Our full Scotland itinerary

Edinburgh was one of our favorite stops in Scotland. The city is full of historic charm, with Gothic architecture, cobblestone streets, and beautiful green spaces. The cool, misty weather only added to the city’s atmosphere and made everything feel even more quintessentially Scottish.

Some of our favorite sights included the Scott Monument and Edinburgh Castle, both of which are worth adding to any itinerary. We also stopped for drinks at the Balmoral Hotel, which was a fun experience.

We also spent time exploring Victoria Street and the area around The Elephant House, often linked to Harry Potter. It was busy but fun, and grabbing a butter beer-inspired drink was a treat.

For coffee, The Milkman was our favorite stop in the city and well worth the wait.

My favorite part of Edinburgh, though, was wandering through Circus Lane and Dean Village. Circus Lane was every bit as charming as the photos, with beautiful homes, blooming wisteria, and flower-filled doorways. From there, we walked along the scenic Water of Leith pathway to Dean Village, admiring the riverside views and historic stone buildings. It felt like a peaceful escape from the busier parts of the city and was one of the most beautiful places we visited in Scotland.

The drive through Glencoe was one of the most beautiful parts of our trip. My husband was focused on navigating the winding roads, but I couldn’t stop staring out the window at the dramatic mountains and endless green landscapes. We loved it so much that we made a point to go back and explore more.

A highlight was seeing the Three Sisters of Glencoe, a stunning mountain range surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in Scotland.

We stayed at Inverlochy Castle near Fort William, which felt very rustic and incredibly Scottish in the best way. It was a unique experience, with beautiful grounds, colorful flowers, and cows grazing outside our breakfast view.

Of course, the main reason we visited Fort William was to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films. Watching the train cross in person was such a fun moment, and the excitement from everyone there made it even better.

We also stopped at Eilean Donan Castle along the way, which made for a perfect scenic break on the drive to the Isle of Skye.

We visited Oban, a charming seaside harbor town south of Fort William, and loved wandering along the waterfront. One of the highlights was enjoying incredibly fresh seafood from Oban Seafood Hut right by the marina—they prepped and prepared it for us on the spot, and we had crab and scallops straight from the docks. We also visited Oban Distillery, which was a great experience for my husband, who loved sampling the local whisky, while I had just as much fun learning about the distilling process and its history. Now it always makes us smile when we spot Oban whisky back home.

Isle of Skye was our favorite stop of the trip—we only spent three days there and truly wish we had more time. There were so many hikes we would have loved to do, and it felt like just a taste of everything the island has to offer.

We stayed at Edinbane Lodge, a beautiful countryside hotel where a river ran right outside our room. It had a spacious, cozy feel and an incredible Michelin-starred restaurant that made the stay even more special.

We also visited Highland cows in the countryside nearby, which felt like such a memorable Isle of Skye moment.

The landscapes on Skye were unreal. The hike at Quiraing was especially breathtaking, with dramatic cliffs, rolling green hills, and sheep everywhere along the trails—it felt like they were just part of the scenery. It was a rewarding hike and one of the most scenic parts of the trip.

We ended with a quick stop at Kilt Rock Falls, which was an easy but stunning viewpoint right off the road.

We headed up to Thurso, the northernmost part of Scotland, and stayed at the Forss House Hotel, a charming old hunting lodge with a very traditional, cozy feel and tartan details throughout.

From there, we explored Wick and the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, then stopped at John O’Groats to see its colorful waterfront cottages and iconic northern views.

One of the most breathtaking spots was the Duncansby Stacks—dramatic sea stacks with incredible cliffside scenery.

We also took the ferry to the Orkney Islands, which was a memorable (and very windy) crossing. On the way, we even spotted an orca, which was such an unforgettable highlight. In Orkney, we explored ancient Neolithic sites thousands of years old and were amazed by how well preserved everything was.

Our final stop was St. Andrews—and to appease my husband, but I genuinely ended up loving it too. It was one of the most beautiful places we visited, and even at the end of a long trip, I found myself not wanting to leave.

We stayed at the Old Course Hotel, with a view over the iconic 17th hole, and we played golf together at the St. Andrews Links Balgove course, which was such a special experience for both of us.

We had dinner at the Rusacks St Andrews restaurant, 18, and loved the downstairs One Under Bar, which had a really cozy atmosphere and great views of the course.

One of our favorite casual stops was the Dunvegan Bar, a classic, old-school St. Andrews pub filled with photos of famous golfers and visitors over the years—it had such a fun, historic feel.

We also explored the charming town, did a bit of shopping, and visited the historic grounds of the University of St Andrews, which were absolutely stunning.

At the end of the trip, we found a traditional pub called The Criterion, which we absolutely loved and felt like the perfect final stop before heading home.

St. Andrews was such a memorable way to end our Scotland trip—beautiful, relaxed, and full of those little moments that make you want to come back again.