We are planning an 11- or 12-day trip to Scotland this May and initially were thinking we would spend about 5 days in Edinburgh followed by a few days in Inverness and then a few days in Glasgow. (The flights from Inverness to DC weren't good timing, otherwise we would have ended the trip in Inverness). After reading a little bit on this forum though, particularly seeing a one-day tour of islands from Oban where we could see puffins, we are rethinking whether Oban would be a better choice for us than Inverness.
In general, we like city things (e.g., museums, art galleries, cafes, bookstores), walks in nature (but not strenuous 5-hour hikes), ruins, and beautiful scenery. A castle or 2 is great, but we aren't interested in seeing 5.
We don't want to drive in Scotland, so we are limited to public transportation.
Thanks for any advice anyone can provide!