8 Days in Scotland

When: September 2023

Danielle’s Highlight: Either walking around Edinburgh or the beautiful hikes on the Isle of Skye

Jason’s Highlight:

Where we stayed: Airbnbs and hotels; we would stay at all of them again.

• Edinburgh: Travelodge Central Waterloo Place. This was was a simple, no frills hotel within walking distance to the Royal Mile. It was clean and good enough.

• Inverness: Fraser House B&B. This was right along the river in a perfect location. It was older fashioned and what you would anticipate from a classic B&B. We couldn’t have asked for a better location within walking distance to all the restaurants.

• Skye: Airbnb. We found a private room/bathroom 10-minute walk from downtown Portree. Portree is a great base location for Isle of Skye. It’s the biggest city with the most dining options, but trust me when I tell you to book restaurant reservations in advance!!! We didn’t and we ended up getting take out. With that said, we could have stayed anywhere on Skye and had a similar experience. I overthought this decision for days and it’s unnecessary. Ideally, I would stay mid-island (vs at the very top or bottom) so all the sites are 30-45 minutes away.

• Glencoe: RiverBeds – Luxury Wee Lodges. This was our splurge lodging. It was a tiny cabin in the woods and we loved it. If you want to spend a little extra for a night or two and get some solitude, stay here!

• Stirling: Stirling Highland Hotel. This building used to be an old high school. It was an interesting layout but cooler than staying in an average hotel. We were so exhausted that it was nice having dinner and breakfast available on site.

TLDR: If you want to add a city into your itinerary for 1+ days, don’t hesitate on Edinburgh! It’s beautiful, easy to get around, and there is something interesting around every corner. As for Scotland, you could easily spend days to weeks here finding awe-inspiring sites. Our eight days barely scratched the surface; to see more than Edinburgh you should plan 5+ days. It is an excellent country for the whisky drinker or the non-drinker, the adventurous hiker or the slow stroll, the romantic couple or the whole family. Basically, just go to Scotland!

P.S. it's Ed-in-burr-ugh.

Day One: We arrived in Edinburgh from Munich at 10:00 AM. It took about two hours from touch down to arriving at our hotel. We stayed at the Travelodge, which was a no frills hotel within walking distance to the Royal Mile. We spent this day wandering around and soaking in the city. Edinburgh is amazing and I can't wait to revisit. There is so much to see! If you are an Outlander fan, make sure you look up all the shooting sites in the city. In particular, you can go to Bakehouse Close which is where Jamie's printing shop was. FYI a close is basically an alley.

• Piper’s Rest: This was an authentic Scottish bar that we enjoyed lunch and drinks at. They had haggis burgers and a sampler that I ordered. Jason is a haggis fan, for me it was a little gamey. Something everyone should try in Scotland.

• Royal Mile: This is the tourist strip of Edinburgh. Its a long (mile) cobblestone road full of shops and pubs. You could spend hours here if you visit multiple shops. I recommend having accommodations near this area.

• Dean’s Village: This was a quaint, picturesque neighborhood. I had seen several photos of it online. We had to walk about 20 minutes to get here. If you have time to kill, it's a fun spot to explore, but I wouldn't have it on my "must do."

• Vesta Bar & Kitchen: This was halfway between Dean's and Royal Mile. It was a hip, modern restaurant with good food choices. Great fish n chips and burgers.

Day Two: A little more energized today, we hit multiple big sites. We headed back over to the Royal Mile and checked out the Holyrood Palace, which is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. We then hiked back up the road to the Edinburgh Castle. After lunch was an awesome whisky tasting that got us ready for a ghost tour. This was a fun way to explore more of the city. We finished the night off with a tasty dinner at Ox184.

• Black Sheep Cafe: Modern, busy cafe nearby the Travelodge. They had good coffee options and pastries/sandwiches for breakfast.

• Holyrood Palace: The British monarch residence. Reportedly the Queen spent quite a bit of time here. It was worth checking out and walking the grounds. It was both historic and regal and a good way to spend a couple of hours.

• Edinburgh Castle: Make sure you book an entrance time in advance. We attempted to go the day earlier but it was sold out. This can definitely take a few hours. It is a must-see and was fascinating. There were structures nearly 1000 years old.

• Cold Town House: This was an awesome restaurant with a few of the Castle. I highly recommend getting a table of the rooftop (look into reservations). The food was great and the ambiance was lively. This one is definitely worth it!

• The Scottish Whisky Experience: This was a last minute booking for us and I'm so glad we did it. It is a very comprehensive tour with a presentation about all the different whiskies in Scotland. We then toured an impressive whisky collection room and then tasty tastings. They even teach you how to enjoy whisky and identify flavors.

• Ghost Tour: This was a fun tour to gain insight on the city history while hear entertaining ghost stories. We walked around several different sites, including the underground vaults which was really fascinating. We actually got to go into the vaults and it was crazy to hear the history on these. I would recommend this tour if you have a free evening. Link: Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour

• Ox184: This was a modern, hip restaurant near where the ghost tour ended. Good cocktails. Good food. Good ambiance.

Day Three: We picked up a rental car and started our drive to Inverness. We made pit stops along Falkland (featured in Outlander), St. Andrews, and the distillery Blair Atholl. Reservations are crucial in any small city in Scotland... like any city besides Glasgow and Edinburgh. We had a hard time finding restaurants even in Inverness, so definitely plan ahead!!

• Falkland: This was “Inverness” in Outlander. It was a fun pitstop and quaint town. We grabbed coffee here and checked out the one boutique they have. There isn't much to the town but worth seeing if you like Outlander!

• St. Andrews: This was such a cute town. I would love to come back and stay here. If you like golf this St. Andrews is a must visit. It's hard to get an actual golfing slot, but we were able to walk up and do the putt putt course. This was really fun and worth it. Jason got a hole in one! The restaurant in the middle of the course had good food and drink as well.

• Blair Atholl Distillery: (eth-ahl) We just barely missed the last tour here. The staff still let us look around the shop and even gave Jason a taster because he said he would buy a bottle of something. We ended up getting a couple of bottles and it was great whisky.

• Zizzi: This restaurant was the only decently rated place that had a table. It felt chain-like but the food was good. I would have preferred a more local place, but we did enjoy the food here.

Day Four: This day was for exploring the surrounding sites of Inverness. Inverness is a great base location. We spent a few hours at Culloden, which is a must if you like history and if you like Outlander. Nearby is the Cawdor Castle, which had some interesting history. And then there were the Clava Cairns, which is the closest you'll get to the stones like in Outlander.

• Culloden Battlefield: A "must do."

• The Culloden House: Book a reservation in advance! You can send an email online. This was fun and worth it. Definitely more of a finer dining, but we still looked casual. It was a multi-course meal, even though it was just lunch. It felt like we were back in time. This was where the Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed near the time of Culloden.

• Cawdor: This

• Clava Cairns: Be careful not to touch them and be sent back to the 1700s!

• Prime: The sticky toffee pudding was so so good!

Day Five: We woke up and headed to the Isle of Skye. This was about 2.5 hours with plenty of pitstops along the way. We stopped at a few castles, viewpoints, and a distillery. Its so easy to find stops every half hour in Scotland! We decided to stay in Portree, because it is the most upbeat city on Skye. This was still a very small town and honestly we could have stayed in an even smaller town and not have noticed the difference.

• Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle: So we didn't see the Loch Ness monster... oh well. We did see the ruins of the very old and beautiful Urquhart Castle. It's fascinating to walk through these old ruins. This castle is a frequently photographed site and worth the visit.

• Eilean Donan: Another frequently seen photo and where James Bond had some filming at. This was an interesting castle because it was full of modern day photos and items from the family that still owns it.

• Sligachan Old Bridge: A picturesque stop. We were the only ones there, so this is not a busy place. We just pulled off on the side of the road and enjoyed the beauty of the bridge and mountain backdrop.

• Torabhaig Distillary: (tor-uh-vaig) We were able to get a last minute tour here and it was great! It's a newer distillery.. only a few years old. Because of it being a young distillery, there were only a few tasting options.

• Fat Panda Takeaway: We were told to make reservations in Skye about 2 weeks before the trip... we didn't and we faced the consequences. There was a Chinese restaurant with to-go options, so we opted for this. It was just as you'd expect take-out Chinese food on a remote Island in Scotland would taste. Make reservations!

Day Six: Finally time to explore the beautiful Skye! There are endless things to see here and it's tough only picking a few. We decided to seek out all the main sites, which did include a bit of driving. We did both the Quiraing hike and Old Man of Storr hike. It was a tiring day but both were doable. We ended up with about 23,000 steps that day, despite hours of driving.

• Neist Point: Rain, rain, rain! We got absolutely drenched here. We basically sprinted out to the view point and then sprinted back to the car. I thankfully had brought a spare pair of pants and was very glad I could change. It's worth bringing some extra clothes for inclement weather while hiking.

• Fairy Glen: A strange and beautiful place to hike around. It's notable for the dirt spirals, but we were told these spirals have no historical relevance and are actually considered destruction by tourists who think the spirals are supposed to be there.

• Quiraing: (kuraing) An absolute must see! When we showed up it was a downpour, but the weather was supposed to improve so we sat in the car for about 45 minutes waiting. Greatest decision ever, because 10 minutes into the hike the weather became beautiful! This is definitely a hike you want to do in good weather to appreciate the views.

• Brother’s Point: We stopped here as it was along the way home. It was a good way to stretch the legs but not a must-see. Everything is beautiful in Scotland. This was nice too because hardly anyone else was there.

• Old Man of Storr: Another must see! This was a steeper, but shorter hike than the Quiraing. It was a work out but absolutely worth it.

• Pizzaway: As stated before, make a reservation! However, with all the hiking and driving we did, it was nice to grab pizza and watch a movie at the AirBNB. This pizza was good and I would definitely choose it over the Chinese take out.

Old Man of Storr, Neist Point

Day Seven: We spend the morning trying to see the rest of the must-see sites in Skye and then headed down to Glencoe. Of course we had to include another distillery which was a great pit stop. We took the ferry (with our car) which was easy and a fun driving break. Along this route is also the Harry Potter bridge/train. We stayed the night in the Wee Lodge which was an excellent end to some busy driving days.

• Fairy Pools: series of natural pools and waterfalls

• Talisker: We were unable to get a tour here, but still had a great experience tasting some whisky and Jason got to pour one of his own bottles!

• The Oyster Shed: If you like fresh seafood, then this is a great option. It is no-frills and almost like a food truck. I personally found it to taste a little too fishy but I am very picky on my seafood.

• Ferry to Mallaig: This takes just under an hour. It was smooth, calming, and had pretty views. We had no problem getting our car on and off.

• Glenfinnan Viaduct: The Harry Potter bridge and train! Sadly we missed the train by about 10 minutes. The bridge is still beautiful and worth a stop!

• Wee Lodge: This was the cutest little (wee) lodge ever! The place has about 10 lodges along a small creek. Each lodge has it's own hot tub and is so calming and secluded. We made sure to request a lodge in the trees (they had a 1-2 that were more in the open). We also choice to put in the request for champagne, firewood, and chocolates. They had multiple options for you to pick for the staff to leave in your lodge before check in. This place was on the pricier side but worth the splurge! There aren't many food options here, but there is one restaurant at a nearby hotel with good food.

Day Eight: Our last full day in Scotland. We made the scenic drive down towards Stirling which was a couple hours outside of Edinburgh. We stopped at Glenturret, which is the oldest distillery in Scotland. We stopped at another castle and then finally made ti to Stirling. We were so exhausted by this point that we had dinner at the hotel and then went right to sleep. I do wish we could have seen Stirling more, because it is supposed to be a cute little town. Maybe on another trip!

• Glenturret Distillery: The oldest working distillery dating from 1775.

• Doune Castle: This castle was featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones and Outlander.

• Stirling Hotel: This was an old school.

Day Nine: This was .25 of a day, as we were flying out of Edinburgh at 2:00 PM. We did make the most of our extra couple hours and saw one more castle from Outlander. It was pretty easy to drop the car off at the main train station in Edinburgh, and then walk to the airport train.

• Midhope Castle: This was Lallybroch in Outlander. People aren't able to go inside, or at least we couldn't. It was surprisingly slow here with only a couple other people. If you like Outlander then this is a must see!

Overall tips:

• To say a toast in Gaelic, you say "Slàinte Mhath". This is pronounced "slan-jeh-vah."

• A raincoat is a MUST! The weather is constantly changing and you should be prepared for some rain. We were absolutely soaked at times. I had a change of clothes in the car with quick drying pants and I alternated when one got wet throughout the day. Extra socks too!

Slàinte Mhath! Enjoy the beauty of Scotland and the taste of it's whisky!

-D&J