Search results
- Plockton, Wester Ross. Close your eyes and picture the perfect Scottish village in your mind. Chances are it will most likely look like Plockton. Tucked away on the pristine coastline of Loch Carron in North West Scotland, Plockton is one of the prettiest villages in Scotland.
- Cullen, Moray Firth. Once a bustling fishing port, Cullen is renowned as the birthplace of the famous traditional Scottish dish, Cullen Skink – a delicious thick soup made of smoked haddock, potato and milk.
- St Abbs, Scottish Borders. Recently featured in the superhero movie Avengers: Endgame, as the fictional place of New Asgard, this sleepy village is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers.
- Crail, Fife. Nestled in East Neuk of Fife, Crail is one of the loveliest fishing villages in Scotland, with an eye-catching harbour and charming houses with pantile roofs.
- Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn. It might sound like a fairy tale, but Scotland’s national animal is actually the unicorn, a symbol of purity and power.
- Scotland is home to some of Europe’s oldest trees. In the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands, you can find towering Caledonian pines that are centuries old, some even dating back 5,000 years.
- Golf was invented in Scotland. Golf as we know it today started in Scotland back in the 1400s. It became so popular that it was temporarily banned because it was thought to interfere with military training.
- Scotland has a 12,000-year-old history. Scotland’s history goes way back, with evidence of human settlement from at least 10,000 BC. From ancient stone circles to Iron Age forts, the land is dotted with historical sites that tell the story of Scotland’s early inhabitants and their way of life.
Dec 27, 2019 · Glen Affric – probably Scotland’s most beautiful glen, the 11-mile hike around Glen Affric is one of my favourite hikes in Scotland. Sanna Bay – looking for Scotland’s best beach? Let me introduce you to Sanna Bay on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula – one of Scotland’s hidden gems and one of the best views in Scotland.
- Ride the real life Hogwarts Express. I know what you’re thinking… The Hogwarts Express is REAL?! Yes, you bet your nerdy little butt it is! As seen in the Harry Potter movies, the Jacobite Steam Train is a glorious train journey that glides majestically through the Scottish Highlands with the help of steam, fangirl tears, and tourist dollars.
- Or at least marvel at THE Harry Potter Bridge. Not able to book a ride on the Jacobite Steam Train? Well, another unique thing to do in Scotland is simply admiring the epic Glenfinnan Viaduct which is almost as iconic as the train ride itself.
- Attend the world’s largest performing arts festival. Looking for another truly unique thing to do in Scotland? Time your visit for August so you can attend the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest celebration of performing arts, and hands down one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
- Watch the world’s oldest military show. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a misleadingly named spectacle of music, dances, marches & fireworks that has taken place every (non-pandemic) year since 1950.
- Stirling
- Speyside
- Shetland Islands
- Loch Lomond
- Edinburgh
- The Scotland Borders
- North Coast 500
- West Highland Way
- Isle of Skye
- Perthshire
Best for castle fanatics With an impregnable position atop a mighty wooded crag – the plug of an extinct volcano – Stirling’s beautifully preserved Old Town is a treasure trove of historic buildings and cobbled streets winding up to the ramparts of Stirling Castle. This fortress has seen serious action: it was bombarded by the Warwolf, a giant 14th...
Best for whisky tasting Scotland’s national drink is whisky – from the Gaelic uisge beatha, meaning “water of life” – and this fiery spirit has been made here for more than 500 years. More than 50 distilleries are in operation in Speyside, Scotland’s most famous whisky area, famed for fruity, lightly spicy flavors. (Head over to Islayfor peatier va...
Best for bird-watching Close enough to Norway to make Scottish nationality an ambiguous concept, the Shetland Islands are Britain's northernmost outpost. The stirringly bleak setting – recognized as a precious UNESCO Geopark– still feels uniquely Scottish, though, thanks to its deep, naked glens flanked by steep hills, twinkling, sky-blue lochs and...
Best for a lakeside hike Despite being less than an hour’s drive from the bustle and sprawl of Glasgow, the bonnie braes (banks) of Loch Lomond– immortalized in the words of one of Scotland’s best-known songs – comprise one of the most scenic parts of the country. At the heart of Scotland’s first national park, the loch begins as a broad, island-pe...
Best for year-round entertainment Scotland's capital is justly famous for its festivals. Yet this is a city of year-round pleasures and many moods. Visit in spring to take in the Old Town silhouetted against a blue sky and a yellow haze of daffodils; or on a chill winter's day to observe fog snagging the spires of the Royal Mile, rain on the cobble...
Best for a country ramble Many visitors to Scotland race up to Edinburgh and then hightail it to the Highlands, missing the Scottish Borders entirely. That’s their loss. Once fought over by war chiefs and cattle thieves, the Borders region is rich in historyand packed with good cycling and hiking routes. There are grand country manors (Traquair Hou...
Best for a scenic road trip Breathtaking views abound in the Highlands. And the far north is where things become truly awe-inspiring. This is the best place in Scotland to explore by car (the truly fit can also cycle it) – with the reward being some of the finest roadside sceneryin Europe. The North Coast 500 starts and ends in the lovely city of I...
Best place for long-distance hiking The best way to absorb Scotland’s landscapes is to walk across them. Expect peaks that tower over lochs and sea cliffs that gaze over the wind-whipped sea, yes – but also short woodland trails and charming strolls through valleys dusted with purple heather. At the top of many hikers’ wish lists is the 96-mile (15...
Best for photographers In a country famous for over-the-top scenery, the Isle of Skye is an apex. From the craggy peaks of the Cuillins and the bizarre pinnacles of the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing to the spectacular sea cliffs of Neist Point, a photo opportunity awaitsat almost every turn. Skye is also one of the best places in Scotland to se...
Best for enjoying nature’s bounty In Perthshire, the heart of Scotland, picturesque towns bloom with flowers, distilleries emit tempting malty odors, and sheep graze in impossibly green meadows. There’s a feeling of the bounty of nature here that no other place in Scotland can replicate. Blue-gray lochs shimmer, reflecting the changing moods of the...
Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom.It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjacent islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles.
People also ask
Is Scotland part of the UK?
What is Scotland famous for?
What is Scotland's capital known for?
Where is the remotest place in Scotland?
Is Scotland a good place to fall in love with?
Why should you visit Scotland?
Oct 8, 2024 · Contents: Reasons to Visit Scotland. Explore the stunning Eilean Donan castle. Live the vanlife on the North Coast 500. Laze on the beach when it’s hot and sunny. Go on a Harry Potter Tour. Take a million photos of the Highland cows. Discover some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls.
