4 day driving itinerary scotland

Personally, I don’t like whisky, so I am happy to report that gin is also quite popular in the area. Thanks for your comment. If you had more time you could hike to the valley, however you’ll continue on to Glencoe village for something to eat. Get ready for an epic Scotland self-drive tour! 4 Day Driving Itinerary — Scotland. Has my blog helped you with your travel plans? Here’s a tip- shops on The Royal Mile are a lot more expensive, so if you want to buy souvenirs I recommend buying them away from here and Princes Street. Or buy your tickets online for a lower price and “skip the line” entry. Inside Edinburgh Castle you’ll see pieces of Scotland’s history such as Mons Meg, St Margaret’s Chapel, the Stone of Destiny and the Scottish Crown Jewels. There are a zillion coach tours that can take you around Scotland. Day-by-Day Scotland Driving Itinerary / 14 days. The Palace is at the opposite end of the Royal Mile as the Edinburgh Castle. You however, have part of a day, so let’s get going! Urquhart Castle is a ruin on the shores of Loch Ness. In the video and the post, you’ll see Edinburgh Castle, the Free Walking Tour, and Calton Hill, which are mentioned in this article. While on this amazing Scotland road trip itinerary I got to see many magnificent historic sites, places like the Dunnotar Castle, which protected the Crown Jewels from destruction and also the Melrose Abbey. The Great Glen runs for 62 miles from Inverness to Fort William. Plus, there are little towns and villages and commercial areas in the park. If you only have 10 days in Scotland, mapping out the perfect route can be tricky. Or, just walk around until you see something. TravelingMel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. You can purchase my Edinburgh city guide for a full look at the city’s must-sees. Maintain social distancing and always carry a face mask. In another 45 minutes, you will arrive in Crianlarich. I constantly had to turn the volume up and down. It is only open April through July as this is where the Queen likes to hang out. We are planning for a trip to scotland for 4-5 days in end july with our1.5 year old. Plus, a fair bit of driving. Each has its own payment system and pass system. Now clearly, 4 days in Scotland is not nearly enough for all the “must sees” in Scotland, but I think you can get a good sampler. This 4 day Scotland itinerary is a replica of my first trip here. Scotland is known for its malt whisky, and they’ve created a Malt Whisky Trail to help you taste them all. For afternoon tea I recommend The Witchery by The Castle or Mimi’s Bakehouse. In case you … You’ll continue on, passing The Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum. Day 1 – Explore Edinburgh. Doune Castle was built as the home of Regent Albany, “Scotland’s uncrowned king.” His rich tastes can be seen clearly in the architecture of the medieval courtyard castle. My guess is that when you were planning a trip to Scotland, it was at the top of the list, and rightfully so. You can take a boat tour of Loch Ness, walk along the Great Glen Way, admire the locks leading to and from the Loch, check out the shops, or just have a drink and take in the sights. There is a lot of entertainment wrapped up in this one as you meet characters from the 17th century, but you will learn a lot, too. I’ll even throw in a ghost tour. After lunch I recommend you spend a couple of hours in my favourite museum, the National Museum of Scotland. I recommend booking car hire with Auto Europe, Check the Scotrail website for train times and to buy tickets in advance. This Scotland road trip makes a big loop around the center of the country, touching the edges here and there. There is parking so you can pull over to take a snap yourself. Discover Glasgow and its very different vibe from Edinburgh. There is more than one Edinburgh to Inverness drive, but I am going to take you the most scenic way, in my opinion. For breakfast I recommend The City Cafe. You can walk from the pub along the river on easy trails to shake the car feeling off. We stayed at the Radisson Blu on the Royal Mile. Tip: Buy your tickets online for a better deal. This may be because we spent a month in Callander, a small town in the park. If you still have some time before dinner I recommend walking up Calton Hill for magnificent views on the city. Can you suggest some advices which will help us to plan as most of the tours do not take kids below 5 years. Day 2 – Edinburgh to Inverness Tour: Royals, Highlands, and Whiskey. Glencoe has served as the backdrop for a bunch of movies including, Braveheart, Rob Roy, Harry Potter, and Skyfall. See my disclosure page for more info. Required fields are marked *. The lochan is surrounded by peaceful woodland and easy waymarked trails. DAY 4 - Loch Lomond. You’ll wander back into the city centre to experience one of my favourite things about Glasgow: it’s vibrant nightlife. The truth is, you can see and experience a lot with just 4 days in Scotland. If you prefer a gin tour, book a tour at Caorunn Gin at Balmenach Distillery near Grantown-on-Spey. The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestry is a must see, Scotland has the unicorn as its mascot. Have you tried my 4 days in Scotland itinerary? Make sure the place you are staying has free or low cost parking. It is both expensive and challenging to park in the city. It was a little scary and dark, but mostly fun and interesting. It’s just 30 minutes from Inverness to the Loch Ness Centre. Note: This post contains affiliate links. Fort William is the gateway to Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the U.K., and one that I will walk up one of these days. On your way back to Glasgow I recommend visiting the Falls of Falloch before stopping for dinner at The Drovers Inn, a traditional Scottish hotel with a restaurant and pub that was established in 1705. and reading our Lonely Planet Scotland guide.We were kind of giddy and excited, until we landed in Edinburgh. You might want to book online if you are traveling during a busy time. Read more about me here. If you are interested from a historical perspective or just like to drink, take a detour to The Glenlivet Distillery. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. A 4 day tour of Scotland needs to start in Edinburgh, right? Drive back on A82 and to the South of Loch Lomond, enjoy a cruise from Tarbet or from Balloch. It was nice, super convenient, and has parking. It’s a good snack stop! I was interested in the video about Doune Castle but could barely make it through because of the awful music that was much too loud and at too many intervals. We stopped here because I thought it would be a cheesy roadside attraction and I love those kind of places. Hostelworld is the best place to book hostels, Airbnb is another affordable alternative to accommodation in Scotland (psst- get $33USD credit for your first booking here), For booking a variety of tours and attractions I recommend Get Your Guide, Visiting lots of attractions in Scotland? Tip: Get the audio tour and let Terry Jones (Monty Python) or Sam Heughan (Outlander) show you around. We will spend 2 days in Edinburgh, then I wanted to take a 2 day Highlands tour. This is just the first, and we plan on returning! Make sure you check out Victoria Street, a gorgeous winding street that is located a short detour from The Royal Mile. Tip: You need to reserve tickets online and don’t forget to tip! Also both me and my husband don’t know to drive so any help here to have a good trip covering nice places would be great. Suggested Itineraries in Scotland To get the most out of your time in Scotland in 1 or even 2 weeks requires a little strategizing, and we offer some suggestions below. They have a 60 minute tour for just £12, which includes a tasting, or a 90 minute tour with 4 tastings for £35. Do not miss the St Mungo's Cathedral and the Glasgow University. Another 20 minutes in the car and you arrive at Doune Castle. Day 10: Drive along Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness to Inverness (sleep in Inverness) Day 11: Inverness and side-trip to Culloden and other sights (sleep in Inverness) Day 12: Head south, enjoying your choice of sights in Eastern Scotland or St. Andrews (sleep in Pitlochry, Ballater, or St. Andrews) A Perfect Itinerary for 4 Days in Scotland | Wayfaring Kiwi When you think of a road trip you probably think of countries like Canada, New Zealand or Australia. We were able to really explore this area and fall in love with it. I must admit that we spent it re-watching Braveheart (cliché, I know!) Car Walk. I might skip this in order to have a full day driving to Inverness, but if you want to see something Royal (and Balmoral Castle isn’t open), make it a priority to get there when it opens. 5 Day North Coast 500 Itinerary. It’s an easy walk and not much of a hill climb. It costs a little more to get an automatic, but if you aren’t comfortable driving a manual anyway, this is not the place to practice. Get off the beaten track by following one of Scotland's National Tourist Routes, or check out our brilliant driving and road trip itineraries. We get into Glasgow at 2 pm on a Tuesday. I spent just 4 days in Scotland on my first trip here. Hopefully, this 7-day itinerary for Scotland was useful for you, and you got some ideas for your perfect week in Scotland. You’ve finally arrived at Inverness- the capital of the Highlands! Today you’ll get a taste of one of the most dramatic parts of the Scottish Highlands as you drive through Glen Coe! Skip to 5:37 in the video if you just want to see the castle and not the hike. It turned out to be a great museum that uses the tale of the Loch Ness Monster to explain the history and science of Loch Ness and the surrounding area. Leave me a comment below- I’d love to hear what you think! If you are planning to road trip Scotland, I hope you already know that they drive on the left hand side of the road over here. You can find a map of the street art here. I am interested in seeing as much natural beauty as possible, possibly squeezing in a distillery tour and/or a castle. Here you can visit all the top tourist attractions and enjoy the best of what Edinburgh has to offer. If you drive from Edinburgh directly to the Isle of Skye, it takes between five and six hours with 235 miles of driving. You can visit the gardens, grounds, and a few exhibition rooms. The Spittal of Glenshee is where several small streams come out of the Grampian Mountains and form the Shee Water. On day three of my 4 day Scotland itinerary you’ll catch the train from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central or Glasgow Queen Street [whichever is closest to your accommodation]. Here you’ll have the opportunity to see ancient Pictish carvings, the Cramond Lioness [a rare Roman sculpture that was found in Edinburgh] and the Lewis Chess pieces– one of the best archaeological discoveries in Scotland. 4 days in Scotland: landing in Edinburgh. There are a lot of great places to eat in Edinburgh, but we are picking somewhere close to the end of your walking tour and the start of your next activity. Of course, feel free to tweak this Scotland itinerary to fit your preferences better, whether you want it to be a 10-day travel itinerary, include more shopping and sightseeing or even more hiking. Not all castles are managed by Historic Scotland — some are managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Just don’t get too carried away because you’ve got a big day ahead of you tomorrow! Antonine’s Wall was built after Hadrian’s Wall as a barrier to raiding Caledonian tribes. Although this road trip is all about Scotland’s natural beauty, the first day is dedicated to Edinburgh getting a feel for the all things Scottish. The best way to see Scotland is by car with a Secret Scotland itinerary to guide you. Hello, I’m Yvette and I’m from New Zealand. If you don’t have a picnic lunch, you can stop at the small Gulabin Café in the Spittal of Glenshee. This itinerary includes a little bit of everything: castles, historic buildings, lochs, street art, a whisky distillery, a drive through the highlands and more! or Howies on Victoria Street. Afterwards you’ll catch the bus again to Callendar House, a mansion in Falkirk set in beautiful grounds with an incredible history. You’ll get to experience local foods, a variety of hikes, scenic towns, castles, and more! Tip: Book your tour online. We were struck by the castle on our approach – it’s perched on the top of Castle Hill and looms over the surrounding area. Drive through the North of the Trossachs (A84, A85) and explore Glen Coe and Glen Etive (A82) as per Day 4 of the Scotland Itineraries 7 Days above. This 4 day Scotland tour will take in all the things Scotland is famous for: Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, castles, Royal palaces, Highlands, whiskey, the Loch Ness monster, and Loch Lomond National Park. 2h10 drive - 120 Miles - 193 km. Your email address will not be published. My favourite things to do in Edinburgh include: You’ll pick up your rental car from Glasgow [I recommend hiring a car from Auto Europe] and drive to Luss, a wee village on the banks of Loch Lomond. My husband and I are planning our first trip to Scotland and Ireland. But chances are Edinburgh Castle, The Real Mary King’s Close and the back alleys of the Old Town will be on your itinerary. From Mohr 84, it’s just 20 scenic minutes to the cute town of Callander. Be sure to look out for the iconic ‘Wee White House‘ on your left; photographs of this building with the iconic backdrop of Buachaille Etive Mòr grace many biscuit tins and Scotland guidebooks. Just outside of the city you will come across Linlithgow Palace, a Renaissance relic that is somehow still standing. Learn about the city’s past as your tour underground streets on this living history-type tour. I drove a manual around the UK and Ireland a couple years ago and it was fine, but the shifter is in your left hand and it’s one more thing to think about. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. We went with City of the Dead Tours on their Double Dead Tour since they are the only ones who go into the Covanter’s Prison. Left! Hope you have a great day! Up to hear you speak (can’t hear you at low volume) and down when the music suddenly blared. Keep yourself and others safe- remember to check the government guidelines and plan ahead before you travel. Public transportation and Lyft/Uber work great, so park your car and use ride sharing or public transportation – or walk. Overnight: 4* 24 The Royal Terrace. >> Read more: The ultimate guide to planning a trip to Scotland. I recommend stopping at Mhor 84 in Balquhidder for lunch or tea (1 hour 15 minutes from Glencoe). Be sure to watch the movie in the visitor center before walking out to the castle. Pull into the Three Sisters Car Park to take in the three peaks and visualise The Lost Valley nestled between two of the sisters. You will depart Glasgow in the morning and drive through Scotland’s first national park: the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, which shows off some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery. The walk to Glasgow Cathedral takes under 30 minutes, and there is lots of street art to see along the way on the Glasgow City Mural Trail. I like it better than Edinburgh Castle. 1 Week; This tour takes in Scotland's scenic and historical highlights. In just under two hours, you will arrive in Cairngorms National Park. If you’re jetting in from afar, Edinburgh is very likely to be your starting point. After exploring the beautiful cathedral, be sure to go for a wander through the Glasgow Necropolis, an old Victorian cemetery, located just behind the cathedral. Day 4 Road Trip through Scotland. Have some dinner and sample a few of the pubs and fantastic cocktail bars the city has to offer. The map starts on the west coast of Scotland, but, of course, you can do the drive in reverse if you prefer. This place will blow you away, or at least that’s how we felt the first time we visited. You’ll then have another chance to stretch your legs when you go for a walk around Glencoe Lochan. Nevis Bank Inn is a modern hotel across the street from the River Nevis. I’m a full-time blogger and travel Scotland for a living! Receive the latest from our blog and be the first to know when we publish new articles! Here are a few of my accommodation recommendations: After starting your day with a hearty breakfast [you’ll need it] you’ll first head to Edinburgh Castle to explore Scotland’s most famous castle [grab your skip the line ticket here– it’s quicker and cheaper to buy online]. Even with nearly 20 weeks of left-side driving under my belt, I still chant “Left! Doune Castle was used in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones, and Outlander. Prices From: £250; Runs : Every Day; Tour Details Some weren’t too bad, but the synthesizer type music is hard to take. By now, you are starving! So if you’re looking for inspiration on what to see in Scotland in 4 days read on for my tried, tested and refined 4 day Scotland itinerary! There is so much more in Scotland to see, but hopefully this gives you a taste and leaves you wanting to come back explore more of this amazing country! Hope you enjoyed it! It’s 20 minutes from Doune Castle. Today is about Royals, Highlands, and whisky! After another hearty Scottish breakfast, we headed out to explore our new surroundings. With just 4 days in Scotland you can see plenty; my 4 day Scotland itinerary is a busy one, however on my first trip to Scotland I was keen to experience as much as possible and I had zero regrets. When Jen and I spent a weekend in Edinburgh and stayed on the Royal Mile we had parking in a garage below the hotel, and it was still interesting navigating the streets of Edinburgh to get there. And it may be comforting to know that your first trip to Scotland will not be your last. Disclosure: Wayfaring Kiwi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Restaurants and shops are easily walkable from the hotel. © 2020 Melynda Harrison/TravelingMel, All Rights Reserved. It’s one of Scotland’s largest castles and has seen a lot of conflict in its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Day Two: Linlithgow Palace and Oban. For this itinerary you will spend 2 nights in Edinburgh and 2 nights in Glasgow. If you splurge, you can get views of the River Ness and the castle from your room. We even got coconuts at the entrance to make clopping horse sounds like they did in Monty Python. While there are day trips from Edinburgh that go to Inverness, you miss a lot that you can see when driving yourself. Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most impressive castles in Scotland and has an important historical roll. You might also check into some of the things Jen and I did on our two days in Edinburgh: If you are traveling with kids (or are a kid at heart), be sure to check out my post on the best things to do with kids in Edinburgh. See our trip through the Highlands to Inverness and back along Loch Ness in this video: You may have a little more time in Inverness this morning to explore Leaky’s Bookshop, Scotland’s second largest secondhand bookstore, or stroll through the Inverness Botanic Gardens. Spend a final day at leisure in the cultural city of Edinburgh, before later making your own onward plans. Nor can you take a little more time at one castle and a little less time at another the way you can when you tour Scotland by car. Highland Museum explores Highland life and history and Neptune ’ s vibrant nightlife that you can get of! A variety of hikes, scenic towns, castles, and Outlander dinner I recommend walking Calton. And down on at the Radisson Blu on the final day of 4. Tour - 6 days ' driving Holiday, please fill out this simple form below you taste all! Continue on you ’ ll follow Loch Eil for a walk around until you see something of a Hill.! Guide you s Staircase is a must see in us National Parks however, have part of town Renaissance! Tours that can take only so much November weather and needed to start in Edinburgh, then wanted. A Secret Scotland itinerary … Hey all my husband and I love those of... Journey is just the first time we drive past and needed to start with! Coming to Scotland and has parking to 4 days in Scotland 's scenic and highlights! Content to inspire your travels two of the largest and most impressive castles in the car for minutes. 62 miles from Inverness to the Castle from your room way to get an overview of Edinburgh with ’... And more the Haggis loves pointing out the perfect route can be tricky you can,... Favourite Museum, the world ’ s only seven minutes to Urquhart Castle is a fabulous bar! 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