To ask for a Scottish itinerary!

[fairysong]

Very exciting and we've booked a little city break to Scotland for our first wedding anniversary! We fly on the Friday evening and stay in Glasgow until we fly back on the Monday evening (flight is at 8).

We want to see Edinburgh which we have pencilled in for the Saturday and presume we can have a day in Glasgow on the Monday but would love to see some of the highlands on the Sunday!

I have been before but I was much younger so don't remember anything!

Can anyone give me some places to visit, ideas tips etc to make the most of our short time?

Many thanks in advance

I wouldn't bother trying to see the Highlands in such a short visit. Enjoy the full Glasgow experience.

Will you have access to a car? If yes, I probably wouldn't attempt to get too far north but you could go to the Trossachs for a walk?

I agree, save the Highlands for another trip - enjoy the cities this time round.

You could go to Oban, get fish and chips and a wander round. It will take you 2.5hrs each way. Go via Glen Coe, so you'll see some amazing scenery. But it'll take up most of the day.

Just do Glasgow. There’s plenty to see! Or do a day trip to Loch Lomond if you want some scenery, the Highlands is worth more than a rushed day trip where you don’t see anything much.

you do know Scotland's not a city??
Edinburgh and Glasgow are doable in one weekend. the highlands probably not. Inverness is the main town/city in the Highlands, and it takes about 3hours to get there from Edinburgh, a bit more from Glasgow
if you want somewhere else central maybe try somewhere like Stirling.
but honestly, there's tonnes you can do in both Edinburgh or Glasgow

Thank you all.

@ClosedAuraOpenMind yep well aware we originally were only able to go for 2 days so planned to do Glasgow and Edinburgh (BA describes this as a city break!)

We were lucky to be given a third day so thought I'd chance it!

Congratulations!

Agree visiting the Highlands is a bit ambitious in a day.

If you want a bit of scenic countryside head to Loch Lomond or Stirling. You could do a boat trip on Loch Lomond or visit Stirling Castle and climb up the Wallace Monument.

Or just spend all weekend on Glasgow!

Will you have a car? You could head either to Loch Lomond or the Cowal peninsula (get a boat across from Gourock to Dunoon)- both gorgeous. If no car I think I’d do a bit of a train journey- maybe crienlarich or somewhere on that line and back?

I second Oban, absolutely delightful. Two routes once you leave Glasgow If you go via Inveraray look out for the castle, was in Downton Abbey. Also look out for Kilchurn Castle.

If you stay in Glasgow the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a must.

I've not been to Edinburgh mostly stayed on the west coast.

Glencoe is gorgeous as is Loch Etive and Glen Orchy

There is so much to see in Scotland its amazing but you need more than a weekend,

Don't exhaust yourselves. Do the Edinburgh bus tour on the Saturday and go to a nice place for lunch. Look at time out for some good suggestions.

I'd take it easy on Sunday. Do the shops maybe. You could go to the west end and check out Kelvingrove and the university. I'd go to Straviagan for an early meal. Nice to stay in Glasgow on Sunday as there will be more of a buzz at the weekend.

On Monday you could go up to Aberfoyle or Killearn by bus for a 'taste' of the hills.
Or Loch Lomond.

If you had energy you could maybe go to Arran? Arran is an island. You get the train from Glasgow to ardrossan then the ferry. The island is called 'Scotland in miniature'. It's very beautiful. Might be a stretch in a day.

A lot of attractions are closed on Monday due to the Queens funeral.

I did feel I was being a little to ambitious!

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. We may venture to loch Lomand but will play it by ear I think!

@BashfulClam we aren't going for a couple of weeks yet so hopefully we will still have okish weather but will be less busy!

I second visiting Stirling. You could do Stirling Castle in the morning and then the Wallace Monument in the afternoon, after lunch. Its only a short drive from Glasgow, along the M80. The town itself is no great shakes, (OK for a lunch), but these attractions are great history:

www.stirlingcastle.scot/

www.nationalwallacemonument.com/

Then, returning to Glasgow late afternoon, have a night out. Perhaps - in the City Center - Le Chardon D'or for dinner, followed by drinks in the upstairs bar in the Blythswood Square Hotel around the corner. (The suggested restaurant is expensive by Glasgow standards, but not by Edinburgh or London Standards).

www.brianmaule.com/

www.kimptonblythswoodsquare.com/

Or perhaps, visit the lanes (around Byres Road) in the West End or Merchant City (east of City Center) for dinner and/or drinks. The former is reachable by tube (get off at Hillhead - its just around the corner), the latter by walking from City Center.

www.visitwestend.com/discover/the-lanes/

www.merchantsquareglasgow.com/

These links are to epicenters of nightlife, there is also much around about them. Walk about and explore.

Dinner and drinks in the West End may be preceded by a Walk around the beautiful Kelvingrove Park and Glasgow University. Bustling Great Western Road is also worthwhile, in terms of bars and restaurants. The Botanic Gardens are at the junction of Grt Western Rd and Byres Road.

Also in Glasgow, perhaps check out the following quirky / unique attractions:

sharmanka.com/Home/Welcome.html

www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-tenement-house

I would not bother with any of the "big" museum attractions in Glasgow, (eg Kelvingrove Art Gallery), they are grossly overrated imo - but then maybe they would be OK for a first time visitor (I am a cynic who has seen them a million times lol).

I would recommend checking out the Scotia Bar in Glasgow (down near the Clyde). Its a folk music bar, pretty rustic. Its always an experience going in. Extremely friendly, you cannot help but meet people (even if you do not want to lol). Last time i was there, for example, we met a Brazilian woman and her Irish husband. Previously it was a bunch of Americans. Its impossible not to meet people, drinking cheek by jowl - its so friendly. Bustling on weekend evenings, its great for a sing song and a chat. Its got a rough and ready pool hall upstairs, but the bar is best for visitors. Its sister bar, the Clutha Vaults, is nearby, but has never been the same since the Police Helicopter crash landed on top of it a few years ago.

www.belhavenpubs.co.uk/pubs/lanarkshire/scotia-bar/

If it was me, Id be in the Scotia every time, rather than the fancy bars of the west end of merchant city lol.

The other are right that the Highlands is a big ask in such a short time - really its the poor roads which are so limiting, especially if you get stuck behind a bus or other slowcoach.

However, beautiful Loch Lomond is only a shortish drive from Glasgow. If in decent health, you could climb Ben Lomond for some excellent highland-esque views (do it!). Or take a cruise on the Loch. Or visit the village of Luss, for a walk about and lunch or dinner.

Luss also has a "fairy trail" for families, but I believe you don't need to pay if you are just wanting to walk the route and not "do the trail" as such. The area is genuinely beautiful.

www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/ben-lomond.shtml

www.cruiselochlomond.co.uk/

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g551943-d13925530-Reviews-Loch_Lomond_Faerie_Trail-Luss_Loch_Lomond_and_The_Trossachs_National_Park_Scotla.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luss

Glasgow is a great base for a visit - I hope you this helps and you have a brilliant time. By all means ask any Qs etc.

3 nights? Just stick to Glasgow and save Edinburgh for a separate weekend and the Highlands for a minimum of a week, a fortnight would be better.

I don't think I would go to the Highlands for that length of time but there are lots of options closer such as Loch Lomond or if you want a walk in beautiful scenery you could go to the Campsies. It really depends what sort of things you want to see and do.

Honestly, just stay in Glasgow. You’ll have great time and have loads of things to see on your future visits to Scotland.

You can get short flights by seaplane from Loch Lomond to a variety of places. My sister flew to Jura and over the Corryvreckan whirlpool. She said it was absolutely brilliant and the scenery was spectacular. I think it took a couple of hours all in. Google Loch Lomond seaplanes for info.

Enjoy Glasgow - loads to do. Day trip to Edinburgh - loads to do. I'd leave the Highlands for another time.

BA are talking out their bums if they describe Glasgow and Edinburgh combined as a city break. There's more than enough to do to fill more than 3 days in either city. For example, you could split Glasgow into the city centre and inner East End, the West End and the Southside, and spend a day in each, and still not see everything in each area.

The Glasgow Central tour is superb and really gives you a sense of what Glasgow's all about, but it needs to be booked in advance.

I'd plan the days around the weather and what's on. Part of the fun is seeing a show at the Barrowlands, the Stand, King Tuts or the myriad of other venues in Glasgow.

I'd abandon the idea of going to the Highlands, unless you particularly enjoy sitting in your car or a train. However, there is a nice walk between Cardross and Balloch (Balloch is one of the main gateways to Loch Lomond); the start and end point can be reached on the suburban rail network and there are some excellent views, and scope to stop off in the West End for dinner on the way back.

If you post on the Scotsnet section explaining where you're staying, what sort of budget you're on and what you're interested in (eg walks, museums, music, shopping), you'll have a better chance of pinning things down.

Agree that a 3 day trip really isn’t sufficient for Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands. if you really want to get out of the city agree that Loch Lomond (or the Campsies) is your best bet.

www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/campsie-fells-p2564521

There’s plenty to do in Glasgow for a few days though!

Do you like art OP? If so The Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh is lovely