Has your wanderlust been fueled for the best things to see in Scotland lately? Have you been daydreaming about the green cliffs, charming flower-framed storefronts, and Goldendoodle-looking Highland cows you’ve been seeing on social media? Or maybe it’s the sexy characters on the Scotland-based show Outlander…
Whatever your reason, it’s time to start planning your trip to Scotland! To one of the best hidden gems in Europe that’s yet to become overcrowded with tourists. Especially if you know the secret spots that I’m about to tell you in this itinerary of the best things to see in Scotland!
Here you’ll find my 10 day itinerary to some of the top locations and in my opinion, the best things to see in Scotland. You can see them best by renting a car. Getting around on your own is incredibly easy as long as you have GPS on your phone. Don’t let driving on the opposite side of the road scare you either, just always remember to keep left!
Before I get into listing the best things to see in Scotland and where to stay, here’s a few useful tips!
If you’re heading to Scotland on a whim like I was, you’ll likely be faced with some pricey flight options. But if you have some time to plan in advance, you’ll likely be able to get a rather cheap flight!
For my trip to Scotland in particular, I was planning last minute per usual. Therefore roundtrip flights from LA to Scotland or London were pretty pricey. So instead, I messed around with flights until I found the cheapest possible combination.
I knew I’d be traveling around the country, so instead of flying in and out of the same airport, I decided to see if I could fly into one and out of another. It’s typically what I do anyway when I’m country-hopping, but I never have tried it before on one flight itinerary.
Turns out It was a couple hundred dollars cheaper to fly into London and then out of Glasgow than it would have been to do a round trip to London! So definitely test your options out with Flight Roulette to find the cheapest flight!
Check out this post for full tutorial but in a nutshell you’ll want to:
That all being said, the cheapest flight I personally found was into London and out of Glasgow. So I flew into London and took the train to Glasgow. Then I started my Scotland road trip in Glasgow where I rented a car. That way at the end of my Scotland road trip, I could return the rental car to the Glasgow airport and catch my flight!
And now, on to the best things to see in Scotland and road trip itinerary!
Keep in mind that this itinerary can be re-arranged depending on where you find your cheapest flights to and from. Again, I started in Glasgow so I could rent a car there knowing I’d end there for my flight out.
There’s tons of things to see and do in Glasgow; from modern digs, to natural wonders, and historic ruins in between!
If I had to describe Glasgow in one word it would be “Romantic”. It may be because of the immense amount of Scottish weddings I encountered. Or the overall charm on the countryside and city. But whether you’re with someone, or on your own, you’ll definitely feel those little bits of whimsical heart flutters in Glasgow!
Without a doubt, you absolutely must experience a stay at the Mar Hall Golf and Spa Hotel in Glasgow. This property is my inner-princess’ Scottish dream come true! Mar Hall looks like a historic castle on the outside aside from its manicured lawn and gardens. It’s fit for a Queen’s tea on the inside with its ornate Grand Hall.
Ironically though, the room I stayed in was incredibly modern and chic! I was actually incredibly impressed by the geometric mirrored furniture, brand new linens, and overall modernness of the accommodation!
Can you imagine? Staying in a castle with a room that looks like posh hotel room in Los Angeles? Incredible!
Mar Hall also has a fine dining restaurant with delicious Scottish food to offer. Try some locally caught salmon or cod! If you’re a meat eater like my travel partner was, and if you’re bold, try the Haggis. I won’t tell you how it’s made (ask your waiter!), but it’s a Scottish staple so you might as well try it!
I’d also highly recommend having Afternoon Tea in the Grand Hall! Nothing will make you feel more like you’re in a romantic Scottish movie than that! Especially if you happen to be there when one of the many weddings are taking place!
Don’t forget about the spa at Mar Hall either. It’s definitely a nice treat after a day of adventuring around Glasgow!
In Glasgow there is a wide variety of things to see and do! From the natural wonders of Loch Lomond area, to the local hangouts in the city center! There’s even a couple of not-so-secret-anymore locations where the popular Netflix show Outlanders was filmed!
Devil’s Pulpit is officially named Finnich Glen. It adapted the nickname thanks to local legends about the mushroom shaped rock with flat top near the waterfall. This creepily gorgeous natural phenomenon is sure to amaze you as much as it may terrify you!
For starters, you need to trek through a muddy pathway to get to a narrow, uneven, wet staircase that leads down into a gorge in the ground. Then you’ll get your first glimpse of the “blood red water” that you can swim in if you’re brave enough! ….or if you want to get to the “pulpit” and waterfalls! See my full guide on getting to the Devil’s Pulpit here: Coming Soon
This beautiful loch has plenty of things to see and do on and around it! From a 4X4 excursion that’ll take you to some epic viewpoints, to charming restaurants right on the water! I stopped for lunch and a glass of wine at Duck Bay, which offered gorgeous views of the loch. And of course, was further enhanced by yet another Scottish wedding taking place!
This is the castle whose location I kept hidden from my Instagram feed in an effort to preserve not only it’s ruins, but the community around it. Buchanan Castle has an interesting history which essentially sums up to a family clan passing it down until money ran out. Then it was used as a hospital during World War II.
After that, there were several attempts to preserve it, turn it into condos or accommodations, etc., but nothing went through. Now it’s just abandoned and overgrown with plants. It’s also on a golf course, and in a residential area, so if you happen to find it, make sure you’re respectful of it and them!
As in, don’t make a lot of noise, don’t park off the roads, don’t litter, and don’t go inside without permission.
I know I already wrote a whole schpeal about Mar Hall, but I’m including it here again in case you don’t end up staying there. Even if you don’t stay the night, you can still pop in for Afternoon Tea! If you want a truly royal experience while in Scotland, definitely make tea time at Mar Hall a must!
After you’re done adventuring , be sure to check out Glasgow’s downtown area! There’s tons of cool architecture, street art, and of course, bustling bars! There’s even an entire area called Merchant Square marketplace with plenty of indoor options in case the weather decides to be fickle.
If you aren’t already set on dates for traveling to Scotland, I’d highly recommend doing it in August! Not only is August one of the best weather months, but it’s also when the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is! And that’s definitely one of the best things to see in Scotland!
The Fringe Festival is considered the biggest arts festival in the World, with thousands of perfomances happening daily at various venues around the city. Performances range from stand up comedy to musicals, and many of them are free!
If you don’t make it to Edingurgh in August, no worries. There’s plenty of other things to see in Scotland’s captial as well!
If you want to stay somewhere beyond adorable, that’s also walking distance to Old Town, definitely check out Dunstane Houses! This charming house-turned-boutique-hotel will leave you feeling whimsical and relaxed!
Aside from aesthetics and convenience, one of my other favorite things aboiut Dunstane Houses is that it offers a Vegetarian Scottish Breakfast. That may sound like a strange thing to favorite, but as a vegetarian who travels in places where the local staples are mostly meat, it’s a real treat!
Although the real “Haggis” sounded absolutely unappetizing to this vegetarian, it was still interesting to be able to try the veggie version!
Again, I was only in Edinburgh for a day, so can only recommend a couple things! I’ve added in what my friend who lives there recommended too though!
As I mentioned above, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival happens all of August, and is the biggest arts festival in the World! I’d highly recommend trying to go check it out if you can, it was insanely fun! If you do happen to go, download the app “Free Fringe”. It will give you a map of all the venues and which free shows are playing at them in the next couple of hours!
You’ll be transported back to the olde days when you stroll around, well, Old Town. I guess that’s the point? Anyway! It has those token cobblestone streets, handsome cathedrals, adorable flower-framed storefronts, and of course, the imposing hilltop castle view!
Impossible to miss as it sits at the top of the hill in Old Town, and a glorious sight to see from any angle! Take a tour of it if you have time, especially for some stunning birds-eye views of the city!
I didn’t have time to do this (and honestly may have been a little too claustrophobic to try) but I was told the Edinburgh Vaults are a must-see! The story goes that Edinburgh was built on top of an older city, and you can still see it if you take the tour of the tunnels underground. …there are also stories of all the murders and mayhem that happened in those tunnels which further led to my decision to avoid them.
You won’t have any trouble finding a local bar to pop into in Old Town Edinburgh! There’s places that even have five bars inside of one venue! I stopped at a cute outdoor garden looking place that ironically ended up having mostly American food. Oops!
Now that I’ve done this Scotland itinerary, I can definitely say I would recommend staying longer in the Scottish Highlands. I only had three full days there which was not enough to see everything I wanted to. I definitely pouted and complained hardcore about it.
The best things to see in Scotland ‘s Highlands are pretty spread out, so it takes longer to get to them than expected. Plus the roads are narrow and many are single lanes, making travel time a lot slower.
So my advice is definitely go there, and spend as much time as you can! I was only able to see the beautiful Inverness area, so my tips are mostly for there. I’ll include a couple other places I was dying to see but didn’t have time as well!
For a truly enchanting experience that will make you feel like you’re in a fairytale, book a stay at Eagle Brae! You’ll be able to stay in the Insta-worthy log cabins that have meadows of grass on their roofs!
There’s only ten of the luxury log cabins, and they’re spread out over the vast property that’s nestled in the hillside. So you’ll have total seclusion in nature to really get in tune with yourself or whoever you’re with!
Be sure to do the hike up to the Hydro Weil while you’re there! The pathway is lined with beautiful ferns and flowers, then there’s the most photo-worthy picnic table you’ll ever see at the top!
Eagle Brae’s log cabins are self catering, but you can pre-order one of the owner’s delicious home cooked meals to make. We had the “Fish Pie”, and despite being a little questionable about the name, it was absolutely delicious!
If you’re interested in staying at Eagle Brae, definitely book in advance because they’re almost always full!
If you need a break from exploring the remoteness of the Highlands, definitely stay at the brand new Ness Walk Hotel! It just opened in July 2019, and has a prime location right on the Ness River. It’s also walking distance to Inverness town, and a short drive from Loch Ness!
Ness Walk’s main building is actual a former doctor’s home and still has the original bricks! The rooms though are all in an entirely new building, with the latest modern technology features and a bed that you’ll literally melt in!
Their gourmet restaurant Torrish attracts guests both staying at the hotel and not. With mouthwatering appetizers like seared scallops and mains from either the kitchen or grill, it’s definitely a restaurant you want to dine at when you’re in Inverness!
For many, the Loch Ness is one of the best things to see in Scotland, and you can find it in Inverness! But there’s definitely a lot of other things to do there as well! Here were some of my favorites!
It may sound strange to hear that Loch Ness has a beach considering how cold it is, but it does! And I even went in the water there! It’s called Dores Beach, and it’s a small stretch of pebbled shore at the northern end of the loch.
No one was in the water when I went, but I was determined to float on Loch Ness with my inflatable Nessie float, so I got in. It wasn’t terribly cold, but I did start to get a little scared when I went farther out and the water got super dark!
Obviously seeing Loch Ness (and perhaps Nessie!) is one of the best things to do in Scotland, so make sure you don’t miss it! This beach is a great option for experiencing Loch Ness without the loads of tourists as well!
Full honesty here: I missed my speed boat cruise and was about to get re-booked on the big boat, but ended up turning it down because of how many people were on it. An entire tour bus dropped people off and I didn’t think being on a crowded boat for an hour sounded appealing.
BUT! It’s a good way to see some sites on the shores of Loch Ness that you can’t see from land! Like the also-crowded Urquhart Castle that I also passed on because parking was full.
Seeing Highland Cows was at the top of my list of best things to see in Scotland, naturally. I even had a stuffed cow on the dashboard of our rental car as our trip mascot! Unfortunately though Highland Cows are not as abundant as you’d think!
Luckily though, Cameron’s Tea House has an entire ranch of them (with 5 new babies!), and they come right up to the fence for you to take photos with! Be sure to stop inside for some tea and lunch or breakfast!
This is an absolute MUST DO, and tops my list for best things to see in Scotland! Words cannot describe how majestic and magical this experience was at Highland Trekking and Trail Rides!
For starters, the whimsical ranch is way out in the countryside, where you won’t see any tourists unless there’s some to do trekking as well. The property looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, with long-haired horses of all different colors grazing in the flower-filled meadows or drinking from the stream.
The owners of the ranch are really awesome, and such characters! They are who will take you on either a full day, half day, or hourly tour with the horses. The area you’ll be riding around is Glen Affric, and said to be one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland!
Book your trek in advance because they get really busy! Especially after being featured in a documentary about them on BBC!
If you’re a waterfall chaser like me, you’ll want to check out Plodda Falls! It’s a bit of a drive from Inverness, so you might only want to do it if you do the Highland Horse Trekking, but I’d say it’s worth it!
It’s an easy trail hike to a daunting view point that takes you right to the top of the tall falls. Then you can walk down to the base of it for a view from the bottom!
If this post has been helpful to you, please leave me a comment and keep in mind that sharing is caring! Your views and follows are how I’m able to keep providing information for free! <3
Please CLICK HERE to see my Amazon list of everything I used and would highly recommend bringing! Also includes which cameras I used for the images above!
Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort, Dunstane Houses, Eagle Brae, Ness Walk, and Visit Scotland, however all photos, experiences, and opinions are my own!
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great article and great website
Thank you!
so beautiful place such a best
nice blog so great
Thanks!
Hi Alyssa ! Scotland does have some truly magical and mesmerising places to visit. The devil's pulpit surely sounds like a must visit place. Nice pictures too!
I agree! Devil's Pulpit was so cool, I kind of wish I had a swimsuit to actually get in the water! Thanks for reading and for your comment!