Charming Edinburgh Day Trips
The only reason to leave the capital...
If you are in Edinburgh for the Fringe or planning a trip to Scotland’s capital soon, I hope you find the 12th edition of the Hiya Scotland newsletter helpful.
Before we dive in, I published this nifty quick glance Edinburgh video last week; it is the first in my Hiya Scotland Wee Guide series.
If you are on Instagram, you can save it for later by clicking the ribbon/envelope symbol at the bottom right-hand side of the reel—this is a great tool for planning.
Also, it’s a glorious 21°C/70°F today, but it might rain now!
Edinburgh Day Trips
I’ve highlighted three popular options that can be reached by car or public transport.
South Queensferry
Wander along the cute high street shops, dine at a scenic restaurant by the Forth Bridges, or cruise to Inchcolm Island.
Public transport: 32 minutes by bus.
St Andrews
The home of golf in Scotland is also a popular day trip location for those who don't want to tee off!
You can visit the Cathedral ruins, walk down to the beach, buy souvenirs at the independent shops, and enjoy Jannetta's ice cream.
Public transport: It is easier to make this trip by car, as it takes two hours by bus or one hour and thirty minutes by train to Leuchars and then by bus to St Andrews.
Stirling
Moving away from the coast, you can visit the historically significant city of Stirling, take a Stirling Castle tour, visit the Battle of Bannockburn, and learn about William Wallace.
Public transport: Less than one hour by train.
For more Edinburgh day trip ideas, read my detailed travel guides:
Day Tours in the Highlands
If you don’t mind a 12-hour day, you can take a bus tour from Edinburgh to the Scottish Highlands.
I’ve personally done this Loch Ness tour*, which stops in Callender, Glen Coe, Fort Augustus (Loch Ness), Spean Bridge, and Pitlochry (Perthshire).
You can also do a Loch Ness cruise, which I highly recommend. There’s even a bar on board; welcome to Scotland!
*This is an affiliate link; if you reserve a seat using this URL, I will receive a small commission—a common way for bloggers like me to earn an income for their free services.
As always, I’m happy to answer any questions.
Cheers!
Gemma from Hiya Scotland
Hi, Please do a post on how it works if you want to see castles and ruins. The National trust membership or the Historic Scotland pass. I noticed it somewhere but not sure how it all works.
Would be much appreciated, Thanks