Unsure of what to do in Edinburgh or Glasgow? Check out peoplemakeglasgow.com and visitscotland.com.
You can find everything from distillery tours to most instagrammable spots, nice walks, tours, restaurant recommendations, etc.
Here's a great list of "must try" foods around Scotland.
The big debate: Spend time in Glasgow or Edinburgh?! Eh, both...here's a good blog post with good arguments.
Below are some great things to do in each city, and we recommend taking a sightseeing tour bus in both Glasgow and Edinburgh to get a lay of the land and see as much of the cities as possible if you don't have much time. Many companies will do hop on/hop off tours. We recommend City Sightseeing for Edinburgh and Glasgow. Bonus: it's usually only £1 extra for a 2-day ticket; which means you have your transit paid for for 2 days!
A lovely tea room in Edinburgh, near George Street
Graham's favorite restaurant in Edinburgh. Fantastic breakfasts.
Montreal style bagels in Scotland! Some call it one of the best bagels in the UK (low bar, but still), and they come highly recommended. There are a few locations around Edinburgh, for those who want carby goodness in the capital.
Cafe and popular brunch spot in the lovely area of Stockbridge. Good selection of cakes, all manner of coffee and wonderful avocado on toast. They have a children’s area as well.
A friendly cafe with excellent brunch, lunch, coffee and the best brownie in Scotland.
Thai street food in Scotland! There are two locations, and the one on Lothian road is close to town and a lot of pubs.
One of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks, the Dome is an upscale restaurant and bar and was first built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland.
Edinburgh Castle is one of the coolest places to visit in the city! It's impossible to miss, as it sits on a huge hill in the center of town. You can walk around it at your own pace, or go on one of their tours. Tickets can be bought online or at the gate.
This palace is the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh. Tickets can be bought online.
Arthur's Seat is an ancient volcano that sits in the middle of Holyrood Park. You can hike (it's all well-paved) up to the top of it for an excellent view of Edinburgh.
Camera Obscura is an attraction in the heart of the city that's full of optical illusions and hands-on exhibits.
The Edinburgh Dungeon is an underground attraction full of spooky horror-themed attractions and rides.
The Botanic Gardens are great to walk through to see all sorts of plants and flowers, especially in the summer. Admission is free except for entry to certain greenhouses.
The National Museum is full of both historical and scientific exhibits. It's also home to the taxidermied Dolly the Sheep--the first sheep ever cloned! Admission is free.
Like many places in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots stayed here once! Located underneath buildings in Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the close has great guided tours and history to discover.
The National Gallery houses wonderful paintings and sculptures. Admission is free.
Fancy cocktails and great afternoon tea spot
A great Thai Restaurant in an epic building.
Located just off Buchanan street opposite the church. Formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, set over four floors the restaurant impressively blends contemporary Thai design with the characterful heritage surrounds.
Great Indian restaurant with 3 Glasgow locations.
Delicious and quirky restaurant. Good gastropub and great environment.
Best Vietnamese food in Glasgow (maybe all of Scotland?) Plus Graham once sat next to Sam Heughan here.
The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral. Some of the most amazing views of the city!
Pro tip: go at sunset
Gorgeous campus -- so many places worth getting photos of. Fun fact: Scenes from Outlander and Harry Potter were shot here.
Kelvingrove has 22 galleries, housing a range of exhibits, including Renaissance art, taxidermy, and artifacts from ancient Egypt.
It's also on the edge of Kelvingrove Park, a lovely city park to walk around in!
The Gallery of Modern Art is the main gallery of contemporary art in Glasgow, Scotland. GoMA displays work by local and international artists as well as addressing contemporary social issues through its major biannual projects
Great museum on the bank of the Clyde River. Houses train cars, motorcycles and cars--naturally, it's one of Graham's favorite Glasgow museums!