Scotland itinerary: 12 sights & attractions you can’t miss

Don’t be fooled by the seemingly modest size of Bonnie Scotland. For the seductive, majestic northernmost tip of Great Britain is home to a myriad of noteworthy sights, traditions, and characters. This Scotland itinerary encompasses some of the attractions I was lucky enough to visit during four distinct trips spanning the last decade.

If you can put the moody weather aside for a minute —ask a Scot, any Scot, how the sun is commonly referred to north of the border— there is little doubt in my mind that Scotland will delight and seduce you.

From scotch distilleries to historic castles, from scenic waterways to Harry Potter filming locations, here’s what you can’t miss on a first trip to Scotland.

Fàilte gu Alba!

Edinburgh

It might technically be Scotland’s second city in terms of population but Edinburgh is nonetheless the country’s top tourist attraction. Rightfully so! With a pretty much intact medieval castle and a vast network of supposedly haunted passageways as well as world-famous festivals and inner-city hiking possibilities, clearly Edinburgh is a wildly atmospheric city that has to be seen once in a lifetime.

Or four times, if you’re me.

Glasgow

The unconventional, eccentric city that is Glasgow has gone through a bit of a Renaissance since the early 2000s and recently blossomed from dodgy and crime-ridden to characterful and lively. There are tonnes of things to do here, from naval history museums to art galleries and cutting-edge architecture.

I cannot possibly stress this enough: do not simply stop in Glasgow on your way to somewhere else. Stay a while. Give it the credit it fairly deserves.

Stirling Castle

Located about an hour outside Edinburgh, this mystical stronghold is one of the most significant throughout Scotland for its brilliant layout and its agitated history.

Firstly, several Kings and Queens crownings occured at Stirling Castle over the centuries including the ruthless Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. Secondly, the castle played a major role in the tragic Wars of Scottish Independence and sustained at least eight different sieges in the space of 60 years. And thirdly, the English and Scottish armies bloodily and successively swapped upper hands until Robert II of Scotland King of Scots once and for all retook Stirling in the 1341 siege.

In conclusion, this is perhaps the most quintessential of all Scottish castle. It’s made out of heavy stones on a rocky three-sided promontory overlooking the River Forth. Additionally, it features massive outer defences as well as several imposing 15th-century pavilions and a massive close.

Glencoe

Perhaps the most spectacular panorama in not just Scotland but all of Britain! Here, River Coe crosses the narrow Glen Coe valley traversed surrounded by precipitous, snowcapped mountains formed by an ice age glacier.

These landscapes are home to some of the finest hiking opportunities Scotland has to offer. Notably the Three Sisters, a series of steeply-sided ridges that extend north into the Bidean nam Bian Glen.

Paradoxically, as with many other stunning parts of Scotland, Glen Coe is also home to the most macabre of tragedies. On a ghastly day of 1689, 38 members of the local MacDonald clan died by gruesome assassination. The rival Campbell clan used subterfuges to trick higher authorities into believing that the Highlanders were, essentially, a bunch of thieves and only begrudgingly pledged allegiance to the new King of England, William of Orange.

Culloden

Located just a few minutes outside Inverness, Culloden Moor was the site of the final battle of the Jacobite uprising. Over 2000 gallant Highlanders —men, women, and children— lost their lives to the English, and Bonnie Prince Charlie valiantly fought Prince William Augustus. It was a decisive moment of Scottish history; within an hour, it was over, and few Scots survived. Hell, not even Scottish culture survived.

A cultural genocide to some, a drastic assimilation to others. Regardless of semantics, it is nothing short of bone-chilling to stand on the very site of a mass killing, a site where people came to willfully, yet vainly fight for their identities.

“For as long as one hundred of us shall remain alive,
we shall never in any wise consent submit to the rule of the English, for it is not for glory we fight, nor riches, or for honour, but for freedom alone, which no good man loses but with his life.”

-Robert the Bruce, from the Declaration of Arbroath, April 6, 1320

Fort Augustus

Nestled in the southernmost tip of the emblematic Loch Ness and equally important on any Scotland itinerary, Fort Augustus is a teeny tiny little hamlet built around the Caledonian Canal with enticing waterside pubs and unmatched views of the famed loch.

While there might seem to be little in the way of attractions, Fort Augustus makes for a great base to explore the region.

For instance, it’s actually home to the fascinating Clansman Centre (where appropriately attired experts demonstrate 17th-century clan weaponry and go over a few Scottish traditions) as well as a myriad of tour operators offering guided boat or hiking expeditions further inland.

Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness

This is perhaps one of the most emblematic sights in this Scotland itinerary. As a result, Urquhart Castle needs not a lengthy introduction.

Sitting on headland beside the Loch Ness in the Highlands, the castle played a preponderant role in the 14th-century Wars of Scottish Independence. As such, it was a royal castle for quite some time before it was ultimately destroyed in order to prevent its use by the Jacobite forces in the 17th century. Visitors are encouraged to walk amongst the ruins, which date back from the early 13th century. To clarify, though, archaeologists have said that the site was home to a medieval castle long before Urquhart as we know it came to be.

Nevertheless, it embodies precisely how visitors envision a multi-centennial Scottish castle. A drawbridge, a gatehouse, menacing towers, a ditch, and various closes.

Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is one of the few remaining places in Scotland to retain a markedly traditional Gaelic spirit, largely in part due to its insular geography. A place where history is momentarily not so much about Kings and Queens and bloody combats but rather with Viking legends and faeries.

Moreover, the Isle of Skye holds postcard-worthy landscapes and panoramas, with sandy beaches and towering mountains and quaint villages. Is that enough to make it a compulsory stop on any Scotland itinerary? Certainly.

Hogwarts Express and Glenfinnan

I travelled to a lot of places where Harry Potter was either set in the books or was actually filmed. But nothing even compares to the thrill of seeing the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct!

What we call the Hogwarts Express is actually the Jacobite Train, which runs the 84-mile stretch between Fort William and Mallaig on the West Highland Railway Line. Above all, it’s often dubbed one of the greatest rail journeys in the world, and rightfully so if I do say so myself.

In summary, the scenery is absolutely stunning.

Whiskey distilleries in Scotland

Distilleries are to Scotland what vineyards are to France and Italy; they’re essentially the Holy Grail of all things Scottish. Fortunately, though, there is far enough offer to meet the increasingly large demand.

For most adult males, each sip of scotch is an experience akin to the celestial skies opening up onto a group of angels chanting harmoniously. Rumour has it that the primitive name for scotch is actually derived from uisge beatha, meaning “water of life”, make of that what you will.

For others, mostly me from what I understand, scotch is a form of torture that I simply cannot tolerate (I’m a gin girl, what can I say).

It might be worth popping in your local liquor shop to find out what your preferred flavours are (single malt or blend? young or aged? smoky or grassy?) in order to visit the distillery that is most likely to reflect your personal taste. A few noteworthy scotch distilleries in Scotland according to connoisseurs:

• Glenfarclas, Speyside
• Lagavulin Distillery, Isle of Islay
• Highland Park Distillery, Orkney
• Glenmorangie, Highland
• The Glenlivet, Speyside

The NC500

Out of time, out of place. With its barren landscapes, Northern Scotland crystallizes the sensation that you just  may have reached the end of the world, where relentless winds would make even the most stoic Queen’s Guards shudder.

Hauntingly beautiful, wild and rugged, this was Scotland like I had never seen before. I ventured off the beaten path and surrender to the raw charm of the now famed 500-mile stretch of road colloquially known as the North Coast 500.

In other words, it encompasses some of Scotland’s most remote locations as well as scenic lighthouses, beaches, mountains and vistas. I truly cannot praise this tourist route enough and it is an absolute must on any Scotland itinerary.

Gin distilleries in Scotland

Essentially the clear spirits’ answer to the ever-so-popular whiskey, the Scotland Gin Trail is a cheeky tourist route crafted by Visit Scotland harnessing the diversity and creativity of passionate entrepreneurs across the country.

Encompassing both mass producers and emerging craft distillers, the ambitious bucket list criss-crosses all of Scotland from Dumfries to the tip-top of the Highlands. Consequently, it teaches visitors the evolution of gin and how it became intricate part of Britain’s modern fabric. To summarize, whether you’re just an amateur or a connoisseur, it would be unthinkable not to visit a gin distillery on your Scotland itinerary.

• Harris Distillery: This award-winning gin has botanicals hand-harvested by a local diver from the deep underwater forests of the Scottish Outer Hebrides.

• Dunnet Bay Distillers: By far the most gintertaining (oopsie) stop visit on my itinerary! Dunnet Bay Distillers is an experience in its own right. Getting there is remarkable enough to begin with! To clarify, the wee distillery soars in the distance of the beachy coast of mainland Scotland’s most northerly county, Caithness, famous for its relentless winds and its barren landscapes.

• Eden Mill: A classic London-style dry gin in the heart of beautiful St. Andrews! Made from one of Fifes’ indigenous berries with a hint of citrus for a fresh finish.

• Badachro Distillery: One of the best small-batch, artisan gins in Scotland. It’s infused with dozens of hand-picked botanicals from the woodlands and shores of Gairloch.

• Balmenach Distillery: Caorunn gin is one of the most famous Scottish gins in the world, for a reason. Enjoy the professionally-led visit!

• Thompson Bros Distillers: A wee organic distillery led by the Thompson brothers in the quaint village of Dornoch. Their gin features light, subtle herbal note.

• Secret Garden Distillery: Masterfully created by the owners of my favourite hotel in the Highlands, this is an entirely natural and fine, fine gin.