1. Edinburgh Castle

If Scotland is on your bucket list, I’m sure Edinburgh Castle is on it too! It stands perched on a rock at the end of the Royal Mile, overlooking the new city below. The day we arrived at the castle it was gloomy, cold, and rainy; cinematically adding to its medieval allure. The castle is one of the oldest fortified places on europe and is still partially occupied by the military. The Castle has a rich history of housing kings and queens, soldiers and prisoners. After your tour, you can meander back down the cobblestone streets of the Royal Mile and pop into the shops and pubs that lined the street. There’s also a tour of the “Undergound City” which is preserved 17th century streets hidden beneath the Old City that were abandoned due to dampness, plague, and poverty. This kind of tour felt like a ghostly haunted house, so I decided to opt out. I’m sure it would be quite fascinating, and I hope to return and see it sometime soon!

2. Glencoe and Glenfinnan Viaduct

Rent a car and drive into the Scottish Highlands towards Glencoe. You’ll come across the most spectacular views of snowy mountain tops, castles, and rugged lands. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported 200 years into the past when horses were the only form of transportation and scottish clans occupied the land. Bring your hiking shoes and explore the area by foot. There are lots of hiking trails and waterfalls to visit!

3. Isle of Skye

Continue past Glencoe and make your way to the Isle of Skye. Famed for its dramatic landscapes and rich clan history, it’s the largest and most northwest island in Scotland that is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Fun fact, my ancestry lived on the Isle of Skye before the immigrated to Nova Scotia (also known as New Scotland) in Canada. We spotted our first highland cows on the Isle of Skye and drove to Kilt Rock Waterfall for the most dramatic views of a waterfall plunging directly into the ocean. I highly recommend spending more time on the Isle of Skye if you can manage. We unfortunately only had a day to quickly explore the island, so we couldn’t do as much as we hoped!

Affordable Accommodations

1. The Isles of Glencoe Hotel – we decided to stay here last minute and it was great!

Splurge Accommodations

1. Kimpton Charlotte Square by IHG – we didn’t stay here, but I’d stay here next time!