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When you think of Scotland, pictures of tartan-clad Highlanders, skirling bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, deserted castles, golf, stunning scenery, and hairy Highland cattle probably come to mind. All of these, except for Nessie, is a highly accurate preview of what visitors might expect to see there and contributes to this nation’s mystery.
Each method of exploring Scotland will provide you with life-changing experiences, whether you travel by boat, on foot through its trails, by beautiful train, or by car. History is all about you as your sightseeing excursions take you to castles and historical battlegrounds where clans fought, allow you to follow in the literary footsteps of Sir Walter Scott and Robbie Burns, or allow you to retrace the paths of great kings and queens.
Scotland’s seclusion, with its far-flung stretches of heather-covered moors, uninhabited beaches, and wild, beautiful highlands with deep glens and lochs, is another of its main draws. You’ll discover that every destination is brimming with fascinating things to see and do, whether you decide on thriving cities, storied towns, or lonely moors and islands.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh
The Royal Yacht Britannia was a roving royal residence for more than 40 years, covering more than 1,000,000 miles. With this audio tour, you can tour Britannia’s five main decks and stop at the Bridge, State Apartments and Royal Bedrooms, Crew’s Quarters, and Engine Room to learn more about the royal family, their guests, and the crew.
Additionally, you can visit the Rolls-Royce Phantom V that once cruised the ship and pause in the Royal Deck Tea Room for tea and pastries. The Fingal Hotel, a brand-new addition to the site in 2019, offers luxurious lodgings in a former lighthouse tender berthed next to the royal boat.
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle is one of the best Renaissance structures in the UK, which functioned as both James V’s palace and Mary Queen of Scots’ childhood home. Even though some older buildings still stand, the castle’s vast halls and apartments have been painstakingly renovated and furnished to reflect its appearance in the 1500s. This includes painstakingly replicating its tapestries. History Hunter activities are geared toward young explorers on the weekends and involve costumed interpreters who interact with visitors to bring the castle and its history to life.
Stirling, conveniently located between Edinburgh and Glasgow, is well-known for both the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which the legendary William Wallace won for Scottish independence and the Battle of Bannockburn, in which Robert the Bruce defeated English invaders in 1314. Excellent displays and exhibits about this significant period are available at the magnificent Bannockburn Heritage Centre.
The Wallace Monument, a 246-step tower with fantastic country views, is located halfway between Stirling and the Bridge of Allan. A few items there are rumored to have belonged to the great Wallace.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
The Wallace Monument, a 246-step tower with fantastic country views, is located halfway between Stirling and the Bridge of Allan. A few items there are rumored to have belonged to the great Wallace. Since a fire at the Glasgow School of Art destroyed a large portion of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s work, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has emerged as the go-to location for fans of the Glasgow Style, an iconic facet of the Arts & Crafts movement and Art Nouveau styles of the early 20th century.
The Glasgow Style Gallery and the Charles Rennie Mackintosh, developed and inaugurated just before the fire, feature pieces by other well-known Glasgow School artists and many Mackintosh rooms.
One of the museum’s most well-known exhibits is Salvador Dali’s Christ of St. John of the Cross, which is on display alongside other noteworthy treasures like a Van Gogh portrait, Bronze Age tools, and jewelry from Arran and Kintyre, a 1944 Mark 21 Spitfire, and a magnificent 1901 organ used for daily free concerts.
Golf at St. Andrews
The bicycle, postage stamps, telephones, and steam engines are just a few inventions that the Scots are credited with creating. Golf, though, is arguably their most enduring creation.
Playing at the prestigious Royal and Ancient Golf Club, located in historic St. Andrews and only 12 miles southeast of Dundee, is one of the lifetime goals of devoted golfers. The famed British Open is regularly held at one of St. Andrews’ 18-hole courses, the most well-known of which is the par-72 Old Course that runs across the craggy shoreline. St. Andrews was founded in 1750 and is recognized internationally as the governing body of golf.
Although tee times are frequently reserved six months in advance, some are kept open for those without reservations by lottery two days beforehand. The grand old Clubhouse and the British Golf Museum, which chronicles the history of the “home of golf” from the Middle Ages to the present, are both well worth a visit.
Fort William & Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Britain, is best explored from the charming hamlet of Fort William. The old fort built nearby in the 17th century is where this beach town’s ancestors came from. It is situated at the southern terminus of the Caledonian Canal. Even though it has long since vanished, the West Highland Museum still houses a substantial collection of paintings, Highland garb, and weapons.
Getting on The Jacobite steam train is a must-do. The train travels over the West Highland Line and crosses the magnificent Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was made famous by the Harry Potter film series.
Ben Nevis comes next. It is a stunning site that is simple to see from Fort William on a clear day and attracts both novice and experienced hikers. Despite its elevation, the ascent only takes about 2.5 hours to complete. The breathtaking vistas, which stretch as far as 150 miles across the Scottish Highlands and as far as Ireland, make it well worth the effort.
Riverside Museum and Tall Ship, Glasgow
The free Riverside Museum in Glasgow, one of Scotland’s most popular tourist destinations, brings together the evolution of land and river transportation in a striking new setting. Trams, locomotives, buses, vintage cars, horse-drawn carriages, ships, and other models can all be seen during a visit.
The realistic recreation of the streets of Glasgow in 1938, complete with businesses you may enter and platforms running up to every locomotive on show, is a highlight. More than 20 interactive displays and 90 huge touch panels offer pictures, memories, and movies that give the collections more profound significance.
Isle of Arran
With good cause, the picturesque Isle of Arran is known as “Scotland in Miniature.” In a mere 166 square miles, this picture-perfect island off the country’s west coast replicates the topography of the whole nation. Rolling moors, craggy mountains, sandy beaches, fishing harbors, castles, and golf courses can all be found here; they are all within a region that can be easily explored in a day or two and are all less than an hour by boat from Glasgow.
The best part is that buses connect the island’s main attractions, negating the need for a car. You might easily spend a few days exploring this tiny slice of Scotland, even if its highlights, such as Brodick Castle and Goat Fell Mountain (2,866 feet), can be seen in a day (including the ferry voyage). Additionally, you should.