Buckle up your sporran and polish your bagpipes—because we’re about to embark on a whirlwind 7-day Scotland itinerary! This itinerary is especially great for outdoor enthusiasts and people that are traveling to Scotland to see its ruggedly breathtaking nature in the form of the Scottish Highlands.
I’ve included the best places to go in Scotland; no promises that you won’t book a return journey as soon you return home! This country is that good.
A couple of notes:
- This Scotland travel itinerary assumes you’re flying in and out of Glasgow. If you found a better flight deal into Edinburgh, this itinerary works just as easily, you’ll just spend Day 2 in Glasgow and Days 1 and 7 exploring Edinburgh.
- You will find a lot of debate between Glasgow or Edinburgh and whether Glasgow is even worth visiting. Here’s my take: Edinburgh is stunning and you’ll see quintessential Scotland tourist attractions. Glasgow is less polished and more authentically Scottish. Also it’s a bit cheaper to stay in and can be better located for access to the Highlands than Edinburgh is.
- This itinerary gives you the best of both worlds by allowing you to spend a full day in Edinburgh and homebase in Glasgow, where you will likely have a more authentically Scottish experience.
- For more trip Scotland planning, check out my Best Month to Visit Scotland post to tell you maximize your dollars and time.
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Day 1 – Arrive in Glasgow
- Right away you have three options when landing, as this Scotland trip itinerary relies heavily on having rented a car. You can either pick up your rental (I prefer to book through Hertz) from Glasgow International, take the bus into Glasgow City Centre, or call a ride share.
- You won’t need the rental car until Day 3, so my recommendation is to get a ride share or take the shuttle into Glasgow.
- If this is one of your first times experiencing an overnight flight, I’d just call the Uber instead of figuring out the shuttle, but the shuttle can be a very economical option. It drops off in the City Centre at the Buchanan Bus Station.
I recommend staying in the West End of Glasgow, as you’ll be within walking distance of multiple Scotland tourist attractions, such as the University of Glasgow, the Kelvingrove Art Museum, Kelvingrove Park, the Glasgow Botanical Gardens, and the list goes on…but you won’t be bored is what I’m getting at!
Hotels in the area I’d recommend:
- Argyll Western Hotel – great nightly price for the location. Within walking distance to every major attraction on the West End, including just a 5 minute walk to the stunning University of Glasgow campus. My parents loved staying here when they visited me while I lived in Glasgow.
- Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel – slightly more upscale Victorian hotel, also at a great location at the heart of the West End. Super close to the Glasgow Botanical Gardens and the subway.
Use my list of 13 fun things to do in Glasgow and walk around the West End. Enjoy trying to figure out the accent. It’s called Glaswegian, and you likely won’t understand it very well. It’ll get better when you’re out of Glasgow, so just hang in there for now.
Day 2 – Day Trip to Edinburgh
Here you have the choice of hopping on a bus that goes directly to and from Edinburgh or taking the train. The train costs £32 while the bus costs £15, so it’s your call depending on how much of a budget you’re sticking to. Either way you’ll have to ride share or hop on the Glasgow subway to the City Centre where both the train station and bus stations are.
“But Carmen, why am I not just staying in the City Centre?” You won’t be asking me that after you’ve been within walking distance of Hogwarts. I mean the University of Glasgow.
Once you’re in Edinburgh, you can customize your Scotland itinerary based on your interests. I have an entire post on how to spend 1 day in Edinburgh that you can save for later, below is just a tiny snippet.
- Want to stretch your legs and get your heart rate up? I highly recommend hiking Arthur’s Seat to see sweeping views of the city while standing on top of a long since dormant volcano.
- If you’re a Harry Potter fan, head shamelessly to the Elephant Cafe where JK Rowling wrote her first draft. Enjoy a cup of coffee there as you try to get over your jet lag.
- If you like big castles (and who doesn’t?) take a walk to Edinburgh Castle, you can’t miss it. In my opinion, unless you’re a really big history buff, paying actual admission and doing a tour isn’t the best use of your time or dollars.
- Big into royal family tea? Holyrood Palace is the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland and located near the base of Arthur’s Seat.
- Have a pulse? Join nearly everyone who visits Edinburgh and stroll down The Royal Mile connects Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace and is the heart of Old Town Edinburgh.
- High Street is the most popular part of The Royal Mile with St. Giles’ Cathedral as well as shops, pubs, and restaurants (the food at any place here isn’t going to blow your mind, so don’t feel the need to break the bank).
End your day on the last train or bus back to Glasgow and give into jet lag.
Day 3 – Off to the Highlands!
Grab your rental car if you opted not to when you landed. This Scotland itinerary is headed up to the Highlands.
Loch Lomond is Scotland’s largest lake and is a 45-minute drive from Glasgow. Yes, the banks are indeed bonnie. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about they won’t let you in the country (for legal reasons, that is a joke).
I’d recommend stopping in Luss and wandering around the adorable cottages that rival the Lake District in England. If you’d like to hike, Arrochar is a spot to spend a couple of hours outdoors. If “bagging a Munro” (a term for hiking a 1000m Scottish mountain), is on your list of things to do in Scotland, Arrochar is a great place to do that.
Now’s probably a good time to mention that you’ll be spending a decent amount of time outdoors and you’ll need to pack accordingly. I’ve got you covered though with my 1 Week Scotland Packing List!
From there you will travel another 90 minutes into the adorable seaside town of Oban. Oban is known as the Gateway to the Scottish Isles and, in my opinion, doesn’t get as much credit as it should (especially if you ask Reddit for some reason). After spending time in Edinburgh and Glasgow, the busiest activity you’ll see here is the coming and going of the many ferries in the harbor.
Try the seafood here, as it’s the seafood capital of the UK. And enjoy exploring the town either on foot or by bicycle (book here if that bicycle tour intrigues you). Don’t miss the steep walk up to McCaig’s Tower & Battery Hill; the views over the harbour are incredible.
Oban Hotel Recommendations:
- Dungallan Country House Bed & Breakfast – located super close to the ferry terminal and train station, slightly out of the main town area. Charming and well-situated option.
- Alltavona Guest Hotel – super cute guest house with swoon worthy sea views. Slightly more expensive than the first option but still great value for accommodations in Scotland.
- Perle Oban Hotel Spa – located right in the heart of the town, upscale Victorian hotel right by the sea. Large terrace to have a drink and watch the ferries go by. Spa on site if you hiked in Arrochar and need to relax your muscles.
Day 4 – The Road to Skye
Fill up on breakfast at your accommodation and hit the road! Glencoe is 45 minutes north of Oban and is one of the best things to see in Scotland. Your jaw will drop as you drive through it and your partner will say “Wow!” every other minute (before he curses at a semi truck careening by you on a road that feels just a wee bit too small for semis).
Pull over genuinely wherever you see designated parking and follow the marked trails. A lot of the trails are going to be relatively flat and have you walking through the valleys of Glencoe, rather than having you scale up a mountain. If you swung by the ALDI or Tesco on your way out of Oban, you may even enjoy a picnic surrounded by the towering green hills.
Leaving Glencoe, you have two options with this Scotland Itinerary. Option 1: If you’re a Potterhead, you’re likely going to want to head 45 minutes northwest to the Glenfinnan Viaduct and try to catch sight of the train heading across the famous bridge. If you go that route, you’ll want to head 35 minutes north to Mallaig where you can take a 30-minute ferry ride with your car to the Isle of Skye.
Option 2: If your heart isn’t set on tracing Harry Potter’s footsteps, you can skip it and head north to the Isle of Skye via the Skye Bridge. This drive will be just short of 3 hours until you’re at the bridge, so feel free to pull over and stretch your legs anywhere that looks beautiful (and safe, of course). You’ll pass by Eileen Donan castle: the most photographed castle in Scotland and the cover of multiple guide books. Enjoy the view and use the restroom if needed, but I’d skip the paid visit.
Depending on how long you spent hiking in Glencoe, you’ll arrive in Portree around dinner time. Get checked into your accommodations and walk around charming little Portree. May I recommend a drink at the cozy and lovely Isles Inn?
Hotel recommendations in Portree:
- Portree Guest House – Fiona and Robby manage this amazing guesthouse. I loved staying here with my parents when we explored Skye and would go back in a heartbeat.
- Cuillin Hills Hotel – is located close to Portree Harbour, and provides free full breakfast, a terrace, and a garden. The views of the Harbour are incredible with this one but you’re still within easy walking distance of everything in Portree.
Day 5 – Explore the Isle of Skye
On Day 5 of this Scotland trip Itinerary, you’ll be exploring the Isle of Skye’s Trotternish Peninsula, which is home to some of Scotland’s most popular landmarks such as Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock. Trust me when I say that the Isle of Skye is one of the best places to go in Scotland.
I recommend planning to spend a decent amount of time hiking Old Man of Stor and the Quaring. The trails on both are well marked and easy to follow.
Some Scotland itineraries will tell you that you have to visit the Fairy Pools. In my experience, this is not an area with infrastructure for travelers, so finding parking can be quite challenging. And while the water is crystal clear, it is not the vibrant coloring you see in highly retouched images floating around on Pinterest.
Here are some of the products I recommend if you have any type of weather on the forecast for your trip to Scotland (hint: you likely do!):
- This raincoat is waterproof and sturdy without being too costly (under $60). I bought my Mountain Warehouse coat in Scotland and it hasn’t let me down.
- If you don’t already have a pair of waterproof hiking boots, these boots are what I’d call entry-level boots. They’re comfortable, waterproof, and have good ankle support, while being a crazy good value at under $50. I’ve gotten 5+ years out of mine.
- This hat is both warm and waterproof, the two things that you’re going to need in a hat. If you don’t bring a good hat, I guarantee you’ll end up buying a high cost low quality one.
- And these gloves are warm, waterproof, and lightweight if the forecast for your trip looks extra chilly.
If you’re faced with the elements, the Skye Museum of Island Life can offer a brief and interesting reprieve. People have been living on Skye and battling the elements for centuries. This museum allows you to step back in time and wander through an actual Highland village. And get a cup of hot cocoa while you do so.
In general, everywhere you look in Skye is stunning. I recommend trying to take in as much as possible and could spend a full post detailing everything you can do. Update: I did spend a full post. Click here for my detailed Isle of Skye in 1 day itinerary.
Day 6 – Loch Ness and Inverness
Say a tearful goodbye to the Isle of Skye and get ready for more Highland driving! By now you should have totally gotten used to driving on the left side of the road in the Highlands.
Orrrrr you’re like my father and are still white knuckle driving looking to head straight down to Glasgow to get rid of the dang thing and just call an Uber. Sorry Nessie.
The drive from Portree to Inverness is 2 hours and 30 minutes and will be just as breathtaking as your drive up to the Isle of Skye. And the roads will be just as narrow.
Once you’re in Inverness, you’re able to explore another precious Highland town in your Scotland itinerary. Inverness is a charming blend of history, culture, and enchanting scenery.
Culloden Battlefield is just 10 minutes away and is worth the visit if you have any claims to Scottish ancestry. Or if you’ve binged all 7 seasons of Outlander (worth noting: the Fraser Clan stone is currently roped off from visitors due to how much damage the excess foot traffic was causing).
While in Inverness, I definitely recommend checking out Loch Ness. There are a couple of different boat cruise options depending on your time and interest:
- 1 Hour Boat cruise – Cruise past the majestic ruins of Urquhart Castle as you explore one of Britain’s largest freshwater lakes. On this cruise you’ll use the ship’s sonar system to seek out the loch’s notorious resident.
- 3 hour excursion with a boat cruise and a 1 hour visit inside the ruins of Urquhart Castle. No sonar but still the ability to keep your eyes peeled for Nessie!
Accommodations in Inverness:
- Ardross Glencairn – great budget option located in the heart of Inverness. Easy walking distance to much of Inverness.
- Ballifeary Guest House – I love staying in guest houses in Scotland, they’re so cozy and charming. This one is right next to Inverness Castle and decent value.
- Culloden House Hotel – spend the night in a perfectly preserved 18th century manor in the heart of the historic district. This option is probably the priciest hotel on this list but an unforgettable experience.
Day 7 – Depart Inverness for Glasgow
It is a three and a half hour drive from Inverness to Glasgow for the final day of this Scotland itinerary. About 45 minutes outside of Glasgow, and an hour after you actually wanted a rest stop, is Stirling.
The Stirling Castle has a significant place in Scottish history, as “he who holds Stirling holds Scotland.” Watch Outlaw King on Netflix to prepare for your trip and you’ll appreciate Stirling even more. The vaguely phallic William Wallace monument is also nearby and hard to miss in the distance.
This may not be at all surprising at this point in this blog post, but you can skip the paid admission into the Stirling Castle IMO and just enjoy the view.
Once you’re in Glasgow, you can keep your rental car until you leave for the airport the following day, or you can dump it the first chance you get and save a couple of dollars and some stress. It’s up to you if you’d like to stay in the West End again or if you’d like to be more centrally located to Buchanan Street and the City Centre.
If you haven’t already found time to sample Scottish whisky, or Scotch, as we know it, you should definitely think about doing so before your flight leaves tomorrow. And you might need it if you’re the one who’s been driving the past five days. Book your tour at Clydeside Distillery in advance here.
This is your last chance in your Scotland itinerary to enjoy Glasgow’s pub culture, so don’t pass up on the opportunity. Glasgow also has some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had. And absolutely no offense to the rest of the country’s food scene, but other than Oban’s seafood, your food probably hasn’t been anything to write home about in the Highlands.
And that’s it! Head to bed and then head to the airport in the morning for your flight back to the US. You likely won’t be able to understand the taxi or shuttle driver, because you’re back where they speak Glaswegian, but a polite smile and nod will get you there safely.
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed yourself on this ultimate 7-day Scotland itinerary! Able to stay for more than 7 days? Check out my 10 Best Places to Go in Scotland for several other options that are too difficult to squeeze into just a 7 day Scotland itinerary.
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