20 days in Scotland Itinerary

World Heritage-listed Edinburgh combines ancient and modern in a uniquely Scottish atmosphere.

Get some cultural insight at Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Old Town. Popular historic sites such as The Real Mary King's Close and Palace of Holyroodhouse are in your itinerary. There's still lots to do: explore the striking landscape at Arthur's Seat, take some stellar pictures from Calton Hill, admire nature's extreme beauty at The Marshmallow Lady, and get a new perspective on nature at National Museum of Scotland.

For photos, traveler tips, and other tourist information, read Edinburgh trip builder site.

London to Edinburgh is an approximately 3.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from London in August; daily highs in Edinburgh reach 21°C and lows reach 11°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 8th (Wed) early enough to go by car to Glencoe.

Glencoe or Glencoe Village is the main settlement in Glen Coe in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands. Start off your visit on the 8th (Wed): look for all kinds of wild species at Highland Titles Nature Reserve, look for gifts at Highland Soaps, and then don't miss a visit to Lime Tree An Ealdhain Gallery. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 9th (Thu): kick back and relax at Camusdarach Beach, thenlook for gifts at Ardshealach Smokehouse & Fine Foods, and then stop by Woodland Pottery & Crafts.

To find photos, maps, and more tourist information, go to the Glencoe visit planner.

You can drive from Edinburgh to Glencoe in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. In August, daytime highs in Glencoe are 21°C, while nighttime lows are 11°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 10th (Fri) so you can travel to Gairloch.

Gairloch is a village, civil parish and community on the shores of Loch Gairloch in Wester Ross, in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. Kick off your visit on the 11th (Sat): look for gifts at Perfume Studio, stop by Treasure Chest, thenidentify plant and animal life at Shieldaig Falconry, and finally hike along Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve.

For where to stay, other places to visit, photos, and more tourist information, use the Gairloch trip itinerary builder tool.

Getting from Glencoe to Gairloch by car takes about 3.5 hours. In August in Gairloch, expect temperatures between 19°C during the day and 11°C at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 12th (Sun) so you can go by car to Lochinver.

Lochinver is a village on the coast in the Assynt district of Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. Kick off your visit on the 12th (Sun): look for all kinds of wild species at Little Assynt Estate, look for gifts at Achins Bookshop, learn something new at An Talla Solais, thenlook for gifts at The Captain's Cabin, and finally stop by Made in Ullapool. On the next day, enjoy the sand and surf at Achmelvich Beach, thenenjoy the sand and surf at Scourie Bay, thenget a taste of local nightlife at The Jammery Culkein, and finally look for gifts at Highland Stoneware, Baddidarroch.

For more things to do, ratings, other places to visit, and tourist information, use the Lochinver route planner.

Traveling by car from Gairloch to Lochinver takes 2.5 hours. In August, daytime highs in Lochinver are 19°C, while nighttime lows are 11°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 13th (Mon) so you can go by car to Durness.

Durness is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. Get outdoors at Durness Beach and Balnakeil Beach. Change things up with a short trip to Sandwood Bay Beach in Kinlochbervie (about 38 minutes away). And it doesn't end there: kick back and relax at Sango Bay, view the masterpieces at Lotte Glob, contemplate the waterfront views at Balnakeil Bay, and explore the fascinating underground world of Smoo Cave.

To find photos, maps, more things to do, and other tourist information, refer to the Durness online visit planner.

Getting from Lochinver to Durness by car takes about 1.5 hours. In August, daily temperatures in Durness can reach 20°C, while at night they dip to 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 16th (Thu) to allow enough time to drive to Dornoch.

Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. On the 17th (Fri), stop by Coast Candle Co., stop by The Dornoch Bookshop, look for gifts at The Carnegie Whisky Cellars, thenstop by Simply The Best Fair Trade Shop, thenlook for gifts at Orcadian Stone Exhibition and gift shop, and finally look for gifts at Pandora's Emporium. Here are some ideas for day two: look for gifts at The Cheese House, look for gifts at The Emporium Bookshop, and then enjoy the sand and surf at Dornoch Beach.

To find photos, traveler tips, other places to visit, and more tourist information, read Dornoch holiday planning tool.

Getting from Durness to Dornoch by car takes about 2 hours. In August, plan for daily highs up to 20°C, and evening lows to 11°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 18th (Sat) early enough to go by car to Inverness.

Inverness, often described as the Gateway to the Highlands, is a thriving commercial and industrial center.

Deepen your sense of the past at sights like Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns. Get in touch with nature at Aigas Field Centre and Caley Cruisers. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Inverness: RZSS Highland Wildlife Park (in Kingussie), Aviemore (The Potting Shed Tearoom Inshriach & Mountain Spirit) and Embrace Gift Shop (in Strathpeffer). There's much more to do: look for all kinds of wild species at Loch Garten Nature Reserve, stop by Whisky Shop, browse for treasures at Iain Marr Antiques, and browse the exhibits of Picaresque Books.

To find other places to visit, maps, reviews, and more tourist information, read our Inverness visit planning site.

You can drive from Dornoch to Inverness in an hour. In August, plan for daily highs up to 21°C, and evening lows to 10°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 22nd (Wed) early enough to travel back home.