More Scotland help please

[FastHands]

Thanks to those who gave me suggestions on international travel in general and a bettwr idea of what to expect from a train ride between Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have had some fun updates to my plans and could use thoughts from ppl familiar with both cities. I will be solo traveling if that makes a difference to anything, but I'm comfortable in cities and public transportation in major US cities. I'll try to be brief but I suck at it.

Ok, so I arrive in Glasgow airport mid-day on a Saturday. I have a hotel reservation currently in Glasgow Sat through the following Sunday when I fly home, but this can be changed.
Non-negotiable:
-flights into/out of GLA and travel dates are firm
- I must be in Glasgow Wed-Sat
- I must be working Mon-Wed during normal hours so no tours or trains mid-day, but absolutely open to late tours/trains

Questions!: What would you to make the most of this time??? What are your must-dos in Glasgow or Edinburgh? Do you have recs for good tours out of either city that I could take on the Sunday the day aftwr I arrive?

My hunch is Edinburgh will be more worth devoting the weekend (day and a half) when I arrive.. Thinking it through:
Sat: hop immediately on a train from the airport and go to Edinburgh.. wander there Sat/see the castle...
Sun: take a highlands tour?
Mon: explore after work some more? Take the train back to Glasgow Mon night...
Tues: explore Glasgow after work
Wed-Fri fairly booked with events
Sat: explore Glasgow more (see the cows at the park!)
Sun: home

What would you do differently?? The extra time is unexpected and I feel unprepared. I usually plan trips for MONTHS and that's little domestic trips. Halp.

ETA: I don't particularly care about Nessie or Outlander. Enjoy HP but wouldn't want HP- themed tour at the expense of amazing scenery or cool history/castles/ruins.

[mrsukyankee]

I think more than a day, especially as you'll be tired from flying is appropriate for Edinburgh. I've spent quite a bit of time there and it's lovely. I wouldn't do anything other than Edinburgh and Glasgow with your timings. I'd get a hotel for Edinburgh for Sat and Sun night (if you are up for an early Mon train - if not, just do one night and train it later in the evening), so you can really explore the city. It's super cool. You can then spend the rest of your free time checking out Glasgow. I've never done tours in either city but I'd look at Viator for either a food tour (which would be fun) or a historical walking tour on the Saturday evening or Sunday day.

[joy]

You can take a train from Edinburgh up to Inverness in the highlands. It’s about three hours so plan to stay overnight up there.

We’re going to the Highlands this summer. It looks amazing.

[gardengal]

If you want a taste of the Highlands in Edinburgh, walk up Arthur’s Seat. It’s a similar rugged beauty we experienced in Glen Coe but smaller & very accessible.

I’ve not been to Glasgow but check to see if there’s maybe after work pub crawl tours or whatever

[womet]

When we went to Edinburgh in March, I was also going for work so we had limited full days to explore. But we did take this bus tour of the highlands and Loch Ness which was absolutely fantastic: www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g186525-d11478487-Loch_Ness_Scottish_Highlands_Glencoe_and_Pitlochry_Tour-Edinburgh_Scotland.html. It was a long day (8am-8pm), so you would definitely want to be in Edinburgh already.

But if I were to just spend that Sat afternoon and Sunday in Edinburgh, I would see the Edinburgh castle, walk the Royal Mile, do the Real Mary's Close tour, a Scotch Whiskey tasting tour, perhaps check out the Grassmarket and Dean Village areas too. And since you'll be there on a Sunday, I'd be sure to have a nice Sunday roast dinner.

[FastHands]

Thanks for these!
Yeah I'm torn on that Sunday... I have never left the country and feel like I want to squeeze every last minute out and see the highlands, lol, but I know I'll be tired after international travel..

One plus is that I should have minimal jet lag. Due to some work stuff, I'll have to start operating on EU time the week before I leave. Travel in and of itself can be exhausting though, of course!

[rubytue]

I forgot when you were going, but I just wanted to add that I was surprised at how light it stayed late when we were in Ireland in September. So, your evenings could end up with much more sightseeing than one might think for an evening.

[gardengal]

May 8, 2024 9:05:29 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Thanks for these!
Yeah I'm torn on that Sunday... I have never left the country and feel like I want to squeeze every last minute out and see the highlands, lol, but I know I'll be tired after international travel..

One plus is that I should have minimal jet lag. Due to some work stuff, I'll have to start operating on EU time the week before I leave. Travel in and of itself can be exhausting though, of course!

You could consider visiting Sterling on Saturday or Sunday. There's a castle (the castle from Braveheart!) and a small city. Or maybe see if there's a tour from Glasgow or a town you can train to of places in Trossach National Park? It's just about an hour train ride from Glasgow & it's kind of the very beginning of the Highlands. You get Lowland features but also some of the more rugged features of the Highlands. And very close to Glasgow! www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/plan-your-visit/getting-to-the-park/

I do deeply understand wanting to see! all! the! things! But after trips like that I feel like I can only remember via pictures because I was so focused on the next thing I wasn't present in the...present. ;P There's LOADS of different stuff to see within an hour or so of Glasgow. I don't even love cities & Edinburgh fully captivated me for 4 days & I hope to some day go back! It's got a well preserved medieval portion & a newer, Regency-ish portion. Walks, museums, great food (try the haggis...even just vegetarian haggis if you're wary!), castles, shops, etc.

[luckystar2]

May 8, 2024 9:34:09 GMT -5 gardengal said:

May 8, 2024 9:05:29 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Thanks for these!
Yeah I'm torn on that Sunday... I have never left the country and feel like I want to squeeze every last minute out and see the highlands, lol, but I know I'll be tired after international travel..

One plus is that I should have minimal jet lag. Due to some work stuff, I'll have to start operating on EU time the week before I leave. Travel in and of itself can be exhausting though, of course!

You could consider visiting Sterling on Saturday or Sunday. There's a castle (the castle from Braveheart!) and a small city. Or maybe see if there's a tour from Glasgow or a town you can train to of places in Trossach National Park? It's just about an hour train ride from Glasgow & it's kind of the very beginning of the Highlands. You get Lowland features but also some of the more rugged features of the Highlands. And very close to Glasgow! www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/plan-your-visit/getting-to-the-park/

.

I went when I was 12 and we stayed in Stirling. I really liked the Stirling castle. There is also a William Wallace monument near there as well.

I don’t remember a ton from our trip but I remember my favorite castle was Linlithgow palace. It looks like 15 miles from Edinburgh. We went to a TON of castles and that one was definitely my favorite.

My other biggest memory was going to Loch Ness but if that’s not your thing then definitely not worth the trip.

[FastHands]

May 8, 2024 9:30:22 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I forgot when you were going, but I just wanted to add that I was surprised at how light it stayed late when we were in Ireland in September. So, your evenings could end up with much more sightseeing than one might think for an evening.

It's next month and yes someone mentioned that and I am ecstatic!

[dutchgirl678]

Since you have such limited time, I would just spend the time in Edinburgh. Like someone else said, you can hike up to Arthur's seat and you truly feel like you are outside of the city. Or you can go to Calton Hill and get a wonderful view of the city from there. The castle and Royal Mile are great as is the National Museum of Scotland. I hiked up the Scott Monument and went to the Botanical Gardens one time I was in Edinburgh.

[mrsslocombe]

I understand the impulse to want to see as much as possible, but I'd remain in Edinburgh. If you want a little excursion, you can take a city bus to Rosslyn Chapel www.rosslynchapel.com/#:~:text=Situated%20just%207%20miles%20south,is%20open%20throughout%20the%20year.

I'm not someone who loves touring churches but this one is wild.

The Royal Mile is great of course, but I love love love exploring New Town. It's just so beautiful to wander around, I'd join a walking tour so you can get all the details about the architecture.

[FastHands]

May 9, 2024 10:05:22 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

I understand the impulse to want to see as much as possible, but I'd remain in Edinburgh. If you want a little excursion, you can take a city bus to Rosslyn Chapel www.rosslynchapel.com/#:~:text=Situated%20just%207%20miles%20south,is%20open%20throughout%20the%20year.

I'm not someone who loves touring churches but this one is wild.

The Royal Mile is great of course, but I love love love exploring New Town. It's just so beautiful to wander around, I'd join a walking tour so you can get all the details about the architecture.

Any walking tours/companies you would recommend?

[mrsukyankee]

May 11, 2024 18:19:31 GMT -5 FastHands said:

May 9, 2024 10:05:22 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

I understand the impulse to want to see as much as possible, but I'd remain in Edinburgh. If you want a little excursion, you can take a city bus to Rosslyn Chapel www.rosslynchapel.com/#:~:text=Situated%20just%207%20miles%20south,is%20open%20throughout%20the%20year.

I'm not someone who loves touring churches but this one is wild.

The Royal Mile is great of course, but I love love love exploring New Town. It's just so beautiful to wander around, I'd join a walking tour so you can get all the details about the architecture.

Any walking tours/companies you would recommend?

Just had a friend come back and rave about this tour group: littlefishtours.co.uk/

[FastHands]

May 12, 2024 8:16:33 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

May 11, 2024 18:19:31 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Any walking tours/companies you would recommend?

Just had a friend come back and rave about this tour group: littlefishtours.co.uk/

These look great -- thanks!