The Scottish Highlands are the perfect place to enjoy a memorable road trip, where you will seemingly encounter one postcard scene after the next. Lovely coastal towns, otherworldly landscapes, stunning medieval castles, amazing hiking trails, and scenic lochs are just some of the beautiful attractions that await you. Once you have travelled through the Highlands, places like Skye and Glen Coe are truly hard to forget, and you will just want to see more. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Scotland, but we were particularly charmed by the stunning scenery of the highlands. To help you get the most out of your time when visiting this beautiful area of Scotland, we present our Guide on the Best Things to See and Do in the Scottish Highlands below.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Scenic Drives and Routes Through the Scottish Highlands
Orientation – Where are the Scottish Highlands
The Highlands are the perfect place for a prolonged roadtrip or short weekend getaway, with abundant natural scenery to keep you in awe the entire time. The Scottish Highlands are a mountainous region encompassing most of northwest Scotland, with Loch Ness roughly being at the center (the southern tip of the Loch is near the blue pin in the map below).
Getting to this region of Scotland is fairly simple — you can fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow and make your way from either city. It’s definitely simpler to visit the Highlands with your own vehicle, as this region isn’t well suited for travelling by public transit, aside from reaching a few of the larger towns.
Reaching the Highlands won’t take particularly long from Edinburgh or Glasgow, but reaching specific areas in the Highlands can require a longer drive. For instance, Glen Coe is about 2h30 from Edinburgh, and Loch Ness is just over 3h from Edinburgh. If you want to reach one of Skye’s popular attractions or destinations, you are looking at at least a five-hour drive, assuming you don’t overnight somewhere along the way.
For advice and tips on how to drive in Scotland, check out our Scotland Roadtrip Driving Guide.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Scotland.
The Highlands are one of the most sparsely populated regions in Europe, with a population density of less than one-seventh of Scotland’s as a whole. During the 18th and early 19th centuries the population of the Highlands rose to around 300,000, but since then the natural increase in population has been exceeded by emigration, and today the population is estimated to be around 240,000. In contrast, the Scottish Lowlands are home to over 5 million people.
As you can tell from the maps above, the Highlands encompass a fairly large region (about half of Scotland), meaning you are unlikely to be able to see everything unless you stay in the area for several weeks. If like many people you have just a week or less in the Highlands, we would suggest narrowing your focus to specific regions. In particular, we would focus on places that are more or less south of Inverness. This southern portion of the Highlands includes Glen Coe and Fort Williams, Loch Ness, Glenfinnan, most of the Hebrides including Skye, the Argyll and Bute region including the coastal town of Oban, and the Loch Lomond and Cairngorms National Parks.
Another great way to visit the Highlands if you don’t have your own vehicle is to join one of several great organized group tours. Many of them cover the majority of the sites and attractions covered below. From Edinburgh:
Or from Inverness:
Without further ado, here are, in our opinion, some of the Best Things to See and Do in the Scottish Highlands.
Hike Through Dramatic and Otherworldly Landscapes
Though the scenery throughout the highlands is quite spectacular, a few regions stand out for their beauty and hiking opportunities.
Isle of Skye
Skye has some of the most otherworldly landscapes we’ve ever come across. Two iconic hiking locations you will find here are the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. For more a more complete list of trails, you can check out our guide on Skye’s Best Hiking Trails.
The Old Man of Storr, a towering pinnacle and an iconic landmark of the Isle of Skye, is where you can experience one of Scotland’s most spectacular hiking trails. The trail leading up to the iconic Old Man of Storr was one of our favorites in Scotland, let alone Skye. Although a moderately challenging uphill trail, the walk up to the main viewpoints isn’t particularly long. The scenery is particularly beautiful in the early morning around sunrise.
Shaped by a never-ending landslide lasting millennia, the landscape formations of the Quirang are unlike any other you’ve probably ever seen, so odd-shaped and yet so vividly colorful. What makes the Quirang particularly appealing for some is that you don’t even need to walk very far to get some of the best views the trail has to offer, as many are satisfied with what they see barely a few hundred feet beyond the parking lot. But we highly recommend walking the full trail, as this was our favorite one in Skye.
Of the many walks and hikes we did on Skye, Camanusary Bay is probably the one that surprised us the most. It starts by meandering through fields filled with grazing sheep and then slowly goes up and down through rolling hills with beautiful views of the nearby Cuillin mountains, until a final ascent takes to a plateau where a stunning coastal and beach vista awaits. It’s a moderately long trail, but not particularly difficult in terms of elevation gain.
Glen Coe
Glencoe is a hillwalker’s and hiker’s paradise. There are so many great trails to choose from, ranging from easy to difficult. We generally like to focus on those that can be done in half a day and maximize the effort-to-reward ratio. Our two favorites to do were the Lost Valley Trail (also known as the Hidden Valley Trail) and the Devil’s Staircase Trail. Neither is particularly long (both can be done in under 3 hours) and both would rate as moderately difficult – the Lost Valley because some light scrambling is required and the Devil Staircase, as the name suggests, because of a section of steep ascent. For additional info on these hiking trails and others, check out our Guide on the Best Hiking Trails in Glen Coe.
Scenic drives
If you like road trips, you love the Scottish Highlands. Great roads, beautiful scenery, and, apart from in a few spots, very little traffic.
Trotternish Peninsula (Isle of Skye)
This is one of Skye’s most epic drives that pacts several attractions into one. It’s definitely a must-do activity on Skye if you have a few days on the island. At its shortest, it’s a half-day roadtrip but it can easily turn into a full-day trip depending on how many hiking trails you want to do along the way. If you are not interested in hiking, there are plenty of waterfalls and beautiful viewpoints worthy of a stop along the way. In particular, even if you don’t plan on hiking the Quiraing or the Old Man of Storr trails, the views around the trailhead parking lots more than justify a stop here.
For more information on all the sites and attractions along this drive check out our Trotternish Loop Travel Guide.
Oban – Glen Coe Loop
Although Glen Coe is a paradise for hillwalkers and hikers, the area can still be appreciated from your own vehicle while occasionally stopping to appreciate some of the more scenic spots. All you need to do is follow the two-lane road A82. Without stops, the drive will take you about 40 min (though the most scenic portion of the drive is the section of road that runs east-west, where you are in the Glen Coe Valley proper and surrounded by mountains on both sides).
As you can see from the map below (clicking it will open Google Maps), there are several viewpoints and signposted parking areas at the side of the road where you can stop to admire the scenery, with the most famous viewpoint being the Three Sisters of Glen Coe viewpoint. Several of these parking areas are also the starting points for some of Glencoe’s most beautiful hikes.
You can also turn this drive into a 3-hour loop connecting Glen Coe to Oban. Our guide on this loop drive highlights additional viewpoints and attractions, including beautiful churches, loch viewpoints, and castle ruins.
The Kilkurn Castle is a shell of its former self, lying partially in ruin at the northeastern end of Loch Awe. It was first built in the mid-1400s and still contains the oldest surviving barracks on the British mainland. Both attractions can be reached from Oban within a 40-minute drive.
Glen Shiel
Glen Shiel is a beautiful and dramatic valley in the Northwest Highlands. It’s one of the most beautiful sections of the drive to Skye and one of the shortest (it’s only 9km long, between Loch Cluanie and Loch Duich), making it all the more special. If you would like to stop to walk around and take some pictures, we recommend doing so at this small car park. It’s a few hundred feet from the Eas-Nan-Arm stone bridge (pictured below) and a scenic river.
Skye Bridge to Portree (Isle of Skye)
Although some of the more popular attractions in Skye are located deeper in Skye, the initial drive between the Skye Bridge and the isle’s main town of Portree is quite spectacular and should take you about 45 minutes, without stops. You probably will want to make a few stops along the way, however, such as the Sligachan bridge.
Visit Medieval Castles
Eilean Donan Castle
Just east of Skye, it is a must-visit for anyone visiting Skye via the Skybridge. It is without a doubt one of Scotland’s most photogenic Castles. Sitting beautifully at the intersection of three lochs, this castle was originally built to protect the region against Viking invasions several centuries ago, however, the version you see today was reconstructed as a family home in the early 20th century.
For more information on when and how to visit this stunning castle, check out our Eilean Castle Visiting Guide.
Dunvegan Castle
The ancestral seat of the MacLeods on Skye is the isle’s most stunning castle, and it is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland: over 800 years and counting. It’s also the only castle in Skye where you can tour the interior and learn about the rich history of the Clan Macleod. The castle’s gardens are also quite spectacular and vast, you can easily get lost in them for an hour or more.
For more information on this impressive Castle, check out our Dunvegan Castle Visit Guide.
Stirling Castle
Though Stirling isn’t technically in the Highlands, we wanted to include this castle for two reasons: it was probably our favourite castle to visit in Scotland, and you’ll likely pass by Stirling either on your way to or from the Highlands.
The large and imposing Stirling Castle is one of the most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots spent most of her life here, the castle changed hands between the British and the Scots many times, and William Wallace (the main character of Braveheart) played a key role in one of Scotland’s victories in reclaiming the castle. The guided tour of the castle was also one of the more interesting ones we experienced.
Stirling Castle is just a 55-minute drive from Edinburgh. For more information on visiting this castle, check out our Stirling Castle Visiting Guide.
If you plan on visiting several Castles and Palaces in Scotland, you might want to consider purchasing a Scotland Explorer Pass. Unfortunately, entry into Eilean Donan or Dunvegan Castles isn’t included with the pass. But Stirling Castle is included, as is Urquhart Castle along Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle, Doune Castle, and Blackness Castle.
You can visit this historic building with Scotland’s Explorer Pass
If you plan on visiting multiple Castles and Historic Buildings in Scotland, you might want to consider getting the Explorer Pass from Historic Environment Scotland.
The Explorer Pass costs £35 for adults and £21 for children. You can purchase your Explorer pass online here.
The pass is valid for 14 consecutive days.
The pass includes entry to all Historic Environment Scotland properties, which include Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Urquhart Castle, St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, Iona Abbey, Melrose Abbey, Fort George, and many more.
Important: To guarantee site entry, you should still pre-book your desired property visits (dates and timeslots).
Exclusions: Explorer passes do not include access to properties in the care of The National Trust for Scotland, The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, or properties in the care of private trusts.
Very occasionally a property may have to close at short notice due to adverse weather conditions or other reasons such as planned renovations. Please check the Historic Scotland closures page for any unexpected site closures.
Relax in Some Idyllic Coastal Towns
Oban
Oban is a beautiful and charming coastal town, and sadly many do not give it the time it deserves using it primarily as a launching pad for visiting some of the nearby famous Hebrides islands, such as Mull, Iona, Jura and Islay. The town itself is definitely deserving of a full day (if not more): it has a beautiful boardwalk promenade, some of the best seafood restaurants in the country, the curious McGraig’s tower overlooking the town, and is home to the historic Oban whisky distillery (established in 1794).
For more information on visiting Oban and the surrounding area, check out our Oban Travel Guide.
Portree
Portree, Skye’s colorful capital, is not just a welcoming gateway for discovering the rest of the Isle but is also a beautiful and quaint little town well deserving of some of your time. It’s also where you’ll find most of the eating and lodging options on Skye. It’s a wonderful coastal town to explore at a leisurely pace, the start point of the Trotternish Peninsula loop drive described above, and a great place to take a boat tour.
For more info check out our Portree Travel Guide.
Sample Some Whiskey in Famous Distilleries
Talisker Distillery
You can’t come to Skye and not visit its oldest working Whisky Distillery. Even if you are not a Whisky aficionado, the experience and the beautiful setting on the banks of Loch Harport make it a worthwhile trip. It’s also easily combined with a visit to either the Talisker Bay walk (see below) or the Fairy Pools walk. It was our favorite Distillery to visit in the highlands along with the Oban Distillery (see below). After undergoing an exciting renovation project, Talisker Distillery re-opened its doors to the public in August 2022.
The Talisker family of whiskies all have a smoky flavour and aroma, which comes from the peat burned during the malting process. Additionally, the water used for production, from Cnoc nan Speireag (Hawk Hill), flows over peat which adds additional complexity to the whisky. In 2007 Talisker’s 18-year-old won “Best Single Malt In The World 2007” at the World Whiskies Awards. In 2015 Talisker’s 10-Year-Old won a Double Gold Medal and “Best Single Malt Scotch up to 12 years” in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
For more information on what to expect when visiting the distillery, check out our Talisker Distillery Guide.
Oban Distillery
Located in the center of town, Oban Distillery was one of our favorite distilleries to visit and tour in Scotland (along with Skye’s Talisker Distillery). The distillery was actually built before the town in 1794, which eventually developed around it in the years that followed. Because of how the town developed around the distillery, the location of the distillery doesn’t allow it to expand, ensuring that it keeps its independent distillery charm despite now being owned by one of the largest drinks companies in the world.
Only seven people are responsible for creating the whisky at Oban Distillery, and the rich, complex flavours of Oban whiskies are highly influenced by the environment in which they are produced: warm honeyed spices of the Highlands, the subtle smoke from the peat and the saltiness from the harbor air.
A complete tour of the distillery, including 3 drams of Oban Whiskey, offers great insight into the local whisky-making process (from £22 (2023)). A tutored tasting experience is also available from £35 (2023).
Share Nature Trails With More Sheep Than People
Isle of Kerrera Trail
Although it’s Hebrides Isle neighbours of Mull, Iona, Jura and Islay are more famous and well-known, Kerrera should definitely not be overlooked when visiting Oban. It’s a land of lush and green rolling hills with a beautiful walking trail from which to admire it, and there’s also a stunning hilltop castle ruin to visit and a delightful tea garden from which you can relax and enjoy the beautiful island scenery. Located less than a mile from the shores of Oban, a walk on the Isle of Kerrera is truly a wonderful way to spend a day in the Oban area.
You can make the walk as short or long as you would like. You can do short out-and-back walks in various directions, only visit the tea garden and/or the castle ruins (40-45 min each way), or complete one of several loop trail options around the island (3 hours or more).
For more information on visiting Kerrara, check out our Isle of Kerrera guide.
Talisker Bay Trail
This is truly a hidden gem on Skye. Come here for a quiet walk between mountains, cows and sheep. At the end of the trail, you’ll find yourself on a beautiful beach sandwiched between dramatic sea stacks and a stunning coastal waterfall that drops straight into the sea. The full walk can completed in about an hour, and it’s on mostly flat terrain. You are also likely to be greeted by several cows and sheep along the way.
For more info check out our Talisker Bay Hiking Guide.
Take in the Views Along Some Scenic Lochs
Honestly, there are tons of beautiful lochs in Scotland, and you can’t really go wrong. Here we will focus on a few that count our attention with their beauty.
Loch Awe
Loch Awe is a beautiful loch in the Argyll and Bute area of Scotland and is one of the largest lochs in the country. The scenery is stunning all around the lake, from rolling hills to craggy mountains, providing a stunning backdrop.
As you make your way around the lake, there are in particular two great attractions to stop and explore: St Conan’s Kirk and Kilkurn Castle. The Kirk is unique in having an example of almost every style of church architecture. Highlights include the Norman doorway, ten Gothic flying buttresses, a Celtic cross, the Arts and Crafts carvings, the Saxon tower and even a Stone circle.
The Kilkurn Castle is a shell of its former self, lying partially in ruin at the northeastern end of Loch Awe. It was first built in the mid-1400s as the base of the Campbells of Glenorchy. After the Campbells became Earls of Breadalbane and moved to Taymouth Castle, Kilchurn slowly fell out of use and, although it was converted into a garrison stronghold for a time, it was completely abandoned and in ruins by 1770.
More information on visiting the castle and church can be found in our Glen Coe – Oban Loop Itinerary guide.
Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel is a beautiful freshwater loch by Glenfinnan, just west of Fort William. The views of the Loch are particularly beautiful from the Glenfinnan loop hiking trail.
Loch Leven
Loch Leven is a lovely small loch just north of Glen Goe. There are several viewpoints and picnic areas, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery after a good day of hiking in the area.
Loch Ness
Loch Ness wasn’t our favourite loch, but we couldn’t not mention it given its reputation and world fame, mostly relating to the potential existence of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. It’s a very thin and long Loch, running from Fort August almost all the way to Inverness.
If you are fascinated by the Loch Ness monster, head to Drumnadrochit village, North of Fort Augustus and visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre to learn everything about the mysterious creature.
Although Loch Ness is neither the deepest loch in Scotland (Loch Morar) nor the largest by surface area (Loch Lomond) it is the largest body of water in the UK, as it contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales put together. It’s a great place to take a boat tour of the Loch and enjoy stunning views of Urquhart Castle ruins from the water.
Loch Eil
Located just west of Fort William, Loch Eil has a lovely scenic boardwalk promenade. On a clear day, you’ll get stunning views of Ben Nevis towering over Fort William in the distance.
If you walk along the promenade towards Corpach, you’ll come across the Corpach Shipwreck. These are the rusty remains of a fishing vessel originally known as the “MV Dayspring”, which was built in 1975, but that was subsequently renamed Gold Harvest. The boat was retired in 2009 and moved to nearby Camusnagaul Bay. On 8th December 2011, a nasty storm caused the raiser chain which kept the vessel moored in Camusnagaul Bay to break, and a few hours later the local coastguard was on hand to help control the landing the beach between the villages of Corpach and Caol, where the boat as been stranded ever since.
Lighthouses, Bridges and Trains
We’ll end with a mixed bag of attractions since they are each unique in their own way.
Neist Point Lighthouse
Located near the westernmost tip of Skye, it’s a bit of a long drive along winding coastal roads to get here, but the views are oh-so worth it. You can also go for a short 2 km hike to visit the lighthouse up close (the interior is closed to the public, however).
To get the views seen in the pictures below, you only need to walk a few hundred meters from the parking lot. The landscape around the lighthouse is beautiful even if you view it from afar.
For more information on visiting the lighthouse, check out our Neist Point Lighthouse Guide.
Visit the Glennfinnan viaduct to watch the “Harry Potter” train go by
Easily one of the most beautiful railway bridges in the world, let alone the UK, the Glenfinnan Viaduct has skyrocketed to the top of many travel bucket lists since appearing in the Harry Potter films. What makes the setting even more spectacular is when the Jacobite steam train (a.k.a. the Harry Potter train or the Hogwarts Express) passes over the viaduct. Between April and October, it does so 4 times daily (twice in each direction) – so most try to time their visit with a train passing.
The increase in popularity of the viaduct due to the Happy Potter films has unfortunately made planning a visit slightly more complicated. You should aim to arrive at least 45 min before the planned passing of the train (2023) to ensure that you get a parking spot. The first time we came to Glenfinnan we arrived about 30 min early and the parking lot had just hit capacity, and we had no other choice but to turn around. And this is despite the fact they opened a new and larger car park in 2021!
For more information on visiting the Glennfinnan Viaduct, check out our Glennfinnan Viaduct Travel Guide.
Preparing a trip to Scotland?
You might be interested in these Scotland pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
Scotland Driving Guide and Tips
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Things to See in the Scottish Highlands
Best Hikes to do in the Scottish Highlands
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Scotland
Lonely Planet Scotland’s Highlands
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Guide on the Best Things to See and Do in the Scottish Highlands and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
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