Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands! It’s in perfect proximity to dazzling landscapes, castles, distilleries, and other historical sites. Inverness has a slower way of life, and is located along the charming River Ness. This itinerary works great with Inverness being the stepping stone to all locations. Inverness has an abundance of warm Airbnb’s a short walk from their city center and all of their restaurants.
Depending on where you’re coming from and what airline, you can fly into Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen International Airport, or Inverness Airport to get to Inverness. From there you can take the ScotRail into Inverness City Center. From Edinburgh or Glasgow this can be a 4 hour train ride. From Aberdeen it’s around a 2 and a half hour train to Inverness.
Inverness Airport is a short ride into Inverness City Center. Keep in mind that the train schedules may vary. Another option is to rent a car and drive into Inverness.
Give yourself one day to get to Scotland, and another full day to travel home. Depending on where you live, the journey to Scotland may take up most of your day. Find a money exchange in the airport so that you can use Pounds while you’re in Scotland, and not have to deal with the exchange rate. Contact your bank to let them know you’ll be traveling and to make sure you don’t have to pay an exchange rate with your cards.
Find where you will be staying as soon as possible and unload your luggage. If traveling from far away, you’ll most likely be exhausted. Try to adjust to the time change!
Think about buying an Explorer pass. Check out their website to see if it’s worth getting for your trip. The pass will give you free entry to Urquhart Castle and other significant locations, and it includes discounts on audio guides. You’ll still need to pre-book tickets with the pass before visiting attractions.
If you’re an Outlander fan, there are multiple Outlander Tours to choose from online. If you’re interested in guided tours, check out Cath’s Inverness Tours!, Highland Explorer Tours, and The Loch Ness Centre Deep Scan Cruise!
Day One
I highly recommend picking up a rental car for driving around the Highlands. Inverness has great public transportation, but a car will come in handy when driving longer distances. If you have a car, you won’t have to keep track of the train or bus schedules and plan your evening around when transportation will stop running for the day.
The perfect way to start off your trip is to take a drive to Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. Urquhart Castle is about a 30 minute drive from Inverness. This ruined castle is famous in Scotland and has 1,000 years of rich and fascinating history! The visitor center will teach you about it’s history, and they have a lovey café.
Next, visit the Loch Ness Centre. This museum tour is guided by the voice of Scottish actor David Tennant, as he tells tales of myths, the history of the Loch Ness Monster, and the facts behind researching the Loch. This is a great interactive museum that is a lot of fun!
Book a Loch Ness boat cruise! There are many great Loch Ness tours to choose from.
Drive out to see the Corrimony Chambered Cairn. This is only one of many cairns in Scotland and has an eerie reverence surrounding the 4,000 year old grave.
Day Two
After sitting down to some breakfast at one of the fabulous restaurants right in Inverness, drive to Culloden Battlefield to see where the Jacobite rebellion came to a brutal end. Culloden has a wonderful museum with state of the art exhibits, including a 360 degree immersive theater. Learn more about the struggle of the Highlanders before and after the famous 1745 battle. Book a visit at the Visitor center and a guided battlefield tour.
If seeing “Highland Coos” (highland cows) is on your bucket list; Culloden Battlefield is utilizing them to return the field back to it’s original bog! Keep an eye out for them when you’re there.
Drive out to the magnificent Duffus Castle before heading to Glen Moray Distillery. Duffus castle is a medieval stronghold that was a fortress for over 5oo years. The ruins are delightful in their secluded landscape. Take a whisky tasting tour at Glen Moray’s distillery, and learn about their 120 years of history.
Day Three
Drive to the bottom of Loch Ness and the picturesque town of Fort Augustus. A town great for walking and cycling, Fort Augustus offers attractive trails with views of Loch Ness including the Great Glen Way. These paths are perfect for Nessie spotting!
Continue on a drive around Loch Ness. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive around the entire loch. This is a lovely scenic drive with lot of great stops along the way including coos, hikes, and restaurants.
Day Four
You absolutely have to take the time to explore the town of Inverness while staying there. There is an abundance of amazing pubs and restaurants. Take a day to hit all the great attractions. Or split them up, and do some of these things at the end of your other busy days.
Inverness Castle is currently being remodeled to celebrate the ‘Spirit of the Highlands’, and will open in 2025! Once it’s open, you will be able explore the grand castle and learn the history of the town. Mary Queen of Scots was denied entry into the castle in the 1500’s, laid siege, captured it for herself, and spent 5 days there.
Visit the infamously charming Leakey’s Bookstore downtown, with over 100,000 books. Leakey’s has been buying and selling books in the Scottish Highlands for 45 years and counting!
The Victorian Market is in the heart of Inverness and holds 30 businesses inside it’s historic halls. They have a number of delicious restaurants and other shops. The Victorian Market is optimal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with it’s charming seating area and live music. This historic market has been around since the 1800s and is great for buying souvenirs.
Visit Gellions, the oldest pub in the Highlands, and the oldest venue in Inverness! Established in 1841, this bar has live Scottish music every night.
There is a lot to see while walking to your destinations, including many amazing churches with gorgeous architecture and their own graveyards. Take a walk along the marvelous Ness Bridge, and around the Ness islands. Enjoy and explore all of Inverness!
Day Five
Journey out to Fyrish Monument on Fyrish Hill. This is about a 40 minute drive and absolutely worth it. The hike up to the monument is moderate and the view at the top is breathtaking! The 3.75 mile hike features heavenly forests with small open areas, streams, and ponds. It takes around 2-2.5 hours to hike. Or, if you ask the locals…30 minutes. This location is, for the most part, off the beaten path for tourists. You will see locals along this path, giving you a friendly hello as you pass by. Fyrish Monument has a controversial history and was commissioned by Sir Hector Munro of Novarin in 1782. It was designed to resemble The Gates of Negapatam in India.
Visit Beauly Priory, a historic landmark and ruined church where Mary queen of Scots was said to have traveled through on her way to Dingwall in 1564. Mary, apparently thought the Priory was delightful and remarked “Oui, c’est un beau lieu” (Yes, it is a beautiful place). Built around 1230, this is a picturesque site with many funerary monuments.
Wrap up your day at Black Isle Brewery 10 minutes from Inverness. Or check out their bar right in Inverness for dinner, and a taste of their locally brewed organic beers, ciders, wine, whiskey, and spirits.
Day Six
Explore the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery and the Inverness Botanical Gardens. Both are a short trip from downtown Inverness. The gardens are free to enter and feature tranquil indoor and outdoor gardens.
Fort George is a 20 minute drive from Inverness and was built after the Battle of Culloden as a safety base for King George II’s army. Visit the Highlanders Museum while you’re there and immerse yourself in the rich and fascinating history of the Scottish Highlands.
These are only a few suggested places to visit. Feel free to switch up the itinerary. You will never run out of things to do in the Scottish Highlands. There is an abundance of amazing traditional and modern food in Inverness. If you’re looking for plant-based, food check out 10 Great Places To Eat Vegan In Inverness, Scotland. Keep an eye out for more Scotland Itinerary’s. Thank you for reading!
