Scotland is a beautiful country with so much to offer. We recently did an incredible 9-day road trip through Scotland which included Glasgow, Glencoe, Isle of Sky and Edinburgh. As I was looking forward to sharing with you this great itinerary for a road trip to Scotland, I sit here and write this introduction to Glasgow Airport and wait for the departure. Are you also traveling to Scotland for a road trip and looking for inspiration? Be sure to read this excellent itinerary for a 9-day road trip through Scotland! In addition to an itinerary for your trip to Scotland, this itinerary also includes great activities, restaurant recommendations, and a car rental recommendation.

Activities are just options you can do. This route also begins and ends in Glasgow. Of course, you can start and end your trip somewhere else, for example in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

If you need help packing in Scotland, read our article What to Pack for a camping trip to Scotland, where we have 15 essential items for your Scottish adventure.

Where can I rent a car in Scotland?

When we were looking for a rental car in Scotland, we were mainly interested in the cost. We quickly found Easirent. We have no affiliation with them; We just had a good overall experience. Pick up was super easy and they were very helpful. They even gave us a free navigation system that we could take on our highway, although they usually cost around 80 euros. For a 9 day rental car, we paid 350 euros all-inclusive. This also applies to insurance which covers everything we really recommend. This gives you the certainty of taking out insurance so that you don't have to pay for scratches on the car.

Aside from Easirent, we found that there are many car rental companies near Glasgow Airport. So enough options! If you have a different starting point, Easirent can also be found in other Scottish cities.

Camping is free in Scotland


Did you know that camping in Scotland is free in most natural areas? If you have a limited budget or just want nature, we recommend wild camping. You, therefore, camp off the beaten track and not on organized campsites. If you don't know where to camp, visit the Visit Scotland website to find this Scottish outdoor access code, which contains all the rules and regulations for wild camping, fire, garbage, and human waste.

We chose a tent because it is easy to take our rental car with us. To be perfectly honest, we would personally prefer an RV. We had a lot of bugs in our tent and Jeffrey had two ticks even after one night. This can also happen if you're traveling in a camper van or hiking. But during our stay in Australia with a motorhome, we never had errors in our "house" like now.

If you are not a big fan of camping, you can also book other types of accommodation, for example, B. a hotel, a hut or an inn. We were there during the busy season, which means that everything in the Scottish Highlands is sold out months in advance. So if you plan to visit popular places in Scotland with limited accommodation like the Isle of Skye, be sure to book in advance.

Stop at the reception center

In Glencoe and the Isle of Skye, we visited the local visitor center for advice. And both times they helped us very well and gave us enough information about what we can do. We also recommend that you stop by if you need more information about your Highland tour.

Take your garbage with you

Make sure you take your garbage with you when you camp! At the reception center, they told us that many campers leave all their garbage. This is of course unacceptable. Just bring a trash bag and take everything with you in your car or camper when you leave.

Itinerary for a 9-day road trip in Scotland

Day 1. Arrival in Glasgow and discovery of the city


To make the most of your first day, we recommend an early morning flight. For example, we arrived in the morning, picked up our rental car and camping gear, and then had plenty of time to explore Glasgow. We found Glasgow to be a beautiful city with incredible architecture. It is definitely worth a visit!

For our first night, we booked a comfortable Airbnb room with a bathroom and made sure there was free parking for our rental car. We recommend that you also have free parking so there is no additional charge.

For dinner, we had excellent Indian cuisine with Mother India. Apparently, there is usually even a queue to get a table, but we were lucky and got a table very quickly. It was affordable and delicious.

Recommended restaurants in Glasgow

  • Mother India
  • The pot again
  • La Lanterna


Things to do in Glasgow

Be cultural and visit the modern art gallery.
Visit the Glasgow Science Center to explore the concepts of science and technology
Enjoy nature in the Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
Catch a football game at Celtic Park.
Go to the magnificent People's Palace.

Day 2. Road to Glencoe and a short hike to Glencoe


The journey from Glasgow to Glencoe takes approximately two hours. It's a wonderful ride, so enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way and don't forget to stop by once in a while to take pictures!

Glencoe is an ideal destination for hikers. If you enjoy hiking, we recommend that you hike on the first day. We hiked to Chur Gabhail, also known as Hidden Valley because the MacDonalds of Glencoe hid their cattle there. We found the route quite easy and only with a few steep uphill sections.

After our hike, we went into town to buy fish and fries. This small town has a variety of restaurants and a supermarket. Of course, you can also prepare your own food at your campsite. There are also many camping options in Glencoe. Since you can camp anywhere in nature for free, you can get creative.

Recommended restaurants for Glencoe

  • The Clachaig Inn
  • Glencoe Cafe
  • LochLeven Seafood Cafe


Activities in Glencoe

Go hiking and enjoy the Highland scenery. There are many hiking possibilities in Glencoe with different levels of difficulty and length.
Visit the ancient volcano: follow the Glen Coe trail.
It is also possible to test the water: kayaking, rafting, canyoning or sailing.
Get fish and chips at the local pub.

Day 3. Hike to Glencoe and drive to Fort William


For this day, we recommend that you get up early (which you will do if you sleep in a tent) and take another hike to Glencoe. We hiked 4.5 hours longer at Lairig Garten and did a sort of loop. This hike is fairly easy as it is mostly flat, but at one point we came across some breathtaking views of a valley that you can see above.

After the hike, we cleaned up our tent and equipment and went to Fort William. After setting up our tent here in the North Face parking lot, we explored the little town a bit. We had a few drinks at a pub called Great Glen and finally, we had dinner there too. Although it was certainly not the best pub, quite crowded and a bit messy, it was very cheap and the food was pretty decent. We have to say that choosing a pub in Fort William was actually difficult because the main street offers many options.

Recommended restaurants for Fort William

  • Grog and oatmeal
  • Sugar and spices
  • The Great Glen


Activities in Fort William

Take the gondola on Nevis Range Mountain.
Visit the Steall waterfall.
Buy fish and chips at a local pub.

Day 4. Glenfinnan and the Isle of Skye


Glenfinnan is on its way to Mallaig; the town where you can take the ferry to the Isle of Skye. We recommend a pit stop at Glenfinnan to see the famous Harry Potter Bridge.

After reaching Mallaig, we could only take the ferry at 6:10 p.m. So we recommend that you book your tickets in advance. If you have a little more time in Mallaig, visit the Tea Garden Café. We had tea and cakes here and it was delicious. It is also a nice cafe with lots of plants and flowers. What we found interesting here was that they actually had dog treats on their menu, which is apparently quite common in Scotland. We love it!

When we finally arrived on the Isle of Skye, we easily found a place for our tent. Just like in Glencoe, it is not difficult to find a decent wilderness campsite as there is so much nature. In the evening we ate at this wonderful restaurant called Claymore. We highly recommend it! It was delicious and certainly not too expensive, although a little above our usual budget.

After day 6, check out the Isle of Sky restaurant recommendations and activities.

Recommended restaurants in Mallaig


  • The fish market restaurant
  • The tea garden


Activities in Mallaig


  • Visit Glenfinnan and the famous Harry Potter Bridge.
  • Take the Mallaig circuit walk.


Day 5. Explore the Isle of Skye


Today is a full day to explore the beautiful Isle of Skye. There is so much to see and do!

The Isle of Skye is perfect for a road trip and there are many wonderful stops. For example, you can visit the Neist Point lighthouse. It is quite far from the parking lot up there, but you will be impressed by the beautiful scenery around the lighthouse.

Near the Neist Point lighthouse, we went to this little cafe along the street called Lephin Café where we ordered soup, tea, and coffee. It was such a cute little place with homemade caramel slices, cakes and much more. When we tried to pay, the card machine was not working and we did not have cash with us. So they asked us to transfer it "whenever we want to". Aren't the Scots the best? We definitely recommend a stop at this cafe.

After that, there is enough time to get around and make another stop at this incredible vantage point from which you can see Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls. Just park your car in the parking lot and you're there. Excellent for those who don't like to hike but want a nice view. When we were here, a man was playing bagpipes in a kilt. it couldn't be more Scottish

If you fancy pizza, we recommend eating in the evening at L’Incontro in Portree. You certainly have a delicious selection. After day 6, check out the Isle of Sky restaurant recommendations and activities.

We woke up in the morning that day and Jeffrey had two ticks, so we went to get boots to get a tick-removal kit. We recommend that you purchase a tick-removal kit before leaving. Be sure to read our article on the packaging for more essential travel items.

Day 6. Last day on the Isle of Skye


Another day to explore the Isle of Skye. If the weather permits, take your swimsuit because the first stop is the fairy pools. Personally, we did not take swimwear with us. We were surprised to see many people swimming and the temperatures on the Isle of Skye. It was really summer!

After your visit to the fairy pools, head to the old man of Storr and climb up to enjoy a beautiful view. Make sure you bring enough water with you!

Visit Portree Harbor whether or not you are looking for fish and chips. You will find the softest houses in pastel colors that have several restaurants serving fish and chips.

Recommended restaurants for the Isle of Skye


  • Lepin Café
  • sea ​​breeze
  • Claymore
  • L'Incontro
  • Loch Bay Restaurant
  • Ellishadder Art Café


Isle of Skye Activities


  • Go to the Neist Point lighthouse.
  • Visit Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls.
  • Climb to the old man from Storr.
  • Immerse yourself in the fairy pools.
  • Buy fish and chips in the colorful port of Portree.


Day 7. Driving to Edinburgh


Oh how much we love Edinburgh. A city is full of history and so much beauty! After five days of camping, it's wonderful to arrive and relax in an Airbnb or a comfortable hotel. If you want to relax after all the hikes and camping like we do, we recommend spending a relaxing day and visiting a spa or just reading a book in a cozy cafe.

On the first evening in Edinburgh, we had the best dinner in an Italian restaurant called La Piazza. We really cannot recommend this hotel enough.

After day 8, check out the Edinburgh restaurant recommendations and activities.

Day 8. A day in Edinburgh


Wake up early to make the most of your day and get past the crowds a bit. If you are in Edinburgh during the summer season, it can get very crowded.

We recommend that you visit beautiful Princess Street, where you can not only shop, but also admire Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens. From here you can explore the city on foot and explore the architecture, restaurants, and cafes. Do not forget to visit the pretty Victoria Street with all its colorful houses.

At night you can visit one of the fantastic pubs in Edinburgh, there are countless options.

Edinburgh restaurant recommendations


  • Piazza
  • The end of the world
  • Table
  • Walnut


What to do in Edinburgh


  • Visit One Spa in Edinburgh.
  • Explore Princes Street.
  • Take a stroll down colorful Victoria Street.
  • Visit one of the many pubs.


Day 9. Edinburgh or Glasgow: departure day


Your last day in Scotland! You can choose to explore Edinburgh a little more or come back to Glasgow in the morning and spend more time there. Take your time to bring the car back to the rental car and don't miss your flight!

We hope you have a good time in Scotland and our itinerary will prove useful. If you have any questions about this route, let us know in the comments below or you can always use the contact form to send us an email. Day 7. Drive to Edinburgh