10-day Scotland tour: Highlands, Glencoe and Outlander

Upon arrival in Edinburgh, immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Scottish capital, with its cobbled streets, medieval buildings, and panoramic city views. This 10-day tour of Scotland will then take you from the Highlands to Loch Ness, from Glencoe to Stirling, following in the footsteps of the Outlander universe.

• A first stroll in the Old Town and on the Royal Mile.
• Optional: a private guided tour in French of hidden Edinburgh, between crimes, ghosts and legends.

Overnight in Edinburgh.

A full day to discover Edinburgh on foot, from sunrise to the evening pub.

• The rise of’Arthur's Seat, ancient volcano in the heart of Holyrood Park (1.5 to 2 hours).
• Le Holyrood Palace, then the walk up the Royal Mile to the St. Giles' Cathedral.
• Le Edinburgh Castle, perched on its volcanic rock.
• The old town walls, the Writers' Museum, Victoria Street and Grassmarket.
• At the end of the day, Princes Street Gardens, the Scott Monument and, if the energy is there, Calton Hill illuminated.

Overnight in Edinburgh.

Pick up your rental car (SUV with automatic transmission) and head north.

• South Queensferry and the three bridges over the Firth of Forth, including the UNESCO-listed Forth Bridge.
• Dark, its stone bridge and its ruined cathedral.
• The Hermitage and the Black Linn Falls, amidst the Douglas firs.
• Pitlochry, small Victorian town: High Street, bookshop in the old station, salmon ladder and Loch Faskally.

Night in a guest house in Pitlochry.

Head to Cairngorms National Park, with several possible stops depending on your preferences.

• Blair Castle, residence of the Dukes of Atholl for over seven centuries.
• The Dalwhinnie Distillery, the highest in Scotland (tasting optional).
• Le Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore, setting for a Highland village in season 1 of Outlander.
• Around Aviemore: Loch an Eilein, Rothiemurchus Forest and Loch Morlich beach.

Night in a guest house in Aviemore.

A day immersed in Scottish history and the Outlander saga.

• Culloden Battlefield, scene of the last Jacobite battle in 1746 and key location in the destiny of Jamie and Claire Fraser.
• Clava Cairns, stone circles over 4,000 years old.
• Inverness : its castle, St Andrew's Cathedral, the Victorian Market and the trip to the Ness Islands.

Night in a Bed & Breakfast in Inverness.

A superb route through the Highlands, from Inverness to Onich, at the gates of Glencoe.

• Le Loch Ness and the ruins of’Urquhart Castle (2-hour cruise optional).
• Fort Augustus and the locks of the Caledonian Canal.
• Le Commando Memorial from Spean Bridge, facing Ben Nevis.
• Fort William, then the shores of Loch Linnhe as far as Onich.

Night in a guesthouse in Onich.

A full day in one of Scotland's most spectacular valleys, marked by the massacre of the MacDonald clan in 1692.

• The valley road and the viewpoints overlooking the Three Sisters.
• A hike towards the Lost Valley or a gentler stroll around Glencoe Lochan.
• Le Glencoe Visitor Centre, then the Buachaille Etive Mòr, made famous by the film Skyfall.
• The wild little road of Glen Etive and the Meeting of Three Waters waterfall.

Night in Onich.

The landscapes of the Highlands gradually give way to the gentler terrain of central Scotland.

• Doune Castle, the Castle Leoch of the MacKenzie clan in Outlander.
• Stirling Castle, former royal residence and childhood home of Mary Stuart (optional ticket).
• The old town of Stirling and the National Wallace Monument.

Night in a Bed & Breakfast in Stirling.

One last road trip full of discoveries before returning to the capital.

• The Kelpies, two steel horse heads near Falkirk.
• Blackness Castle, the "ship that never sailed", which plays the role of Fort William in the series.
• Midhope Castle, the famous Lallybroch, home of Jamie Fraser.
• One last evening in Edinburgh's Old Town.

Overnight in Edinburgh.

Depending on your flight schedule, enjoy one last stroll in Edinburgh before heading home, your head full of memories and the desire to return to explore other secret corners of Scotland.