Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s most visited destinations, and for good reason. Its beauty is unparalleled. From towering mountains and cliffs, to white sands beaches and magical ‘fairy pools’, the island is perfect for anyone wanting a rest, reset, or even adventure filled few days.
If you are anything like me, however, and worried about not having enough time on the island to see everything, this article is here to help. Here is an ultimate 2-day Isle of Skye itinerary, complete with some of the most beautiful spots on the island, as well as unique hidden gems.
Table of Contents
Before getting into the itinerary itself, I wanted to share a couple tips that will be helpful for your trip, like how to get onto the island, where to stay, and transport options.
Want to take the hassle away? Why not book an Isle of Skye Tour
How to get to Isle of Skye
This guide will cover how to get to Isle of Skye from three of the most popular start destinations, Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Tip: if you are planning a trip to the Isle of Skye, I highly highly recommend renting a car. Doing this from your start destination, e.g. Edinburgh airport, is easiest and most convenient. It removes the hassle of trying to use unreliable and lengthy public transport links all the way to the island.
You can find and book rental cars through: DiscoverCars or RentalCars.com
From Inverness
The quickest way to get to Isle of Skye is via Inverness, however Inverness does not have an international airport, which means it may not be a feasible option for international travellers. Even as a local, I went the Glasgow route, rather than Inverness, so do not fret if this is not your planned route!
Option 1 (Drive): The easiest way to get from Inverness to the Isle of Skye is to drive. The drive is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours long. The first option google maps will usually recommend is driving via the via A890 and A87. I would recommend selecting the second option, via the A87 which passes right by the Loch Ness, making for perhaps a nicer drive (and only adding 10 minutes drive time). This route also passes by the famous Eilean Donan Castle, well worth a visit! Search for rental cars here.
Option 2 (Public Transport): As there is no railway on Skye, the best public transport route is to take a bus straight from Inverness to the island. A direct bus operated by CityLink runs from Inverness to the town of Portree on the island. If trains are preferred, a train could be taken to Kyle of Lochalsh and a bus onward to Portree from there. The best site to book trains is Trainline.
From Edinburgh
Fly into Edinburgh International Airport, check out flight options here.
Option 1 (Drive): The easiest way to get from Edinburgh (airport) to the Isle of Skye is to drive. The drive should take approximately 5-6 hours, and for the most part, follow major roads. The drive passes through Eilean Donan Castle (worth a visit) and you can also optionally adapt your route to go via Glencoe, Fort William and past the Glenfinnan Viaduct, were the ‘Harry Potter Train’ crosses (though the latter three will add some time). There is the option to cross via ferry from the mainland, but you can also just drive across the free bridge connecting Skye to Mainland Scotland. Search for rental cars here.
Option 2 (Public Transport): Getting to Skye will take almost a full-day via public transport. The cheapest option is to take a CityLink bus to Glasgow, and then another direct bus on from there to Portree. Alternatively, it is possible to get a Megabus bus to Inverness, and then a bus from there to Portree. If you would prefer trains, a train can be booked from Edinburgh to Inverness, and another train from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh. From Kyle, there is a bus onward to Portree. The best site to book trains is Trainline.
From Glasgow
Fly into Glasgow International Airport, check out flight options here.
Option 1 (Drive): The easiest way to get from Glasgow (airport) to the Isle of Skye is to drive. The drive should take approximately 5-6 hours, and for the most part, follow major roads. The drive passes through Glencoe, Fort William and Eilean Donan Castle, all worth stopping at. There is the option to cross via ferry from the mainland, but you can also just drive across the free bridge connecting Skye to Mainland Scotland. Search for rental cars here.
Option 2 (Public Transport): There is no real train route connecting Glasgow to Isle of Skye. If you do want to take a train, you have to go via Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and then take a bus from there (not recommended!). By bus, the full journey from Glasgow to Skye should take approximately 7 hours. Buses are operated by CityLink and in the summer months, there is a direct bus to Portree that runs more than once a day.
Where to Stay on the Island
Isle of Skye is not that small of an island, and therefore, choosing the location of your stay is almost as important as what hotel/property you stay at. When we visited, we stayed in one of the major towns – Portree. Portree is in the Central-North of the island, and is only 15 minutes from highlights like the Old Mann of Storr, though 45 minutes from other highlights like the Fairy Pools, Dunvegan Castle and Claigan Coral Beach. It is one of the most popular places to stay when visiting Isle of Skye. Note that wherever you choose to stay, expect a a bit of a drive from certain attractions.
In Portree
- Marmalade Hotel, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Skeabost House Hotel, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cuillin Hills Hotel, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
In the north (Trotternish)
- The Flodigarry Hotel, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
In the west (Edibane)
- Edinbane Lodge, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Transport and Driving on the Island
The island has local buses operated by Stagecoach that go from towns to main attractions and vice versa. There are also taxi’s available on the island. However, for complete freedom, consider renting a car and driving around.
If you are choosing to drive, note that most roads on Isle of Skye are single carriageways with cars allowed to go both ways (there are pass over stops often enough that this does not pose too much of an issue for confident drivers).
2-Day Isle of Skye Itinerary
And finally, let’s get into the itinerary. This 2-day Isle of Skye itinerary is created with the base of Portree, and assumes two FULL days on the island (three nights). Feel free to adjust it as needed for your trip!
Day 1: Old Mann of Storr and the Fairy Pools
Grab Breakfast at Mackenzie’s Bakery in Portree
Start the day with a rich breakfast that will keep you energised for the exciting day to come. If your hotel serves breakfast feel free to eat there. I personally opted to head to a local bakery in Portree – Mackenzie’s Bakery. Mackenzie’s Bakery serves a variety of hot drinks, as well as breads, sweet pastries, sausage rolls (they even have vegetarian sausage roll options*), and make custom sandwiches and salads, perfect for all tastes. We decided to take-away sandwiches and salads for lunch when we visited, which meant we could picnic at the top of the Old Mann of Storr and save time not scouting for places to eat (highly recommend).
*if you’re a vegetarian and visiting Skye, consider checking out my other blog post detailing the top places to eat on Skye as a vegetarian (coming soon).
Hike up the Old Mann of Storr
Drive (or take the bus) to the Old Mann of Storr. From Portree, this is a quick 15 minute trip. There is plently of parking at the foot of the Storr, and costs £5 for up to 6 hours, and £7 for up to 12 (as of April 20th 2025). Parking cannot be reserved but is easy to pay for using the ticket machines in the parking lot or via the Ringo app.
There are also clean public toilets in the car park to use before you begin your climb, and a visitor gift shop to buy souvenirs at after!
The Climb:
The Old Mann of Storr Hike is a level 2 rated hike, meaning it is between easy-moderate. The hike does have a bit of incline, so if uphill hiking is not what you enjoy, make sure to take this into consideration. What I would say though is the views make the hike SO WORTH IT. And as long as you have a decent fitness level (no pro-hiker level needed), you should be totally fine!
Tip: wear sturdy, comfortable shoes! this is not a hike that can be done in heels or sandals. I would recommend laced up hiking boots or walking shoes at the minimum.
The route itself is very well marked, and along proper (though rocky) paths, so don’t worry about getting lost. There will likely also be lots of other people doing the walk so from a safety perspective, this hike is very doable. Once you start the walk (which begins from a gate just at the top of the car park), you will see a sign with two two main routes you can take – one is slightly easier, and one slightly steeper. Opt for whichever you are more comfortable with. Both paths merge soon after, so either way, it is not a big deal.
As you continue along the path, make sure to look back as well as forward, as the views looking down are stunning! For a full Old Mann of Storr hike guide, including how to diverge from the crowd to access a unique viewpoint and see the rocks up close, consult this post! (coming soon).
Once you reach the top, stop and eat your well-deserved lunch, before beginning your descent back to the car park.
Visit the Fairy Pools
Once you’ve reached your car, take a scenic, relaxing, 45 minute drive to the Fairy Pools, one of the most popular places to visit on the Isle of Skye.
The Fairy Pools car park is a 15 minute walk from the attraction itself. This walk may look longer as the route is very hilly, but the views along the way are beautiful, and the walk is along wide, easy to cross paths, so it should not pose a challenge for most. It however, may not be suitable for prams or wheelchair users, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.
For the more adventurous, you can opt to taker a longer 8-mile hike around the area (this route will likely be less busy, though reviews of the route are mixed).
What are the Fairy Pools?
Pictures you may have seen online make the Fairy Pools seem like a huge lake with overflowing waterfalls. In reality, you may not realise you are walking right past them. The route from the car park to the Fairy Pools is along a river, which is in fact, the start of the fairy pools themselves! At approximately the 15-minute mark, the river widens and has deeper pools – these are the main Fairy Pools you see in the photos. You may have to climb down the rocks a little to get the classic view.
Tip: bring a towel! the water is sooo beautiful and if you end up wanting to go for an impromtu swim (or even dip your feet), you have something to dry off with after.
It is also important to note that the Fairy Pools will look different at different times of the year. They are very impacted by water levels. When we went, there had been minimal rain and so the Fairy Pools only had one of two waterfalls running rather than the plethora often seen in pictures. Despite this, I can without a doubt say they are worth a visit!
Finish with a delicious dinner
Finish the day with a delicious, hearty dinner. I recommend stopping at the Isle of Skye Candle Co for dinner on your way back to Portree. Not only do they have a lovely boutique shop for you to explore, but they serve the most delicious pizza’s – perfect after a long day out.
Recommendation: restaurants tend to close quite early in the Isle of Skye so if you are used to eating late, plan your day such that dinner is at 8pm latest.
Day 2: Neist Point, Dunvegan Castle, and Claigan Coral Beach
Head to Neist Point
After grabbing breakfast, start the day by heading to Neist Point, the most western point on the Isle of Skye. Neist Point is known for its stunning landscape, cascading cliffs, and the Neist Point lighthouse. It is a popular stop for landscape photographers, though also worth a trip for anyone who likes dramatic scenery or is interested in visiting one of the most famous lighthouses in Scotland.
From Portree, Neist Point approximately 1 hour away. There is parking near the cliffs and lighthouse, but parking can fill up, so you may need to street park slightly further back.
The walk from the car park is approximately 2km long, and treats you to beautiful views of the cliffs, sea, and eventually, the lighthouse itself. Though the path is well constructed, it can get steep at points.
Recommendation: do not attempt to visit Neist Point in stormy, windy or low visibility (highly foggy/misty) conditions. The walk around the area is along high cliffs and such conditions can can pose threats to life.
Note: when we went in April 2025, the road to drive to Neist Point car park was under construction and we had to park quite a distance away. The above information is thus predominantly based on research rather than experience. Consider referencing the Isle of Skye website to find detailed information about parking and the walk.
Stop at Cafe Lephin for Lunch
Stop at Café Lephin, a boutique family-friendly cafe just a couple miles inwards from Neist Point for a delicious lunch (and access to clean bathrooms). Café Lephin serves a variety of foods like soup, paninis and toasted bagels, as well as delicious coffees to accompany freshly baked and locally sources cakes. *I highly recommend their Cappuccino!*
Drive to Dunvegan Castle and Gardens
After lunch, head to Dunvegan Castle and Gardens. The Castle is considered to be one of the “greatest Hebridean castles” in Scotland, and has been home to the famed MacLeod clan for over 800 years. Did you know, it is still lived in by the 30th chief of the clan!
Dunvegan Castle is open every day from 1 April – 15 October from 10am – 5.30pm (with last entry at 5pm). There is free parking on site, and a cafe and bathrooms for visitors to use. Entry to the castle and gardens is paid but does not have to be pre-booked. It is currently priced at £17.00 for adults and £12.00 for children 5-15 years (as of 20th April 2025), though there are concession prices available and cheaper tickets if you do not want to enter the castle and just roam the gardens.
The Castle host a number of activities from guided and self-guided tours of the castle interior, to cruise and seal trips along the surrounding loch, and the opportunity to just enjoy the castle’s several acres of formal gardens. These are well worth a visit, offering opportunities to see shimmering pools with waterfalls, diverse flower gardens, and walks amongst woodlands and a beautiful walled garden.
Head to Claigan Coral Beach
For the final activity of the day, head to Claigan Coral Beach, Skye’s very own white sands beach with crystal clear (albeit cold) waters. The beach is the perfect example of a remote natural haven, and is perfect for a walk, swim in the spring/summer, or a picnic.
Tip: bring a towel! the water is sooo beautiful and if you end up wanting to go for an impromtu swim (or even dip your feet), you have something to dry off with after.
Finish with a delicious dinner
Finish the day with a delicious, hearty dinner. I recommend stopping at the Three Chimneys as the restaurant is on the West side of the island, minimising the need for extra driving. This is a Michelin star restaurant and does need pre-booking. The restaurant serves both 5 and 7 course meals, including full vegetarian menu options. See sample menus here. If you would prefer something more casual, consider heading back to Portree for a meal at Dulse and Brose or Chargrill, both restaurants in Perle Hotels properties. Portree also has local restaurants and eateries if preferred.
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