7 Amazing Days in Scotland

We had 7 amazing days in Scotland! I traveled there with my mom and aunt on a quest to get a glimpse of the places our ancestors came from. We visited Scotland for 7 days, then went to Ireland for another 7 days (see Ireland post). This post outlines what we did and what we wished we would have known. Also see my related post Wonderful Reasons to Visit Scotland.

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Day 1 – Arrive in Edinburgh

We arrived mid-morning in Edinburgh. I know from experience that one must push through the first day in order to avoid the worst effects of jet lag. We dropped our luggage at our hotel and went out to explore.

Today we had the Palace of Hollyroodhouse on our schedule. The audio tour for this place was excellent, so make sure you take advantage of it. There’s nothing like a visiting an actual palace where Queen Elizabeth does her work while in Scotland. Alas, just as when I was visiting Windsor Castle, she did not take the time to meet me. I forgive her – I know she is busy.

Edinburgh Hotel

In Edinburgh we stayed at the Mercure Edinburgh Haymarket. This hotel was fine, but I wish we would have stayed in place a little closer to the Royal Mile. It was about a mile away, but I was traveling with companions where every step counted. We ended up spending quite a bit on Uber rides. It’s a good option for those who are very mobile. Bonus points that it is very close to a grocery store, ATM machine, and a pharmacy!

Day 2 – Edinburgh City Tour

I slept well but was up way too early for our Edinburgh city tour – jet lag is a killer! Day 2 of our 7 days in Scotland launched with a city tour. We started in the New Town (their definition of new is 1760s-1850s!) and ended in the Royal Mile. We learned the fascinating history of the area. My mom and aunt are both in their 70s. Walking tours can be tough for the older crowd, but they are crucial for cities like Edinburgh! We booked a private tour so that we could take it at our own pace, but small group tours are plentiful, too.

The next thing on our itinerary was exploring Edinburgh Castle. We used the audio tour and spent several hours learning the rich history of the castle. We also enjoyed the Afternoon Tea Experience. I was ready for some sustenance, and afternoon tea hit the spot. I think I could live off of tea sandwiches and desserts.

We took a bit of break in our hotel, then headed out to experience the Spirit of Scotland dinner show. We enjoyed Scottish food and dance, and some delicious traditional food. This included our first (and last) taste of haggis, which is a pudding made of sheep liver, heart, and lungs. I have a rule that I taste every native food, regardless of what it is (perhaps in a future post I’ll write about how grateful I am not to have Mad Cow Disease after tasting calf brain in Paris in 1987!). So I took a bite. It wasn’t terrible. I enjoyed the rest of the food, and the show was great. I especially loved the bagpipes.  This show is touristy, but it’s a great option for those who want to experience a bit of the music and dancing of Scotland.

Day 3 – Family Heritage

The day started out with a visit to Real Mary King’s Close. This tour was excellent and gave me a better understanding of what living in Edinburgh was like for 99.9% of the population! Plus, it satisfied my need for the macabre with a tale of the Black Death and the general eeriness of the surroundings.

A close is a street or alley that has a dead end. You have to turn around to exit it. There was as time when the city of Edinburgh built buildings over such streets causing them to become little warrens of spaces beneath buildings – an underground city. Dating from the 17th century, Real Mary King’s Close is an example. This tour was a bit too much for my mom, however. It required a lot of steps down, the floor is uneven, and it’s dark. She waited in the gift shop while we enjoyed the tour.  

But our primary goal for day 3 was to visit areas related to our family history. This might have been the best day for our 7 days in Scotland. First, we visited the house where my great-great-great-great grandparents John and Jean McNab Chassels lived. I don’t think we saw the actual construction – the house there looked newer than the 1860s, but the numbering system seems to have remained the same.

We also visited Bent Cemetery where my ancestors’ graves are. My great-great-great-great grandparents’ graves proved to be elusive, but we did find one random relative and a grave of a James Fraser. Probably not the fictional Jamie Fraser, but good enough for a photo opportunity!

After exploring our family roots, we visited the Bothwell Castle ruins. It’s amazing to think about how our ancestors would have seen these ruins every day. The ruins were closed to tourists due to damage from winter storms, so we saw them as our ancestors did – from afar!

We continued into Glasgow. We were supposed to stop at The Tenement House, but it was closed due to staffing shortages. The Great Resignation strikes again! If we had visited, we would have enjoyed a view of tenement apartments in the early 20th century. While our ancestors immigrated to the United States prior to the early 20th century, it would have been interesting to see what life might have been like for them if they had stayed in Scotland.

Our day ended at the People’s Palace museum. This gives a glimpse of how the people of Glasgow lived from 1750 until today. This is a charming museum. The building is beautiful, and you can’t miss the fountain of Queen Victoria out front. It’s the largest terracotta fountain in the world and features Queen Victoria at the top and images of the various British territories around the perimeter – India, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.

Glasgow Hotel

In Glasgow, we stayed at Carlton George Hotel. This hotel is very nice and reasonably priced for its location. It also provides a free minibar! There’s nothing quite like free drinks and snacks in your own room! The hotel is older and has many charming touches, and the location can’t be beat. It is steps away from great shopping, restaurants, and pubs. One disadvantage of the hotel is that it’s bathtub/shower combination wasn’t very accessible. It required a huge step to get into. Fortunately, there were grab bars available and the tub featured a non-slippery surface. The main issue with this hotel is that the street in front is pedestrian-only. We had to haul our luggage downstairs and around a corner. If you pack light and are mobile, it’s a good option. Otherwise, I recommend alternative accommodations.

Day 4 – Glasgow City Tour

Day 4 of 7 days in Scotland was spent exploring the city of Glasgow. Our fist stop was Glasgow Cathedral & Necropolis. Built in the 1100s, this is the oldest cathedral on mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. We explored the entire structure, from the nave to the crypts. The best part, of course, is the Necropolis. I always love a good cemetery, and this one was super unique!

Family lore holds that my great-great-grandfather Angus Chassels went to college at Glasgow University from 1841-44. We know he was a teacher, but it’s unlikely that he was a student at the university. He doesn’t appear in their records, plus why would he immigrate to the US if he was prosperous enough to go to go to college in the mid-19th century? Still, it’s a beautiful campus. As a higher educational professional, I always love visiting college campuses, family connection or no!

Our next stop was Riverside Museum. We were just walking through this area, but we definitely lingered to see all of the various types of transportation this museum features – old cars, trolleys, cable cars, bicycles, fire engines, trains, whatever you could imagine! It also had some re-created stores. I really enjoyed wandering through the pub, shoemakers, pawn shop, soda fountain, photographer’s studio, etc. This is a free museum and really worth a stop!

We boarded the Glenlee, a 100+ year old sail-powered ship that circumnavigated the globe several times. Contemplating such a journey, we know that we aren’t hardy enough! Perhaps our best meal of the trip was at the onsite Glenlee café. We had grilled ham and cheese, but the bread had some sort of cheese on the outside as well. It was delicious!

Our final stop of the day was the Pollock House. This is an Edwardian house that is part of the National Trust of Scotland. We like old houses, so it was nice to visit. But it’s entirely skippable for most. It is a beautiful house, and bonus points that we got to see our first Highland cattle while driving to it!

Day 5 – Journey to Isle of Skye

We had a long drive scheduled for day 5 of our 7 days in Scotland. When creating our itinerary, I knew we only had a week to work with. Most 7 day itineraries of Scotland leave out Scottish islands. But the primary reason my mom and aunt wanted to visit Scotland, other than explore our family connection, was to see beautiful scenery. So we fit it in a quick visit to Isle of Skye!

We traveled from Glasgow to Fort William on the A82 highway. We wanted beautiful scenery, and we were in luck! The views were amazing, and we stopped several times throughout our journey to take photos. We booked a driver/guide for this journey, but self-driving with a rental car is also a possibility and much more affordable.

Loch Lomond

We first came to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. We stopped in the village of Luss where we visited Loch Lomond and wandered around the tiny town. My favorite part was the church and the cemetery featuring Viking graves. 

The scenery through this area is stunning! It became more and more golden, but also more bleak as we went north. All of the black shown in these photographs is heather. In the summer, it will be colorful. If you are willing to fight the crowds in July or August, it is a beautiful time to visit Scotland! Or better yet, go in September when the crowds die down but the heather is still blooming.

Glencoe

Our next stop was Glencoe where we wandered through the visitor’s center and saw their recreated traditional thatched turf house. It’s difficult to imagine living in such a structure!

Glenfinnan Viaduct

We made our way to Glenfinnan Viaduct and Monument. I wanted to stop here and see the bridge featured in the Harry Potter movies where the Hogwarts Express chugged over a viaduct. Unfortunately, our timing didn’t work out to see the steam engine go across the bridge. And I was a little disappointed in the view of the bridge – it just looked so far away! But I did enjoy the Glenfinnan Monument. It was just a little stone tower with a winding staircase. At the top, there’s a statue of a Highlander. Erected in 1815, it stands in tribute to the Jacobites who supported Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Ferry Crossing

We reached the Mallaig to Armadale Ferry Crossing and took the 4 p.m. ferry. Since the Isle of Skye is a part of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides (Scottish Gaelic for “isles”), the journey is brief. It took about 45 minutes. It was smooth journey but I was still grateful for my motion sickness wrist bands to keep seasickness at bay!

Portree Hotel

After our long drive, we were happy to stretch our legs a little when we finally made it to the beautiful town of Portree. We stayed in Marmalade Hotel. This is a very nice hotel with wonderful rooms. The breakfast was to die for as well! I wish we could have stayed longer. If you stay there, ask for a room on the main floor when you book. The rooms are spread throughout several floors and there isn’t an elevator.

Day 6 – Exploring Isle of Skye

We started early and drove around the Trotternish Loop for views of Quiraing, Kit Rock, Mealt Falls, and the Old Man of Storr. The day was one miraculous and wonderful viewpoint after another. Again, we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beautiful sites. If you are a hiker, there are many hikes to undertake. Definitely pack your hiking shoes and enjoy!

Fairy Glen

We also visited Fairy Glen where we saw the fairy trails all over the hills. The ridges in the terrain are supposedly made by fairies frolicking around. We didn’t see any, but since Scottish fairies aren’t all good, that’s probably OK!

Eilean Donan Castle

Our final stop of the day was  Eilean Donan Castle. Located on it’s own island near the Isle of Skye, it’s said to be one of the most iconic castles in Scotland. It’s a reconstruction based on an earlier structure and a lived-in castle. We enjoyed walking through it, seeing the furnishings, and learning a bit about the family who lives there.

Inverness Hotel

After experiencing a bit of posh living, we drove about two hours to Inverness. We checked into the Kingsmill Hotel. This is a beautiful hotel with both a spa and golf course. We were greeted with a glass of whiskey, our first of the trip. But mostly we enjoyed the spacious rooms and complimentary “Kilted Fudge.” Again, we wished we were staying more than one night!

Day 7 – Monsters, Castles & Highlanders

Our final full day of 7 days in Scotland was spent on classic Highlander activities. First, we boarded a Jacobite Cruise boat to sail over Loch Ness. The boat is equipped with onboard sonar to ensure that we don’t miss out on seeing Nessie if she appears! Spoiler alert – she didn’t. But we enjoyed looking for her and being out on the water. After all, this was at the top of our “must do” list. Everyone has to fall into some sort of tourist trap while traveling!

We also visited the ruins of Urquhart Castle. The castle can be seen from the Loch Ness cruise, but there’s nothing quite like being up close and personal at the site. There’s an excellent short film in the visitor’s center that details the history of the castle. Perhaps the best part of the experience is that it is accessible for all visitors. Motorized scooters are available for free if you need one, so everyone can experience the castle grounds.

Our final stop in Inverness the Clava Cairns. This site features three cairns and three standing stone circles of the Bronze Age. These 4,000 year old structures were built to house the ashes of the dead until the Winter Solstice. After a ceremony on that day to release the deceased’s spirit, the ashes would have been scattered. We loved visiting this site, for both the history and the loose tie-in to the Outlander books and show. We all took a turn touching the stones. Fortunately, none of us took a trip back to the 1700s!

We hit the road and drove through Cairngorms National Park to Pitlochry. The scenery on this side of Scotland was beautiful but very different than what we saw on the west side through Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Perhaps it was because we were experiencing our first rainy day in Scotland, but we definitely preferred our drive through the west part of the country. Still, it was stunning mountainous region with a lot of trees.

We stopped in Pitlochry for a late lunch and to see a bit of this charming Victorian village. I highly recommend planning some time to poke around the shops and wander the village streets. Our time was limited, but we did squeeze in a stop to the Heathergems factory and store. They craft jewelry out of dried heather that is dyed and then pressed together to create colorful blocks. The blocks are then cut and polished to create unique jewelry pieces. It’s a unique and relatively inexpensive Scottish souvenir.

Edinburgh Airport Hotel

Our last night in Scotland was spent at the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Airport. This was the perfect place to stay the night before departing the country as it is located only one mile from the airport and offers a complimentary shuttle. There is a restaurant and bar onsite, as well as a complimentary cookie upon arrival. Everything you need to rest up before your flight out of Scotland!

What Went Well

We loved our 7 amazing days in Scotland! Our itinerary included a great mix of history, castles, museums, scenery, and outdoor activities. The weather was unusually bright and sunny most days, and we only had rain on one day. Hiring a driver/guide made travel very easy. We could be very flexible, stopping where we wanted and spending extra time if we were particularly enjoying any activity. Overall, our hotels were very comfortable and suited our needs. In summary, I would argue that everything went well!

What We Would Do Differently

Our itinerary was perfect for us, here’s what I would recommend to other travelers:

• Sunday-Monday: Arrive in Edinburgh, tour major sites, and stay 2 nights in Edinburgh
• Tuesday: Drive to Inverness via Pitlochry and Cairngorms National Park, tour Inverness sites, and stay 1 night in Inverness.
• Wednesday-Thursday: Tour Inverness sites in the morning, then drive to Isle of Skye. Stop at Eilean Donan Castle on the way, then spend rest of day and the next day touring Isle of Skye. Stay 2 nights in Portree.
• Friday: Drive to Glasgow via Glencoe, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Overnight in Glasgow.
• Saturday: Tour Glasgow sites, then drive back to Edinburgh to prepare for your flight home on Sunday.

I kept quizzing our driver/guide about what we missed on our itinerary. There’s so much to see in Scotland, but I think the only thing our group truly missed out on was visiting Stirling Castle. This site is only about 30 miles away from Glasgow. If we had not visited our family sites, we could have easily fit it in. So other travelers could use our itinerary and just do this instead of visiting Hamilton and Bothwell Castle on Day 3.

We had our driver/guide for 5 of our 7 days in Scotland. This was a terrific way to travel, but those on a more limited budget have other options. If you are brave, you can self-drive a rental car. Day trips to most of the areas we visited are available out of both Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can take a big bus tour around the country as well. And there are buses and trains to every place we visited, as well as taxis to take you around. But I think the best way to do this is to mix self-touring with a driver/guide. If you can book a driver/guide for 2-3 days, it will be worth it!

Have you visited Scotland?

If so, what sites did you see? How long did you stay? What do you wish you would (or would not) have done? Tell us in the comments below. Also visit our website and sign up for our newsletter so you never miss a post!