Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about how to build a travel itinerary for Scotland. Sometimes the most difficult part of travel is deciding where to go and building out a travel itinerary. There are so many cool places to visit in Scotland that it can be hard to narrow them down. This Scotland travel itinerary covers a two-week trip, so you can increase or decrease accordingly, depending on how much time you have to spend in Scotland.
Edinburgh
It’s best to start your Scotland itinerary in Edinburgh. The capital city is a great place to begin your trip and learn about the history of Scotland. Edinburgh is loaded with historical sites that are concentrated in the old town center. It’s a very walkable city, too. Some highlights of Edinburgh include:
- Edinburgh Castle
- Holyrood House
- Walk the Royal Mile
- The Museum of Childhood
- National Gallery
- National Museum of Scotland
- Shopping on Princes Street
- Hike up Arthur’s Seat
Stirling
Once you’ve brushed up on Scottish history in Edinburgh, I suggest going to Stirling, which is about an hour away. You can spend one night there and cover the highlights in a day, or you can even visit on a day trip from Edinburgh. Some things to do in Stirling include:
- Stirling Castle
- William Wallace Memorial
- Church of the Holyrood
- Stirling Smith Art Gallery
Fort William
Continuing on, Fort William is about two hours from Stirling and is a nice base for some outdoor activities in Scotland. Located near Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, there are many places to hike and explore waterfalls and lochs near Fort William. There are many cool small towns to choose from in Scotland; we like Fort William because of the access to everything nearby.
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Isle of Skye
After another two-hour drive, you arrive at the Isle of Skye, one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. Make sure you stop at the Eilean Donan Castle on the way! If you are looking for wild and natural beauty, the Isle of Skye is the place for you! Finding accommodation on the Isle of Skye can be difficult, so we often stay in nearby Plockton. There are a lot of cool sites on the Isle of Skye. Some of our favorites are:
- Kilt Rock
- The Old Man of Storr
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Inverness
From Skye, we head to Inverness. Along the way, be sure to stop at Loch Ness to learn the history of the Loch Ness Monster. Our boys really loved our stop at Urquhart Castle, too. Inverness is the de facto capital of the Northern Highlands, which is another beautiful region of Scotland. Black Isle is another great place to see nearby. We recommend spending a few days of your Scotland itinerary in the Scottish Highlands before continuing on.
Aberdeen
From the Highlands, we head back East to Aberdeen. Along the way from Inverness to Aberdeen, there are several castles and ruins to check out. Aberdeen is known as “the Granite City” due to all of the granite buildings and monuments. Scotland’s third-largest city is an important shipping and fishing hub, so there is a lot of maritime history here as well.
Shetland Islands
From Aberdeen, we recommend flying to the Shetland Islands. This archipelago off the northern coast of Scotland has a lot of historic sites from the Iron Age and Bronze Age. Within the Shetland Islands, you can take ferries around to explore the various islands. The Orkney Islands are another popular destination in this region.
Glasgow
From the islands, I recommend flying back to Glasgow to wrap up your Scotland travel itinerary. While Glasgow is a more industrial city than Edinburgh, there are still many cool things to see, in addition to a growing foodie scene. Glasgow has really been undergoing a cultural revolution over the last decade or so.
- Kelvin Grove Art Gallery
- Botanical Gardens
- Glasgow Street Art
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While I do recommend spending as much time in Scotland as you can, realistically most of us have limited vacation time. This Scotland itinerary is meant to help you enjoy a two-week trip to the region, getting to know some of my favorite places. Even if you can only spend one week in Scotland, it’s well worth the journey! Looking for more tips on travel in the UK? Check out these other blog posts: