Scotland is one of my very favorite countries in the entire world. It's small but mighty in terms of landscapes, culture, and unique things to do. Whether you're into history or nature or even whisky, Scotland has something that you're going to love.

I've spent months traveling around Scotland on more than a dozen trips there. And while you *can* definitely get around Scotland by train, bus, or guided tour (I've done them all!), a Scotland road trip is the best way to see the country with complete freedom.

After many trips to Scotland and a few road trips of my own, I've finally distilled (no pun intended) everything I've learned down into what I consider to be the ultimate Scotland road trip itinerary. I've written this so it can work for either 1 week or 10 days, depending on how much time you have.

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What to know before a Scotland road trip

First of all, let's talk about road tripping in Scotland. Yes, this is the UK where they drive on the left side of the road while sitting on the right side of the car. If you're coming from North America or mainland Europe, this might sound incredibly daunting – but I promise that your brain adapts pretty fast, and overall it's not difficult to drive in Scotland.

For this particular Scotland itinerary, you really do need your own car. (I've dubbed it a road trip itinerary for a reason!) You *can* get around parts of Scotland using trains, ferries, and buses, but to really have the freedom to visit all the places suggested here, you'll need to rent a car.

Renting a car in Scotland

I always use Auto Europe to search for and book car rentals in the UK. Keep in mind that automatic cars will be slightly more expensive to rent, but if you can't drive a manual well already, rent the automatic. Believe me.

You'll also want to rent the smallest car that will accommodate your group and your luggage. It will make the left-hand-drive learning curve easier, and will make some of the narrow, one-lane roads you might encounter less scary.

Search for rental cars in Scotland here.

Driving in Scotland

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When to road trip in Scotland

You can road trip in Scotland any time of year, but the weather is generally the best during the summer months. (And you also get TONS of daylight during the summer months; up north, the sun doesn't even set until after 10 p.m. during most of the summer.)

July and August are the busiest months in Scotland (with August being festival month in Edinburgh), which many people prefer to avoid. I've been to Scotland several times in July-August, though, and as long as you plan ahead it's honestly fine.

Personally, though, I think June and September are the best months for a Scotland road trip. But May and early October can also be great! So, basically, this itinerary is going to be good any time from May-October.

And yes, you can do this itinerary in the winter, too, though you might run into some closures (especially of restaurants and smaller museums/attractions) outside of the major cities during low season.

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7-day Scotland road trip itinerary

Okay, let's get into this itinerary! It's based on several Scotland road trips I've personally taken, both with friends and with my husband Elliot. (Elliot and I actually have done a whisky-focused Scotland road trip, too.)

(Note: I don't recommend picking up your rental car until Day 3 of this itinerary; you don't need a car in Edinburgh, and it's annoying to try to find parking there anyway!)

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Day 1: Iconic Edinburgh

Highlights today include: A castle visit, the Royal Mile, an (optional) whisky tasting, Victoria Street, and a ghost tour.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities in the world. It's beautiful and historic, and is a true city without feeling too overwhelmingly big. You will either be arriving early this morning and will need to keep busy in order to combat jetlag, or you will have arrived yesterday and therefore be well-rested for exploring today!

Either way, today you're going to focus on Edinburgh's Old Town, which is indeed the oldest and most historic part of the city.

Start on the Royal Mile in the Old Town, which is the touristy street that runs from Edinburgh Castle at the top to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom.

I do recommend visiting at least one of these – my pick is Holyroodhouse, which I think is more interesting than Edinburgh Castle since the former is still used as a royal residence whenever the King is in town. You can view the State Apartments (which are still used), as well as the former chambers of Mary, Queen of Scots.

If you do opt for Edinburgh Castle instead (which is home to the Scottish Crown Jewels), book a skip-the-line ticket that includes a guided tour.

After your castle visit, you can either walk up (from Holyrood) or down (from Edinburgh Castle) the Royal Mile. You can skip the endless souvenir shops, but do stop to watch some street performers, and stop in to St. Giles Cathedral if it's open (it's free, and the Thistle Chapel alone is worth seeing).

There are plenty of places along the Royal Mile to grab lunch – just check Google reviews before picking one; there are lots of pubs, cafes, and fast-casual spots that are legit good despite being in a touristy area.

On the Royal Mile near Edinburgh Castle you'll also find the Scotch Whisky Experience. Even if you don't love whisky, this is something worth doing in the afternoon.

You can take a tour that promises to help you “become a ‘one-hour-whisky-expert,'” and also see a collection of more than 3,300 bottles of Scotch whisky. The tour comes complete with a scratch-and-sniff card to walk you through different types of whisky, as well as one tasting.

(Book a guided whisky tour here, which is great for first-timers. You'll learn a lot!)

I also recommend walking down some of the popular Old Town shopping streets, including Cockburn Street (home to the Insta-famous Milkman coffee shops) and Victoria Street, my favorite street in Edinburgh that may or may not have inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter (it's even got some Harry Potter-inspired shops on it).

If you walk down Victoria Street, it will take you down to the Grassmarket, which once used to be a livestock market but now is a lovely place to sit out on a patio and enjoy a drink.

This evening, if you're feeling awake enough, you might want to sign up for a historical city tour after dark. Edinburgh has a very long history – and not all of it is nice. There are various tours you can take to explore the darker side of the city, from nighttime ghost tours to after-dark historical walks.

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Day 2: Edinburgh New Town

Highlights today include: Princes Street Gardens, Dean Village, Calton Hill

On your second day in Edinburgh, venture away from the Old Town into the newer parts of the city (which are still super beautiful and historic!).

Start your morning with a stroll through Princes Street Gardens, which are technically two adjacent gardens in the center of Edinburgh, just down the hill from the castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s, after the Nor Loch was drained.

Today, they're a lovely place for a stroll, especially in the spring and summer when lots of things are in bloom! (If you're visiting between mid-June and early July, keep an eye out for the purple thistle blooms, as this is the only time of year you'll see them.)

After a morning garden stroll, you could stop into the National Galleries of Scotland next (a free art museum located on The Mound beneath Edinburgh Castle), or perhaps climb the Scott Monument.

The Scott Monument is a Victorian Gothic structure dedicated to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott that sits on the edge of Princes St Gardens. It's one of the largest monuments to a writer anywhere in the world – you definitely will see it.

It's not an easy climb (it's 287 steps up, and includes some extremely narrow passages), but climbing to the top of the Scott Monument will get you some of the very best views of Edinburgh. You can buy a ticket right at the entrance.

RELATED: 25+ Awesome Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland

Next (or simply instead of doing that climb), head to George Street, which is one of Edinburgh's main shopping streets. Not only can you do some shopping here if you want, but there are also many good restaurants and pubs along this street for lunch.

It's time for a walk through the New Town on foot next to visit one of my favorite spots in Edinburgh: Dean Village. This little neighborhood is characterized by colorful historical houses and the Water of Leith running through it.

Walking around Edinburgh already feels like stepping back in time, but it especially feels like that here.

To find Dean Village, take Bell's Brae down beneath the Dean Bridge, only about a 10- or 15-minute walk from Princes Street. You're free to explore the neighborhood, but keep in mind that these are peoples' homes, so do be respectful.

Head back into town for dinner (perhaps stop in to the Balmoral Hotel for a dram at their SCOTCH bar), and then for sunset (which might be before or after dinnertime, depending on what time of year you're visiting), walk up to Calton Hill.

Calton Hill is at the east end of Princes Street, and is home to various monuments (like the Nelson Monument and Robert Burns Monument) and some more incredible views out over Edinburgh. It's a popular spot to watch the sunset in the city.

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Day 3: To Inverness

Highlights today will include: A stop in a cute town, the start of the Highlands, and arriving in Inverness

Pick up your rental car this morning and bid farewell to Edinburgh! Even though I love this city to death, there's so much more of Scotland to see, and with only a week you'll have to squeeze your Edinburgh sightseeing into just 2 days.

Once you have your car, you're going to start heading north towards Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.

Today will be a bit of a longer driving day, so you'll likely want to break up the drive a bit. There are several places to stop between Edinburgh and Inverness, depending on what your interests are, the route you take, and how fast you want to get there.

Depending on the route you want to take and how long of a day you want, you could definitely fit in more than one stop.

For example, you could visit the Kelpies and Stirling Castle and then head up to Inverness, or you could stop in Pitlochry and visit Balmoral Castle. Or you can feel free to mix and match any or all of them – just keep in mind that you'll want to allow 1-2 hours at some of these stops (and especially the castles).

Regardless of where you make stops, you'll drive through part of Cairngorms National Park on your way to Inverness, which will start to feel like “the Highlands” you've seen photos of.

When you arrive in Inverness, you might want to head into town for a walk and dinner. If you arrive in the afternoon, take a stroll through the Victorian Market and visit Leakey's Bookshop. For dinner, I recommend River House or The Mustard Seed, and then head to Hootananny for live music.

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Day 4: Culloden and Loch Ness

Highlights today will include: Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, and Loch Ness

Have breakfast at your hotel and get an early(ish) start this morning so you can visit Culloden Battlefield first thing. This battlefield is where Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) and his Jacobite army (people who supported the exiled King James' claims to the throne of Scotland) faced off against British government and loyalist troops on April 16, 1746.

The brief and bloody fight was the last hand-to-hand battle to be fought on British soil – and the utter defeat of the Jacobite army marked the end of traditional Highland culture in Scotland. It's a hugely important spot in Scottish history.

(If you're an “Outlander” fan, this is the battle Claire thinks Jamie dies in in both the books and TV show.)

The battlefield is now managed by the National Trust for Scotland, and has an excellent visitor center with museum exhibits that explain not only the battle, but the history that led up to it. Allow at least an hour in the museum, and then up to another hour to walk the lines on the battlefield. (You can either explore the battlefield on your own, or join a guided battlefield tour.)

From Culloden, it's a very short drive to the Clava Cairns, a Bronze Age burial site. This incredible site in the forest dates back roughly 4,000 years and includes partially intact burial chambers and standing stones.

For the “Outlander” fans, the Clava Cairns may have partially inspired Craigh Na Dun in Diana Gabaldon's books because of how close they are to Inverness. (So don't be surprised to see people taking photos with the standing stones…)

RELATED: The Best Outlander Locations to Visit in Scotland

From Clava Cairns, it's about a 40-minute drive to the village of Drumnadrochit, which is home to the Loch Ness Centre, as well as some cafes and galleries.

You can have lunch here at a spot like Fiddlers Highland Restaurant. Or, if you plan ahead you could have afternoon tea at Drumbuie Farm B & B and Quila Cridhe Tearoom, which also offers an adorable “Hairy Coo Meet & Greet” for just £5. (More info here.)

If you have time afterwards I would check out the Loch Ness Centre, and perhaps stop in for a gin tasting at the Great Glen Distillery, which is the smallest craft distillery in Scotland! (And their gin is excellent.)

And then in the late afternoon you can head to Loch Ness, because no visit to this part of Scotland would be complete without taking a cruise on the lake to look for Nessie herself!

There are a few different cruises to choose from, but I personally would choose the “Freedom” cruise with Jacobite Loch Ness Cruises. This 2-hour cruise leaves from Clansman Harbour (just a few minutes' drive from Drumnadrochit), and includes a 1-hour cruise on the lake, plus an additional hour to explore Urquhart Castle, which is an iconic structure on Loch Ness.

Even without the Nessie legend to entertain you, Loch Ness is a pretty interesting and special place. It's one of the largest lakes in Scotland – and in fact contains the largest volume of freshwater in Great Britain!

The Freedom cruise sails at 2 p.m. every day, with additional sailings at 3 p.m. on certain days in the summer. Advanced booking is recommended!

Afterwards, you can head back to Inverness for the rest of the evening. Check out Uilebheist Distillery & Brewery to try some local craft beer.

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Day 5: To Isle of Skye

Highlights today will include: Eilean Donan Castle, the Fairy Pools hike, and Portree on the Isle of Skye

It's time to bid the Highlands farewell (for now!) and head west to Scotland's most famous island: the Isle of Skye. Skye is part of the Inner Hebrides archipelago, and is known for having some of the very best scenery in all of Scotland.

And, despite it being an island, you can drive to the Isle of Skye!

Hit the road this morning and make a stop at the picture-perfect Eilean Donan Castle at the confluence of 3 different lochs (lakes). You can visit the 13th century castle itself (tickets required), enjoy the views, and stop in to the cafe, which is actually really nice.

Then it's time to drive over the sea (bridge) to Skye!

If you need a pick-me-up or lunch once you get onto the island, the Lean To Coffee Skye Cafe is lovely, or you can grab a pizza at Cafe Sia. Both of those are on the way to your first sightseeing stop at Eas a' Bhradain waterfall, which is a lovely waterfall just off the highway (there's a parking area just past the waterfall).

From there, you can make a stop at the Sligachan Old Bridge, just off the A87. This bridge used to be the main way to cross the River Sligachan, and makes for a great photo stop with the Black Cuillin Mountains in the background.

This bridge is part of a local legend that says the mountain-fed waters that run beneath it are enchanted by fairies (this will become a trend you'll notice as you travel around Skye!). According to the legend, if you hold your face in the water for a full seven seconds, you'll be granted eternal beauty.

By now it will probably be late afternoon, meaning it's a great time to head to the Fairy Pools. The Fairy Pools are a series of small waterfalls and shallow pools formed as the River Brittle flows down from the Black Cuillin mountains, and hiking to them is one of the most popular things to do on the Isle of Skye.

There's a dedicated parking area at the Fairy Pools that does cost £6 to park at (be prepared for this all over Skye!), and then it's roughly a 1 mile walk from the parking area to the “best” sections of waterfalls. You can walk up the river as far as you want, but most people will hike about 2.5 miles round-trip on a gravel trail.

You've perhaps seen photos of people swimming in shallow turquoise pools here, but I'd tell you to temper your expectations a bit; the pools are only turquoise-looking on the sunniest, blue-sky days. BUT, the site is still incredibly beautiful and certainly magical feeling, regardless of the weather.

(Speaking of the weather, on Skye it can change very abruptly. So even if it's sunny when you start this hike, I would recommend still packing a raincoat, just in case. Similarly, even if it's raining when you start the hike, there's a chance the weather will change.)

Afterwards, it's about a 45-minute drive to Portree, the main town on the Isle of Skye. Check into your hotel, have a walk around Portree, and then for dinner you can either grab take-away at a spot like The Chippy or Pizzaway, or make a reservation in advance at a spot like Cuchullin, Dulse and Brose, or Scorrybreac.

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Day 6: Isle of Skye

Highlights today will include: the Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, and Fairy Glen, with an optional visit to Dunvegan Castle and Neist Point

Today you'll have a full day to spend on the Isle of Skye, and you can make it as jam-packed or as relaxed as you'd like! If you're going to have a more laid-back morning, have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel or at a Portree spot like the Birch Cafe or Cafe Arriba.

You're going to spend a good amount of today on the Trotternish Peninsula, which doesn't have a whole lot of restaurants. So you might want to pick up a picnic lunch before you leave Portree. Both MacKenzie's Bakery and Relish Portree are good spots to grab things to go (and MacKenzie's makes some of the best shortbread in Scotland!).

Driving counter-clockwise around the Trotternish Peninsula, the first stop I recommend making is at the Old Man of Storr. The Storr is a big slab of rock with a lone, tall pillar of stone at one end. This pillar is the “Old Man.”

There are a bunch of different legends about “The Old Man of Storr.” One suggests it's the thumb of a giant buried beneath the cliff. Another says it's actually an old man whose “wish” to stay on the hill overlooking the ocean to remember his wife was granted by a mischievous fairy king. Whatever you believe, it's a very iconic spot on Skye.

IF you get lucky enough to even see the Old Man (he can often be shrouded in clouds/fog), there are several places to park along the road in order to get a good view.

There's also a hike here that will take you all the way up to the rock formation. This hike starts at a parking area just off the A855 and is a little over 3 miles round trip. Just keep in mind that the hike does have some steep uphill portions, and can get muddy at the top. (You can also hike just part of the way and still get some cool views, though.)

Continuing on around the Trotternish Peninsula, the next stop I'd make is at Lealt Falls. There's a dedicated parking area here and a viewing platform that offers up glimpses of the upper and lower sections of a waterfall called Lealt Falls.

If you're feeling up to it, you can also hike down to the lower section of the waterfall. The hike (which is about .7 miles roundtrip) will take you on a gravel path down the side of a grassy cliff with stunning coastal views. At the bottom, you can walk right up to the waterfall. Just note that even though this hike is short, it's tough and steep in parts on the way back up.

RELATED: 19 Magical Things to Do on the Isle of Skye in Scotland

This next stop is a 2-for-1 deal, as you can see both Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls from the same viewing area. Kilt Rock is actually an entire cliff of basalt columns that rises 90 meters (295 feet) out of the sea, and looks a bit like the pleated kilt of a giant. Right near the rock is a waterfall called Mealt Falls that plunges into the sea.

When you near the top of the Trotternish Peninsula, there's a narrow, nearly one-lane road that cuts across the peninsula. It's called the Quiraing Road, and it traverses through some of the best landscapes on the Isle of Skye.

The deep valleys and craggy cliffs in this part of Skye were formed thanks to huge landslips, and there are rock formations with names like The Needle and The Table and The Prison. The Quiraing can be incredibly windy and wet, but it was here that I originally fell in love with Skye – and you might, too!

Make for the Quiraing Car Park (a large paid parking lot), and from there you can either just enjoy the views out over the Quiraing area, or you can go for a walk along a dedicated hiking trail. The entire loop hike is about 4.3 miles long and challenging in parts if you do the whole thing, but you can get excellent views even just from the start of it.

I recommended bringing lunch along with you today, but if you'd rather go out somewhere, your best options are either The Hungry Gull (before the Quiraing) or The Galley Cafe & Takeaway (before going to the Fairy Glen).

I'm saving my personal favorite spot on the peninsula for last: the Fairy Glen. The Fairy Glen is known for its bumpy hills formed by and years of livestock traversing its little hills and valleys, and overall otherworldly vibe.

To reach it, you'll park in a small (paid) parking area (marked as Fairy Glen Parking) not far from the town of Uig, and then follow a short trail into the “fairy glen” itself.

The glen is incredibly green during the spring and summer months, and the jaunty hills definitely feel like they could be home to fairies. There's even a rock formation called “Castle Ewan” for its resemblance to castle ruins.

(The stone “fairy circle” below Castle Ewan, however, is NOT a natural part of the landscape here, and is frequently removed by locals; please don't stack or arrange rocks or leave coins or gifts for the Fae here.)

The walk up to the Fairy Glen can be steep and muddy in sections, but it's a short (less than 20 minutes) walk, and definitely worth seeing. (This is the only “hike” on Skye that I do truly think is worth doing, even if you're not much of a hiker.)

If you've done all the hikes along the Trotternish Peninsula today, then you're probably ready to head back to Portree to relax and have dinner.

On the other hand, if you skipped all or most of the hikes I mentioned and just stopped for photos (which is totally fine!), then it might not even be lunchtime yet!

If you want to see even more of Skye and you have the time, you can drive about 45 minutes from the Fairy Glen to Dunvegan Castle.

Located on the northwestern side of Skye, Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. It was the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for more than 800 years, and today is open to visitors.

You can explore the inside of the castle on a self-guided tour, which includes the chance to see beautifully furnished rooms, artwork, and clan treasures like the Fairy Flag (a tattered banner that is said to have been given to the MacLeods by the fairies and that, when raised in battle, would always ensure the clan's victory). You'll also find clothing items worn by Flora MacDonald, and a lock of hair said to have belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie.

A ticket for Dunvegan Castle also gets you access to the acres of formal castle gardens, which are also incredibly beautiful. The Walled Garden is my personal favorite, but they're all lovely!

From Dunvegan Castle, it's also possible to drive out to Neist Point all the way at the far western tip of the Isle of Skye.

Neist Point is one of the most dramatic locations you can visit on the island, though I won't lie: the roads you have to drive to get out to Neist Point (the B884, and then two un-numbered roads) can be nerve-wracking to drive. They are paved, but they're only wide enough for 1 car in most parts, and are filled with blind hills and curves. Take your time, take note of lay-bys where you can let other cars pass, and don't be afraid of tooting your horn at hills and curves.

To get the iconic photos of the Neist Point Lighthouse on the peninsula, park your car and then walk along the cliffs to the right of the peninsula (at the beginning of the trail, turn right *before* the steps that go down towards the lighthouse).

You can also walk all the way out to the lighthouse, but keep in mind that there are a bunch of steps to walk down (and of course back up!) in order to do it. If you have time, though, it's a nice walk.

Back in Portree, I recommend making dinner reservations at a spot like The View (at the Cuillin Hills Hotel), Scorrybreac, or Dulse and Brose.

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Day 7: Glenfinnan and Glencoe

Highlights today will include: the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Glencoe

While the Isle of Skye is hard to top, there's still plenty to see in the Scottish Highlands!

Get an early start today to make your way back to the mainland. And while you *can* drive back the way you came over the Skye Bridge, you can actually save time by taking a ferry instead!

You can drive to Armadale near the southern tip of the Isle of Skye (about an hour from Portree), where there's a car ferry that crosses over to Mallaig on the mainland. The ferry is operated by CalMac, costs less than £20 for a car, and takes 30-45 minutes. It's a really pretty crossing – but you do want to book in advance.

From Mallaig, it's a 40-minute drive to the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct at Loch Shiel, made famous in the Harry Potter films. You could simply visit the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre, walk up to the viewpoint behind it, and see the Glenfinnan Monument on Loch Shiel. But if you're a Harry Potter fan, you might also want to plan your day around seeing the “Hogwarts Express” cross over the viaduct.

The Hogwarts Express is actually the Jacobite Steam Train, a tourist train that travels between Mallaig and Fort William, crossing over the Glenfinnan Viaduct a total of 4 times a day during the high season.

For the most iconic view, you'll want to catch the scarlet train as it's traveling west-bound from Fort William to Mallaig. These trains leave Fort William at 10:15 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. every day from May-September (and only in the morning in April and October). They cross over the viaduct roughly 30 minutes after departure from Fort William, meaning you want to be at the viewing area before either 10:45 a.m. or 1:20 p.m.

The exact times the trains are expected to cross are posted at the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre each day.

It's actually recommended you get to the Glenfinnan parking area well in advance (like, an hour or more in advance during July and August) in order to get a parking spot. There's also a short walk to the main viewing area that you want to allow time for. Consider bringing a picnic lunch today!

For the recommended view, you'll follow a clearly marked path from the parking area along the River Finnan and underneath the arches of the viaduct itself. You'll want to turn LEFT and climb a small hill to the viewing area. (Just follow the crowd; you won't be alone.)

After viewing the train (or if you really don't care about it), you can continue on to Glencoe, a famous valley in the heart of the Highlands.

You should have enough time to stop in at the Glencoe Visitor Centre if you want, as well as some of the most famous nearby viewpoints like Three Sisters Viewpoint and The Meeting of Three Waters.

There are a lot of walking and hiking trails throughout Glencoe, too, if you want to stretch your legs this afternoon/evening.

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Day 8: Back to Edinburgh

If this is the end of your Scotland trip, you can get back to Edinburgh in about 2 hours and 45 minutes and could conceivably fly home this afternoon or evening if you drop your car off at the airport.

If you aren't leaving quite yet (or if you're perhaps continuing your journey in the UK by car or train), you can take a more leisurely drive back to Edinburgh. Stop at more viewpoints in Glencoe and through the Highlands, like the Rannoch Moor Viewpoint and Loch Tulla Viewpoint.

I recommend taking the slightly longer route that will take you along Loch Lomond within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. You can stop in the very pretty village of Luss for lunch (The Village Rest is a good bet) and some sightseeing before continuing on east.

And, if you didn't stop to see The Kelpies on your way out of Edinburgh, you'll be driving right past them on your way back into the city.

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How to make this a 10-day Scotland itinerary

Have more than just 7-8 days to spend in Scotland? Well, great news! You can easily extend this itinerary and see even more of this beautiful country.

The above 7-night itinerary would stay the same, but I would add an extra night in Inverness (making it 3 nights total in Inverness), and then at the end instead of driving back to Edinburgh, I would head to Glasgow for 2 nights.

Here's more detail on what I'd add:

Day 5: Moray Coast + Speyside

Highlights today will include: Bow Fiddle Rock, the Malt Whisky Trail in Speyside, and Ballindalloch Castle and Gardens

While it's true that there's more to do in Edinburgh than in Inverness, Inverness makes an excellent base for seeing so much in northern Scotland! With an extra day in the region, I would suggest exploring a bit of the Moray Coast and dipping into the famous Highland whisky region of Speyside.

Start your morning with a drive (about an hour) to the town of Elgin, which is famous for its cathedral. Elgin Cathedral dates back to the 1200s, and even though it's in ruins now, they are very well-preserved ruins.

Continue on along the Moray Coast to the village of Portnockie, where you can visit cliffs with a coastal path that offer up views of the extremely picturesque Bow Fiddle Rock. One of the trails leads down to a rocky beach for even better views; this is such a pretty spot!

From Portnockie, it's a quick drive to Cullen, a seaside village home to only 1300 people. There's a beach here that's nice for a walk, plus the village itself is adorable. You can stop for an early lunch at a spot like The Rockpool Cafe to try Cullen Skink, a creamy fish soup that this village is famous for.

And this sets you up for an afternoon in Speyside!

Speyside is one of Scotland's most famous whisky-producing regions; there are roughly 50 distilleries in Scotland's Moray Speyside region alone (a region focused around the River Spey). Several are along the official Malt Whisky Trail, which was the first trail of its kind in the world when it was established in the 1950s.

Even if you don't love whisky (hi, it's me!), I would still highly recommend at least one Speyside distillery tour. Scotland's whisky distilleries have such interesting stories, and the tours here are all really interesting.

A couple I personally recommend that make sense from an itinerary perspective for today include:

• Glenfiddich – Glenfiddich is home to the world's most-awarded single malt whisky, is still family-run by the Grant family, and was the first Speyside distillery to offer tours in the 1960s. This is a good tour if you've never been to a distillery before.
• The Macallan – Sometimes referred to as “Malt Disney” by locals, The Macallan has a flashy, state-of-the-art visitor experience that opened in 2018. It's unlike the more “traditional” distillery tours you can find in this part of Scotland, which makes it fun.
• Strathisla – Strathisla is the oldest operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands, dating back to 1786. It is, in my opinion, the prettiest distillery I've visited and has the coziest tasting room. The whisky produced here mostly goes into Chivas Regal blends.

You do want to pre-book tours whenever possible! Most last 60-90 minutes, and include whisky tastings.

If you only do one distillery tour (or if you opt to skip the distilleries altogether), another spot worth visiting in Speyside is Ballindalloch Castle and Gardens. Ballindalloch Castle is owned by the Macpherson-Grants, who have called the castle home since 1546.

This is another lived-in castle, which in my opinion makes it much more interesting to visit than a historic castle with lots of antique furniture that no one's used for hundreds of years. The castle tour is self-guided, and there are also acres of gardens and grounds you can explore, too.

Note that the castle is only open Sunday-Thursday for visitors (Easter through the end of September), and you don't need to pre-book tickets.

And from there you can head back to Inverness for your third night and continue on to the Isle of Skye tomorrow.

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Day 9: To Glasgow

Highlights today include: Loch Lomond and exploring Glasgow

From Glencoe, you can start making your way out of the Highlands and towards the Lowlands again. You have some extra time now, though, so feel free to stop at all the viewpoints, and maybe even fit in another walk or hike around Glencoe.

You could also stop at the Glencoe Mountain Resort, which operates as a sightseeing chairlift that affords incredible 360-degree views of Glencoe.

Your drive will take you along Loch Lomond within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. You can stop in the very pretty village of Luss for lunch (The Village Rest is a good bet) and some sightseeing before continuing on to Glasgow.

Glasgow is actually the largest city in Scotland, so it would be a shame to skip it! It has lots of Victorian architecture, incredible street art, and some of the nicest people in Scotland (known as Glaswegians).

Check into your hotel, and then head to the city center for a wander. Check out George Square, stroll along Buchanan Street, and be sure to catch the statue of the Duke of Wellington on Royal Exchange Square, who is usually wearing an orange traffic cone as a hat.

For dinner tonight, try to get a booking at The Ubiquitous Chip, one of the best restaurants in the city on Ashton Lane.

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Day 10: Glasgow

Highlights today will include: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and a Glasgow tour

Today is all about exploring more of Glasgow, which generally doesn't get as much love as Edinburgh, but is just as great of a Scottish city.

Start your morning at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow's West End. This free museum is one of the most popular in Scotland, and has a mixture of art and historical artifacts. There are 22 different galleries to explore, and you can see everything from works by Dali to Egyptian mummies to a WWII-era Spitfire plane.

Or, if the weather is extra nice and you'd rather be outside, you might opt to visit the Glasgow Botanic Gardens instead this morning. The 27-acre garden features Victorian glasshouses and lots of lovely walking paths.

This afternoon, I recommend one of two things: either a historic walking tour of Glasgow, or a Glasgow food tour!

Personally, I always go for the food tour, as food tours include a mixture of food AND history, and are a great way to get to know a region or culture. In the case of Glasgow, this food and drink tour is an excellent way to explore Glasgow through its food.

On this food tour, you'll visit a variety of locally-owned restaurants and pubs in Glasgow's Merchant City, having food and drink pairings at most stops. You'll try haggis and whisky and steak and much more! Book this food tour here.

The food tour (which lasts about 3.5 hours) will definitely fill you up for lunch, and possibly for dinner, too!

This evening you can either have a chill night in, or perhaps a chilling night out if you want to fit in one more tour. This Glasgow ghost tour is a good one, though it's only offered 4 nights a week.

And now you can say you've had a taste of Glasgow, too – both literally and figuratively!

And now THAT is truly my idea of the perfect Scotland road trip! You can either fly home (or take a train) from Glasgow, or drive the 1 hour back to Edinburgh to end where you began.

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Who's ready to plan a Scotland road trip?