2 Weeks in Scotland: The Perfect 14-15 Days Itinerary
You’re planning to spend 2 weeks in Scotland and you’re looking for the best itinerary?
Then look no further!
In order to help you plan your stay, I have prepared for you this 14, 15 or 16 days itinerary in Scotland.
During your trip, you will discover Edinburgh, the Highlands, the Isle of Skye, Glasgow and a many more amazing places.
In addition to the must-see attractions for each stage of the itinerary, I will also give you all my best tips as well as accommodation suggestions depending on your budget.
So, how to spend two weeks in Scotland?
Let’s find out!
Sommaire
- 2 Weeks in Scotland: The Perfect 14-15 Days Itinerary
- 1) Edinburgh (2 days)
- 2) Castles – Scone Palace, Stirling and Blair Castle (1 day)
- 3) Loch Ness (1 day)
- 4) Road-trip in the Northern Highlands (3 ½ days)
- 5) Isle of Skye (2 days)
- 6) Glen Coe Valley and Glenfinnan (2 days)
- 7) Conic Hill and Trossachs National Park (2 days)
- 8) Glasgow (1 day)
- Scotland Tours: 14-15 days
- You’re traveling to Scotland? These articles will help you!
1) Edinburgh (2 days)
There are 2 main airports in Scotland: one in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow.
To visit Scotland in 15 days, you should ideally arrive in Edinburgh and depart from Glasgow. It will allow you to visit these two cities without stress, respectively at the start and end of your holidays.
Of course, if it’s more convenient for you (for the flights prices/schedules or the car rental for example), you can arrive and leave from the same city. Edinburgh and Glasgow are located within an hour of each other.
After landing, you will need to pick up your rental car. You should of course book it in advance in order to pay the best price. Personally, I always use Booking.com Cars for all my car rentals, for 4 reasons:
- You can easily compare rates from all the car rental companies at a given location. It’s thus very easy to get the best deal!
- Their “full protection insurance” is extremely efficient if you want to be fully refunded in case accident or theft. Tested and approved, they refunded me more than 1300€ in total!😎
- Modifying or cancelling your booking is free of charge.
- They offer the “Best Price Guarantee”: It’s simple, if you find a similar service cheaper elsewhere, they will refund you the difference!
You want to go on a road trip in Scotland and rent a car? If you know your travel dates, you should compare rates and rent it now to get the best price:
After picking up your car, head to the centre of Edinburgh, the first stop on your 2-week trip to Scotland.
You will have 2 days to explore Edinburgh, one of the most beautiful capitals of Europe. The city is divided in 2 parts:
- Old Town, the medieval city
- New Town the contemporary part of Edinburgh.
The best, in my opinion, is to devote one day to each area.
For your first day, let’s start by visiting Old Town and more specifically Edinburgh Castle. This large castle is perched on an ancient volcano and dominates the city.
As it’s the most touristic monument of Scotland, you should really book your skip the line ticket in advance here: you will save a lot of time! The visit takes around 2 hours.
Then, head down the Royal Mile, Old Town’s main avenue. You will for sure love its medieval atmosphere, even if it’s, of course, quite touristy!
Here are the main monuments you can admire on the Royal Mile:
- St Giles Cathedral
- Canongate Kirk
- The Real Mary King’s Close (this guided tour is amazing!)
- Milne’s Court
- Dunbar’s Close Garden
- White Horse Close
- Scottish Parliament House
There are also a few free museums that will satisfy your thirst for culture:
- The Museum of Edinburgh, about the city’s history
- Writer’s museum, dedicated to Scottish Literature
- The Museum of Childhood and its many old toys
- The People’s Story, to learn more about the working-class people of Edinburgh from the 18th century to the present day.
The Royal Mile ends at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a prestigious residence where Mary Stuart once lived. It’s now one of the Queen’s second home.
You can visit the interior of the palace, its gardens, the ruins of its abbey and beautiful art galleries.
Just like for Edinburgh Castle, you should really book your skip the line ticket in advance to avoid waiting in line.
Behind the palace, you can go to Arthur’s Seat hill, offering a superb view over the city. A trail through the moors will allow you to reach the top of the hill in around 1h30.
At the end of this beautiful day, you can enjoy a great a dinner in Old Town, where you will find many restaurants. If you want to try something a bit different than usual, you can go to David Bann restaurant, on St Mary’s Street.
After a good meal, enjoy a digestive walk through the lively Grassmarket district in the evening. In addition to the many pubs, don’t miss the pretty street of Candlemaker Row and its mystical atmosphere.
You will also find there the picturesque Greyfriars Cemetery, reputed to be the most haunted cemetery in the world!
To make the most of your visit, you should really book a guided visit of Greyfriars Cemetery. You will hear ghost stories and learn everything about the local legends! This tour needs to be booked here.
In Old Town, you can also visit:
- Camera Obscura and World of Illusions: a museum about optical illusions. The museum is located at the beginning of the Royal Mile, just past the castle. A great visit if you’re traveling with your family
- Guided tours: they are a great way to enjoy the historical, cultural or haunted places of the city, on foot or by bus. One of the most popular is without a doubt the Ghost Bus Tour. You need to book it here.
If you want to make the most of your visit to Edinburgh’s Old Town, the best is to opt for a guided tour!
You will have the chance to learn more about the city’s best historical sites such as the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Castle or the Parliament.
The guided tours need to be booked in advance here:
Spend your first night in Edinburgh.
After a good night, let’s start the second day of your 2-week trip to Scotland.
Today you will visit New Town, the contemporary district built in the 18th century. It extends around 3 main streets: Princes Street, Queen Street and George Street.
Start with a stroll through Princes Street Gardens, a beautiful public park marking the border with Old Town. From there, you will enjoy a great view over Old Town and Edinburgh castle!
Continue to Charlotte Square, where you can see the official residence of the Prime Minister (Bute House n°6) and visit a typical Georgian house (n°7).
Then, stroll along Calton Hill to discover beautiful gardens and another great view over Old Town.
If you want a cultural break, be sure to visit the free national museums: the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery.
In the afternoon, you should head to Dean Village, a former millers village located on the riverside, 15-20 minutes walk from the city center.
Before dinner, you can stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens. They feature the world’s largest collection of rhododendrons, greenhouses, a Chinese garden and an arboretum.
Alternatively, instead of visiting the Botanical Garden, you can go to the lively Stockbridge district, just a 15-minute walk from Dean Village.
Spend your last night in Edinburgh
For more information about Edinburgh, you should read my detailed article: Top 20 things to do in Edinburgh.
To save money during your visit to Edinburgh, you should buy the “Royal Edinburgh Ticket”. It grants you access to the castle, The Palace of Holyroodhouse and a guided bus tour. Simply click here to book it.
Finding a parking space for your car in Edinburgh can be a bit difficult. Most parkings are limited to 4 hours only, and you risk getting fined or having your car towed if you don’t respect this limit.
The best is thus to park in one of the underground car parks or try to find a free parking space close to the Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Park or Murrayfield Stadium area.
Alternatively, you can park in a free “park and ride” outside the city, and take a shuttle to the city centre.
Where to stay in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel: Youth hostel located only 800 meters from the train station and Princes Street. Bed in a dormitory from 30€ per night, breakfast at 6€. Strong points: cleanliness, great location, friendly staff.
- Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket: Located in the city centre, 10 minutes walk from the castle. Contemporary and elegant double room from 90€, breakfast included. Strong points: the very helpful staff, the spacious rooms, the very comfortable bed. It is my favorite for its amazing value for money!
- Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh: Located on the historic Royal Mile Street, 10 minutes from the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Chic and refined double room from 200€ per night, breakfast at 14€. Strong points: central location, spa, heated indoor swimming pool, gym, and the excellent breakfast!
- Radisson Collection Hotel, Royal Mile Edinburgh: 5 star hotel located on the Royal Mile, 600 meters away from the castle. This luxury hotel offers comfortable and elegant double rooms starting at 300€ per night, breakfast at 18€. Strong points: located in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic centre, the interior design, very helpful staff, absolute comfort. This is the best hotel for a luxury stay in Edinburgh!
2) Castles – Scone Palace, Stirling and Blair Castle (1 day)
For the second part of your 14-15 day roadtrip in Scotland, leave Edinburgh and head north-west towards Fort William.
On the way, you should stop to visit one or more of these superb castles:
Scone Palace: located near the city of Perth, about 1 hour drive from Edinburgh. This very beautiful Georgian Gothic castle was built at the very beginning of the 19th century and is still inhabited today.
Scone Palace is built on a very large estate and has magnificent gardens. You will be able to visit the interior of the castle in about 1 hour, and you can then enjoy the gardens during 1 or 2 hours if you are lucky enough to be there on a sunny day!
Stirling Castle: this beautiful Scottish castle is one of the largest and most important in the history of Scotland.
Dating from the 15th century and built on top of a hill, it’s also located about 1 hour’s drive from Edinburgh. It served as a royal residence continuously until the Renaissance and was the theater of many battles.
The inside of the castle is nice to visit but it is the outside that is especially worth a look! You can buy your tickets here.
Blair Castle: much further north than the other two, Blair Castle is located in the small touristy village of Pitlorchy. There, you can also visit two distilleries (Edradour and Blair Athol Distillery).
This white castle dates from the 13th century and nowadays belongs to the Duke of Atholl, who rarely comes here. The visit of the interior is interesting and the gardens are once again very beautiful.
At the end of the day, head to Fort William for the night.
Take advantage of your evening in Fort William to experience the atmosphere of Scottish pubs!
My favorite in town is Grog & Gruel. No matter if you’re traveling with friends or with your family, you will love its joyful atmosphere! And if you wish, you can also dine there.
Where to stay in Fort William
- Fort William Backpackers: Located in the center of Fort William. Bed in a dormitory from 22€. Strong points: the atmosphere, the welcome, the location. The best choice for backpackers!
- Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club: Located 1.5 km from Fort William. Scottish style double room starting at 100€/night with breakfast included. Strong points: indoor heated swimming pool, the free parking, the breakfast.
- Nevis Bank Inn: Located on the banks of Nevis river, 10 minutes away from Fort William’s town center. Large double room from 190€, breakfast included. Strong points: pleasant staff, very clean and a good restaurant.
- Inverlochy Castle Hotel: 5-star hotel located 6 km away from Fort William. The place is actually a small castle that offers double rooms with a view on the gardens and the peak of Glen Nevis. Prices start at 550€ breakfast included. Strong points: the extraordinary setting, the amazing breakfast and the wonderful staff. The best choice for a luxury trip to the Highlands!
3) Loch Ness (1 day)
On the next morning, you will continue your 2 weeks itinerary in Scotland and head to the village of Fort Augustus, located on the shores of Loch Ness, one of the largest lakes in Scotland.
Yes, today, you might meet Nessie, the famous and mysterious Loch Ness monster!
Located in the heart of the beautiful Highlands region, it stretches from Fort Augustus in the South and Inverness in the North.
Your first stop of the day will be Fort Augustus, less than an hour’s drive from Fort William. The town is the starting point of Loch Ness cruises and offers beautiful views over the lake.
Then drive north towards Drumnadrochit. The drive from Fort Ausgustus to Drumnadrochit is really beautiful and will take you about 40 minutes.
Once there, you will be able to :
- Visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, a museum about the legend of the Loch Ness Monster
- Have lunch or enjoy a drink on the terrace
- Take the lovely Glen Urquhart walk
- Visit Urquhart Castle
After your visit, leave Drumnadrochit and head toward Inverness, the capital of the Highlands where you’ll spend the evening and night.
If you have time, you can go to the village of Dores located on the east side of the lake to admire its beautiful pebble beach and maybe meet Steve Feltham, a “monster hunter” who lives here since 1991.
Then return to Inverness for a good night’s sleep before heading north the next morning.
If you want like to visit Urquhart Castle and take a cruise on Loch Ness (the 2 best things to do in the area!), you should book a combined tour that includes both activities. You will save money!
It needs to be booked by clicking on the button below:
Where to stay in Inverness
- Inverness Student Hotel: A youth hostel located 10 minutes walking from the town center. Bed in a dormitory starting at 20€ and breakfast for 5€. Strong points: home-made scones, warm atmosphere, location, and price. Perfect for backpackers!
- The King’s Highway Wetherspoon: Located only 5 minutes from the castle. Large double room from 80€/night, breakfast included. Strong points: central location and price
- Glen Mhor Hotel: Located on the river banks, 5 minutes away from the town center. Cozy double room with a view over the cathedral from 145€, breakfast for 14€ extra. Strong points: The warm welcome, the location, the view and the great breakfast.
- Jurys Inn Inverness: Located near Inverness. Modern and bright double room from 190€, breakfast included. Strong points: indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, free car park. This is my favorite for its excellent value for money!
- Bunchrew House Hotel: close to Inverness, this charming hotel is located in a beautiful 17th century building with a garden. Comfortable and elegant double room starting at 400€/night, breakfast included. Strong points: the setting, the excellent meals, the amazing breakfast, the calm, the wonderful staff. This is my recommendation for a luxury stay in Inverness!
4) Road-trip in the Northern Highlands (3 ½ days)
This fourth leg of your two-week trip to Scotland takes you to the Northern Highlands. This wild region features vast moorland, a rugged coastline and surprisingly white sandy beaches.
In the morning, leave Inverness and head to Durness (about 2h45 drive). You will for sure stop a few times along the way to immortalize the stunning scenery! Have a walk on the stunning beach at Sango Bay and take a stroll through the village.
Then go south towards Scourie. From Tarbet, you can take the boat for a few hours excursion to the small island of Handa. This is where many birds nest, including the famous and adorable puffins.
Handa island is an uninhabited nature reserve, a real sanctuary for many species of birds. The round trip costs around £12 per adult (departures from 9am to 2pm, return no later than 5pm).
Spend the night in Scourie.
The next morning, you will go south along the coastline towards Kylesku, a town located where Loch Glencoul and Loch Gleann Dubh join to form a sea passage.
Spend half a day freely exploring the surroundings and then drive to the Coigach Peninsula near the village of Achiltibuie. Personally, I recommend you to visit Loch Assynt, in my opinion the most beautiful in the area!
At the end of the day, head to Ullapool (45 minutes drive), a very convenient place to spend the night.
On the next day, continue your journey in the Northern Highlands and reach Inverewe Garden, a beautiful botanical garden with sea view. The visit takes around 2 or 3 hours.
After your visit, head to Torridon and take the coastal road to Applecross, considered the most beautiful scenic road in the Highlands.
End your day in Plockton, a charming small port built on the edge of Loch Carron. There, you will find a few shops, restaurants and a superb waterfront.
Spend the night in Plockton.
On the next day, let’s start with a visit to Eilean Donan Castle, located at about twenty minutes drive from Plockton. Only accessible by a bridge, this very photogenic Scottish castle built on an island in the middle of a loch was used as a filming location for numerous movies.
After the visit, you will head to the Isle of Skye. To get there, you will have to cross the Skye Bridge located close to Kyle of Lochalsh village (only 10 minutes from the castle).
You can find detailed information about the Highlands in my article: The 20 best things to do in the Highlands.
If you want to include a visit to the Isle of Lewis and Harris, a jewel of Scotland and one of the most beautiful islands in Europe, you can modify this itinerary a bit.
After your night in Inverness (part 3), you can go directly to Ullapool (1h20 drive) and take the ferry to Lewis. You can then replace the 3-day road trip in the Northern Highlands with the discovery of the island.
At the end of these 3 days on Lewis & Harris, you can go directly to the Isle of Skye by ferry boat to continue your 15-day tour in Scotland.
Where to stay in Scourie (1st night in Northern Highlands)
- Scourie Guesthouse: Located in Scourie. Modern, comfortable and well equipped double room with sea view, from 130€ per night breakfast included. Strong points: the warm welcome, the great breakfast with delicious homemade muffins + the nice view!
Where to stay in Ullapool (2nd night)
- Millview Bed & Breakfast: This B&B features large and clean double rooms from 60€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the warm welcome and the good breakfast
- Croft 17 B&B: Cosy double rooms with sea view starting from 80€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the location, the settings, the warm welcome.
- Harbour House: Hotel located on the waterfront, 10 minutes away from the center of Ullapool. Double room starting from 100€ per night, breakfast included. Strong point: the view over the bay, the location, the staff.
- The Arch Inn: Located at the edge of Ullapool’s dam. Comfortable and well equipped double room with sea view, starting from 115€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the location, the view, the friendly staff, the calm and the great hotel’s restaurant!
Where to stay in Plockton (3rd night)
- Keiran’s House: Located in Plockton. Clean and comfortable double room starting from 125€/night, breakfast included. Strong points: Great host, good location, very calm!
5) Isle of Skye (2 days)
During your 2 weeks trip to Scotland, you will also be able to discover the spectacular landscapes of the Isle of Skye. You will spend 2 days there and get a good overview of the place!
Cross the Skye bridge, and spend the first day exploring the Southwest of the island.
1st day itinerary:
- Drive to Sligachan, where you can admire an ancient stone bridge built over a river. With the magnificent Cuillin Hills in the background, it’s a great photo spot!
- Drive for about 20 minutes to reach the Fairy Pools, located in the heart of the Cuillin Hills. Park your car at the park and walk around 30 minutes to reach an exceptional site with several waterfalls.
- Take the time to explore the surrounding area on foot and maybe enjoy a picnic there!
- Head north towards Dunvegan and its castle
- At the end of the day, if you have the time, you should really go to Neist Point: it’s the best place to admire the sunset on the Isle of Skye.
- Drive back to the small town of Portree for the night.
On the 2nd day, you will discover the North-East of the island.
Take the A855 along the coast. You’ll make several stops along the way to see:
- The Old Man of Storr: a 50 meter high rock, one of the most famous landmarks of the Isle of Skye. You can do a nice hike of about 2 hours round trip, offering magnificent views over the Trotternish peninsula. It starts from Old Man of Storr’s car park.
- Kilt Rock waterfall, that flows directly into the sea from the top of a cliff
- Quiraing mountain range: there, you can enjoy beautiful walks and exceptional panoramas over Staffin bay
- The ruins of Duntulm Castle
- The Skye Museum of Island Life, featuring several 19th and 20th century Scottish thatched cottages to visit.
At the end of the day, go back to Portree and spend one last night there.
The next morning, go to Armadale to take the ferry to Mallaig (it costs £3 per pedestrian and £10 per car).
For more information on all the best places to visit on the Isle of Skye, you should read my detailed article: The 20 best things to do on the Isle of Skye.
Where to stay on the Isle of Skye?
The Isle of Skye being very touristic, I strongly advise you to book your accommodation as early as possible. Here are those offering the best value for money!
- Portree Youth Hostel: Youth hostel located in the center of Portree. Dormitory bed from 23€. Strong points: ideal location, cleanliness, staff. The best Youth Hostel of the island!
- Sky Lodges: Located at 2.9 km from Portree. You will stay in small, well-equipped and tastefully decorated wooden chalets starting at 130€ per night. Strong points: the ecological concept, the modern facilities, the cleanliness.
- Cuillin Hills Hotel: Located in a 6 hectare estate facing the bay of Portree. Double room with traditional decoration from 210€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the magnificent view, the succulent meals, the charming staff. My favorite hotel for its excellent location on the Isle of Skye!
- Skeabost House Hotel: Located on Loch Snizort, in Portree. Very cosy double room with view on the park or Loch from 270€, breakfast included. Strong points: the superb view, the comfort of the rooms, the very warm atmosphere, the golf course. This is my recommendation for a romantic stay on the Isle of Skye!
6) Glen Coe Valley and Glenfinnan (2 days)
Let’s continue your 2-week trip to Scotland and visit another part of the Highlands: the splendid Glen Coe Valley, the best destination for mountain enthusiasts!
If you wish to, you can spend a bit of time in Mallaig before leaving. This quiet port becomes especially lively at lunchtime as the Jacobite Express steam train which makes the daily Fort William-Mallaig journey, stops here.
You have probably never heard about it, but the Jacobite Express is actually very famous: it’s the real-life counterpart of the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter movies!
Restaurants and streets fill up until it leaves at around 2pm.
From Mallaig, take the road to Glencoe village, about 1 hour away. You can park your car at the end of its main street.
It’s the starting point of the Lochan Trails, a few short and very enjoyable forest walks.
After doing one of the Lochan Trails (about 1 hour walk), you can do the superb Pap of Glencoe hike: through breathtaking scenery, this trail will take you to the top of the Pap of Glencoe. It’s a bit steep (bring good shoes!) and it takes around 4 hours round trip.
The view from the top is really breathtaking, one of the best in Scotland!
In Glencoe and the surroundings you can also:
- Do the short Signal Rock hike: 45 minutes to go to the top of Signal Rock Hill and come back.
- Do the Lost Valley hike, starting about 9 km from Glencoe and takes 2 to 3 hours round trip
- Visit or admire the exterior of Castle Stalker. It seems to float on loch Linnhe, near Port Appin (25 minutes drive from Glencoe village).
Spend the night in Fort William.
On the next morning, drive to Glenfinnan, about 30 minutes from Fort William and less than an hour from Glencoe.
In Glenfinnan, you shouldn’t miss
- The passage of the Jacobite Express over the 21-arch viaduct that appears in the Harry Potter films. The steam train passes once in the morning around 10.30 am and a second time in the afternoon around 3 pm. There is a nice viewpoint above the visitors centre.
- Glenfinnan Monument, a tower built on the edge of the Loch Shiel
- A picnic at the edge of Loch Shiel if you are lucky enough to be there on a sunny day!
- Glenfinnan Church, a beautiful small Gothic church overlooking the loch
- Glenfinnan Station Museum: a tiny museum about the history of Scottish railways and the viaduct.
- The beautiful nature walks departing from Glenfinnan Visitor Centre: a great way to explore the area!
Spend another night in Fort William.
Where to stay in Fort William
- Fort William Backpackers: Located in the center of Fort William. Bed in a dormitory from 22€. Strong points: the atmosphere, the welcome, the location. The best choice for backpackers!
- Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club: Located 1.5 km from Fort William. Scottish style double room starting at 100€/night with breakfast included. Strong points: indoor heated swimming pool, the free parking, the breakfast.
- Nevis Bank Inn: Located on the banks of Nevis river, 10 minutes away from Fort William’s town center. Large double room from 190€, breakfast included. Strong points: pleasant staff, very clean and a good restaurant.
- Inverlochy Castle Hotel: 5-star hotel located 6 km away from Fort William. The place is actually a small castle that offers double rooms with a view on the gardens and the peak of Glen Nevis. Prices start at 550€ breakfast included. Strong points: the extraordinary setting, the amazing breakfast and the wonderful staff. The best choice for a luxury trip to the Highlands!
7) Conic Hill and Trossachs National Park (2 days)
Your 14-15-day road trip in Scotland will now allow you to enjoy another green and splendid region: the Trossachs.
During your 2 days in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, you will discover the best places to visit in the area. Here is my recommended itinerary:
For the first day:
- Head to Killin village, less than 2 hours drive from Fort William. It’s a great place to have lunch in a very beautiful setting!
- Continue to Tarbet (not to be mistaken with the other Tarbet, the departure point to Handa island, in the northern Highlands!) for a cruise on Loch Lomond
- Pass through Luss to admire the view over the loch and go to Balmaha for the night
For your 2nd day:
- Head to Conic Hill and do the amazing 2h30 round trip hike going to top of the hill. You will be rewarded by one of the most beautiful panoramas of the region!
- Drive south towards Balloch, a nice small village to visit. Along the way, you will probably stop a few times just to admire the landscape and take pictures.
- Then continue to Glasgow where you will spend the end of the day and the night (I will give you my list of the best places to stay in Glasgow in part n°8 of this guide).
Where to stay in the Trossachs National Park
- Birchwood Guest Lodge: Located 500 metres from Balmaha and the loch. Comfortable double room in a wooden hut from 70€ per night. Strong points: the location and the price.
- Balmaha Inn: Overlooking the bay. Warm and modern double room from 90€, breakfast included. Strong points: the location, the very friendly staff.
- Oak Tree Inn: Located in Balmaha, in a beautiful setting. Cosy and spacious double room from 130€, breakfast included. Strong points: the perfect location to access the hiking trails, the warm welcome, the good breakfast and the quality of the restaurant’s meals. It’s my favorite hotel for its exceptional value for money!
8) Glasgow (1 day)
It’s now time to end your 2-week itinerary in Scotland in style with a visit to Glasgow, too often and unfairly left in the shadow of the capital.
Glasgow is very pleasant to visit and one day is enough to see its main points of interest. The city centre is the most interesting and can easily be visited on foot.
You can start from Buchanan Street and visit the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA – admission is free).
Continue along Queen Street and spend some time at the beautiful Georges Square. Here you can have a drink on the terrace and admire the Glasgow City Chambers and its remarkable architecture.
Stroll down the adjacent streets and head to Merchant City district, where you can visit the Glasgow Police Museum, an original museum about Scottish police history.
Walk to the Tolbooth Steeple, also called Glasgow Cross. This monument marks the location of the city centre in ancient times.
Head down Saltmarket to Glasgow Green, the city’s largest park, where you can picnic and enjoy a lovely digestive walk.
After lunch, you can visit St Mungo’s Cathedral. This Gothic cathedral and its Victorian cemetery called the Necropolis, is one of Glasgow’s must-see landmarks. As the cemetery is located on a hill, it offers a beautiful view over the cathedral and the city.
Afterwards, you should visit the prestigious Glasgow University, a neo-gothic architectural masterpiece.
And at the end of the day, why not do a bit of shopping on Buchanan Street?
If you are lucky enough to have one last evening in Scotland before flying back the next day, you can have dinner on Ashton Lane, a picturesque street with several nice restaurants, and then enjoy Glasgow’s very lively nightlife.
To learn more about the best places to visit in Glasgow, you should read my article The 20 best things to do in Glasgow.
If your trip to Scotland lasts only 14 days instead of 15, you can spend one day less in the Trossachs National Park.
Where to stay in Glasgow
- The Z Hotel Glasgow: Located next to George Square, in the city center. Comfortable double room from €55 per night, breakfast at €9. Strong points: the location in the centre, aperitif offered every evening between 17:00 and 20:00 with wine, cheese and cold meats + the very welcoming staff. The best choice for a budget stay in Glasgow!
- Motel One Glasgow: Located 10 minutes walk from George Square and 200 meters from Buchanan Street. Beautiful double room starting from €95, breakfast from €11. Strong points: the setting, the location, the decoration, the competent staff. My favourite hotel for its exceptional value for money!
- citizenM Glasgow: Located 10 minutes walk from George Square. Elegant, modern and bright double room with large bay windows from 105€, breakfast 14€. Strong points: the design and style of the hotel, the kindness of the staff, the good breakfast.
- Radisson Blu Hotel Glasgow: Located 5 minutes from the Museum of Modern Art and 700 from George Square. Spacious and quiet double room with comfortable bedding from €160, breakfast at €19. Strong points: very good breakfast, helpful staff, location.
- Blythswood Square: 5 star hotel located in Glasgow city centre. Very spacious and comfortable double room from 250€ per night, breakfast at 14€. Strong points: free access to the Spa at certain times, comfort, discretion of the staff. This is my recommendation for a luxury stay in Glasgow!
So, what do you plan to visit during your 2 week trip to Scotland?
If you need help to plan your stay, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section below!
Scotland Tours: 14-15 days
On Voyagetips.com, I give you all my best tips and itineraries to plan your trip to Scotland by yourself. (All my Scotland travel guides are here)
However, if you prefer to book a 2-week Scotland tour with a travel agency, I recommend you to check the 10 best Scotland tours by clicking the button below:
🚗 Rent a car
🗽 Book entrance tickets and guided visits
🏄 Book your sports activities
🚤 Book your rental boat
🌍 Take a travel insurance
🙎 Book a tour
🚅 Book your train tickets
✈️ Book your flight
Scotland travel Guides
- Buy the Lonely Planet Scotland guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk
- Buy the DK Eyewitness Scotland guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk
You’re traveling to Scotland? These articles will help you!
Discover all my articles about Scotland: All my articles to help you plan your trip to Scotland are listed there.
Discussion8 Comments
I don’t see any suggested stops in the NE part of Scotland, Balmoral/Ballater or Dundee/St. Andrews. Do you recommend making the effort to visit any of these areas?
Thanks!
Hello Beth,
There are no stops to Dundee and Balmoral as I have not had the opportunity to visit this part of Scotland.
For this 15 days itinerary in Scotland, I didn’t have the time.
If you spend more time in the UK, you may be able to incorporate it into your tour. But I don’t know if Dundee is worth visiting.
And in Balmoral, there’s only the royal family castle to visit.
Enjoy your trip to Scotland!
Hi. Planning our retirement trip to Scotland. Approximately 2 weeks. Can you provide rough estimate of costs? Thanks, David and Stacey Mills
Hello David and Stacey,
I can’t give you a budget for your 2 weeks itinerary in Scotland. It depends on too many things: the period of your trip, the category of hotels, the visits or activities you choose to do…
Depending on that, the budget can vary from simple to quadruple at least!
You can easily calculate how much it would cost for your travel dates by clicking on the orange links or the green buttons in the article.
You will be able to see the rates for:
– Car rentals if you click on the Booking Cars button
– Hotels (click on the name of the hotels)
– Activities.
One last advice: for Scotland, really try to book as far in advance as possible, especially for accommodation in the Highlands and on the Isle of Skye.
Enjoy your trip to Scotland!
Hello Vincent,
My husband and I went for a two week trip to Scotland with a preparation entirely based on your wonderful information and tips! Thank you very much, this was very helpful!
Kind regards
Hello Nathalie,
Thank you so much!
I’m delighted that you had a lovely 2 week stay in Scotland following my itinerary.
See you soon for a new destination!
Wat een fijne website .
Wij zijn als gezin [3 pers met 1 hond,) voornemens in de meivakantie 2 weken naar Schotland te gaan.
Ik lees met interesse de route 14-15 dagen.
Nu loop ik tegen probleem aan dat er geen overnachting met hond te boeken valt op 1 mei in scourie.
Heeft u suggesties?
Mogelijke overnachting plekken of aanpassing van de reis.
Mvg amber
Hi Amber,
Thank you! I’m glad that my 2-week itinerary for Scotland has helped you plan your trip.
The easiest way is to add an overnight stay in Ullapool.
From Ullapool, you can go to Loch Assyn and Scourie, which are only 1 hour away.
Enjoy your stay in Scotland!