14-15 Days in Scotland: Ultimate 2-Week Itinerary

Camille L.

2 weeks in Scotland: What to do and see?

Are you planning to spend 2 weeks in Scotland and are looking for a complete itinerary for your stay?

You are in the right place!

First of all, be aware that a 14-15 day Scotland itinerary is the ideal time to visit the majority of the country’s unmissable places of interest .

From Edinburgh to Glasgow (the 2 main big cities) via the Highlands, the Isle of Skye or the Trossachs Park, I will give you the ultimate 2 weeks Scotland itinerary.

For each stage of your stay, in addition to the places to see, I have selected the best accommodation for you according to your budget. And of course, you will also find throughout the article my advice and tips to make your trip unforgettable.

So what to do and see in Scotland in two weeks? 

Day 1-2: Edinburgh

There are two main airports in Scotland: one in Edinburgh and another in Glasgow. To visit Scotland in 15 days, I suggest you arrive in Edinburgh and leave Glasgow, in order to have the opportunity to visit these two cities without stress, at the opening and closing of your vacation.

Of course, if it suits you better (for flight prices/schedules or car rental for example), you can arrive and depart from the same city. Edinburgh and Glasgow are less than an hour apart.

After landing, collect your rental car. Then head to central Edinburgh, the first stop on this 2-week Scotland itinerary.

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe and promises you 2 great days of sightseeing. The city is split in two between Old Town, the medieval city, and New Town the contemporary. The best, in my opinion, is to dedicate a day to each area.

I suggest you start this day of your 15-day Scotland itinerary with Old Town, the visit of which starts at Edinburgh Castle (Edhinburg Castle), a very beautiful and huge medieval castle that dominates the city, perched on its volcano.

You can visit the interior, which will take you about 2 hours. Main tourist spot, I recommend that you book your skip-the-line ticket here in advance to avoid queuing and not wasting time.

Then go down the main artery of Old Town: the Royal Mile, all along which you will be immersed in an atmosphere that is both medieval and (very) touristy.

Do not miss the monuments of interest such as:

As well as the free museums that will satisfy your thirst for culture:

Edinburgh’s Saint Giles Cathedral

The Royal Mile ends at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a prestigious residence where Mary Stuart once lived and now serves as the Queen’s second home. You can visit the interior of the palace, its gardens, the ruins of its abbey and very beautiful art galleries.

As with Edinburgh Castle, it is also best to book your entrance ticket here in advance. 

Just behind the palace, there is an old volcano on which you can take a nice walk of 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes in the moors. It’s Arthur’s Seat ride. At the top you will discover a superb view of the city.

End this beautiful day with dinner in Old Town, where you will find many restaurants. I recommend the David Bann on St Mary’s Street, where I enjoyed myself.

Then enjoy a digestive walk in the Grassmarket district, which is very lively in the evening. In addition to the many pubs, don’t miss the pretty street of Candlemaker Row with its mystical atmosphere.

You will find there in particular the very picturesque cemetery of Greyfriars, known to be the most haunted in the world!

A short nocturnal stroll between the ancient tombs will delight fans of ghost stories and chills. To participate in a guided tour, reservations are right here!

In Old Town, don’t miss either:

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

To visit the old town of Edinburgh and benefit from the detailed explanations of a guide, you can also opt for a guided tour! And good news, this visit is in French!

You will have the chance to learn more about the great historical sites of the city like the Palace of Holyrood, the castle or the Parliament.

This English guided tour of Edinburgh can be booked directly here.

The city of Edinburgh in Scotland

 

After a good night’s sleep in Edinburgh, it’s off to day two of your 2-week tour of Scotland. Today, visit the other facet of the city: New Town, built in the 18th century.

It extends around 3 main axes: Princes Street, Queen Street and Georges Street.

Start by taking a walk through the Princes Street Gardens, very beautiful large and well-kept gardens that mark the border with the old town. You have an exceptional panorama of the Old Town.

Continue in Charlotte Square and its superb alleys where you can notably see the official residence of the Prime Minister (Bute House) and the Georgian House, a typical Georgian house.

Wander up Calton Hill to discover pretty gardens and a stunning new vantage point over Old Town.

Be sure to visit the free national museums for a short cultural break: the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery.

Then discover Dean Village, a former milling village with a pretty river.

Before going to dinner, end your day with a short walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens where you can see the largest collection of rhododendrons in the world, greenhouses, a Chinese garden and an arboretum.

You can also choose, instead of the Botanical Garden, to reach the lively Stockbridge district, just a 15-minute walk from Dean Village.

Spend one last night in Edinburgh. 

For even more information on Edinburgh, I invite you to read our dedicated article: What to do in Edinburgh? 

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

To visit Edinburgh, I recommend you buy the Royal Edinburgh Ticket giving access to the castle, Holyrood Palace and a guided bus tour. Nothing could be simpler, just click here.

Do not try to park anywhere in town at the risk of getting a big fine or having your car boarded, most spaces being limited to 4 hours of parking.

Instead, park in one of the underground car parks or try to find a free space in the area of ​​the Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Park or Murrayfield stadium.

You can also park in a “park and ride” located outside the city and indicated by large signs on the highway, from which you will take a shuttle to reach the center.

Accommodation in Edinburgh

5 star hotel in Edinburgh – The Radisson Collection Hotel

Day 3: The castles – Scone Palace, Stirling and Blair Castle

For this second leg of this 14-15 day stay in Scotland, leave Edinburgh and head north-west towards Fort William.

Along the way, stop to visit one or more of these superb castles:

Scone Palace: located very close to the city of Perth, about 1 hour drive from Edinburgh. It is a very beautiful castle of Georgian Gothic architecture built at the very beginning of the 19th century, still inhabited today. It is on this site that all the kings of Scotland were crowned.

The castle is built on a very large estate and has magnificent gardens. You can visit the interior of the castle in about 1 hour, and the gardens in 1 hour or even 2 hours if you are lucky enough to have sunshine.

Stirling Castle (Stirling Castle): a magnificent Scottish castle as we love them, one of the largest and most important in the history of Scotland.

Dating from the 15th century and built on top of a hill, it is also located about 1 hour drive  from Edinburgh. It served as a continuous royal residence until the Renaissance and faced many battles. The interior of the castle is nice to visit but it is the exterior that is especially worth it. You can buy your tickets here. 

Blair Castle (Blair Castle): much further north than the other two, Blair Castle is located in the small tourist village of Pitlorchy where you can also visit two distilleries (Edradour and Blair Athol Distillery).

Of an immaculate whiteness, this castle dates from the 13th century and today belongs to the Duke of Atholl who only comes there very rarely. The visit of the interior is interesting and the gardens are once again very beautiful.

After this half-day visit, continue your 2-week Scotland itinerary to Fort William where you will spend the night.

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

Take advantage of your evening in Fort William to test the atmosphere of Scottish pubs, an essential travel experience! To do even with the family because the atmosphere is very joyful and good-natured. Grog & Gruel is one of the best pubs in town, and it’s also possible to dine there.

Accommodation in Fort William

Le Scone palace

Day 4: Loch Ness

The next morning, a new stage of this 2-week Scotland itinerary, heading to the village of Fort Augustus at the gates of Loch Ness.

Prepare your binoculars because today you may come face to face with the famous and mysterious monster Nessie! Loch Ness is one of the largest in the country. S

ituated in the heart of the superb Highlands region, it is 30 km long and only 2 km wide. It lies between Fort Augustus and Inverness to the north.

Start with a stop in Fort Augustus (less than an hour’s drive from Fort William). You will have very beautiful views of the loch and can also treat yourself to a very nice cruise!

Then take the road north, direction Drumnadrochit. The drive from Fort Ausgustus to Drumnadrochit is truly superb and will take you around 40 minutes.

Once there, you can:

Leave Drumnadrochit then continue to Inverness, capital of the Highlands where you will spend the evening and night.

If you have time, push to the village of Dores on the eastern shore of the lake to admire its very pretty pebble beach and perhaps meet Steve Feltham, a monster hunter who has been living here since 1991.

Then return to Inverness for a good night’s sleep before heading north again the next morning.

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

If you want to visit Urquhart Castle and take a cruise on Loch Ness (the 2 best activities to do in the area!), it is best to book a combined excursion offering these 2 activities. You will save money!

Accommodation in Inverness

The famous Loch Ness, Scotland

Day 5-8: Road-trip in the Northern Highlands (3 ½ days)

This fourth leg of your two-week Scotland itinerary takes you to the northern Highlands, to encounter the wild landscapes, steep coastline and white sand beaches of this exceptional region.

Leave from Inverness and go up to Durness (about 2h45 drive) making sure to stop along the way to immortalize the sublime landscapes that surround you. Go see the sublime beach of Sango Bay and take a walk in the village.

Then descend towards Scourie following the coastline. From Tarbet, you can take the ferry for a few hours excursion to the tiny island of Handa. This is where many birds nest, including the famous and adorable puffins.

It is an uninhabited nature reserve, a veritable sanctuary for many species of birds. Return costs approximately £12 per adult (departs 9am-2pm, return no later than 5pm).

Spend the night in Scourie then set off again the next morning, still heading south and along the coastline towards Kylesku. You will discover here several lochs including the magnificent Loch Assynt bordered by breathtaking landscapes.

Spend the half-day exploring the surroundings at your own pace, then hit the road again to the Coigach Peninsula, near the village of Achiltibuie.

Then continue to Ullapool (45 minutes drive), stopover for the night.

The next day, continue your journey in the northern Highlands and join Inverewe Garden, a very beautiful botanical garden with a view of the sea, to be visited quietly in 2 to 3 hours.

Next, head for Torridon and then take the coastal road to Applecross,  considered the most beautiful road in the Highlands.

End the day in Plockton, a charming little port built on the edge of Loch Carron with many restaurants and shops and a superb seafront.

The next morning, I suggest you visit a new castle located about twenty minutes drive from Plockton: the Eilean Donan Castle. Another very photogenic Scottish castle that has served as a film set on several occasions. Built on an island in the middle of the loch, it is only accessible by a bridge.

After the visit, it’s off to the Isle of Skye, which you will reach by the Skye bridge, the bridge located near Kyle of Lochalsh (just 10 minutes from the castle).

If you want a complete guide to the Highlands, it’s in our article: Visiting the Highlands.

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

For those who would like to include a visit to the Isle of Lewis and Harris, a real jewel of Scotland and one of the most beautiful islands in Europe, a variant of this itinerary is possible.

After your night in Inverness, you can reach Ullapool directly (1h20 drive) and take the ferry that will take you to Lewis. You can then replace the 3 days of road trip in the North of the Highlands by the discovery of the island.

At the end of these 3 days, reach the Isle of Skye by ferry directly from Lewis & Harris to continue your 15-day tour in Scotland.

Accommodation in Scourie (1st night in the Northern Highlands)

Accommodation in Ullapool (2nd night)

Accommodation in Plockton (3rd night)

Loch Assynt in the Northern Highlands

Day 9-10: Isle of Skye

Visiting Scotland in two weeks also means being able to discover the Isle of Skye, a compendium of spectacular landscapes. You have to spend at least 2 days there to get a good overview.

After crossing the Kyle of Lochalsh bridge, you have arrived in 10 minutes on the island of the Mists, as it is nicknamed. Spend the first day there exploring the Southwest.

Route idea for the day:

The second day, I suggest you discover the North-East of the island.

Take the A 855 road which runs along the coast. You will make several stops along the way to see:

At the end of the day, go back down to Portree and spend one last night there.

The next morning, go to Armadale to take the ferry to Mallaig (the crossing costs £3 per pedestrian and £10 per car).

For more information on all the places to see on the Isle of Skye, read our article: The Complete Guide to Visiting the Isle of Skye.

Accommodation on the Isle of Skye

The Fairy Pool site on the Isle of Skye

Day 11-12: The Valley of Glen Coe and Glenfinnan

Continuation of this 2-week Scotland itinerary and return to the Highlands to now visit the splendid valley of Glen Coe, a favorite destination for Scottish mountaineers.

If you have some time on your hands, take a quick trip to Mallaig before leaving. Very quiet, this port is especially lively at midday because the Jacobite Express  which makes the Fort William-Mallaig journey every day stops there.

This name may tell you nothing, but it’s the train that represents the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films! Restaurants and streets fill up until he leaves around 2 p.m.

From Mallaig, take the road to the tiny village of Glencoe (in a nutshell this time) about an hour’s drive away. Park at the end of its main street.

You will find the starting point for several forest walks (the Lochan Trails) just after the war memorial and the small bridge.

You can link the Lochan Trails (about 1 hour walk) with the superb hike of Pap of Glencoe which takes you through breathtaking landscapes to the top of the mountain of the same name. It climbs quite a bit and it takes 4 hours to make the round trip.

In and around Glencoe you can also:

Overnight in Fort William.

The next morning, head for the village of Glenfinnan, about 30 minutes from Fort William and less than an hour from Glencoe.

Not to be missed in Glenfinnan:

Spend the night in Fort William.

Accommodation in Fort William

Glenfinnan, in Scotland

Day 13-14: Conic Hill and the Trossachs National Park

For this penultimate stage of your 15-day Scotland itinerary, discover another green and splendid natural region: the Trossachs.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is very large but 2 days are enough to visit it well. In order to make the most of the many things to see, I have concocted a short itinerary for you:

Program for the first day:

What I recommend for the next day:

Accommodation in the Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond

Day 15: Glasgow

End your 2-week Scotland itinerary in style with a visit to Glasgow, Edinburgh’s famous neighbour, too often and unfairly left in the capital’s shadow.

Glasgow is very pleasant to visit and a day is enough to see the main points of interest. The city center is the most interesting and can be explored on foot very easily.

Start from Buchanan Street and discover the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) which art lovers will enjoy visiting (entrance is free).

Continue on Queen Street and spend some time in the beautiful square of Georges Square. You can have a drink on the terrace and admire the Glasgow City Chambers and its remarkable architecture.

Wander the side streets to Merchant City where you can visit the Glasgow Police Museum, a museum about the history of Scottish policing. Original and very nice!

Walk to the Tolbooth Steeple, also called Glasgow Cross. This monument marks the former location of Glasgow’s old feudal House and city center in ancient times.

Descend to Saltmarket to reach Glasgow Green, the city’s largest park where you can picnic and enjoy a lovely digestive walk.

After lunch proceed to St Mungo’s Cathedral  . This Gothic cathedral and its Victorian cemetery, called the Necropolis, form one of Glasgow’s must-see landmarks. The cemetery is very pretty and located on a hill from which there is a beautiful view of the city.

Then go visit the prestigious University of Glasgow, an architectural masterpiece.

End the day with a short shopping spree on Buchanan Street.

If you’re lucky enough to have one last evening in Scotland before flying back the next day, I’d recommend going to dinner on Ashton Lane, a quaint street with several cool restaurants, and then enjoying Glasgow’s vibrant nightlife.

To find out all about what to visit in Glasgow, read our article: What to do and see in Glasgow?

Tips for your Scotland itinerary:

If your holiday in Scotland only lasts 14 days, you can spend one less day in the Trossachs National Park.

Accommodation in Glasgow

And you? What are you planning to visit on your 2 week Scotland itinerary?

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