Isles of Scilly holidays: small group inclusive tours
Uncover the secrets of this beautiful and storied archipelago as you hop between five islands, tap into local expertise and find out more about how the Isles of Scilly wildlife is protected.
Highlights
Feel the salty sea air in your hair as a private boat whisks you between all five of the inhabited Scilly Isles, each one an adventure in itself.
Stay at the archipelago’s renowned Star Castle Hotel on St Mary’s and dine a la carte in the hotel’s restaurant every evening.
Get hands-on experience of the creativity the Isles of Scilly are known for on a glass-fusing workshop with a local artist.
Hear spine-tingling tales of the shipwrecks scattered around the Scillies in a private pre-dinner talk from a leading expert on Britain’s shipwrecks.
Go behind the scenes of the Scillies’ gardens and wildlife with expert-led private talks and tours, including a guided walk with the head gardener of Tresco Abbey Gardens.
Group size 5 to 10.
St Agnes Lighthouse
Overview
The Isles of Scilly are an unexpected, tropical-like paradise off the southernmost tip of England. This is a place of white-sand beaches, turquoise seas and swaying palm trees. It’s also a place of shipwrecks, art and astonishing gardens.
These tranquil isles have weathered natural and manmade tempests to become a haven for artists, entrepreneurs and those who treasure a simpler way of life. Our small group tour takes you to their heart, with daily excursions, behind-the-scenes tours and stellar talks by local experts.
Over six days, you’ll build a picture of the archipelago’s jaw-dropping scenery, artistic flair and soul-stirring history. You’ll explore an impossibly tropical garden hiding a monastery, discover sites where our ancient ancestors laid their heroes to rest and sail to shorelines teeming with wildlife. Life here runs at a slower pace than on the mainland, so you’ll also have plenty of free time to pop into galleries, to head out on an adventure of your own or to sit and drink in the amazing views.
Stay at Star Castle Hotel
You’ll stay at the renowned Star Castle Hotel for the duration of your tour – something that few groups get to experience as the hotel is so popular. You’ll soon see why Star Castle is so loved. As well as having two excellent restaurants and charming staff, the hotel is steeped in history. It’s a complete example of an Elizabethan fort, built in 1593. In 1646, during the English Civil War, it was even a refuge for the future King Charles II.
As a GeoCultura guest, you’ll enjoy the full breakfast experience with flexibility on breakfast times and a la carte dinner every evening of your Scilly holiday. You’ll sleep in the hotel’s spacious, more-modern rooms with private entrances, in the castle’s beautiful gardens (with the opportunity to upgrade to a room inside the castle if you book early enough).
Your Isles of Scilly tour activities
During the days, you’ll explore everything the islands have to offer, from a vibrant garden hiding a monastery to discovering the sites where ancient ancestors laid their heroes to rest. History soaks the islands through, and you’ll learn how the tranquil Isles have weathered natural and manmade tempests over the years.
Your expert local guides and guest speakers will help you make the most of this island paradise, showing you the wildlife and the history behind some of the most striking landmarks. Learn about the islands’ rich maritime history and scattered shipwrecks, along with the rich tapestry of early settlers who called Scilly home.
Useful details about our Isles of Scilly holidays:
- Start / finish: Your tour starts and finishes on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, England.
- Activity Level: Leisurely, with 1 to 5km (.8 to 3 mile) walks; longer walks are optional (view our activity level definitions). Access to islands off St Mary’s will require climbing on and off passenger boats.
- Transport
- Getting there: The Isles of Scilly can be reached by plane from airports in Cornwall and Devon; by helicopter from Penzance Heliport, or by ship from Penzance Harbour. The choice is yours as we do not include travel to and from the mainland in the tour price. If this is your first trip to the Scillies, please call us, if you like advice on the pros and cons of each of the options.
- Bookable extras: We now offer an optional extra of standard or 1st class travel from London or any other UK mainline station to Penzance, plus pre-booked overnight accommodation in Penzance. Please see the ‘Need to Know’ tab for more information and per person prices.
- Check in to the Premier Inn hotel (opposite Penzance railway station) the day before you travel to Scilly, so you can choose an early morning Skybus flight from Lands End or the morning departure of the Scillonian ferry.
- Please note there are no scheduled flights or ferries on Sundays
- Getting around: Primarily on foot, with passenger boats between the islands.
- Weather: The Isles of Scilly benefit from a subtropical climate, meaning mild conditions and an average temperature ranging from 8 °C to 17 °C across the year. Rain is a possibility so we recommend bringing warm and waterproof clothing, but any poor weather often passes quickly on the islands.
- Accommodation: Five nights in the Star Castle Hotel on St Mary’s, a former artillery fort where the customers come first.
Where you will visit…
Whether you travel to St Mary’s, the Scillies’ biggest island, by boat, small plane or helicopter, the turquoise waters and beach-ringed islands will take your breath away.
Check in to Star Castle Hotel, get your bearings and then meet your GeoCultura Tour Leader and the rest of your group.
We’ll kick off your tour with a guided walk to some of the sights of St Mary’s, including Peninnis Head. The black-and-white Peninnis Head Lighthouse standing guard over the granite cliffs is always an impressive sight, whether it’s basking in the sun or showering in sea spray. Be sure to ask Tour Leader Jess all about it – she’s an expert on lighthouses!
Later, regroup for dinner at Star Castle Hotel. Built in 1593, it’s a complete example of an Elizabethan fort and steeped in history. During the English Civil War, it was even a refuge for the future King Charles II. You’ll sleep extra sweetly tonight knowing that few tour groups get to stay here as the hotel is so popular; it’s one of the many benefits of travelling with GeoCultura!
- Hotel: Star Castle Hotel
- Group dinner at Star Castle Hotel’s Castle Restaurant
Let’s start the day with a little creativity. Artists Oriel or Maisie of Phoenix Stained Glass will guide you through the process of glass fusing in a private workshop.
Afterwards hop on a jet boat for an exhilarating ride from St Mary’s to St Agnes – the most south-westerly inhabited part of the UK. Tour Leader Dr Vickie Heaney, a pro ecologist, will take you on a stroll to see seals, seabirds and the exposed granite rocks of this tiny wild island. You’ll also see Oriel’s artwork in situ, in the stained-glass window of St Agnes Church, and get another art fix when we call into the bright and colourful Pot Buoys Gallery to meet eco-artist Emma Eberlein.
We’ll polish off our time on St Agnes with some small-batch ice cream at Troytown, the only dairy farm on the Isles of Scilly. Take your pick from around 30 flavours before zipping back to St Mary’s on the jet boat. You could also stop for a drink at The Turks Head, the most south–westerly pub in the British Isles
- Hotel: Star Castle Hotel
- Dinner at Star Castle Hotel’s Castle Restaurant
If yesterday was all about the creative spirit that flourishes on these islands, today’s star of the show is the wildlife.
Spend the morning doing the daily rounds with a ranger or conservation officer from Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust. You could be checking in on the small herd of friendly English goats or observing beach nesting sites. Don’t miss your chance to ask everything you ever wanted to know about the array of landscapes and wildlife on the Isles of Scilly, from how donkeys can help manage gorse, to which bat species you might see flitting around at dusk.
Next, we set sail for a private cruise on Calypso II, a pleasure boat that carries a maximum of 12, to Northern Rocks to see seals and puffin colonies*. Skipper Rafe Ward will drop us off on St Martin’s, a 2-mile-long island ringed by some of the finest beaches you’ll ever see. It’s up to you what to do for the next hour or so. Follow the cliff path. Café hop and people watch. Or just lounge on one of those spectacular beaches.
Back on St Mary’s, we’ll gather for a fascinating pre-dinner talk by Richard Larn OBE, an ex-Navy Diver and St Mary’s resident. Richard is also a shipwreck expert – that OBE was awarded for his services to the UK’s maritime history – so he’ll take you beneath the Scillonian waves with tales of the remarkable wrecks that litter the seabed here.
- Hotel: Star Castle Hotel
- Group dinner at Star Castle Hotel’s Castle Restaurant
*April and July tours only. By September the puffins have moved on.
Another day, another island! After breakfast, a private jet boat transfer whisks you to the tiny island Bryher. Only 80 people have the privilege of calling this place their home.
On a guided walk, your Tour Leader will show you the secluded coves, rugged headlands and Bronze age burial sites that dot the island. You’ll also visit the island’s gallery, crammed with art from local creators. By now, it should be clear to you that Scillies’ sea air and beautiful landscapes can do wonders for creativity!
For lunch, take your pick from the island’s cafes or pick up something from the little stalls set up along the tracks and trails that criss-cross the island. Or, we recommend the lobster and bacon burgers at Island Fish Café or pre-booking a table at Scilly’s only 3 AA Rosette restaurant at the luxurious Hell Bay Hotel.
The jet boat will carry us back to St Mary’s mid-afternoon, for some down time before dinner.
- Hotel: Star Castle Hotel
- Dinner at Star Castle Hotel’s Castle Restaurant
The Isles of Scilly might seem wild and untameable, but they’re a gardener’s dream – as you’ll find out today.
Today we jet over to Tresco. After a Cornish Origin coffee with wake-you-up waterfront views at The Flying Boat Café, we’ll stroll to the famous Tresco Abbey Garden. Head gardener Andrew Lawson will be waiting to give you a private guided tour of this 19th-century sub-tropical paradise. Twenty thousand plants from more than 80 countries flourish here. What Andrew doesn’t know about succulents and palms isn’t worth knowing! And if Richard’s shipwreck talk captured your imagination, don’t miss the collection of figureheads from Scillonian wrecks in the garden’s Valhalla Museum.
After lunch, you have the option to visit the northern end of the island or the Old Blockhouse, a ruined 16th-century fortification, with a local guide. English Civil War history is tangible on Tresco, and you’ll hear all about the struggle to wrest control of the islands.
- Hotel: Star Castle Hotel
- Group dinner at Star Castle Hotel’s Castle Restaurant
Make the most of your last breakfast in Star Castle Hotel, check out by 10.30am, then spend the time until you depart doing whatever you please. Perhaps you’ll take one last walk around this beautiful island, return to a gallery to buy that piece of art you’ve been thinking about, or watch the comings and goings on the quay.
However you pass the time, don’t worry about your luggage – it’s taken care of and will be delivered to the quay or airport ready for your journey back to the mainland. We hope to see you on another GeoCultura tour soon.
The Isles of Scilly can be reached by Skybus from airports at Land’s End (20 minutes), Newquay (30 minutes) or Exeter (1 hour); by helicopter from Penzance Heliport (15 minutes), or by the Scillonian ship from Penzance Harbour (2 hours 45 minutes).
If you choose to arrive by sea, your luggage will be collected from the ship and taken to the Star Castle hotel. You can then stroll the short distance up to the hotel with your hand luggage. If you arrive by plane or helicopter, the Star Castle minibus driver will meet you at the airport and take you and your luggage for the short drive to the hotel.
For more information, please call or email us. We will be pleased to assist with all your questions about getting to St Mary’s, on the Isles of Scilly, with hints and tips, based on our experience.
Please note: Travel to or from the Isles of Scilly can be weather dependent and is prone to disruption. Please bear this in mind when booking on this tour. Ideally you will allow for a little flexibility, especially at the end of the tour. Please note there are no scheduled flights or ferries on Sundays.
We will be pleased to assist you with rail travel from London to Penzance and overnight accommodation in Penzance. Please call us for a quote if travelling from a different UK mainline station.
Double room for single occupancy is £175.
Your tour starts and finishes on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, England.
For an extra charge of £205 per person, we can arrange first-class return rail tickets (£140 per person for second-class return) between London and Penzance, at a time to suit each individual traveller. The price includes onboard meals with drinks, served at your seat.
Note: Second-class return tickets exclude meals and drinks.
The activity level is rated as LEISURELY (view our activity level definitions) and is suitable for occasional walkers, with walks ranging from 1 to 5km (.8 to 3 miles) on paved roads, coastal paths and sandy beaches.
This tour does involve climbing into and out of passenger boats to reach other islands, along with descending and ascending stone steps on quays. Additionally, the very short approach road to walk up to the Star Castle Hotel is steep, but it only takes about five minutes if coming up from the harbour or the town. You will never need to do this walk with your luggage on your Scilly holiday, as the hotel team take care of that!
Sturdy, waterproof footwear is essential.
If walking is an issue, alternative arrangements can be made during the scheduled longer walks, so please let GeoCultura know in advance. To enjoy the full experience, a good level of fitness is required.
Transport will be by licensed passenger boats between the islands, and primarily on foot the rest of the time.
The Isles of Scilly benefit from a subtropical climate, meaning mild conditions and an average temperature ranging from 8°C to 17°C (46°F to 63°F) across the year.
Rain is always possible, so we recommend you bring warm and waterproof clothing, but any poor weather often passes quickly on the islands.
The tour includes:
- Local experts, one of whom will accompany the group on each daily excursion
- Mostly private boat trips when travelling between islands
- Entry to Tresco Abbey Gardens plus private guided tour
- All accommodation costs for the five nights
- All breakfasts and five a la carte dinners
- All service charges and most gratuities
The tour excludes:
- Travel insurance. Guests should carry their own health and travel insurance.
- Extra or optional activities not described in the tour
- Lunches not included
- Personal expenditures, any alcoholic drinks with meals, and extras at the hotel such as laundry bills
- Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour. Participants will need to make their own arrangements for travel to and from St Mary’s. Please email or call us and we will provide detailed advice to explain the transport options
- Passport and visa fees
Our tour leaders are happy to provide suggestions for alternative activities for guests who prefer not to participate in certain parts of the tour walks or visits, or group dinners.
Photo by Mark Bolton
You’ll stay at the renowned Star Castle Hotel, St Mary’s only four-star hotel. Originally an Elizabethan artillery fort, it’s nowadays known for its excellent, fresh, local food and the warm welcome it gives its lucky guests! You’ll soon see why Star Castle is so loved. There’s something to marvel at wherever you look, from the thick walls of The Dungeon Bar to the sea views from the ramparts. There are even cannons in the gardens. Stories are everywhere.
As a GeoCultura guest, you’ll have flexibility on breakfast times and a la carte dinner every evening of your Scilly holiday. You’ll sleep in the hotel’s spacious, more-modern rooms with private entrances, in the castle’s beautiful gardens (with the opportunity to upgrade to a sea-view room or a room inside the castle if you book early enough; details on request).
Star Castle award winning restaurant
Deposit: A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.
Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.
Cancellation by participant: A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:
- Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded
- 30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded
- 15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded
- Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded
Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for additional details.
Your tour leaders
Vickie Heaney
Dr Vickie Heaney’s background is in zoology with a PHD specialisation in seabirds. During the winter months, her ornithology expertise takes her to the far south, helping to engage expedition cruise ships passengers about wildlife in places like the Falklands Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica.
The Isles of Scilly provide plenty of birdlife for her to study and conserve. As a part-time seabird ecologist with the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, Vickie’s work includes monitoring the Isles’ avian visitors, and improving conditions through initiatives like the Seabird Recovery Project. Among other outcomes, this has been credited with bringing successful breeding populations of Manx Shearwaters and Storm Petrels back to Scilly.
Vickie’s other passion is printmaking, and from her studio on St Mary’s she creates limited runs of linocut prints inspired by seabirds, nautical themes and island life, together with hand decorated ceramics with striking designs.
With Jess Vian, Vickie runs Isles of Scilly tours and our GeoCultura tours have benefitted from their input, working closley with the local boatmen, artists and producers to design unique tours to delight GeoCultura guests.
Meet Vickie on our Isles of Scilly tours, Isles of Scilly small holidays and Isles of Scilly tours: 4 night inclusive short break and visit our scheduled tours page for a full list of GeoCultura tours.
Jess Vian
Like many, Jess caught the Isles of Scilly bug from a young age after visiting the islands on holiday. After moving to the islands to work the 2001 summer season, Jess has never looked back. Throwing herself into island life, she has held an impressive number of roles over the years, working in the agricultural, tourism and transport industries.
Jess has a particular interest in the history of Scilly, with a specialisation in the lighthouses that dot the coastline and surrounding islands. Additionally, she has previously chaired the Isles of Scilly Museum Association and continues to support the organisation, as both a Trustee and the current Vice Chair.
Alongside Dr Vickie Heaney, Jess runs Isles of Scilly Tours, helping to guide visitors across and around the islands. Outside of guiding, Jess manages her smallholding of goats, chickens and ducks, and runs a small business making soap from goats’ milk.
Meet Jess on our Isles of Scilly tours, Isles of Scilly small holidays and Isles of Scilly tours: 4 night inclusive short break and visit our scheduled tours page for a full list of GeoCultura tours.
Richard Larn OBE
Richard has had a storied history in the Royal Navy, having served for 27 years in a variety of significant roles. After teaching himself to dive in 1947 in the River Thames, his passion for exploring shipwrecks took off, and since then Richard has dived all over the world and on hundreds of wreck sites.
Richard’s career highlights include discovering and investigating the wreck of HMS Association off the coast of the Isles of Scilly, and using his ingenuity to help raise the Mary Rose in 1982, a feat which earned him a personal letter of thanks from the then-Prince Charles.
Other notable moments include Richard being awarded an OBE for his work in cataloguing UK shipwrecks through the National Maritime Record, and discovering the wreck of the Admiral Gardner which yielded millions of copper coins.
Richard has written over 60 books on the subject of shipwrecks, including nine about the Isles of Scilly, and will be talking about his adventures, British naval history and a number of key Scilly shipwrecks.
Meet Richard on our Isles of Scilly tours, Isles of Scilly small holidays and Isles of Scilly tours: 4 night inclusive short break and visit our scheduled tours page for a full list of GeoCultura tours.
Puffin, Isles of Scilly.
Tresco Abbey gardens, Isles of Scilly
The lighthouse on St Agnes Island, Isles of Scilly holidays.
Meal at Star Castle, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.
Tresco jet boat, Isle of Scilly.
Testimonials
The whole experience was great as a taster for the Isles of Scilly – I enjoyed the small boat trips more, the larger ones less so. I really liked St Agnes.
I enjoyed exploring St Mary’s and finding gems like the community garden, Penninis Head, and the amazing crab sandwich and view from Juliet’s garden.
I appreciated the small group size and the tour gave me an excellent overview of the beautiful Scillies and was a good balance of activities and free time. And thanks to Julie in the office who coordinated everything so well.
Isles of Scilly Holidays | Alison J, April 2024
The visit to Tresco was my highlight and the purpose of going to the Scillies. Having the head gardener to guide us was a great bonus. And a dry day! (Enjoyed) staying in a good hotel, in a very comfortable small castle room with views out to sea. Also, seeing the way of life of islanders, flower growing, and talking to locals including Jess and the couple, retired divers, who had dinner with us.
Isles of Scilly Holidays | Francoise F, April 2024
Best bits were visiting St. Agnes, being taken round the Abbey Gardens, Tresco, the talks and guided walks. Organisation was excellent, as were meals at the hotel. A very good introduction to the Scillies, particularly when the sun shone!
Isles of Scilly Holidays | Judy C, April 2024
There were no disappointments. Best things were the hotel, hotel food, and visiting Abbey Gardens in Tresco, and they speak for themselves. I particularly commend the leader Pam who we all felt was marvellous, also the additional (local) person who guided some trips, Jess, who was interesting and helpful.
Isles of Scilly Holidays | Rosemary Y, April 2024
Just got back from the Scilly Isles tour it was FANTASTIC. Your organisation and communications were faultless, your guides on the Islands are a credit to your company. The hotel and staff were excellent, and the food was outstanding we look forward to travelling with you again.
Isles of Scilly Holidays – Small group guided tours | Bryan B, September 2024
Prices from GBP £1,575.00 pp
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