Scotland in 7 Days: Map, Must-Sees & a Handy Video Guide

Sep 20

Planning a one-week trip to Scotland? This page pairs a short video guide with a clear, day-by-day outline so you can follow the route at your own pace. The video walks you through the exact map, key stops, and simple timing—perfect if you’re planning your first visit.

Watch the guide: Scotland in 7 Days | Map + Must-Sees (4K Travel Guide)

At-a-Glance Route (7 Days)

Edinburgh → Loch Lomond & The Trossachs → Glencoe → Glenfinnan → Isle of Skye → Eilean Donan → Loch Ness & Inverness → Cairngorms → back to Edinburgh

(The order and featured stops follow the video; use the map in the video for exact routing and pacing.)

Day 1 — Edinburgh → Luss, Glencoe, Glenfinnan → Skye (Portree)

Roll west to **Loch Lomond**, stretching your legs in the postcard-pretty village of **Luss** before the road rises through **Glencoe’s** (pictured) dramatic walls. Continue to **Glenfinnan** for the viaduct and monument—Scotland’s landscape, history, and a touch of movie magic in one stop.
By afternoon, take the **Mallaig → Armadale** ferry to **Skye**, then follow coast and Cuillin views north. Settle in **Portree** for the night, ready for a full Skye day tomorrow.

Day 2 — Skye: Fairy Pools, Dunvegan & Portree

Start with the **Fairy Pools (pictured)**, a short, stony path to crystal-clear cascades set beneath the Cuillin ridge. Head to **Dunvegan Castle & Gardens** for clan history and sea-loch views.
Drift back via bays and viewpoints, leaving time to wander **Portree’s** harbour and grab an easy dinner. Keep plans flexible for weather—Skye rewards a little slack.

Day 3 — Trotternish Highlights → Ferry to Harris (Overnight Stornoway)

Work the Trotternish loop: **Old Man of Storr**, **Lealt Falls**, the **Quiraing** and the pocket-sized **Fairy Glen**. Each stop is close to the road; choose one short walk to keep the day relaxed.
In the afternoon, board the **Uig → Tarbert** ferry to the Outer Hebrides, landing on **Harris** and continuing to **Stornoway** on **Lewis** for the night. Sea views do the storytelling on this crossing—camera at the ready.

Day 4 — Lewis Explorer: Ness to Callanish

Trace the island’s north: the **Port of Ness** harbour and the cliff-top lighthouse at the **Butt of Lewis**. Step inside island heritage at the **Arnol Blackhouse** and the shore-side **Gearrannan Blackhouse Village**.
Climb to **Dun Carloway Broch** for Iron-Age engineering and loch views. Close the day among the **Callanish Standing Stones (pictured)**—older than Stonehenge and endlessly atmospheric—then return to **Stornoway**.

Day 5 — Stornoway → Ullapool Ferry, Corrieshalloch Gorge & Inverness

Sail the **Stornoway → Ullapool** route across the Minch, watching for seabirds and island silhouettes. Stretch your legs at **Corrieshalloch Gorge** (suspension bridge + waterfall viewpoint).
If timing allows, call in at **The Singleton (Muir of Ord)** for a taste of Highland whisky craft. Evening lands you in **Inverness (pictured)**—river walks, easy supper, early night if you like.

Day 6 — Loch Ness Cruise, Urquhart Castle & Inverness Afternoon

Glide out on a **Jacobite cruise** to take in **Loch Ness** from the water—deep, dark, and framed by classic Highland slopes. Come ashore at **Urquhart Castle** (pictured) for big-view ruins and centuries of stories.
The afternoon is yours back in **Inverness**: Castle viewpoint, museum, or café-hopping by the River Ness. Keep the pace gentle—tomorrow is your return south.

Day 7 — Culloden, Aviemore, House of Bruar & The Hermitage → Edinburgh

Begin at **Culloden Battlefield (pictured)**, the site of the decisive 1746 clash that ended the Jacobite Rising—solemn, powerful, and well interpreted. Break in **Aviemore** for lunch with Cairngorms views, then browse Scottish-made treats at the **House of Bruar**.
A final woodland walk at **The Hermitage** (to **Black Linn Falls**) resets the senses before the last leg to **Edinburgh**. A fitting close: history, Highlands, and a soft forest farewell.

Key Stops Featured in the Video

Edinburgh (Old Town, Castle, viewpoints)
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs (Luss, loch viewpoints)
Glencoe & Rannoch Moor
Glenfinnan Viaduct & Monument
Isle of Skye (Old Man of Storr, Lealt Falls, Kilt Rock, Quiraing, Fairy Pools, Neist Point, Portree)
Eilean Donan Castle
Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle
Inverness
Cairngorms National Park
(See exact order and map inside the video.)

Want us to handle the driving?

If you’d like this exact feel with less faff, join our small-group (max 8) 7-Day Scotland Tour—local expert guide, comfy transport, and a route that mirrors the highlights from the video with smart pacing built in. Explore dates and details on our tours page.