How do I start planning a trip to Scotland?

You’ve made the decision to come to Scotland – great choice!  But where do you start with planning a trip? 

We’ve made a handy guide for you to make those first steps easier and reduce the amount of time you spend going over the same question ( I know, I do it when planning my own trips abroad!).

The first thing to note is that unless you are here for many months, you will never cover the whole of Scotland – the size of Scotland is equivalent to states of South Carolina or Maine in the USA (about 30,000 square miles or 77,000 square kilometres) and we have over 900 islands, of which 100 are inhabited.  

Think of this trip as a taster, hopefully the first of many.  If you want it to be a “one and done”, prepare to have your ideas challenged!

Bluebells at St John’s Church in Ballachullish Scotland
Ceannebeinne beach on the north coast of Scotland
Victoria Street Edinburgh
Colourful Victoria Street in Edinburgh

Whenever I get asked for itinerary advice I start off with a number of questions as this helps to narrow down the what and where of any trip.  These are things you should be thinking of when planning your trip

  • Is this your first visit to Scotland?
  • How long is your trip?
  • What time of year are you thinking about visiting?
  • Do you have any ancestry links to specific clans or areas of Scotland that you are interested in exploring?
  • Are you interested in museums, art galleries and churches and castles?
  • How mobile are you? How far do you like to walk (city or rural)
  • Will you be travelling by public transport or renting a car, booking a space on an organised tour or hiring a driver guide?
  • How far (distance) or long (time) do you want to travel each day?
  • Do you want to change accommodation every night or have a 2 night minimum or do a “hub and spoke” type visit where you stay in a couple of places and do day trips from there?
  • Do all the people you are travelling with have similar or differing interests? 
  • Are there any specific things you really want to see or do?

The answers to these questions will inform where you go, what you do and where to stay overnight.

Are you still stuck ? If you need a hand taking your answers and forming them into an itinerary, drop me an email and I can sign you up to my itinerary planning service (November to late March only as I am busy guiding in the other months).

If you are looking for inspiration, check out my @scotlandtourguide accounts on instagram and facebook.