Help planning Scotland trip

[blisstwins]

Hi All,
I am going to Scotland for the first time later this month and am extremely excited.
We will be in Edinburgh for 5 nights, then Inverness, and then Glasgow.

I am interested in any suggestions for unique restaurants, shops, things only locals might be able to recommend. I am a vegetarian but my travel companion is not. We are interested in high end and budget recommendations, just things that are wonderful. We are both so excited about the visit.

Any day trips or planning suggestions would also be appreciated. We have some hotels booked, but would also appreciate any suggestions if there are places you have stayed and recommend.

Thanks in advance!

Edinburgh is wonderful. I used to live there. Best city in UK by miles. Just wandering round is great in itself. St Mary's Close is a great tour and I loved Fishers in the City restaurant but it's fish, so it's not the best veggie recommendation!

I was in Edi the weekend before last to visit dd who is a student there. My favourite places are:

• Ma Roberts for lunch, it's tiny about three tables inside, Tanzanian food, vegetarian options, she's also at the Stockbridge farmers market. Skye who runs the service is an absolute joy. If only I could recreate her peanut butter supergreens, I've tried
• Baba for dinner, George Street, levantine inspired food, smallish plates, I could just order all the meze
• We went for the first time to Mara's Picklery (Bruntsfield?) and loved it, tiny, needs booking, loads of people came in hoping for a table and had to be turned away. I've made Chai pickled grapes since but they are still steeping, I hope they'll be even half as good as Mara's
• I absolutely love 12 Triangles bakery, there are several. I always buy a Miche loaf to take home, love their pastries and their hot cross buns are fantastic, one of their bakeries does lunch too
• Basement Gelato (round the corner from Princess Street) and Joelatos (Stockbridge) have really interesting icecream flavours. I had walnut &stracciatella at Joelatos and brown butter at Basement Gelato, so good, dd had espresso&caramelised white chocolate and strawberry&pink peppercorn and lover hers too.
• Then there is Lannan bakery (Stockbridge) which won awards but you need to queue before they open at 8 am.

I live in Edinburgh- some of my favourite places are:
David Bann (St Mary’s Street) and Henderson’s (Barclay Place) are great if you want a sit down veggie meal. I’m not veggie but really like both.
I’ve also heard Kalpna on Nicholson Street and Paradise Palms on Lothian Street are nice, but haven’t been.
Mary King’s Close is really interesting, if you want to go out of the city the Inchcolm ferry at Queensferry is lovely, and you can get the bus to North Berwick. If you have a car, St Abbs, Coldingham and Eyemouth are beautiful, but about an hours drive away.
Hey Palu, Lady Libertine and Bon Vivant are my favourites for cocktails.
There is a lovely walk from Lothian Road, down past St Mary’s Episcopalian cathedral, down through Dean Village past the modern art gallery buildings, and along the Water Of Leith towards Stockbridge, where you can visit lots of lovely wee shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. I recommend The Speakeasy at St Bernard’s Bar, Lannan if you get there early and can stand the queue, and the Farmers Market on Saturdays.
Lots of good gelato as mentioned above, I also like Moopie (massive hot chocolates) and Mary’s Milk Bar.

Thank you for this. We are so so excited. We have booked 5 nights so I think we will have time to wander and soak in the atmosphere. My friend eats fish and we will split up sometimes too. I appreciate the recommendations.

This is so specific and awesome. Thank you! Cutting and pasting it into our travel document.

Also great and going in the document! Thank you so much!

We will be in Edinburgh on Easter. Any special advice of restaurant recommendations for that special day?

Also, we are Americans and I am so afraid of driving on the wrong side of the road. We are going to Inverness and I have booked a tour of Isle of Skye, but the tours look long and kind of awful. I am thinking of renting a car to go to Isle of Skye and the areas around, but I keep thinking of how Matthew Broderick killed someone. I sound like an idiot I know, but if you have experience driving in the US and that is not your norm what do you think? Any other recommendations for handling this part of the trip?

Just remember to keep the white line in the middle of the road on your right!
take it slow, and you’ll be fine, you’ll soon get used to it - then have to remember to drive the other side when you get home!

Edinburgh

Try Nadair on roseneath street for a special meal - it’s table d’hote but they do accommodate mixed veggie, meaty tables (give them notice).

when you (inevitably) take a wander down the royal mile, take a wee detour off to dunbars close (off the cannongate) and look out for the sanctuary stones on the palace side of the roundabout at the bottom.

Arthur’s seat is a great walk but it’s really busy with tourists so maybe try Craiglockhart hill or blackford hill for good views without the crowds (27/10/45 buses from town centre for Craiglockhart - 24/9 or a nice walk through the meadows, past the previously mentioned pickelery for blackford).

The three graces (canova) were in town the last time I was in the National gallery. It’s a great gallery (bottom of the mound), free in so you can nip in and out but please consider leaving a donation.

go for a wander down leith walk (you’re not in Kansas any more), and stop in at tepuy on Albert street for a great coffee and browse in the great independent shops on the walk. Lots of good restaurants down that way, too.

Driving in the highlands is nothing like driving in America! There won’t even be a white line up the middle of the road in some places if you’re on single track roads. If you haven’t booked accommodation on Skye then you’ll struggle to find any at this late stage. You’d also need to make sure you book an automatic car unless you can drive manual (shift)

Canadian here, lived in UK for 15 years: don’t do it. After all this time I STILL have to consciously think “which side of the road I should be on”. Do you know what to do at intersections with no signs? Just unfamiliar lines painted on the asphalt? What do you do when you get to a roundabout? Who has the right of way and when? Your brain will automatically send you to the wrong side of the road, regardless of which side the white line or steering wheel. You’ve been driving on the right for years. The roads in Skye are winding and narrow and unfamiliar. Right side of the road drivers, on unfamiliar winding narrow roads, driving on the left side of the road = an accident waiting to happen. Look for well rated tours and be safe.

I tend to agree. I’m an American in the UK and I drive here after 8 years living here — it’s become second nature to me, but we are going to France next month and my Scottish husband is doing the driving as I’m too nervous trying to switch back to driving on the right!

Conversely I have a cousin who drives a lot and used to live in the UK — when she visits here, she does drive, but she’s totally comfortable with it. I think if you’re really hesitant, it’s probably not a great idea. I also agree that driving in the Highlands and Islands is totally different from driving elsewhere in the UK.

The Isle of Skye is one of the most spectacular places on earth. Lucky, lucky you! Enjoy every second. Hope you drive through Glencoe on the way!

I draw an X on the back of my (right) hand when driving in Europe. I find it’s things like checking my mirrors, looking over the ‘wrong’ shoulder and being careful when you turn that need most attention. Don’t drive tired. Would u both be driving? Rural roads are beautiful but very tiring. You’ll need many more breaks than u think. And yes check u can hire an automatic!

Glasgow suggestions:

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in Glasgow
Riverside Museum (transport museum)
Mother India’s Cafe for small plates - lots of delicious veggie, fish and meat options. Best curry around.
Barras Market at the weekend - curios, street food and good vibes.
Burrell Collection and Pollok Park - lovely walks and highland cattle

And look up the etiquette for single roads with passing places - use the passing places to give way to cars from behind as well as in front etc.

driving at night is harder than day when you’re on the wrong side so consider when to start and end journeys.

For inverness. Johnny foxes is good also coyotes burger.
Johnny foxes has music or a band on most nights. And the foods good.
There's eden court too does shows ect might be worth a look

I learned to drive on the right side (continental Europe) then lived in a leftside driving country for a few years, then the US for 2.5 and now in Scotland. I can pretty much switch instantly if I need to but you need to remember that the roads are windy and narrow and with Easter the roads will be very busy. I live on the West coast in a touristy place and this weekend we will start to see a massive increase in tourists like every year when the April holidays start. Also, if you do rent a car, you need to be confident in backing into passing places when on a single track road. I've seen so many tourists struggle with that.

We are going to Inverness and I have booked a tour of Isle of Skye, but the tours look long and kind of awful.

It’s much nicer to drive yourself because you can take your time and stop when you feel like it. Be prepared for a long drive though, 100 miles on small Scottish country roads is nothing like driving 100 miles in the States. It will take you longer and need more of your attention, the drive to Skye is stunning - it’s one of my favourite places - but you’ll find sheep and goats on the road so keep your speed down and pay attention.

Your trip sounds amazing.

I would agree with Baba. Fabulous food. The original Vegetarian restaurant was Henderson and served amazing food, but I'm not sure if it's still open. Glasgow has loads of lovely restaurants, Inverness I'm not sure about.
Just a wee reminder, it will take you a lot longer to get places, particularly further north and in Skye. If you are driving from Edinburgh to Inverness, Pitlochry is a lovely wee town, well geared for tourists and with a lovely theatre, currently being run by Alan Cumming.
Whatever you do, have a lovely time

In Glasgow I’d highly recommend Roya which is opposite Kings Theatre, really lovely Middle Eastern food.

I’ve travelled all over Scotland.

there will be lots of locals to give you tips on Edinburgh & Glasgow .
But I’d say skip Inverness. There is so much to Scotland and nothing special there. If it’s because you want to see loch ness you can do that via a short diversion off the a82/a87 at Fort Augustus rather than the bland city.

you’d be much better spending your time on the scenic route from glasgow to Skye and back. The view is very different in both directions so it isn’t like going back on yourself. Plus you can divert back via more islands.

on the way up you pass Loch Lomond (can get a boat to an island). Luss & Firkin Point are nice. Then Glencoe then Ben Nevis. (Skip fort William.)
Plockton, just before the Skye bridge is well worth a slight detour to get lunch on the shore and go out to the island when the tide is low.

from Skye (mostly single track roads so no wrong side to be on!) get the Uig ferry to Harris. Best beaches in the world!

on the way back south get the sleet ferry to Mallaig then take the a828 route to Oban. From there you can do lots of day trips to other islands.

keep going south to the mull of Kintyre and take the cloanaig ferry to Lochranza in Arran then the Brodick ferry to Troon, do the sandy beach then back to glasgow.

this is the best of Scotland in the shortest time.

I'm in the NE of Scotland and always take visitors to Inverness (museum and relaxed walk along the river), Culloden visitor centre (360º immersive battle experience), Fort George and Clava Cairns. It's completely different from the Glasgow/Edinburgh experience.

on the way back south get the sleet ferry to Mallaig then take the a828 route to Oban. From there you can do lots of day trips to other islands.

If you do this, let me know and I can help you with your planning for Oban and the surrounding area.