Today I want to share my 4-day Scotland itinerary with you. This road trip from Edinburgh to the Highlands will take you everywhere from the Scottish capital to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Glen Coe, Oban, and the Isle of Eriska. It’s a great travel itinerary if you want to discover the best of Scotland’s cities, islands, castles, and dramatic mountain scenery in one trip. I’ve included a map, too.
4-Day Scotland Itinerary
I’m traveling to Scotland with a friend. We’ve planned our itinerary to cover the highlights of this part of the UK, and we’re excited to see a broad overview of what it has to offer.
We’re traveling independently, but I’ve done similar tours in the past with Rabbie’s Tours. They offer great small-group tours of Scotland that provide transport but still let you explore destinations on your own. You can see their tour offerings here.
Edinburgh
We start our 4-day Scotland itinerary by traveling from London to Edinburgh by train. After taking in historic cathedrals, hilltop castles, and stunning coastline on the 4.5-hour journey, we alight at Edinburgh Waverley station in the heart of the Scottish capital.
Where to Stay in Edinburgh
From the station it’s an easy 15-minute walk to our accommodation, Stewart by Heeton Concept. It’s a boutique aparthotel in the New Town conveniently located near Princess Street, the West End, Stockbridge, and Dean Village.
Our apartment features an open-plan living room with a fully-equipped kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It’s a great place to stay for 1 day in Edinburgh.
Things to Do in Edinburgh
After dropping off our bags, we start the first leg of our 4-day Scotland itinerary by seeing the highlights of the city.
We start at Princess Street Gardens, where there are great views of Edinburgh Castle and the Scott Monument, which is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. It’s the second largest monument to a writer in the world.
From there we pass the Scottish National Gallery, one of the best museums in Edinburgh, and head up the hill to the Royal Mile. We walk from the castle down to the Palace of Holyrood House, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland.
Along the way we take in everything from St Giles’ Cathedral to Bakehouse Close, a filming location for Outlander. There are pubs, shops, and restaurants galore, and we love peeking out over the narrow stairways leading down the hill.
From the Royal Mile we walk down to The Devil’s Advocate, a bar tucked away in a former Victorian pump house in the Old Town.
We settle in for a tasting of three of their 300+ whiskeys, enjoying one of the most famous Scottish drinks as we soak up the historic atmosphere.
After the tasting, we walk around New Town, taking in Princes Street, George Street, and Charlotte Square before having a pre-dinner drink at The Oxford Bar.
Conveniently located right next to our accommodation, this hidden spot has connections to Ian Rankin, one of the most famous Scottish fiction writers. The pub has featured in his Inspector Rebus novels as John Rebus’ favorite pub in Edinburgh.
After a drink with the locals, it’s a short walk to dinner at Forage and Chatter in the West End.
This restaurant is known for locally-sourced and foraged produce, and we enjoy a multi-course meal of fresh salads, monkfish, and chocolate mille-feuille. The service is excellent, too.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
The following morning we’re up early to start the next leg of our 4-day Scotland itinerary. We begin with a quick Persian breakfast of Turkish coffee and yogurt at KONJ Cafe. The food is so good and the owner so friendly we can’t help lingering for a while.
Afterwards we pick up our rental car and hit the road. The drive offers great views of The Kelpies sculptures, Stirling Castle, and the Wallace Monument as we make our way to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
Once there, we stop for a quick snack in Callander, a town at the gateway to the park, before continuing our drive.
As we make our way deeper into the national park, we stop at places like Loch Lubnaig and the Glen Ogle Viaduct to admire the scenery. It’s beginning to feel a lot like the Highlands.
Just before leaving Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, we stop for lunch at The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum. Heaping plates of fish and chips go down a treat as we sit by the fireplace.
Kilchurn Castle
After lunch, we continue our 4-day Scotland itinerary by driving west to the coast. But before we get there, we notice a castle on a loch out the window.
We pull over, park in the lot, and walk out to Kilchurn Castle. It’s a 15th-century ruin and former Clan Campbell stronghold with views over Loch Awe. It’s beautiful with the Highland scenery and hairy coos around it.
Isle of Eriska
Back in the car, we make our way to the final stop of the day: the Isle of Eriska. This tidal island at the entrance to Loch Creran is home to the Isle of Eriska Hotel, a five-star luxury hotel with a spa and golf course.
We check into the historic property, admiring the sumptuous furnishings in the lobby lounge and bar before heading up to our room. We have a king-size bed, a contemporary bathroom, and views across the lawns outside.
Our first stop is at the spa, where we soak in the hot tub above the large swimming pool. Afterwards we relax in the sauna and steam room. It’s the perfect start to our stay.
Leaving the spa, there’s just enough daylight left for an hour’s walk around the island. The coastline is breathtaking, and we love the Inner Hebridean views across Loch Linnhe and the Isle of Lismore from the beach at Otter Point.
When darkness falls, we head into the bar at the Isle of Eriska Hotel for pre-dinner cocktails and champagne. It has great ambiance with dark wood paneling and bookshelves.
After drinks we go to the dining room to try the hotel’s renowned cuisine. We enjoy a delicious 3-course meal complete with everything from Scottish langoustines to local produce, then retire to the bar for a wee dram before bed.
Oban
The next morning our 4-day Scotland itinerary continues with a full Scottish breakfast at the hotel and a 25-minute drive to Oban.
This town on the Firth of Lorn in Argyll and Bute is a popular place for people to catch ferries to the islands in the Inner Hebrides (and it’s where I left on a couple of amazing trips to go sailing in the Hebrides).
We spend some time shopping and exploring the waterfront, then pop into the Oban distillery, which dates back to 1794. From there it’s a quick drive up to McCaig’s Tower on Battery Hill, where we take in sweeping views of Oban below.
Glen Coe
Back in the car, we continue our 4-day Scotland itinerary with a 45-minute drive to Glen Coe. We’ve booked a room at The Isles of Glencoe Hotel in Ballachulish, and we can’t wait to take in the stunning mountain scenery.
We check into our room, which has views across Loch Leven and the mountains around it. There’s a spa and restaurant on the ground floor, and we take a quick look at both before heading out to explore the Highlands.
Pap of Glencoe
Given our love of country walks, our first order of business is to hike to the top of the Pap of Glencoe. This cone-shaped mountain in Glen Coe is situated at the western end of the Aonach Eagach ridge above the meeting point of the River Coe and Loch Leven.
It’s a popular place to hike, and we spend the next 5 hours trekking our way to the top and back. We’re rewarded with spectacular views over Glen Coe at the summit and spectacular sunshine on the descent.
Where to Eat in Glen Coe
That evening we reward ourselves for our hiking efforts with a seafood feast at the Fish Restaurant in The Ballachulish Hotel. Its “loch to plate” philosophy focuses on local, sustainable produce, and the result is delicious.
The Hot Shells Platter is a 2-person seafood extravaganza. We tuck into everything from lobster to langoustines, oysters, mussels, scampi, and scallops. It’s the perfect way to end our third day in Scotland.
Glen Coe and Glen Etive
The next morning our 4-day Scotland itinerary continues with a drive through Glen Coe. We pass the Coe River Waterfall, stop to admire the mountain scenery at the Three Sisters Viewpoint, and drive by The Meeting of Three Waters.
Soon we turn off on a one-lane road into Glen Etive, where the Highland scenes from the James Bond movie Skyfall were filmed. It’s amazing to see the stunning scenery from the silver screen, and we drive down to Glen Etive Bridge to take it all in.
Glen Coe to Edinburgh
From there we continue our 4-day Scotland itinerary by making our way back to Edinburgh. We drive past the Glencoe Mountain Resort and through beautiful Highland scenery before finding ourselves back in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
We stop for a quick lunch at Fat Jacks Diner in Callander, then continue past Stirling Castle and The Kelpies to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh
Once in the Scottish capital, we return our car and make use of our last couple hours in town by walking over to colorful Victoria Street and Grassmarket. From there we head up to the Royal Mile and down to Waverley Station to catch our train back to London.
As we journey south, I can’t help being amazed by how much we’ve seen and done in 4 days. It’s been a great trip, and a fun way to see Scotland.
Scotland Itinerary Map
If you want to follow our route, you can see where we went on the map below.
4-Day Scotland Itinerary
I hope you’ve enjoyed this 4-day Scotland itinerary. If you want more inspiration, take a look at my Scotland road trip itinerary, my blog post about the best islands to visit in Scotland, and my Scottish Highlands tour itinerary. Happy travels!
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