Suggested Itineraries

For visitors to Europe, one of the great pleasures is getting "lost" in the Highlands and islands of Scotland: wandering about at random, making new discoveries off the beaten path, and finding charming towns and Brigadoon-like villages such as Pittenweem or Crail. Unfortunately, few of us have unlimited time. That's why you may find "Scotland in 1 Week" or "Scotland in 2 Weeks" helpful for skimming the highlights. If you've been to Scotland before and explored the well-trodden meccas of Glasgow and Edinburgh, you may want to visit a different area of the country this time.

If you stick to the main highways, you'll find that Scotland has some of the best-maintained roads in Europe. But when you wander off the beaten track, you may have to open and shut a fence to keep the sheep from wandering astray.

The itineraries that follow take you to some major attractions, such as Edinburgh, but also direct you to more secluded spots, such as the Trossachs. The pace may be a bit breathless for some visitors, so skip a town or sight occasionally to have some downtime -- after all, you're on vacation. Note: Each itinerary requires the use of a car.