect those places so they remain that way for years to come.' Tickets are on sale now for Restless Natives.
