Scotland, much like Ireland, is known for its nature scenes, castles, picturesque islands, and a national liquor that is world renown. While Ireland and England may overshadow this nearby country, Scotland is a great spot for a vacation built around nature, castles, and scotch. The following is the first part of a three-part 9 Day Scotland Castles, Nature, and Scotch Itinerary. This Scotland itinerary begins in the capital, Edinburgh. With a focus on the capital and the royals, the first part of this trip also includes a stop in Stirling (the previous capital of Scotland).
- Edinburgh & Stirling – Royal Scotland (this post)
- Loch Lomond, Oban, & Loch Ness – Lakes & Islands
- The Scottish Highlands
Post Contents
Day 0 – Overnight Flight
The vast majority of Europe-bound flights leaving the United States operate overnight. The non-stop flight options primarily leave between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM. All of these flights arrive between 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM. Because of this, travelers can book these flights to Scotland without taking the day off of work. This allows the vacation to essentially start on a “Day 0.” Therefore, almost a complete Day 1 will be available to vacationers once they arrive in Scotland the next morning.
Day 1 – Edinburgh
This 9-day tour of Scotland begins in the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh. The vast majority of arrivals will land in the morning. The earlier the landing the better to have as much time as possible for Day 1. While I generally try to schedule less important itinerary items on the first day due to the chance of travel disruptions, the short time in Scotland necessitates putting this principle on pause.
Pick Up Rental Car & Check In To Accommodations
This Scotland itinerary crisscrosses large portions of the country. The best and most efficient transportation method is driving a car between the stops on this journey. While a rental car will be a little bit of an inconvenience and an additional cost due to the parking in Edinburgh, it’s generally worth the cost to not return to the airport to pick up the car in two days. After clearing customs and immigrations, make your way to the rental car center at Edinburgh Airport to pick up your car.
The first thing you will want to do after arriving is check in to your accommodation (if you are able). Due to arriving early in the day, hotels may not allow you into a room. At minimum, the hotel should let you drop your luggage with the bellhop. However, if you need to get to the first stop quickly, leave the bags in the car. Being able to clean up and refresh after an overnight flight does wonders to make you feel ready to explore a new country. However, if your flight is running late or if you have very little time before starting the activities of the day, skipping check in can save an hour or so.
Scottish Parliament Building
The first stop on the Scotland itinerary maybe one of the most recently constructed places that you will visit all week. The Scottish government commenced construction on the Parliament Building in 1999. The building finally opened in 2004 following many schedule and cost setbacks. Unlike most Western civilizations, this parliament building doesn’t follow a neoclassical, Roman, or Greek style. Instead, this building was constructed in a very post-modern style and contrasts the castles and historic churches in its vicinity.
A tour of the Scottish Parliament Building is a great way to see this modern architectural building from the inside. This stop is also a great opportunity for visitors to get a taste of Scottish politics. The politics of the United Kingdom (and especially Scotland) are different and may seem redundant to those with an outsider’s perspective. In fact, there wasn’t a Scottish Parliament from 1707 (when Scotland joined England) till 1998. Guests should seek out a guided tour so that a local can provide commentary on the political situation in this country. If a guided tour doesn’t work with your schedule, a self-tour of the Parliament Building is always possible.
The Royal Mile
Upon exiting the Scottish Parliament Building, travelers are at one end of a street known as “The Royal Mile”. While it is just shy of a mile (measuring in at 0.9 miles), this stretch of road moves past some of the oldest buildings in the city. The Palace of Holyroodhouse anchors one end of this street. The other end of the street ends at Edinburgh Castle. Visitors to Edinburgh should make their way along this road taking in the sights and historic buildings.
Some spots to stop at along the mile include:
- St. Giles’ Cathedral
- Closes – Narrow alleys between buildings named for a famous resident. The most famous is Mary King’s Close.
- City Chambers
- Whiskey Shops
- People’s Story Museum
Edinburgh Castle
Anchoring the other end of The Royal Mile is Edinburgh Castle. This historical castle sits at the top of Castle Rock and has a commanding view of the city of Edinburgh. This castle was used as a royal residence, military garrison, prison, and fortress throughout history. There are numerous exhibits detailing the history of the castle, Edinburgh, and some of the royal property. One of the first exhibits is “Fight for the Castle”, a history of Edinburgh Castle’s use in the Scottish Wars of Independence. The Great Hall shows off the grand construction of the banquet hall but also contains a large number of military artifacts. These are representative of the Great Hall’s time as a military barrack.
Moving into the royal functions of the castle, guests are able to visit the Royal Palace and see the Stone of Destiny. This stone continues to be used for the coronation of English/Great Britain monarchs to this day. The Honours of Scotland, the crown jewels, are also on display in the Royal Palace. The gems, crown, scepter, and sword all date from the 1500s. All exhibits paint a picture of what royal life was like in Scotland for individuals like King James and Mary Queen of Scots. Finally, while it won’t work for all itineraries, the canons at the castle fire at 1 PM each day. This is a fun activity to witness, but it does tend to draw a lot of people to the castle at that time.
Princes Street Gardens
The Princes Street Gardens are located just outside the walls of the Edinburgh Castle. These gardens separate Old Town Edinburgh (including the Castle and the Royal Mile) from New Town Edinburgh. The gardens were constructed in 1820 by draining a loch in the middle of the city. Previously, the loch had been a marshy area providing protection to Old Town Edinburgh and the castle. This former loch now holds the over 37-acre garden.
The gardens are divided into two halves by The Mound, a hill on which the Scottish National Gallery sits. The gardens are beautiful, and each side of the park has a cornerstone memorial. The western section of the garden houses Ross Fountain, a 19th century cast-iron statute set in the middle of a fountain surrounded by cherubs, mermaids, walrus and lions’ heads. The eastern section of the garden features the Scott Monument. This monument to Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott is 200 feet tall. If you are willing to climb 280 stairs, the viewing platform at the top gives a nice view of the gardens and New Town Edinburgh.
A stroll through the gardens makes a great way to end a busy first day in Edinburgh.
Day 2 – Edinburgh
St. Giles’ Cathedral
A great way to start the second day in Edinburgh is with a visit to St. Giles’ Cathedral. If Day 2 of this itinerary happens to be a Sunday, I encourage everyone to consider attending a service at the church. This is a great way to admire the historic structure and enjoy the ambiance that the local community bring to it. If it isn’t a Sunday, stop by St. Giles’ for a guided tour.
Edinburgh started construction on St. Giles’ in the 12th century. Restorations and extension have continued to the present day which have changed large portions of the church. However, it is still a grandiose structure and contains a lot of history related to Scotland. While it was founded as a Catholic church, St. Giles’ split with Catholicism during the Scottish Reformation of the 16th century. The Scottish Reformation created a Calvinist and Presbyterian church that was lead by St. Giles due to John Kirk, the church’s pastor, being one of the leading figures of the reformation. While primarily a church, St. Giles’ also served several other purposes in Scottish history including an assembly for the Scottish Parliament and as a prison.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. It’s like the Buckingham Palace of Edinburgh. The palace is located at the opposite end of The Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle. While an abbey stood at the site of the palace prior to its construction, the actual construction of Holyroodhouse started in 1501. Throughout the embattled history of Scotland and England, the palace changed hands many times. Holyroodhouse was destroyed, burned, and occupied by many military garrisons in the ongoing battles.
After the union of Scotland and England in 1707, the palaces became redundant to those in London and started to fall into disrepair. While there were occasionally guests staying at the palace, the first post-union restoration started in 1824. The last modern remodel of the palace took place in 1902 under the direction of King George V. Under Queen Elizabeth II, a royal week was held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse each summer to conduct official business.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse remains the property of the British Crown. While the house regularly accepts visits from the general public, the visits are cancelled if the royal family is in residence. When the royal facility is not present, visitors are able to tour most areas of the house. This includes the royal bed chambers such as the room of Mary Queen of Scots. All tickets to visit the palace include a complementary audio guide. The audio guide lasts about an hour and provides information on some of the most interesting parts of the palace. The audio guide is available in several languages including English, Portuguese, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. Surrounding Holyroodhouse are impressive gardens that are also worth a look while visiting the palace.
Calton Hill
Calton Hill is a hill in central Edinburgh. Views from this hill have become popular in photography and paintings. The hill forms the headquarters of the Scottish government with St. Andrew’s House being on the southern slope of the hill. The hill is also the home to many Scottish monuments such as the Nelson Monument, Political Martyr’s Monument, and the City Observatory. A walk around the hill to take in the landscapes/cityscapes and the monuments is a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon.
While this is a hill, the ascent isn’t too steep such that most should be able to make the walk to the top. The top of the hill gets quite windy so make sure that you are adequately prepared (even on a warm day).
Royal Yacht Britannia
The Royal Yacht Britannia, also known as HMY Britannia, is the formal royal yacht of the British monarch. This yacht serviced the royal family from 1954 to 1997. Royal yachts have been a regular part of the British monarchy with the Britannia being the 83rd yacht in that line. During her service, the yacht traveled to more than 600 ports and 135 countries. While the yacht is now retired from service it hosts visitors year-round. To this day, Great Britain has not constructed a new royal yacht to replace the Britannia so this yacht remains the last royal residence at sea.
The Britannia was built with several contingencies in mind. For example, the construction of the yacht would allow it to be used in wartimes as a hospital ship. It was also hardened against nuclear fallout and was designated as the refuge for Queen Elizabeth if it should be needed. The crew of the Britannia were officers of the Royal Navy who volunteered from the full force. After a trial period of one year, any volunteer could stay on as a permanent member of the crew for as long as they wished.
Visits to the Royal Yacht Britannia provide guests the opportunity to see five levels of the ship. The rooms on display include the Queen’s bedroom, the state dining room, and drawing rooms. A free audio guide is included with the ticket that provides perspectives on each of the rooms. Guests can also tour the ship’s bridge, crew quarters, and engine room to see the inner workings of the yacht. Finally, the Royal Deck Tea Room is a great place to eat or sip tea and enjoy some waterfront views.
Day 3 – Stirling
Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is a unique rotating boat lift in Scotland connecting the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal. It’s an impressive feat of engineering, combining modern technology with traditional canal engineering techniques. The Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002, and it was designed to replace an original system of 11 locks that were used to move boats between the two canals. The original locks fell into disrepair in the 1930s and were dismantled in the 1960s. The Falkirk Wheel was designed as a modern replacement that would attract visitors to the area and reinvigorate the local economy.
While the Falkirk Wheel is a great stop for any visitor, those who are engineering and mechanically inclined will really enjoy this activity. The Falkirk Wheel uses a unique system of counterweights and hydraulic lifts to rotate boats between the two canals. This action lifts boats 79 feet into the air. The wheel is powered by just four electric motors making it incredibly efficient. Visitors to the Falkirk Wheel can take a boat trip on the wheel itself offering stunning views of the surrounding area. These boat rides are approximately 1 hour in length and leave every 40 minutes. There is also a visitor center on-site providing information about the history and engineering of the wheel, as well as a café and gift shop.
Stirling Walking Tour
The next stop on this itinerary is Stirling, a historic city in central Scotland located between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stirling has been a strategic location since Roman times due to its position on the River Forth. Stirling and its namesake castle played a key role in the country’s history with battles taking place around it in the Wars of Scottish Independence. The city was also home to many of Scotland’s monarchs including Mary Queen of Scots. In keeping with the royal/government themes of the past two days, the first stop in Stirling is a walking tour of the historical areas to get an overview of the town.
The best walking tours will center the excursion around the Royal Burgh and Stirling Old Town. Stirling’s Old Town is full of historic buildings and winding cobblestone streets. It’s a great place to wander and soak up the atmosphere. The highlights include the Tolbooth, a former courthouse and prison, and the Church of the Holy Rude, where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned.
Stirling Castle
This impressive fortress has played a pivotal role in Scottish history and is well worth a visit. It was home to many Scottish kings and queens including Mary Queen of Scots. Visitors can explore the castle’s many rooms and learn about its fascinating history. Stirling Castle is most well know for the battles and sieges that took place around it in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Stirling Castle is renowned for its impressive architecture, which includes a mix of styles from different periods. The Great Hall, the Royal Palace, and the Chapel Royal are just some of the highlights. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens which are open for exploration, and it offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside which can be observed from the castle walls. Stirling Castle hosts a range of events and exhibitions throughout the year, including re-enactments of historic battles, concerts, and art exhibitions. Visitors should check the castle’s website to see what’s going on during their visit. Often times, actors in period costumes are spread throughout the castle providing some history and offering a glimpse into historical life here.
In addition to exploring the castle on your own, guided tours are offered. These tours are included in the ticket price and leave every half hour between 10 AM and 4 PM. I encourage all visitors to take part in a guided tour since they add a lot to the visit experience. If you are wanting to join a tour, meet outside Fort Major’s House at the castle shortly before departure time. If for some reason the guided tours don’t fit your schedule, there are also audio guides. As a warning to those with mobility challenges, the castle is quite hilly and involves a lot of walking. Comfortable shoes are recommended.
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