Are you planning a trip to Scotland? Read our unique ‘7 Day Scotland Road Trip’ to plan a perfect Scottish road trip for your next vacation.
Rugged coastline, dramatic mountains, and iconic castles – all define the true nature of Scotland.
Scotland is truly unique when compared to other European nations. Its verdant valleys, lush-green wild parks, scenic routes, cliff-side roads, and hills make it fascinating for a tourist to come and explore this land. However, this isn’t the only you experience. Its illustrious history and cultural influence make Scotland a worthwhile country.
Scotland isn’t just a place where you discover a few cities, book guided tours, and get back home. It’s a country that needs to be experienced with every passing day. You can do much more than simply touring around, and that’s precisely what we want to display on our 7 day Scotland road trip.
Overview of Scotland Itinerary 7 Days
The itinerary designed for our 7 days in Scotland is one of the most unique and well-researched layouts. Considering that we have a week in Scotland – we want to make sure that we include the best highlights and landmarks.
Furthermore, our 7 day Scotland road trip includes all “must-visit” attractions, experiences, top-rated activities, and well-curated guided tours. Along with the planned activities you’ll do on this trip, we’ve also suggested a few optional tours – which you can add to this itinerary.
While the trip is open to all age groups, certain activities may require good fitness levels. These are primarily hikes that you can still treat as optional. You can customize it according to your preference or replace it by adding your favorite tour.
7 Day Scotland Itinerary Layout
Day 1: Edinburgh
Day 2: Edinburgh – Inverness
Day 3: Inverness
Day 4: Inverness – Skye
Day 5: Skye
Day 6: Skye – Oban
Day 7: Oban – Glasgow
We curated this 7 day Scotland itinerary to showcase what the country offers. It’s one of our well-curated experiential tours – leading you to venture backcountry, medieval castles, rugged landscapes, historic sites, and much more.
Detailed 7 Day Scotland Road Trip
Day 1: Edinburgh
Arrive at Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the second-most visited destination in the UK.
The city is filled with medieval marvels, historic castles, museums, gardens, pubs, cafes, restaurants, and much more. It’s a place that charms you uniquely with its vibrant culture and atmosphere.
Visiting Edinburgh feels refreshing, and its narrow cobbled alleys make the city look quite romantic to stroll around. On the contrary, the city’s underbelly reminisces dark events, myths, and legends. Thus, giving a perfect blend of all the craziness, you can expect.
For our 7 day Scotland itinerary, we’ll only be staying in Edinburgh for a day. However, you can customize this itinerary to extend a couple of nights to explore the city. Moreover, the below suggested activities will help you have a brief introductory tour of Edinburgh.
Best things to do in Edinburgh on day one –
Underground Vaults of Edinburgh
Edinbrugh certainly sounds like a charming city, but its underground vaults has a different story altogether. While the romantic city flares its charm, the vaults beneath the city spook you with mysterious witchcraft tales, murders and scary stories.
This guided tour is all about discovering the Old Town’s dark history. The vaults underneath the town dates back to the early 18th century, where true mysterious incidents occurred. Many television series and documentaries have featured these vaults on their show, calling it the scariest part to live in. Moreover, as you venture through these walls, learn about the Burke and Hare murders, witchcraft magic and other paranormal stories hidden inside the city of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour
A trip to Edinburgh is incomplete without exploring its iconic fortification. Edinburgh Castle is the single biggest draw to attract visitors to get influenced by its amazing architecture, history, and grandeur exploration.
With the help of this skip-the-line guided tour, you can take the advantage of visiting the Castle Complex and its many attractions. Visit its prominent sites such as the Argyle Battery, One O’clock Gun, the Castle dungeons, the Crown Square, and the Hospital Square. The tour also includes an exploration of its outer grounds to make you go through its rich 3,000 years of history.
Day 2: Edinburgh – Inverness
Today, we check out early from our hotel to depart for Inverness.
Edinburgh to Inverness road trip is one of the highlights of our 7 day Scotland itinerary. You’ll find surprises filled with charming scenery and glamorous attractions along your journey. You could almost plan an entire road-trip itinerary by visiting the places between Edinburgh and Inverness. The route makes it perfect for witnessing Scotland’s unique towns, historic sites, whisky distilleries, and dramatic sceneries.
In total, 14 stops are worth visiting between Edinburgh to Inverness drive. If you want to hurry or fizz pass through essential sites, you can skip some and reach Inverness early. Without any stops or traffic, the journey from Edinburgh to Inverness takes approx 3hr 20mins (159 miles).
Edinburgh to Inverness Road Trip Stops
Stirling
Stirling is one of those unmissable places you can’t afford to explore in Scotland. This highland town houses one of the largest and most important castles – the Stirling Castle. Due to its imposing architecture, the site has been a popular stop between Edinburgh and Inverness route.
If you’re a history buff, you might be interested in a guided tour of Stirling Castle. It’s a great way to explore the past events and fascinating stories as you wander through the walls of this oldest castle. There’s also a fun family trail near the court to learn more about the historical timeline of Stirling.
St Andrews
St Andrews is a small town located 50 miles north of Edinburgh, and it makes a perfect base for travellers who often come visit to relax and unwind. Although small, it packs a lot of fascinating history to learn and discover.
The first notable attraction to explore is the University of St Andrews. It’s one of the UK’s premier institutes, where many prominent Brits, including Prince William, have studied. Since the university is operational and regular lectures happen – guided tours are limited. Walking experiences are offered every Tuesday and Friday in the morning, led by student ambassadors of the university.
There are a couple of museums to explore if you wish to experience the heritage of St Andrew’s University. Moreover, in the evenings – popular ghost tours are conducted.
Perth
Don’t confuse the name with the Australian city, as Perth of Scotland makes an interesting stop between Edinburgh and Inverness drive.
Perth isn’t loaded with attractions compared to other popular stops, but it still happens to be a place for tourists to come by. While you’re here, visit the iconic Scone Palace – famously known as the site to crown 42 Scottish kings. Later, stroll around the park to admire the town’s alluring beauty.
There are plenty of other stops to check out between Edinburgh and Inverness. While you can’t cover the rest in our 7 day Scotland itinerary, you can alternatively plan a separate road trip covering these two destinations.
After you reach your hotel, rest for some time and opt to explore Inverness’s surrounds.
Find Out | The Best Hotels to Stay Overnight in Scotland
Day 3: Inverness
Today, we can take day trips or multi-tours to explore the Highlands of Scotland.
Inverness is one of my absolute favorite cities. The only reason being – the endless opportunities the city presents. The scope of things to see and do in Inverness is never-ending – giving you a broad network of tours to select from. Be it sight-seeing bus tours, walking experiences, or museum or gallery exploration – you’ll often need three to four days to uncover Inverness’s hidden gems.
Moreover, Inverness acts as a perfect base to tour the Highlands. Mult-day trips often depart from the city, taking you across the Scottish lands.
Below, we’ve recommended a few tours and activities you can book before your Scotland trip. While we suggest taking the Loch Ness full-day tour, you also have the option to extend your stay at Inverness to discover more activities & experiences.
Best Things to Do in Inverness on Day Three
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
Inverness provides unforgettable experiences to explore Scottish Highlands. Out of all, the day trip to Loch Ness and Urquhart remains unbeatable. As you journey these lands, take the benefit of soaking into dramatic scenery, walking trails, cruise, and much more.
Loch Ness is only 30-minutes by car from the south of Inverness. After your arrival, the first thing you’ll do – is a journey through the freshwater lake of Loch Ness. Here, you can opt to cruise around this stunning lake to view the Urquhart Castle and admire the glamourous beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Legends say ‘a dark monstrous creature lures beneath the expanse of Loch Ness‘. This mysterious image makes it attractive for travelers to venture through the waters of Loch Ness and satisfy their curiosity.
After your boat ride, grab lunch and take a scenic drive to Invermoriston. Here, you can stroll around to discover ancient summerhouses and the ruins. Later, explore the famous Highlands village of Fort Augustus, situated between Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal. You can also visit the pretty nearby villages of Foyers and Dores.
For more details on this guided excursion, visit this page.
Other Things to do in Inverness
Explore Clava Cairns
Clava Cairns is a beautifully preserved Bronze-Age cairn featuring the cultural significance of the Scottish Highlands. This complex structure of the cemetery is only a 15-minute drive from Inverness and dates back about 4,000 years.
This prehistoric site is free to visit and open year-round.
Culloden Battlefield
If you fancy learning more about Scotland’s history, head to Culloden Battlefield. It’s an incredible location to walk through the Jacobite Risings’ timeline and witness the site where they fought brutal battles.
Moreover, there’s also a visitor center located near the battle site. It houses interesting artifacts and displays featuring the fights of the Jacobites. The interactive visual session is a fascinating thing to showcase eventful details of Scotland’s dark history.
Day 4: Inverness – Skye
Today, we take the adventure of witnessing one of the most scenic routes of Scotland.
Inverness to Skye is undoubtedly the most remarkable driving route in Scotland, and it takes you to stunning locations such as Eilean Donan Castle, Portree, Kilt Rock, and the Old Man of Storr. It’s also worth mentioning that plenty of 1-Day Inverness to Isle of Skye tours regularly depart, and you can check them here.
Inverness to Isle of Skye Road Trip Stops
The Five Sisters of Kintail and Glen Shiel
The first viewpoint is one of Highlands’ dramatic landscapes – the Five Sisters of Kintail and Glen Shiel. It’s a group of mountains nestled in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, and this was precisely the place where the Battle of Glen Shiel occurred in 1719. Despite its brutal history, the area is gorgeous to stop by and admire.
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan, a 13th-century Castle, is one of Scotland’s most photographed castles. Located off an island, it majestically sits between three Lochs – Dutch, Alsh, and Long. Many film directors have used the castle feature in movies. You can even take a guided tour of the castle to wander off its surroundings. Explore this page to find out more.
Skye Bridge
Although not an attraction, the Skye Bridge is still a prominent place for tourists to appreciate glistening views. Most likely, you’ll be driving the bridge to cross over to the Isle of Skye, and you can stop by and spend some time spectating the mighty Cuillin Mountains.
After a brief journey, you’ll finally reach the Isle of Skye. The rest of the evening is free for you to explore the surroundings.
Day 5: Skye
The Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s most happening destinations. It’s also the highlight of our 7 day Scotland itinerary, where you get to witness jaw-dropping scenery, incredible hikes, quaint towns, seafood restaurants, and many more.
It’s pretty standard for a first-time traveler to get overwhelmed by the opportunities presented. But we got you covered, as we recommend the top-rated activities to do on the Isle of Skye below –
The Old Man Storr
The Old Man Storr is considered the “symbol of Skye,” and it’s one of the famous points of interest; it’s worth starting your trip from here. This vertical rock (50-meter) was created by an ancient landslide and largely dominates the northeast Skye.
Because of its sheer size, the Storr can almost be seen from anywhere. You can even hike up the area to soak in expansive views of the Isle of Skye. The total time can vary depending on your fitness, but consider the average completion of close to 1hr 15minutes. It can be a little time-consuming to complete the hike, but it is worth it to admire panoramic views.
Travel Tip: Try visiting the Old Man of Storr early in the morning, and it’s one of the best photogenic spots, especially during sunrise.
Dunvegan Castle
The Isle of Skye is all about rugged landscapes and expanding coastline. But that doesn’t leave the typical Scottish castles behind. After all, it’s Scotland!
Dunvegan Castle is nestled off on a clifftop at Loch Dunvegan. Its gardens are a particular highlight, where you can view a collection of paintings and artifacts of the MacLeod clan. Moreover, you can also take a boat ride from Dunvegan Castle to spot seals who come ashore.
Fairy Pools
As the name suggests, the Fairy Pools is one of Scotland’s most magical places to witness waterfalls. The scenes here almost look like a painting brought to life.
Located at Glenbrittle, the Fairy Pools are a series of waterfalls backed by the famous Cuillin mountains. You’ll first need to park your car at Fairy Pools car park to get here. Once done, visitors can walk the 2.4km stretch across the gravel path to reach the first waterfall in the area. This is the biggest of all and the most beautiful of the Fairy Pools region. Continue down the same path to explore other tiny waterfalls and small pools.
The tropical setting of the Fairy Pools, along with the Cuillin mountains, makes this place a must-visit location on the Isle of Skye.
Portree
Portree is more of a vibrant city compared to other places within the Isle of Skye, and it is where you can indulge in all of the seafood Scotland typically offers. Moreover, Portree makes a great place to book your accommodation because of its central location. Many of its famous cafes, pubs, and restaurants are located nearby – thus making it accessible.
You can also take short boat rides to explore the waterfront areas near Portree.
Read this fantastic guide to find more info on the Isle of Skye attractions + experiences.
Day 6: Skye – Oban
Today we depart for Oban.
There are two ways to reach Oban from the Isle of Skye – one being the Mallaig ferry and the other being the inland route via the Skye Bridge. We recommend following the course via Glenfinnan, where many people come to marvel at the railway viaduct. It’s also been featured in “Harry Potter” films and other series.
The total journey from Skye to Oban is approx 3hr 52mins (without any stops/traffic). Hence, it’s better to leave early in the morning to complete the journey.
Overnight at Oban.
Day 7: Oban – Glasgow
Oban serves as an excellent touring base for taking day trips like Inverness. The Western Highlands surrounding Oban makes a great exploration site for travelers to tour & explore some of its wonders.
Below are some of the suggested day trips you can take from Oban. Moreover, you can also relax and tour the town at your own pace.
Things to do in Oban –
Jacobite Steam Train
Jacobite Steam Train is one of the great highlights of Scotland. Deemed the world’s most extraordinary railway journey, the steam train travels 84-miles of roundtrip, taking you past some of the country’s extreme landscapes.
If you opt to ride on this steam train, you’ll pass through Scotland’s glorious villages – Arisaig, Morar, Lochailort, and Mallaig. On a clear sunny day, you’ll also spot the “Small Isles” of Rum and the southern end of Skye. Alternatively, you can also stop at Fort William to relax and soak in Oban’s atmosphere.
You’ll easily recognize the Jacobite Steam Train if you’re a massive Harry Potter fan. The train was referred to as the “Hogwarts Express” in the movie.
To book tickets for Jacobite Steam Train, visit this page.
Excursion to Mull, Iona & Staffa
You can even opt for a full-day excursion to Scotland’s three unique islands – Mull, Iona, and Staffa. The stunning scenery and the geological wonders make this one of the “must-visit” guided tours of Scotland. To take the time, you’ll need to depart from Oban Ferry Terminal – from where a ferry will take you across these islands.
To find more info, visit this page.
This marks the end of your 7 day Scotland road trip. To depart back home, you can either drive to Glasgow or Edinburgh (depending on your preference).
Planning Tips for Scotland Itinerary 7 Days
Now that you’ve gone through our itinerary, it’s time to understand a few essential planning tips required for our 7 days in Scotland.
How to Plan an Ideal Scotland Road Trip
The foremost thing to do for any Scotland road trip is book a rental car.
Since our itinerary is based on a self-drive journey across Scotland, you’d want to make sure to book a nice ride for the entire duration. Doing so will give you the freedom and the flexibility to tour the whole country at your own pace. It’s much better than an organized tour, where you’d have to follow a specific regime.
But before you book a rental car, ensure you go through our travel tips below –
- Go for a smaller car. The majority of the roads in Scotland are single lanes (with passing places). So, eventually, it makes sense to book a smaller yet comfortable vehicle for your road trip.
- Have an International Driving Permit. You’d want to have an International Driving License for any road trips. A standard driver’s license will also work in some cases, provided it has a license number, photograph, date, and Latin letters. You can read more about the license regulation here.
- The official legal age to drive in Scotland is 17. However, most rental companies offer permits up to age 21 or 25.
- Make sure you have travel insurance for the entire duration of your trip.
- Try to book your rental car as early as possible. Rates can shoot up during the peak season in Scotland (June to August).
For a more detailed info on driving tips in Scotland, visit this page.
Driving Tips for Scotland Road Trip
A self-drive tour of Scotland may seem utterly gorgeous and flexible to you on paper. But, to have the best experience, you need to be careful about Scotland’s driving rules & conditions.
Driving in Scotland could get intimidating for most of us, as we are not adequately used to driving on the left. But, it’s not a big deal, especially when you’re just touring the country on a flexible routine.
Check out these few tips to help you have a smooth self-driving tour of Scotland –
- Drive on the left. Yes, it might take a while to get used to this habit for 7 days. But, if you’re a well-experienced driver – you should be fine in a day or so.
- Don’t drink & drive. Duh! We shouldn’t remind you of this, but be careful not to commit such a mistake. It is best to be responsible for our safety and protection.
- Get a Transport Scotland leaflet. This is a handy document provided by Transport Scotland to ensure you’re well-versed with traffic rules, regulations, and Scottish sign languages. Get a copy for yourself as soon as you arrive in Scotland.
- Drive slow. The best way to appreciate a self-drive tour in Scotland is to drive slower than the actual speed limits. Remember, you’re in Scotland to enjoy its experiences. Going slow will make you appreciate the landscape scenery passing by.
- Time your schedule. When we curated our 7 day Scotland itinerary, we put thoughtful research on the actual road distances and duration. You need to manage your schedule well to explore other places. Avoid getting stuck in one place for too long, and follow the daily route plan accordingly.
Best Time to Visit Scotland
Being a year-round destination, Scotland attracts the majority of the crowd throughout its seasons. Especially during the summers (June to August), the country is at its peak – driving tourists worldwide. But, at the same time, it’s also one of the best seasons (barring crowds) to enjoy bright sunny weather, daylight hours, and plenty of activities and festivals.
What most people do, is visit Scotland during its shoulder seasons (before & after summer). It doesn’t guarantee fewer tourists, but it still provides an enjoyable experience with agreeable weather.
The best time to visit Scotland is from late March to early May. Temperatures may usually range between 6°C to 15°C, making it more remarkable to visit most Scottish attractions.
Here’s a small fact file to help you plan a perfect Scotland trip –
- Just like in other European countries, the weather in Scotland is unpredictable. You could experience blazing sunlight, stormy weather, and foggy conditions in a single day. So, ensure you pack all the essentials for your Scotland road trip.
- July and August tend to be the hottest & busiest months in Scotland. Try to avoid them.
- Mostly from April to October, you could spot midges (small flying insects) in some parts of the country. You won’t find them in areas like Inverness and Loch Ness. Read more on midges and how to avoid them here.
What to Pack for Scotland Itinerary 7 Days
Considering the unpredictable weather of Scotland, you’ll need to pack your bag smartly for your 7-day trip. We’ve provided a checklist of all essentials that you must pack for 7 days in Scotland in the list below.
- Cotton T-shirts/ Shirts –
- Warm jackets/ lightweight down jackets – Buy them here.
- 1/2 Thermal wear & socks – Buy it here.
- Winter Hats – we recommend these options.
- 1/2 Winter Coats
- 1/2 Warm Sweaters – cashmere or merino wool
- Touch screen gloves – Buy them here.
- Rain Trench
- Hiking shoes/sturdy boots
- Toiletries Pack
- Lonely Planet – Get Lonely Planet Scotland for destination knowledge & tips.
- Portable Travel Accessories – Memory Cards, Power Bank & Power Adapter.
- Moisturizer/ Lotion
Guided Tours for 7 Day Scotland Road Trip
These are some of the guided tours that you can add to our Scotland itinerary –
Further Readings & Resources
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