These are the top 10 places to visit in Scotland: Edinburgh Castle, the Isle of Skye, Glencoe, Loch Ness, Stirling Castle, St Andrews, Eilean Donan Castle, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Loch Lomond and Orkney. Below, each one gets its own section with what to see, a photo and a link to plan your visit.
The Places Every Scotland First-Timer Should Actually Prioritise
Lists of the top places to visit in Scotland inevitably include Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness. Both are worth seeing. But if you only have a week, the places that will stay with you longest are the ones most visitors drive past.
- Put Glencoe above Loch Ness on your list. Loch Ness is a long, dark lake with a visitor centre and a gift shop. Glencoe is a valley that stops you mid-sentence. Drive the A82 through it and you’ll understand why it’s in every film set in Scotland.
- Give Edinburgh two days, not four. Edinburgh is compact. You can cover the Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat, and the castle in two full days. Spend the extra days in the Highlands, where the real Scotland begins.
- The Isle of Skye needs 3 days minimum. Most visitors try to do Skye as a day trip from Inverness. This is madness. The Old Man of Storr, Fairy Pools, Neist Point, and the Quiraing need at least three days — plus a day for when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
- Don’t skip Stirling. It sits between Edinburgh and the Highlands and most people drive straight past. Stirling Castle is arguably better than Edinburgh Castle (smaller crowds, better views), and the Wallace Monument gives you the real story behind Braveheart.
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- 1. Edinburgh Castle
- 2. Isle of Skye
- 3. Glencoe
- 4. Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
- 5. Stirling Castle
- 6. St Andrews
- 7. Eilean Donan Castle
- 8. Glenfinnan Viaduct
- 9. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
- 10. Orkney
1. Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle sits on Castle Rock, the plug of an extinct volcano, high above the city centre. Inside are the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles, along with St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh.
Be on the ramparts at 1pm: the One O’Clock Gun is fired every day except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day. Book a timed ticket online, especially in summer.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Edinburgh Castle official site
2. Isle of Skye
Skye is linked to the mainland by the Skye Bridge, so you can drive straight on. The island packs in the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, the Fairy Pools and Neist Point, where the lighthouse has guided ships since 1909.
Give it at least three days. The roads are slow and the weather changes by the hour, so a spare day pays off.
Plan it: Our complete Isle of Skye guide
3. Glencoe
The A82 runs straight through Glen Coe, past the pyramid of Buachaille Etive Mòr and the Three Sisters. It is one of the most dramatic drives in Scotland, and you can stop at the National Trust for Scotland visitor centre near Glencoe village.
The glen is also where the Glencoe Massacre took place in February 1692, when government soldiers killed members of the MacDonald clan who had given them shelter.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Glencoe (National Trust for Scotland)
4. Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
Loch Ness is about 23 miles long and around 230 metres deep, and it holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales put together. That depth is why the Nessie story has never quite gone away.
The best place to take it in is Urquhart Castle, the ruined fortress on the north shore, run by Historic Environment Scotland. Boat trips leave from nearby.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Urquhart Castle (Historic Environment Scotland)
5. Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle stands on a crag between the Lowlands and the Highlands. Mary Queen of Scots was crowned here in 1543, and the restored Royal Palace and Great Hall show how Scotland’s Stewart kings lived.
From the walls you can see the sites of two famous battles: Stirling Bridge in 1297 and Bannockburn in 1314. It is an easy hour from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Stirling Castle official site
6. St Andrews
St Andrews is a small seaside town with a big story. The cathedral ruins and St Rule’s Tower stand above the harbour, the University of St Andrews (founded in 1413) is the oldest in Scotland, and the Old Course is known worldwide as the home of golf.
Walk the West Sands, then climb St Rule’s Tower for the view over the town and the sea.
Plan it: Our complete St Andrews guide
7. Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan sits on a small island where three sea lochs meet: Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh. The castle was a ruin for nearly 200 years until Lt Col John MacRae-Gilstrap rebuilt it in the early 20th century, finishing in 1932.
It is on the road to Skye, so most people stop on the way. Come early or late in the day for the quietest views from the stone bridge.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Eilean Donan Castle official site
8. Glenfinnan Viaduct
The Glenfinnan Viaduct curves across the valley on 21 concrete arches and opened in 1901 on the West Highland Line. It became world famous in the Harry Potter films.
Across the road, the Glenfinnan Monument on Loch Shiel marks where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745. Check the steam train timetable before you go: it runs in the main season only.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Glenfinnan (National Trust for Scotland)
9. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area, and less than an hour from Glasgow. It sits in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, Scotland’s first national park, opened in 2002.
Take a boat from Balloch or Tarbet, walk part of the West Highland Way along the east shore, or climb Ben Lomond for the view.
Plan it: Plan your visit: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
10. Orkney
Orkney, off Scotland’s north coast, holds some of the best Neolithic sites in Europe. The Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae village (about 5,000 years old) and Maeshowe are part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
Ferries run from Scrabster, Gills Bay and Aberdeen, and there are flights from mainland airports. Allow two or three days.
Plan it: Our Ring of Brodgar and Orkney guide
Watch: Scotland in pictures
