If you have only 4 days in Scotland to spare, then this guide is for you. You’ll see Edinburgh – one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world – along with Scottish Highland treasures like Glencoe, the Cairngorms National Park, Loch Ness, and legendary castles.
Follow this essential 4 day Scotland itinerary and soak up a handful of magical days in this lush country I adore so much. Bonus! This road trip will work with a car or without one.
Table of Contents
Note: Some of the links below contain affiliate links. This doesn’t increase the cost of any item to you, but simply means that I’ll receive a small commission of any sales from those links. Thank you!
Are 4 days in Scotland enough?
There is never enough time, in my opinion. But if you have booked 4 days, well we’ll just have to make 4 days work!
One of my best friends came to visit me in Scotland a couple of years ago. It was her first time here and spent 4 days in Scotland seeing some fantastic places, sampling whisky, renting a car, exploring the highlands, and seeing the sights in Edinburgh.
For her, it was the perfect amount of time to slip away from her home life back in Spain and soak up some days in a completely new destination.
About this 4 Day Scotland Itinerary
I’ve used my expertise from years of living and traveling in Scotland to plan a badass itinerary that will show you plenty of quintessential places to visit. I sprinkled in some of what my friend and I did on her 4 day trip as well.
This itinerary is best if you fly in and out of Edinburgh, but since Glasgow is only an hour outside of Edinburgh and there is a bus link that connects the airport to Edinburgh, either arrival destination will work.
Also, if your budget allows, I recommend booking 4 nights at a hotel or accommodation of your choice in Edinburgh. You will spend 2 days (1 full night) in the Highlands, but it will be easier to leave some things at your hotel and have a room still available when you return.
This Scotland itinerary is for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the country and see some iconic places as well as enjoy more localized experiences. Overall, it’s inspired by my slow travel attitude.
If you plan to rent a car, take a look at this 4-day Scotland road trip of the west coast.
Best Places to Stay in Edinburgh
Since you’ll base your trip around Edinburgh, my advice is to stay in Old Town or New Town, the two most central neighborhoods. Plus, it’s within these 2 areas of the city that you’ll be doing most of the sightseeing.
So, here’s where to stay in Edinburgh for the best experience:
Gleneagles Townhouses in Edinburgh: Gorgeous and bright 5-star hotel in New Town
Motel One Edinburgh Royal: 3-star, budget-friendly hotel in Edinburgh, right in Old Town
Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh: 5-star hotel on Princes Street with amazing views
CoDE Pod – THE CoURT: Budget-friendly hostel with pod beds on The Royal Mile
House of Gods: Romantic, sexy, and dark-toned hotel on the Royal Mile
4 Days in Scotland Itinerary
Let’s get into all the details to plan your first time in Scotland.
Day 1
Your first day, you will arrive in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Now, I love Glasgow. I lived there for a couple of years and it’s a fantastic city, but it’s not going to be the focal point of your first trip to Scotland. We’ll leave it for next time!
So, either take the tram or bus into Edinburgh. There is also a bus connection from the Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh city centre.
I recommend an early flight so that you have as much time as possible in the city. With that in mind, I’m going to make your 1st day in Edinburgh an entire full day itinerary, just in case you are able to squeeze it all in.
How to Get From Edinburgh Airport to City Centre
Plan your time efficiently by knowing how to get to the city centre in advance.
My personal favorite way is by tram. The tram ride is beautiful and you’ll get a pleasant introduction to Edinburgh and its outskirts. You’ll even pass sheep! The tram is around £6.50.
The other best way is by bus using the Airlink 100 (average journey time of 30 minutes) or the Airport Express (average journey time of 25-30 minutes). These cost around £5 for a single ticket.
See this guide on getting from the Edinburgh airport to the city centre.
Old Town & Calton Hill
Your first day in Edinburgh is going to be a busy one, full of seeing some of the city’s most iconic and historic spots like Princes Street Gardens, Ross Fountain, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and more.
I suggest you follow day 1 of my 2 day Edinburgh itinerary to make the most of your short time in Edinburgh. If you follow day 1, you will then later be able to enjoy much of what’s on day 2 after you return from the Highlands.
See how to plan your first day in Edinburgh here.
Day 2-3 Highlands Tour (Glencoe, Loch Ness, Castles)
For the next couple of your 4 days in Scotland, spend them exploring the Highlands. You can either rent a car or book a small-group tour.
Below are my best picks when looking for Highland tours from Edinburgh. Choose the first one for a quintessential experience and go for the second if you want iconic sites with a little more off-the-beaten path spots compared to the first. The last one is perfect if seeing the most popular places isn’t important for your trip.
Tour Option 1
I’m calling this the touristic route because it covers some of the most popular places to see when on a 4 day Scotland itinerary in the Highlands.
I will say that these stops are popular for a reason, but I want to include 2 options for those who want to see a few more places off the beaten path.
With this road trip, you’ll get to see Loch Ness and the Urquhart Castle, Inverness (basically the capital of the Highlands), Glencoe Three Sisters (one of the most picturesque mountain clusters in Scotland), the Cairngorms National Park (one of my best place to see in Scotland), and more.
It’s a little bit of everything from Scottish cities to wildlife, natural scenery, and cultural experiences.
Here’s the full details on this 2 day road trip. You can also check availability there. The tour costs around £270 and it’s a perfect addition to 4 days in Scotland.
Tour Option 2
A lot of the tours to the Highlands take you to many of the same iconic places. Like I said, they’re iconic for a reason. Nonetheless, I like this Edinburgh to the Highlands Tour because it’s the iconic stuff mixed in with some less-visited stops.
You’ll get to see one of my favorite and easily one of the best castles in Scotland, the Eilean Donan Castle. On top of that, stop by and see Loch Ness, the historic Wallace Monument in Stirling, the Glenfinnan Viaduct (the Harry Potter Bridge), more castles, gorgeous glens, Highland villages, and the list goes on!
This tour has more historic sights and castles than the other highlighted above. However, if you’re dead set on seeing Inverness, then do the first tour. This tour costs around £120.
Tour Option 3
Including one more tour – fantastic if it’s your second time in Scotland or you want to do something different. This 2 day tour from Edinburgh takes you to Loch Lomond, one of the most famous and picturesque lakes as you wind toward the West Highlands to Oban.
This area is special to me because it’s close to Dunoon, my family’s hometown. You’ll also visit a distillery and see several places from Game of Thrones and Harry Potter.
Renting a Car in Scotland
If you are renting a car instead, there are a few car rental options in the city centre of Edinburgh.
You will need a valid driver’s license and you must be at least 23 years old. Remember to request automatic or manual, depending on your preference or abilities.
You can find and compare car rental prices in Edinburgh here.
From there, you can follow one of the 2 itineraries above, with the pleasure of taking your time as you like and adding or taking away places as you like. Scotland is quite small and you can cover a lot of ground in 2 days driving.
Side note: If you have a British passport and you don’t have a British driver’s license, don’t hand them your British passport when filling out forms.
I made this mistake and luckily the guy didn’t care too much. Basically, if you use your British passport you would need a British driver’s license because the laws would be different. Instead, use your foreign passport.
Day 4
You’ll need to come back to Edinburgh in order to fly out. If you booked one of the 3 tours above, you’ll get back in the evening on day 3. This means you should have either another full day in Edinburgh or less depending on if you fly out on day 4 or early on day 5.
With the last of your 4 days in Scotland, finish up exploring the city with my Edinburgh itinerary.
You can spend the day leisurely, stopping by local bookstores, looking for souvenirs, or visiting one of the many free museums – it’s all mentioned in the itinerary linked above.
No matter what you do, definitely go see Calton Hill around sunset for magical views and an amazing way to finish up your 4 day Scotland itinerary.
Pro tip: You can even bring a couple of drinks or a bottle of wine to really set the mood for a memorable last night in Scotland.
What to Wear in Scotland
What to wear in Scotland largely depends on the time of year and weather of the hour; Scottish weather has a mind of its own so it can go from sunny and warm to downright dreary within the same hour/day.
That’s why I always recommend layers and bringing an extra layer while you’re out exploring.
For my absolute best packing tips, see my posts on what to wear in Scotland in summer and Scotland outfits guide for every season for the most relevant information.
FAQ
Here are some of the most common questions I see from people when they are planning to spend 4 days in Scotland.
Which is better to visit, Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Edinburgh is more picture-perfect with more touristic things to do like museums, a castle, the Royal Mile, and the most prominent Scottish museums.
Glasgow is beautiful but it can be less exciting if you are a tourist looking for things to do. It’s a great city to wander around, dine, live, go for drinks in – but I don’t necessarily recommend it if you’re coming as a tourist for the first time.
How many days is enough for Scotland?
It really depends on your personal travel style. However, I would typically say at least 4 days in Scotland is sufficient. But if you can squeeze in an entire week, you’re really in for a good time. And just remember, your first trip to Scotland will likely not be your last ;D
What is the number one thing to see in Scotland?
The first thing that comes to mind is the Three Sisters of Glencoe, which is the name given to the three peaks of Aonach Dubh, Beinn Fhada and Gearr Aonach. It’s a beautiful area of the Highlands near Fort William with walking trails and loads of folklore associated with it.
This 4 days in Scotland itinerary includes Glencoe on either day 2 or 3 of your trip.
