Hi,
My husband and I are looking at our first trip to Scotland from Paris. We have a couple of restrictions and a couple of preferences but are pretty much clueless about the rest of it.
Within Scotland, we need to do it by public transport/walking only. On a budget ![]()
To explain the kind of holidays I am into - Not so much into monuments and history. More like a star gazer. Beach walker. Walking-into-sunsets holding-hands kinds.
And we would have about 5 days.
What do you suggest? Any two places connected to each other and easy to get to from Paris would be a good first trip I think. We will come back for more when we can ![]()
Please help. The trip is for May.
First visit to Scotland
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 Heathrow - Getting to Terminal 5 from Terminal 3?
- 2 French nationality
- 3 Uffizi Academia Lines Ticket Pickup Official Vs Re-Seller Recommendations
- 4
Trulli Foodie Puglia-two weeks to eat through!!!
- 5 las alpurrajas/orgiva or antequera area - longer stay?
- 6 Should I get a Visa?
- 7 Pay for 3 yr. old at Colosseum?
- 8 What kind of cheese should we eat in Venice?
- 9 Istanbul-Last minute trip; Help! ...need a crash course
- 10
Treacle Down Effect
- 11 Olympic Effect
- 12 Tour around England & accommodation for 12 days
- 13 Portugal Roadtrip Lisbon-Porto-Spain
- 14
Five Polish Towns Plus Frankfurt - September, 2011 - A Trip Report
- 15 Hotel in London
- 16 2 weeks in Spain
- 17
Gertie in Eastern Europe
- 18 Traveling via: Ryanair from Spain to Bilbao
- 19 foie gras d'oie - not canard
- 20 travel help
- 21 Anti Theft Bags
- 22 Be aware of new credit cards required in Amsterdam!
- 23 Spending 2 weeks in Europe : suggestions?
- 24 3 full days in Zermatt / Suggestion for easy hikes
- 25 1 week in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm

Comments have been removed by Fodor's moderators
Take the West Highland Railway from Glasgow to Mallaig through stupendous scenery. Spend the night in a B&B in Mallaig, then take the ferry to Skye. Take a bus to Portree for two nights, exploring the island. Take the bus to Kyle of Lockalsh and the train from there to Inverness or on to Aberdeen for the night (I think Aberdeen is better). Last day, go on to Edinburgh by train. Plenty of things to discover on foot at each of these places, and unbelievable scenery.
have NO idea what qwo is on about . . .
Ackislander has given you a good framework. Skye would tick your boxes about star gazing, walking, hand holding.
I'm not entirely sure I'd bother with Inverness or Aberdeen though. Either would be a good base for seeing something else, but exploring Skye by public transport is slower/less efficient than doing it by car.
Even if you aren't into history and the like, I might stay one night in Edinburgh. It is a beautiful/fascinating city. Maybe your last day/night before flying back to Paris.
What I'd do is fly into either GLA or EDI early in the AM. Transfer to the city center to catch the train to Mallaig and onto Skye. Spend the 4-ish days on Skye, then early morning bus to Kyle of Lochalsh for a train through Inverness to Edinburgh (to give you different views than the train over).
1/2 a day and the next morning in Edinburgh, fly home.