Here’s a complete travel guide showing you how to see the best of beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland in just 12 hours.
From Edinburgh Castle to the Royal Botanic Garden, this itinerary covers everything you need for the ultimate one-day Edinburgh experience. In this Edinburgh travel guide, we show you how to:
Ride the narrated hop-on-hop-off bus tour around Edinburgh
Visit the National Museum of Scotland (see Dolly the sheep and a full T-Rex skeleton)
Walk famous Victoria Street, said to have inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter
Tour Edinburgh Castle, built atop an extinct volcano
Explore the Royal Botanic Garden during peak rhododendron bloom season
See the Royal Yacht Britannia at Ocean Terminal
Enjoy a traditional Scottish steak pie dinner
Catch Edinburgh Castle lit up after dark
From Edinburgh to the Scottish Highlands — our first Highland adventure begins! After two unforgettable days in Edinburgh, we boarded a scenic 3.5-hour train to Inverness, rented a car, and spent 4 glorious days exploring the Highlands: Highland cows (coos!), Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and the tallest tree in Scotland.
“Letter View” Airbnb rental cottage shown in this video: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1506494279495449239
What we cover in this video:
One last look at Edinburgh + the historic Waverley Station
The scenic Edinburgh-to-Inverness train ride through rapeseed fields and mountains
Meeting Katie & Jamie, two gorgeous Highland cows (and some alpacas!) at Robertson’s Farm Shop in Beauly Touring Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness
Learning the origin story of the Loch Ness Monster legend at the Loch Ness Experience
A first look at Reelig Glen, home to the tallest tree in Scotland
Springtime lambs, kilts, and wool shopping in Inverness
Trip tips from us:
Book Urquhart Castle tickets in advance (~£14/adult, timed entry) Visit in early May for peak rapeseed blooms and newborn lambs If flying into Inverness Airport, call the rental car counter ahead — it’s a small, lightly staffed airport Train travel (Edinburgh–Inverness) is slower than flying but far more relaxing and scenic
