Itinerary Question

JayTilley

My wife & I are planning a May trip to Scotland and are looking for a little itinerary advice.   We plan to travel to Edinburgh, Dundee, Inverness, Portree, Oban, and back to Edinburgh.  The plan is to stay 3 nights in Edinburgh and 2 nights in each of the other cities.    In place of Dundee, we are considering Perth or Aberdeen as possibilities.  A similar consideration is being given to Nairn over Inverness.  No real reason for the alternate cities other than they look like great places but we are trying to get to see the most sites in a region based on our overnight locations.

VisitScotlandLindsay

Dundee has a lot on offer and you could probably spend 2 days here. We have the Mcmanus Art Gallery and Museum, free of charge museum but so much to see inside with Dundee History, Scottish History, Natural History etc and a traditional Art Gallery. We also have the V&A museum, free as well but they will have the Mary Quant exhibition in May which is a paid exhibit. We have the RRS Discovery, Captain Scott's ship, which was built in Dundee in 1901 and went to the Antarctic. This museum can take up to 2 hours to fully appreciate. They do a joint ticket with the Verdant Works, which is an old Jute Mill. Dundee had over 100 of these mills producing Jute so this tells you the whole story. The joint ticket saves you a little bit of money and you don't have to visit them on the same day. There is also the HM Frigate Unicorn, an old battle ship dating back to 1824, one of the oldest in the world still in water. Dundee also has small Transport Museum as well as Botanic Gardens. There is also Dundee Law which you can either walk up or drive right to the top and get 360 degree views of the whole city and surrounding areas. Glamis Castle is only 30 minutes away from the city.
Perth has a few smaller attractions as well as Scone Palace, but still definitely worth a visit. Some people base themselves in Dundee and travel to Perth or you could spend 1 night in Perth and 1 in Dundee?
Is their anything specific you really want to see whilst in Scotland? As that may help with where you spend the majority of your time.

FullStopNextChapter

Hi @JayTilley

Perth is a brilliant place to base yourself for a couple of days. A small city that doesn't feel claustrophobic and has a nice relaxed vibe to it. With plenty of places to eat too. 

Take a stroll alongside the river and onto the North Inch (public open space). Visit the Black Watch Museum at Balhousie Castle or check out the museum and art gallery (free entry) and learn about the local history and wildlife. 

The city also boasts two theatres where there is always something on (music, plays or talks). 

On the outskirts of the city there is Elcho Castle, with it's stunning views of the river Tay. 

On the first weekend of each month there is the local farmer's market too - a brilliant way to get to know a place! 

You can have a scone at Scone (pronounced Skoon) after visiting the palace and it's gardens. Famous for the Stone of Destiny and where Robert the Bruce was crowned. 

To get the train into Dundee doesn't cost much either (about £8 return), compared to some of the parking fees if you were to drive in and spend the day. The train station is right next to the V&A, Discovery etc. 

One of the city's best view points is Kinnoull Hill. Home to deer, red squirrels and at certain times of the year, peregrines. On a clear day you can see across to the Cairngorms and in to Fife, with very little effort (no munro bagging required). 

Another good walk is Moncreiffe Hill (directly opposite Kinnoull). Again on a clear day the views are excellent out to the Tay bridge and into Fife. 

If you fancied trying stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking etc then the outdoor centre at Willowgate is a brilliant place to try something new. 

The iCentre staff in Perth are all really lovely too. 

If you need to know anything else about Perth I will be happy to help as I live close by.