How to Spend 2 Days in Edinburgh Scotland: The Perfect Itinerary with the best things to see, where to stay, and other helpful travel tips.

Our recent August 2026 visit to Edinburgh was technically our second visit, but in so many ways it felt like our first.

The first time we visited was back in 2010 when we took our three kids on a trip to the UK for my 40th birthday. We drove up from London and somehow thought one June day in Edinburgh was enough. Which, as you can probably guess, it absolutely was not!

This time around, Edinburgh was the beginning of a ten day road trip through Scotland, and I honestly wasn’t prepared for how much both my husband and I would fall in love with this entire country.

Edinburgh is one of those cities that is incredibly easy to explore on foot, with beautiful old stone buildings, winding streets, hidden closes, historic pubs, impressive architecture and, of course, a castle sitting high above it all.

There is history everywhere you look, but the city also feels young and lively thanks to the university, great restaurants, shops and live music tucked into pubs all over town.

Two full days gave us enough time to see many of Edinburgh’s highlights without feeling like we were racing from one attraction to the next.

And by the time we left, we already knew Scotland was a place we would be coming back to. Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Our entire 12 day Scotland itinerary is included at the bottom of this travel guide for your own reference :).

In a rush?

The Little Details

Maps

HOW TO USE THIS MAP:

Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers of the map and names of places included. You can click the check marks to hide or show the layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information from each point of interest.

To save this map to your Google Maps account:

• on a computer: click the little star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. To then view the map on your computer, open Google Maps, go to ‘Saved’ then ‘Maps’
• on a phone: press the [ ] on the upper right corner to view a larger version of the map. If the map opens in a new tab, just use the < button in the search bar to bring you to the Google Maps app. From here you can pull up the menu screen from the bottom of the screen using one finger and scroll down until you find the button called ‘Maps’ where you will see this map in your saved list.

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How to Get to Edinburgh

Getting to Edinburgh from the US is actually pretty easy.

For this trip, we flew from San Diego to Edinburgh on British Airways with a layover in London. There aren’t any nonstop flights from the West Coast, so London is an easy connection and honestly probably one of the most common ways to get here.

If you live on the East Coast or near a major hub, you may be able to skip the layover altogether. Edinburgh currently has nonstop flights from several US cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando, although quite a few of these routes are seasonal.

Another option is to fly into London and take the train north.

Trains leave from London King’s Cross and go directly to Edinburgh Waverley in the center of the city, with the fastest trips taking around 4 hours and 10 minutes.

This would be a great option if you are spending a few days in London first — plus you get to see a little more of the English countryside along the way.

On our first trip to Edinburgh back in 2010, we did something completely different and rented a car in London before slowly making our way north.

We stopped in Oxford, Cambridge, Stratford-upon-Avon, Stonehenge and Manchester along the way, turning the drive to Scotland into a trip of its own.

If you have the extra time, it is still one of my favorite ways to see more of the UK rather than simply flying from one city to the next.

Best Time of Year to Visit Scotland

We spent ten days in Scotland from the end of August through Labor Day and, despite quite a few rainy days, loved escaping our never-ending San Diego summer heat!

But I did unknowingly time our visit for the final weekend of both the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Military Tattoo, and while I was pretty nervous about the massive crowds, Edinburgh honestly didn’t feel any more chaotic to us than most European cities do in late summer!

Once you get away from the touristy Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle, the crowds thin out heavily :).

Edinburgh is surprisingly hilly with lots of stairs, so I often took off my sweater and walked around in just a tank top during this time of year :).

May and June bring long days and generally milder weather, while September and especially October can be beautiful for fewer crowds and fall colors.

November and December are notoriously cold and dark, but I have read that Edinburgh becomes wonderfully festive for Christmas, while January through April is the quietest and chilliest time to visit, with April starting to feel more like spring.

We were also told our cool, rainy Highland weather helped keep the infamous midges away, which made me perfectly happy (and quite relieved to not experience this pesky insect) with our late-August timing!

Temps during our end of August through Labor Day (September 7th) trip:

Recommended Number of Days for a Visit to Edinburgh

We arrived at the Edinburgh Airport around 5pm on a Friday night and left for the Scottish countryside early Monday morning, which gave us two full days to explore the city.

While we were able to see quite a bit in those two days, I would actually recommend giving yourself three full days in Edinburgh if this is your first visit.

We enjoy traveling at a much slower pace nowadays, with getting enough sleep actually being a priority instead of something we ignore just to squeeze more into our days!

And if Edinburgh is your first stop after flying over from the U.S., this will very likely be where you are getting over jet lag and adjusting to the time change. So I definitely wouldn’t rush your days here.

Three full days will give you time to see the major sights while still leaving room for a slow morning, wandering without an agenda, stopping in a pub, or simply heading back to your hotel when you’ve had enough for the day.

But if you only have two days like we did, you can still see a lot and I’ll show you exactly how we spent ours!

How to Get Around Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a very walkable city, which is exactly how we got around during our two full days there.

We stayed at The Balmoral on Princes Street, which honestly could not have been a better location for exploring the city on foot.

Just be prepared for plenty of hills, cobblestones and stairs!

We are both in reasonably good shape and never felt like the walking was too difficult, but we definitely got our steps in.

In fact, I’m pretty sure we hit close to 20,000 steps each day which somehow seems to be our minimum whenever we travel in Europe. Not intentionally…it just always seems to work out that way!

We used taxis to get to and from the airport, which our hotel arranged for us, but otherwise never needed one.

Edinburgh also has an extensive public bus system that can be useful if you are staying farther from the city center or simply want to give your legs a break.

But because The Balmoral is so centrally located, everything on our itinerary was within a reasonable walking distance and we never ended up using the buses at all.

Money and Plug Details in Scotland

In the United Kingdom, the currency is the Pound (£), and most places accept credit and debit cards, though it’s always handy to carry some cash for smaller establishments or tips.

It is recommended to use a BANK ATM machine once in the country you are traveling to to withdraw money out of your US (presumably) bank account. This is the least expensive way to handle bank fees and foreign exchange rates.

Be sure you are using a credit card with zero foreign transaction fees as those can add up!!

The United Kingdom uses Type G plugs with a standard voltage of 230V and a frequency of 50Hz, so travelers from outside the UK and Ireland may need a plug adapter and potentially a voltage converter.

I bring this extension cord with me everywhere I travel and these adapters when traveling to the UK and Ireland.

And of course – this portable battery charger is an absolute must to avoid a dead phone when out sightseeing :0.

Best Places to Stay in Edinburgh

Now that we are in our mid to late 50s, empty nesters, and finally done paying those college tuition bills, we make every effort to stay in luxury 5-star hotels when we travel – especially because a quiet room, comfortable bed, great central location, and a good night’s sleep have become VERY important to us!

So you’ll notice most of my suggestions for best places to stay in my travel guides will fall into the luxury category, but when I find a reasonably priced 4-star hotel that I think is wonderful, I’ll always include that too.

Balmoral Hotel

We stayed at The Balmoral for our first three nights in Scotland and loved how attentive the staff was, although I will say our room felt a little small for the price point.

The highlight though might have been when Jon Bon Jovi was staying there too, and my husband jokingly pretended to be him in front of the crowd waiting outside ~ just convincingly enough that the hotel staff called him “Jon” for the rest of our stay 😂.

I only wish I was quick enough to have gotten a video of that moment 🤪.

The Caledonian Edinburgh

The Caledonian was actually our second choice for this trip and is another beautiful luxury option in Edinburgh.

It’s in a fantastic location on Princes Street, but on the opposite end from The Balmoral where we stayed, making it another easy home base for exploring the city on foot.

100 Princes Street

Another luxury hotel option is 100 Princes Street, right in the heart of the city and within easy walking distance of just about everything, including those incredible Edinburgh Castle views from the Waterstones café!

Photos courtesy of Instagram

Gleneagles Townhouse

Another luxury Edinburgh hotel that recently caught my eye on Instagram is Gleneagles Townhouse and let’s just say, with its gorgeous interiors and location near St Andrew Square Garden (and a little closer to the charming Stockbridge neighborhood!), I will very likely be considering this one for our return visit to Edinburgh.

Photos courtesy of Instagram

The Scotsman Hotel

While we didn’t stay at The Scotsman ourselves, our neighbor stayed here in 2021 and had a wonderful experience – even during the pandemic years!

Photos courtesy of Instagram

Where We Ate in Edinburgh

Besides our meal at 1820 Rooftop Bar & Grill, I can’t say we had any truly amazing food experiences in Edinburgh.

But full disclosure: we are definitely not foodies and have never really made dining a priority when we travel ;0.

That said, I added quite a few restaurant and pub options to the Google Map above that were recommended to us before our trip (see the maps section above in this guide!).

And honestly, most places that ended up on my radar for Edinburgh are there because of the live music or because someone mentioned them on Instagram ;0.

1820 Rooftop Bar and Grill

We LOVED our stop at 1820 Rooftop Bar and Restaurant in the Johnny Walker Whiskey building!

We originally came for the views and a Johnnie Walker tasting flight, but the bar food we ordered was more than filling enough to call dinner.

Our server also taught us so much about the different whiskies as we worked our way through the tasting as well as shared his love for his home city of Edinburgh :).

It ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises of our time in Edinburgh and by the end of our 12-day Scotland trip, we actually voted it our favorite meal of the entire trip ;0.

Waterstones Bookstore Cafe

Waterstones might seem like an odd place to suggest stopping for a break, but trust me on this one!

Head upstairs to the café where the huge windows have one of the best views of Edinburgh Castle.

The food is really just typical coffee shop fare, so you’re coming here for the view not the meal.

It’s an easy little stop when you’re already walking along Princes Street and absolutely worth it for that castle view!

We ate a late breakfast here on our first morning in Edinburgh and enjoyed the bookstore vibe it provided as well :).

The Dome

I had seen The Dome in an Instagram reel before our trip and, of course, immediately added it to my list.

Housed in a gorgeous former 19th-century bank, the building is absolutely stunning inside and worth popping into just to see it.

We ate lunch here and, while the food was honestly pretty subpar compared to everything else we ate in Scotland, I would still stop in for a drink at the beautiful bar if you are nearby :).

Pubs with Live Music

My guitar-playing, music-loving husband was determined to hear some live music in a local Edinburgh pub, so we stopped into both Sandy Bell’s and The Royal Oak hoping to catch a few songs.

Turns out, even on the weekend, the music doesn’t start until 9pm!!

Which, clearly, is now past our bedtime 😂.

So sadly, the only live music we caught in Edinburgh was from the Fringe Festival buskers along the Royal Mile in the early evenings.

But honestly, they were excellent, so we still got our little taste of Edinburgh music!

Top Sights to See in Edinburgh

Use the map above for locations of all the sights listed below.

And if you are trying to figure out what to see in what order – be sure to scroll down to our day to day detailed itinerary below!

Here are all the sights we saw in our two days in Edinburgh:

Scott Monument and Bagpipers

You really can’t miss the Scott Monument towering over Princes Street Gardens in the center of Edinburgh.

The impressive Gothic monument was built in honor of Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, and you can actually climb the narrow spiral staircase inside for some pretty incredible views over the city.

We didn’t make the climb ourselves, but I swear every time we walked past the gardens there was a bagpiper playing on the sidewalk nearby which just made me feel like I was experiencing a quintessential Scottish moment every time :).

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a must-see on your first visit to Edinburgh ~ we even went back to the castle on this second visit because it had been over 16 years since our first visit- as always it was fun to reminisce over taking our kids to this place so long ago :).

Be sure to see the Scottish Crown Jewels and Stone of Destiny, the Great Hall, St. Margaret’s Chapel and the incredible views over the city.

Tickets are around £24 per adult and require a timed entry unless you purchase the Scotland Explorer Pass like we did. Then you only need to make a reservation for your timed entry (you will need to show both your Explorer Pass and your timed entrance QR code at the entrance fyi :).

We reserved our time slot about two weeks ahead since we were visiting during the busy Military Tattoo season ~ and yes there was a pretty decent sized crowd at the castle when we were there but nothing too frustrating that you couldn’t find places to escape from the masses :).

The time we chose was noon on our first full day allowing us to have a leisurely morning to adjust to the eight-hour time change from San Diego :0.

Once inside, we spent about 45 minutes exploring the castle grounds but the website says if you want to read all the exhibits and see everything to allow about 2 hours…

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

If you are lucky enough to be visiting Edinburgh while the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is happening, I would absolutely add it to your itinerary.

Funny enough, we didn’t intentionally plan our trip around the Tattoo at all.

Once I realized our dates overlapped with the very last performance of the year, we bought tickets just a week before we left ~ and I’m so glad we got to see this iconic Scotland experience :).

We splurged on the premium seats that face Edinburgh Castle straight on and felt like they were completely worth the extra cost.

Watching the performances with the castle directly behind them was pretty spectacular.

A few things to know before you go:

• The performance lasts about 90 minutes, which felt like the perfect amount of time.
• Consider paying extra for seats facing the castle. We loved having that straight-on view of both the performers and Edinburgh Castle behind them.
• It’s much more than bagpipes and Scottish military bands. One of my favorite parts was seeing performers representing so many different countries.
• And yes, as a huge Outlander fan, hearing the Outlander theme song performed at the Tattoo was definitely a highlight for me. 🙂
• Give yourself about 20-30 minutes to get to your seats. The area around Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile becomes extremely busy as everyone arrives for the performance and enters the venue.
• Expect the Royal Mile to be packed when it ends. This was really the only time during our stay when the crowds felt like a lot.

I had actually been a little worried about visiting Edinburgh during the Tattoo because I assumed the entire city would feel overwhelmingly crowded.

Surprisingly, that wasn’t our experience at all.

Other than getting to and from Edinburgh Castle for the performance and walking along the Royal Mile afterward, we really didn’t encounter the kind of frustrating tourist crowds I had been expecting.

Vennel Viewpoint

After visiting Edinburgh Castle, walk over to The Vennel Viewpoint for one of my favorite views looking back at the castle.

Just know that unless you’re here really early (think 7–8am) or later at night, you probably won’t have this popular Instagram and photography spot to yourself.

We were here around 1:30pm on a Saturday and there were plenty of other people trying to get the same shot! But honestly – the crowd came and went if you just stick around for about 30 minutes or so :).

This first photo below shows the most we saw of a crowd (yes I know – there were a lot of people here at this moment) – but it didn’t stay like this as the second photo shows :0.

But hey, now that our phones can magically edit people out of the background, you can still get a pretty decent photo.

Just don’t zoom in or you might notice a few other things mysteriously disappeared along with the people ~ lol (not our best editing but I knew I wanted to be truthful in this post about the crowds anyway ;)).

Another trick I loved was simply taking the photo above everyone’s heads. It gives you a completely different perspective and you’d never know there was a crowd standing below.

And don’t turn around and head back toward the castle as soon as you get the Vennel photo. Keep walking away from the castle and looking back as you go.

There are a few more unique viewpoints along here, including a fun castle view framed through the little keyhole opening in the Flodden Wall.

Princes Street Gardens and Ross Fountain

Take a walk through Princes Street Gardens, a beautiful green space sitting below Edinburgh Castle.

Start near Ross Fountain for one of the prettiest views of the castle, then wander east through the gardens toward the Scott Monument and Waverley Station.

Allow about 30 minutes to walk through with a few stops for photos.

Royal Mile and St Jiles Cathedral

The Royal Mile runs through the heart of Old Town, connecting Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse which is how this historic stretch got its “royal” name.

Along the way, stop inside St. Giles’ Cathedral, a beautiful 900-year-old church that played an important role in the Scottish Reformation.

We happened to walk in while a band was performing, which made our visit even more memorable.

Our trip also accidentally lined up with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, held for most of August, so musicians and performers were everywhere ~ especially along the Royal Mile.

And yes, many of these fun little experiences were completely free!

Victoria and Cockburn Streets

One of Edinburgh’s most photographed streets, Victoria Street was built in the 1830s and is known for its colorful storefronts and curved cobblestone street.

It is also said to be J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books/movies :).

Walk up to Victoria Terrace for the best photo looking down over the street.

And pretty winding Cockburn Street was built in the 1850s to connect the Royal Mile with Waverley Station.

Besides getting the photo, take a peek into the independent shops and little closes tucked along the way.

Greyfriars Kirkyard Graveyard

Wander through this historic cemetery to find the gravestones said to have inspired Harry Potter names, including Tom Riddell and William McGonagall.

You’ll also find the story of Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal little dog who reportedly stayed by his owner’s grave for 14 years.

Look for his memorial right inside the kirkyard in a beautifully decorated garden with seasonal flowers (at least when we visited), as well as the famous Bobby statue just outside the gates.

And a little tip ~ despite what you may see other tourists doing, don’t rub Bobby’s shiny nose for luck!

It isn’t actually a local tradition, damages the statue and the locals would really prefer you didn’t.

Harry Potter Sights

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll find plenty of fun connections to the books around Edinburgh :).

Stop by The Elephant House, one of the cafés where J.K. Rowling spent time writing…

And peek through the gates at George Heriot’s School, the beautiful turreted school often said to have helped inspire Hogwarts.

Then look for Rowling’s handprints outside the City Chambers on the Royal Mile.

Dean Village and Water of Leith Path

For a quieter break from Old Town, walk a little over a mile from Princes Street to Dean Village, a picturesque neighborhood that was once home to Edinburgh’s grain mills along the Water of Leith.

From here, follow the Water of Leith Pathway toward Stockbridge for about 20–30 minutes.

It’s an easy, peaceful walk beside the river that feels surprisingly removed from the city ~ and I can confirm it is still incredibly pretty even when it’s raining!

Stockbridge and Circus Lane

End your Water of Leith walk in the cute neighborhood of Stockbridge, where you’ll find the Instafamous Circus Lane and yes, you HAVE to take a few photos here!

We even found an old church for sale at the end of the lane that they’re hoping someone will turn into an event venue so if you are looking for a new business venture – this is your spot! 😉

From here, wander along Raeburn Place, the main street through Stockbridge, popping into the shops along the way.

If you’re here on a Sunday like we were, don’t miss the Stockbridge Market.

And on your walk back toward Old Town, keep an eye out for more creative little shops tucked along the side streets including the black magic shop we stumbled upon! ;0

St Andrew Square and Paddington Bear Statue

As you make your way back toward Old Town from Stockbridge, walk through St Andrew Square and this beautiful part of Edinburgh’s New Town.

The square was part of Edinburgh’s original 18th-century New Town plan and is surrounded by some seriously pretty Georgian architecture.

You’ll also find an adorable Paddington Bear sitting on a bench in the square!

He arrived in 2024 as part of the Paddington Visits trail celebrating the release of the movie Paddington in Peru ~ and yes, of course I had to stop for a photo.

This whole neighborhood is lovely to wander through and an easy addition as you make your way back toward Old Town.

Royal Yacht Brittania

We didn’t make it to the Royal Yacht Britannia on this trip, but it is already on my list for our inevitable return to Edinburgh!

The former royal yacht is permanently docked in Leith and you can tour the State Apartments, Royal Bedrooms and even the crew’s quarters.

If we had a third day in Edinburgh, this, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, would most certainly have been how we spent that extra day in the city :).

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is another Edinburgh sight we didn’t quite have time to squeeze into our two days ~ but it will absolutely be on our list next time!

Sitting at the opposite end of the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse is the King’s official residence in Scotland and you can actually tour the State Apartments and the historic rooms once occupied by Mary, Queen of Scots.

If we had a third day in Edinburgh, this (and the Royal Yacht Britannia mentioned above!) would definitely have been our plan for the day :).

Calton Hill

If you are lucky enough to get a clear evening in Edinburgh, I’ve been told Calton Hill is one of the best spots in the city to watch the sunset.

With sweeping views over the Old Town, Edinburgh Castle and all the way toward the Firth of Forth, the hill itself is home to several of Edinburgh’s most recognizable monuments, including the unfinished National Monument of Scotland.

We only had two real nights in Edinburgh: one was spent at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and on the other, the skies opened up with a torrential downpour just as we finished dinner.

Needless to say, sunset at Calton Hill didn’t happen for us!

I would definitely add this to a three-day Edinburgh itinerary though, and it is already on my list for our return trip ~ which I’m hoping is sooner rather than later :).

Day Trips from Edinburgh

If you are lucky enough to have more than three nights in Edinburgh, the city also makes a great home base for a few easy day trips.

You could spend a day exploring St Andrews, visit Stirling Castle, or see some of the Outlander filming locations like Falkland, Doune Castle, Culross, or Midhope Castle :).

If you do plan on doing any of these – my best suggestion would be to rent a car for a day or two to be able to explore at your own pace (some of these could easily be done all in the same day!).

HOW TO USE THIS MAP:

Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers of the map and names of places included. You can click the check marks to hide or show the layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information from each point of interest.

To save this map to your Google Maps account:

• on a computer: click the little star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. To then view the map on your computer, open Google Maps, go to ‘Saved’ then ‘Maps’
• on a phone: press the [ ] on the upper right corner to view a larger version of the map. If the map opens in a new tab, just use the < button in the search bar to bring you to the Google Maps app. From here you can pull up the menu screen from the bottom of the screen using one finger and scroll down until you find the button called ‘Maps’ where you will see this map in your saved list.

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After our time in Edinburgh, we picked up a rental car and headed to St Andrews for one night, stopping in the charming village of Falkland along the way, before continuing north into the Scottish Highlands.

Falkland:

St Andrews:

On the last day of our trip, we stopped at Doune Castle and Stirling Castle on our drive back to Edinburgh from the Highlands.

Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s most important historic castles, once home to Scottish royalty and where Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned as a baby ;0.

Buying a Scotland Explorer Pass ended up being incredibly helpful since it covered admission to many of the castles we visited throughout Scotland (and it’s valid for 14 days!).

Doune Castle:

Stirling Castle:

What to Wear in Scotland

For our Scotland trip at the end of August and beginning of September, I was quite comfortable with a raincoat, good walking sneakers and sweaters that I could layer over a tee shirt as the weather changed throughout the day.

Had we spent more time hiking in the rainy Scottish Highlands, I definitely would have packed a pair of athletic waterproof pants and waterproof shoes.

But for everything we did, my layers and a raincoat were really all I needed.

Don’t forget an umbrella (this clear one is my absolute favorite for sightseeing!) for added warmth and rain protection.

Our Full August/September 2026 Scotland Day to Day Overview

DAY 1 | Fly from San Diego to Edinburgh via London on British Airways

DAY 2 | Arrive in Edinburgh 4:40pm | Blacklane private car to city center | Spend 3 nights at The Balmoral Hotel

DAY 3 | Edinburgh: Edinburgh Castle | Vennel Viewpoint | Royal Mile | Victoria Street | Cockburn Street | Greyfriars Kirkyard | Edinburgh Military Tattoo evening performance

DAY 4 | Edinburgh: Dean’s Village | Water of Leith Pathway | Stockbridge | Circus Lane | St Jiles Cathedral

DAY 5 | Pick up rental car at Edinburgh Airport | Drive to St Andrew’s with 2 hour stop at Falkland | Stay 1 night at Old Course Hotel St Andrew’s

DAY 6 | Drive from St Andrew’s to Inverness | Stop at Pitlochry and Dalwhinnie Whisky Distillery | Dinner at MacGregors and live music at Hootenanny in Inverness | Spend 2 nights at Ness Walk Hotel Inverness

DAY 7 | Inverness: Clava Cairns | Culloden Battlefield | Cawdor Castle and Gardens

DAY 8 | Drive from Inverness to Fort Williams | Urquhart Castle | Loch Ness | Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve (Highland Coos) | Dinner at Ben Nevis Bar in Fort Williams | Spend 3 nights at Inverlochy Castle Hotel

DAY 9 | Scottish Highlands: Glencoe Visitors Centre | Glencoe | Glen Etive

DAY 10 | Scottish Highlands: Glenfinnan Viaduct (Harry Potter train) | Nevis Range Mountain Gondola

DAY 11 | Drive from Fort Williams to Queensferry | Stop at Doune Castle, Stirling Castle, and Midhope Castle | Return car to Edinburgh Airport | Spend 1 night at Dakota Edinburgh Hotel

DAY 12 | Fly Edinburgh to San Diego via London on British Airways

Two days in Edinburgh Scotland will give you a wonderful taste of this beautiful city ~ from its historic castle and winding cobblestone streets to pretty neighborhoods, incredible architecture, lively pubs, and some of the friendliest people we met on our trip.

And while Edinburgh was the perfect start to our Scottish adventure, it was really just the beginning of how completely we fell in love with this country.

My husband and I left Scotland already talking about when we could come back ;0.

And I have a feeling it won’t be long!

I hope this guide helps make planning your own Scottish adventure a little easier and that you find Scotland every bit as magical as we did.

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Life is short, the world is wide.

I want to make some memories.

~Mamma Mia

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