Top Places To Visit In Scotland In 3 Days Itinerary

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If you are looking for top places to visit in Scotland in 3 days, then look no further as I’ve curated a list of the best spots to cover in 3 days, saving you time and effort. From mountains to castles to waterfalls, I have got you covered! So sit tight!

Top Places To Visit In Scotland In 3 Days:

Trying to cover Scotland in 3 days might seem like a daunting task as Scotland has so many things to offer & has multiple attractions that are worth visiting.

But sit back and relax as I have pulled together a list (see below) considering the best attractions & natural beauties In Scotland. I have also considered the time & distance between the various attractions so that you can navigate with ease with Navigating Nomad tips 😁 .

Also, I am not going to make you confused by suggesting hundreds of options and will try to keep it simple by suggesting the best spots in my opinion.

I will mention the alternate itineraries & routes at the bottom so you can pick your best option & enjoy visiting 3 days in Scotland, so stay tuned!

So here is my itinerary for a 3-day trip to Scotland:

Day 1: Edinburgh (See detailed Itinerary below)

Day 2: Inverness, Loch Ness (See detailed Itinerary below)

Day 3: Isle of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle (See detailed Itinerary below)

Overview of Tourist Attractions:

Note: The table below lists ‘all’ the attractions for Edinburgh, Inverness & Skye. Please take into consideration that, it is not possible to cover all the attractions in 3 days so I have provided my day-wise recommendations & itinerary for the best places to visit in Scotland in 3 days as you read through the article below.

Notes Before We Start:

Getting Around:

Public transport is good in Scotland but navigating in Scotland can be tricky for tourists. You will mostly see Lothian buses in Edinburgh & Stagecoach in Inverness for public transport. You have options to use trams in Edinburgh but can be a bit costly.

If you plan to rent a car or have a car, then parking inside the city is challenging & pretty costly aswell. Rideshare options like Uber might cost more but are less hassle. Trains are also available from Edinburgh Waverly to Inverness.

Also read ✅ How to plan Scotland trip from London [Ultimate Guide]

Get Tickets Early:

Book your tickets in advance for any attractions or day trips. A lot of tourists fly to Edinburgh so make your bookings at least a week before.

Now let’s dive in!

Day 1: Edinburgh-

Being a local in Edinburgh, I can tell you this is the best place to start if you are visiting Scotland for 3 days. Edinburgh is a beautiful city with a rich history and you will get lost in the charm of the city.

Edinburgh does not have a lot of hustle and bustle like London, but has a lot of hidden gems and natural beauties for you to explore.

As you might know, Edinburgh is surrounded by hills & beaches which makes it an amazing destination to explore. Sounds amazing right? So let’s begin.

I suggest booking your stay in Edinburgh, as it offers numerous tour companies that can cover nearly all of Scotland’s top tourist destinations.

✅ Book the Best Value Hotels In Edinburgh ✅

To start with, I would suggest the following places to visit in Edinburgh:

Edinburgh Castle:

How can you say you have visited Edinburgh if you have not seen the famous Edinburgh Castle right?

Edinburgh Castle is probably the most iconic spot in Edinburgh due to its rich history. The castle is sitting on an old volcanic rock in the old town and you can see it standing tall and high from anywhere near Princes Street. You can buy the tickets online or in person & take a tour of Edinburgh Castle which consists of a military garrison, prison and fortress, Crown Jewels etc.

Also, the view from the top of the castle is great (but not as great as the options mentioned below).

Ticket Price Online: 19.50 pounds for adults,11.40 pounds for children (7-15 years)

Opening Hours:

Local Tip: 1 If you are visiting between October and March, then you can avail free tickets on the first Sunday of the month.

Local Tip 2: Buy the tickets online as it is cheaper.

✅ Book This Highly Rated Edinburgh Castle Tour ✅

Calton Hill:

Calton Hill is famous for its mesmerizing views from the top and is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is close to the city center and has the National Monument which is a model of the Parthenon in Athens.

You will need to get down at ‘Leith Street’ (Stop JC) if you are coming from Princes Street. You will need to climb a few stairs & then take a short walk to reach the hill.

Here you can enjoy great views of the city, castle & the sea. Must visit!

✅ Book this Hop On-Hop-Off Tour to cover Calton Hill ✅

Arthur Seat

Being a local here, this is personally my favorite spot in Edinburgh. It is free, has a short hike & the views are amazing. This is near the Parliament & a hike to the hill will take you around 1 to 1.5 hours.

Get your raincoats (as Edinburgh weather is unpredictable), hiking shoes and caps if it’s sunny. You don’t need hiking gear to climb to the top as the trail and would take approximately 2 hours.

You can get views of the city, the east coast of Scotland, Portobello Beach, Golf course etc. This is again a must-visit if you are comfortable hiking.

✅ Book this Hop On-Hop-Off Tour to cover Arthur Seat ✅

Day 1 Edinburgh Key Takeaways:

• You should start your day with the hike to Arthur’s Seat. Start as early as possible to make the most use of the day. It would take around 2-2.5 hours to complete Arthur’s seat.
• Next, you can come back to your accommodation to freshen up if you are tired after the hike or you can directly go to Edinburgh Castle from Arthur’s seat. It would again take 1-2 hours to complete the castle tour.
• Once you complete Edinburgh Castle, you can go to have lunch or Brunch in one of the cafes near Princes Street. There are a lot of options or you can grab a quick meal from Mcdonalds at Princess Street.
• Keep Calton Hill for the last to enjoy the 360 views of Edinburgh during the evening. It closes around 6 pm so please be mindful of the timings.
• After visiting Calton Hill, you can explore the old town & Royal Mile to finish the day.

Day 2: Inverness, Loch Ness

Start your second day by going to Inverness by taking a train or a bus ride using  Megabus and Citylink Scotland or a day trip from Edinburgh by booking one of the touring companies. You can see the river Ness flowing through the Inverness city which adds a soothing vibe to the city.

Public transport is dominated by Stagecoach here unlike Lothian buses in Edinburgh but it might be difficult to cover all the attractions using Public transport here. So if you can, then hire a car to explore around the city and the outskirts.

Here are my best recommendations for 1 day in Inverness:

Culloden Battlefield:

This is a historic place where the Battle of 1745 Jacobite Rising came to an end. You can see a lot of clan graves on the battlefield & is an emotional experience. There is a visitor center if you want to explore more on the history.

Approximate time to reach Culloden Battlefield by car from City Center: 15-20 minutes. Buses are also available to Culloden Battlefield. 

✅ Checkout These City Tours To Cover Culloden Battlefield ✅

Fort George Inverness:

This should definitely be on your itinerary & is an architectural marvel. You can take guided tours to learn about the military strategies deployed in the past & much more but if not then definitely explore the main rampart to gaze at the serene views of this amazing location.

✅ Checkout These City Tours To Cover Fort George ✅

River Ness & Ness Islands:

To relax and unwind, I would definitely suggest taking a stroll along the river Ness that flows through the city. You should visit the Ness islands which are around 10 mins from the city center and are well connected by bridges and pathways.

The walk is quite scenic and you might spot some seals along the way. Also if you have time, then you can also visit the Inverness Botanic Gardens.

Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

Now comes the best part which is exploring Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle. These are beautiful picturesque locations to enjoy the real beauty of Scotland and explore the naturals.

This is one of the most famous (if not the most) destinations for incoming tourists in Scotland due to the legend -the Lochness Monster (called Nessie).

If you want to enjoy Boat tours in the Loch Ness, then you should head to the southern shore near Fort Augustus.

The Castle is located near the end of the Loch (North shore) with a beautiful backdrop of Loch Ness and the mountains. If you are lucky you might see Nessie (Loch Ness Monster) who sits deep within Loch Ness as the legends say.

It would take around 30 minutes by car and 45 minutes by Bus to reach Urquhart Castle from Inverness. Both Loch Ness & the Castle are a must-visit for me.

✅ Best Selling Urquhart Castle Tours ✅

Day 2: Key Takeaways:

I would suggest starting early with the Culloden Battlefield & then visiting Fort George. Once done, head towards Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle.

If you can finish by evening, then I would suggest closing the day by taking a stroll along the river Ness & exploring the Ness islands. The city center is close by so you go and relax in a cafe or enjoy the city center.

Day 3: Isle Of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle

Skye is the second biggest island in Scotland and offers mesmerizing views of the Scottish highlands. Whether you want to see mountains, cliffs, waterfalls or the sea; the Isle Of Skye has got it all.

There are multiple spots to visit in Skye but the most beautiful ones are Kilt Rock (waterfall), Old Man of Storr, and Fairy Pools. All attractions in the Isle of Skye are natural offering a serene experience.

There are multiple touring companies from Inverness to Skye that offers Day trips to Isle Of Skye. I would highly recommend taking a day trip from Inverness to cover most of the places in Skye to save your breath. You can check Getyourguide.com and Timberbush Tours (12-hour Skye tours).

If you have a car you can drive through the mountains and clouds to have an unforgettable experience driving through the highways.

✅ Book This Best Selling Isle Of Skye Day Trip ✅

Don’t forget to carry comfortable shoes or your hiking shoes along with a raincoat for the bad weather. One day might not be enough to see all of Skye, but here are my top recommendations if you would like to spend 1 day on and near the Isle of Skye:

Eilean Donan castle

If you are taking day trips from Inverness or Edinburgh to Skye, this would be on the itinerary for sure. This castle is placed in the middle of 3 different Lochs: Duich, Alsh and Long & is the most pictured castle in Scotland.

This castle has been featured in multiple movies including filming locations for James Bond movie-“The World Is Not Enough”. There is a small cafe nearby to grab a quick bite.

After the castle, you are en route to the Isle Of Skye to experience magic.

Portree:

This is the capital of Skye and you will most probably get a pit stop here to grab a quick lunch. It’s a beautiful small town where you can wander around & enjoy lunch. Please try to grab lunch before 2 PM here as the shops get closed early.

Old Man Of Storr:

The trail to reach the Old Man Of Storr is around 2.5 miles roundtrip & takes around 2 hours. If you are in a car, you can park the vehicle at the bottom of the hike & start your hike.

If you are lucky and the weather is good, then you will see the big arching rocks at the top (4 to 5 ancient rock formations) which is the Old Man Of Storr. If the weather is foggy then you might have difficulty seeing those rocks as it might be covered under fog.

This is a great location & is a must-visit. Only 30 mins into the hike and you will see the best views of Isle Of Skye. The A87 and A855 are the main roads that provide access to the Old Man of Storr.

Lealt Falls:

Next, you can cover the Lealt Falls which is again a cute waterfall on the way and you can have a quick stop by to enjoy the views & the waterfall.

Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls:

This is my personal favorite as you can see a mesmerizing view of the waterfalls falling from the cliff to the sea. The rocks resemble the Scottish Kilt & hence the name Kilt Rock.

If the sun is shining bright, you might be lucky to catch a beautiful rainbow near the waterfalls. The lookout spot for the waterfalls is very close to the car park. If you have time, I would suggest taking a stroll along the cliffs to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

The car parking is free here & you will primarily use the A87 (From the Skye Bridge) and the A855 (From Portree to Kilt Rock) highways to reach here. You can also see boards regarding dinosaur footprints in that area.

Fairy Pools:

If you are in a car, then you need to park your car in the parking( the parking fee is 6 pounds) before you can head towards Fairy Pool. It is located within a short walk from the parking spot.

It’s a beautiful spot within the rugged mountains & you can spot mini waterfalls & sheep along the way. Don’t expect any huge waterfall as the main attraction the Fairy Pools is also a cute little waterfall.

The Quiraing:

This is a gem for all the hikers as you get a chance to experience the best views in Isle Of Skye. If you are in a car, there is a car park available.

The circular trail is about 7 kilometers long & might be time-consuming if you are visiting for just 1 day. Depending on your speed and the time spent enjoying the views, the hike can take anywhere between 2 to 4 hours. The trail offers stunning views of dramatic landscapes, rock formations, overlooks & the sea.

✅ This Day Tour Is Perfect If You Are Short On Time on The Isle Of Skye

Day 3 Key Takeaways:

• If you are taking Day trips, then you will already have an itinerary planned by the touring company which will cover most of the places like the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree, Old Man of Storr, etc which is good for a day trip.
• If you have a car, I suggest taking the A87 covering Old Man Of Storr, Kilt Rock/Mealt Falls & the Quiraing. I don’t think the Fairly Pools is worth the time considering you only have 1 day.
• From Inverness:
  • Take the A82 southwest towards Fort William.
  • Near Invergarry, turn right onto the A87, which will lead you directly to the Isle of Skye.

The Wrap-Up

Isle of Skye is a great location to visit but honestly, 1 day is not enough to explore all the beauties in Skye. For a 3-day trip to Scotland, I would strongly suggest keeping Edinburgh & Skye in your itinerary but there are other options aswell.

If you think you don’t want to cover Skye, then you can probably explore Pitlochry or Glasgow aswell for your visit to Scotland.

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