To read our Scotland story click here!
Below is a detailed itinerary from our trip to Scotland. This will take you from Edinburgh, up through the Scottish Highlands to the Isle of Skye, back down through Glencoe for amazing hiking, and finishing with a stop at Stirling on your way back to Edinburgh. We have included key points of interest, hotels, restaurants, and much more.
- Day 1 – Arrive in Edinburgh
- Day 2 – Explore Edinburgh Part 1
- Day 3 – Explore Edinburgh Part 2
- Day 4 – Driving to the Isle of Skye
- Day 5 – Exploring the Isle of Skye Part 1
- Day 6 – Exploring the Isle of Skye Part 2
- Day 7 – Driving to Glencoe
- Day 8 – Exploring & Hiking Glencoe
- Day 9 – Driving & Exploring Stirling
- Day 10 – Leave Edinburgh
Hint: Before your trip, invest in the Scotland Explorer Pass– we got the 7 day just to be safe, but they have a 3 day version as well. I will mark all activities where we used this with EP
Day 1 – Arriving in Edinburgh
Transportation: Land from a long flight, and either take a cab or the tram to your hotel. We took the tram – it leaves every 10 minutes.
Hotel: We stayed at the Inn Place in Old Town- we highly recommend both this hotel and the area. We got off at the Princes Street stop from the tram and walks to Cockburn Street.
Activities: Grab some dinner and a pint and explore the city. Don’t take a nap! Crash at the end of the day so you are refreshed for your Day 2 activities.
Food: We ate at a place close to our hotel called the Malt Shovel Inn. It was a bit touristy, but the food was good and it had a good atmosphere.
Day 2 – Explore Edinburgh Part 1
Our first full day of activities begins! We walked this entire day, but don’t hesitate to grab a cab if you need to!
8:00 AM – Breakfast: Southern Cross Café– we had a traditional Scottish breakfast, including Haggis. However, the highlight was the bacon. Its back bacon so much thicker and less fatty than American bacon. We got it every chance we could after this!
9:00 AM – St. Giles Cathedral – this is close to Edinburgh Castle and opens sooner, so we recommend starting your day at this amazing cathedral.
10:00 AM – Edinburgh Castle – we went right when it opened, which turned out to be a great decision as it got pretty packed around 11. EP
12:00 AM – Lunch – we just grabbed a quick bite at the castle café.
2:00 PM – Princes Street gardens and the Scott Monument
3:00 PM – Here we just went to the shops around the castle and visited The Elephant House– where J.K. Rowling wrote and got inspiration for Harry Potter!
Dinner: We didn’t really have this planned out well, but stumbled across The Cellar Door and it was amazing! A true hidden gem, and a wonderful atmosphere.
8:00 PM – Mary Kings Close Tour – This was the only guided tour of our trip, and we found it entertaining and informative. Be sure to book ahead of time!
Day 3 – Explore Edinburgh Part 2
We walked this entire day, but don’t hesitate to grab a cab if you need to!
8:00 AM Breakfast: The Pie Maker – we didn’t end up making it to this restaurant, as the wait was too long (and this was the day we got engaged, although I didn’t know it, so Luke wanted to stay on schedule!) so get there early! However, we’ve read great reviews so if you can make it here please do so!
9:00 AM Calton Hill – Great views of the city, and a great place to get engaged!
10:00 AM – Palace of Holyroodhouse – this is the ‘official’ residence of the royal family, and has some fascinating Mary Queen of Scots artifacts- including a lock of her hair! Also on the grounds is some Abbey Ruins- one of our Edinburgh highlights. Get tickets ahead of time!
11:30 AM – Lunch – We had a quick snack at the Holyroodhouse Cafe.
12:00 AM – Arthur’s Seat – more great views, and a nice little hike.
4:00 PM – After this we went back to the hotel to call our families and freshen up, but feel free to walk around Edinburgh some more, take a guided tour, visit the National Museum of Scotland or the Royal Botanic gardens!
6:00 PM – Dinner: The Witchery This was definitely a splurge for us, but it was fantastic! We dined in The Secret Garden, and it lived up to its name! You can also dine in the main Witchery area, which is beautiful as well.
Scotman’s Lounge – very Scottish experience
Day 4 – Driving to the Isle of Skye
The driving day- prepare yourself! Its also very busy so be careful with your time. If you have an extra day it may be worth splitting this day into two- as you will see, there was a lot we weren’t able to do.
8:00 AM – Check out of your hotel and walk/grab a cab to the car rental (we walked). We always recommend getting to the car rental as soon as it opens, as the line gets long quickly. We rented from Hertz on 10 Piccadily Place and had a great experience. Check opening times, as they vary by day.
10:30 AM – Balhousie Castle, Perth – Perth was a cute city, but this castle wasn’t what we expected. It was a bit smaller, and as it wasn’t included on our Explorer Pass we decided not to go in. However, we got some great pictures, as the glass poppies were on display.
11:00 AM – Scone Palace – This ended up being one of our favorite stops on the way up to the Isle of Skye. It has a ton of activities, including a maze, the church that kings of Scotland were crowned in and the original wood floors where the kings of Scotland walked in the palace. I wish we could have spent more time here.
12:00 AM – Huntingtower Castle – this castle ended up being really fascinating, as I considered it very authentic. It has the oldest painted ceiling in Scotland, and is fairly undisturbed. Its included in your Explorer Pass so worth a quick stop. EP
1:00 PM – Blair Athol Distillery – We made a quick stop to this really cool distillery and picked up some Scotch and a glass. We didn’t take the tour in the interest of time, but if you have the time go for it!
1:30 PM – Blair Castle – We skipped this to stay on schedule, but it is right by the distillery if you have the time. We drove by it and it looked amazing!
4:00 PM – Eilean Donan Castle – As I mentioned in my Scotland write up, we weren’t able to go in the castle because we got there too late. However, we got some very rainy pictures outside and it was so cool!
Check into your AirBNB/hotel! We stayed at Minikoi Bed and Breakfast and it was fantastic. The hostess, Norma, was so kind and accommodating.
Dinner: We ate at the Claymore Restaurant right up the road from the Air BNB. It was wonderful!
Day 5 – Exploring the Isle of Skye Part 1
This day we had to rearrange due to the rain, but I will give you our original itinerary since that is how I have it documented. Day 4 and 5 can be switched weather depending, but I wouldn’t advise mixing the activities up- they are laid out for the most efficient driving route.
*If you plan on following our itinerary, be sure to get your ticket here for the ferry to be used on Day 5 today. They get booked quickly! Read Day 5 for more details
9:00 AM – Walk the Fairy Glen – Since we did this so early there was hardly anyone there, and it was absolutely beautiful. The rolling hills, sheep grazing randomly and rock gardens made for a charming site.
11:00 AM – The Quiraing – This site is indescribable in its beauty and scale. It has to be seen to be believed. This is a really popular site, so don’t push this too far into the day- and be careful if it has rained recently. The paths are very narrow and can be slippery.
1:00 PM – Kilt Rock – A quick stop for a picture at Kilt Rock is a must! Its also very popular, so the majority of your short trip will be waiting to get your picture.
1:15 PM – Lunch: Skye Pie This cute little restaurant is Alice in Wonderland themed with tea parties hanging from the ceiling. You may have to share a table, but everyone in Scotland was so nice it was never a problem. I got the Venison Pie and Luke got the Highland Beef. Both very good!
Update: To our surprise, we found out that Skype Pie is no longer open. You will need to make alternate lunch plans.
2:30 PM – Old Man of Storr – This is a bit of a hike, but it is so worth it. There is a little landing point where you can get a great picture of the Old Man. After the landing point you can continue on, but we chose to go back since we had additional plans.
5:00 PM – Portree – Portree is a popular city to stay in while visiting Isle of Skye (as evidenced by all the large tour buses), but from a visitors perspective it was a little disappointing for us. We got a great picture of the colorful buildings along the water and walked around the town a bit.
6:00 PM – Dinner: The Portree Hotel Restaurant – Originally we planned to go to The Lower Deck, but the wait was too long. This is certainly not your only option in Portree, so feel free to wander around and find one that fits your tastes!
Day 6 – Exploring the Isle of Skye Part 2
This ended up being our actual Day 4 due to rain, so we missed The Three Chimneys (I’m still sad about that), but it was still an amazing day. Always have a backup plan due to weather!
9:00 AM – Fairy Pools – It had just begun to rain when we arrived at the Fairy Pools, and the little creek that ran through the beginning of the trail was overflowing. We managed to find a spot to jump over, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing that (others tried and weren’t able to). The water was rushing so much we didn’t end up seeing the famous Fairy Pools and walked right past it, but it was still a lot of fun and got some fun pictures and video.
10:30 AM – Talisker Distillery – This tour was amazing- we learned a lot about what makes Scotch different from other whiskeys and were able to try a few samples. I had no idea there were so many flavor options! To be honest, its still not my thing, but I have a better appreciation of it! Luke bought a few small bottles for his friends as gifts- its much much cheaper to buy at the distillery.
1:00 PM Lunch (option 1): The Oyster Shed – Our Air BNB hostess told us about this little place, and it was amazing! You could see where the seafood was caught! I got scallops and Luke got a half a lobster. Highly recommend.
1:30 PM – Lunch (Option 2): The Three Chimneys – We are so upset we had to cancel our reservation due to our shifting itinerary, but we will certainly try again when we come back. It’s a Michelin Star restaurant with traditional Isle of Skye offerings. It is on the way to Neist Point so may be a later lunch if you choose to visit Dunvegan Castle.
2:00 PM – Dunvegan Castle & Gardens – For the interest of time we did not end up going to this castle (for the life of me I don’t remember how we ran so far behind- mind you I’m writing this three years after this trip). However, it’s a beautiful spot if you can fit it in.
4:00 PM – Neist Point & Lighthouse– This incredible little spot is a little hard to get to, and there is no designated parking area that we could find so be prepared to get a little muddy. It’s a bit of a walk, but lots of picture opportunities not only of the lighthouse, but of the far rocky edges of the land and sea and the many sheep dotting the area.
6:00 PM Dinner – We went to Cafe Sia which was not far from our AirBnb and a recommendation from our host. They had great wood fired pizza.
Day 7 – Driving to Glencoe
This is another day full of driving and a ferry trip. There are plenty of places to stop and see as you make your way to Glencoe which we discuss below.
7:00 AM – Depart your Air BNB to head to the Armadale Ferry.
8:30 AM – Catch the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig. This is much faster than the bridge you came in on. Be sure to check timetables and book your tickets ahead of time here.
9:30 AM – Once you arrive in Mallaig. Make your way to Glenfinnan. Here you can see the Glenfinnan Viaduct aka “The Harry Potter Bridge” as well as amazing views of the valley in Glenfinnan.
10:45 AM – Old Inverlochy Castle – Unfortunately this castle was closed for repairs when we visited, but it was still pretty cool. The castle is in ruins but much of it survives EP
12:00 AM – Your net stop is Fort William which is a quaint little town with plenty of places to choose from for Lunch. We decided to eat at an Indian restaurant, but couldn’t remember the name of it.
1:30 PM – Steall Falls – We didn’t end up being able to hike this because of the rain/mudslide that hit the area.
4:00 PM – Hotel: Ardno House – This was a lovely little bed and breakfast with a great view overlooking the loch. As with our other hotels in Scotland our host were extremely friendly and helpful.
Day 8 – Exploring & Hiking Glencoe
This day is the big hike (where I cried crocodile tears!). Be sure to bring comfortable hiking shoes, a camel back, snacks and several layers.
9:00 AM – Hiking Buachaille Etive Mor – This was one of the most grueling hikes we have ever done, but the views from the top were worth every bit of it. It was very cloudy when we started the hike, but the skies cleared up by the time we reached the summit. Check out this link for more tips on this hike.
3:00 PM – Drive through Glen Etive. This is the valley where they filmed scenes from the 007 movie Skyfall. This Luke’s James Bond pose below.
6:00 PM – Dinner: The Clachaig Inn – Luke enjoyed an amazing meat pie here – there is a back room that we were unaware of when we ate but passed on our way out- its so cool! We would recommend eating there, although the area we ate was great as well!
Day 9 – Driving & Exploring Stirling
This day is spent mostly in Stirling, and includes a drive back to Edinburgh. If you still have some things to complete in Edinburgh (like we did), this would be the day to do it.
7:30 AM – Depart your hotel/BNB and drive to Stirling
9:30 AM – Arrive at Stirling Castle – we recommend stopping in the tapestry room and hearing the story behind the Unicorn Hunt. It is fascinating – a couple of the original tapestries are in New York!
11:30 AM – The National Wallace Monument – to be honest, we skipped this. It was a little pricey and we weren’t sure what we would get out of it. However, we did stop at a nearby park to get some pics!
12:30 PM – Lunch anywhere around Stirling. I couldn’t recall where we ate here.
2:00 PM – Drive back to Edinburgh
Note: there are several other sites in Stirling that you can see if you wish, such as the Church of the Holy Rude, Argyll’s Lodging and the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, all included on the Stirling City Pass)
4:00 PM – Drop car off at Hertz
Hotel: Cityroomz Edinbugh (we did not care for this location in New Town, especially after how wonderful our Old Town experience was, but it is close to the railway to get to the airport. If you have a full day in Stirling and are just coming back to sleep this is a great hotel).
Day 10 – Leaving Edinburgh
This is your day to get home. Depending on when you flight leaves, you can spend any extra time with last minute activities. We had an early flight out so it was straight to the airport for us.
I hope you enjoyed our itinerary in Scotland. Please let us know if we can help answer any questions for your trip to Scotland!
