Top Scotland hotels
Arthur's Seat Edinburgh
48 Reviews If it's a nice day you might want to walk up to the top of Arthur's Seat (which I did on a previous visit two and a half years ago) to get some nice views of the city and the surrounding...
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George Square Glasgow
40 Reviews The City Chambers were designed by William Young in 1880, and was one of the 19th centureies finest public buildings. It took seven years to build and craftsmen were brought from Italy and France to...
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Royal Mile Edinburgh
128 Reviews Facing St Giles cathedral in the Royal Mile, there's a statue identified as "Duke of Buccleugh" that, for me, meant... no one. Trying to identify him, I read that he was Walter... something... Scott,...
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People's Palace Glasgow
18 Reviews The People's Place and Winter Gardens was worth a quick visit, although you would struggle to spend more than an hour or so here. The social history museum set inside the main building is a quirky...
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Castle Edinburgh
314 Reviews From the roof of the Museum of Scotland you can get some views out over the city, for instance of Edinburgh Castle, as shown here. For some more views, please see my Views of Edinburgh travelogue.
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Necropolis Glasgow
18 Reviews For some unconventional sightseeing, the Glasgow Necropolis found behind Glasgow Cathedral is an interesting place to visit. Crossing the bridge from the cathedral, you are transported to Glasgow's...
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Calton Hill Edinburgh
59 Reviews Calton Hill (NOT Carlton) is one of Edinburgh's main hills, set right in the city centre. Rising to 108m (355 feet) to the east end of Princes Street, Calton Hill is not the highest of the city's...
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Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow
32 Reviews Glasgow's cathedral is worth a stroll around. It has been added to over the centuries, but there has been a stone cathedral on this site since 1136 when it was dedicated in the presence of King David....
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Holyrood Edinburgh
71 Reviews If the Queen doesn't happen to be in town and there are no demonstrations in the works, you might well be able to take a tour of this palace, which is at the lower end of the Royal Mile. This palace...
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Kelvingrove Glasgow
32 Reviews If someone had asked me what is the most visited museum in the UK outside of London, I would never have guessed it is in Glasgow, but it is the Kelvingrove. It is a very impressive building of red...
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Scott Monument Edinburgh
70 Reviews On Princes Street in the center of Edinburgh there is a tall (200 feet 6 inches = 61.1 meters) monument to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Scott was the author of numerous books...
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Byres Rd/West End Glasgow
14 Reviews There is plenty things you can do at Byres Road. I discribe Byres Road as Small Happening Shopping Area. In the weekend you can just drop by at Hillhead Library that situated along Byres Road. After...
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Tours Edinburgh
63 Reviews * * * TIP UNDER CONSTRUCTION * * * On this, my second visit to Edinburgh, I really looked forward to finally seeing the famous underground city. For our group of 6 adults, I booked with Mercat...
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River Clyde Glasgow
14 Reviews Makes the liffey look like a wee burn this river ,mother of 90% of all the worlds metal ships in 1900 ,is a historical maritime live story. We took the cruise from under central station to the...
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Greyfriars Edinburgh
32 Reviews Greyfriar's Bobby was a little dog, who until this day has remained the symbol for utmost loyalty in Edinburgh. This faithful Skye Terrier mourned his master for 14 years and has become a much-loved...
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Tours Glasgow
12 Reviews I'm a big fan of CitySightseeing tours and have used them in other cities before so I was pleased to find out that they operate a tour in Glasgow. The beauty of these bus tours is that you can hop off...
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National Museum and Gallery of Scotland Edinburgh
44 Reviews As the name suggests, the country's national museum. It is located in a modern purpose built building on 7 levels (top one just being a roof terrace). Entry is free. Donations are welcomed (as...
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Museums Glasgow
14 Reviews This museum is situated in one of the buildings of Glasgow University. It features the collections of the Scottish obstetrician and teacher, Dr William Hunter. You cannot help but be intrigued by many...
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Old Town Edinburgh
34 Reviews Under the City Chambers on the Royal Mile are hidden streets where people lived and worked for centuries. When the Royal Exchange (now the City Chambers) was constructed in 1753, the top floors of the...
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The Barras Glasgow
8 Reviews Held every Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM, the Barras Market is a gigantic outdoor and indoor flea market. It's best to get here early in the morning before it gets crowded. You can get...
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Princes Street Edinburgh
57 Reviews Maybe a unique feature of the city? The gardens extend almost the whole length of one side of the city's main street. They separate the new town from the old. The area was a loch originally and was...
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Shopping Glasgow
20 Reviews Anyone who knows me well, knows that one of my favourite pastimes is shopping! And Glasgow really is a great place to shop. Its second only to London in the UK for shopping. The main shopping streets...
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St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
43 Reviews Edinburgh can often be gray and rainy, but there are numerous interesting things to do and see even on wet days: we visited the cathedral on such a day and were quite intrigued by its interiors and...
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Glasgow University Glasgow
19 Reviews The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, by Bishop Turnbull. The names on the gate are of notable alumni over the years and include Lord Kelvin, Joseph Lister and Adam Smith. The second photo...
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Eating and Drinking Edinburgh
26 Reviews Food in Edinburgh... hmmm... well, I suppose to the local Scots and Perhaps even the English the selection is fabulous and the prices are fine. To anyone from farther away they likely will find an...
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Braemar Castle was built in 1628 by the Earl of Mar. Located just north of Braemar city and open to the public during the summer months. It is a castle with star shaped curtain wall. The castle is in complete repairedand privately. We arrived at the castle during dark clouds sending time by time snow fall. So it´s a dark picture.Baremar is famous because of it´s every year Highland gathering, always visited by Queen Elisabeth.
The castle was built in the 16th century, is out in the remote area of Strathdon. The structure has been completely restored to it's original status. Corgarff was also used by the Jacobites. 1571 a troup of men led by Adam Gordon went to take the castle for Mary, Queen of Scots. The laird was away and his wife refused entry to the men. Adam Gordon then attacked the castle and set it on fire causing the inhabitants to burn to death. Many people died in the fire.
On the way to Loch Tay.The history of Blair Atholl is the history of the Atholl family. The Earldom of Atholl was given to Sir John Stewart of Balvenie in 1457, but line failed and in 1629 came to Murray because of a marriage In 1644 Blair Castle was occupied by the Marquis of Montrose. Later by Claverhouse. Claverhouse fell at the Battle of Killiecrankie (27th July 1689). The battle was not in the pass, but in the near ground.
The road to Pluscarden winds southwest across the wooded countryside round Elgin.The Abbey ows his foundation to King Alexander II. of Scotland in the year 1230. It´s one of 16 Houses of Benedictine monks in Britain. The old Pilgrim Road hugged the forested hilside north of the valley and swept round to the North Gate. Today the visitors leaves cars at the East Gate and walks across the lawns towards the east gable of the Abbey Church.Visitor enters the church by a doorway in the North Transept.Around the Abbey buildings stand magnificent trees.At Pluscarden there are today ca. 20 monks. With one of them I stay in contact till now.
From the early 14th century. The only castle of Scotland with functioning drawbridge.You can visit the restaurant and bookshop to your left, or enter the castle itself, with some living rooms and bedrooms (and gallery), or into the old tower room. Down into the very bowels of the castle you will see the dungeon, as well as an ancient tree with a interesting story. The donkey lay down by a tree and the castle was built around it Legend about Thane of Cawdor). It is in fact a holly tree which died in about 1372.
Brodie Castle, located 25 miles east of Inverness, on the east coast of Scotland. After the castle was damaged by fire in 1645, it was later rebuilt. Today you can visit in the interior with its unusual plaster ceilings and see French furniture, European and Chinese porcelain, paintings, toys and more. There are many rooms open to visit on several floors. There's also a picnic area, tea room and gift shop, woodland walks, gardens and a little lake.
When it rains the hills come alive with waterfalls. The moody nature of the weather creates fantastic light when the sun peeks out. You notice the days when the sun comes out. When the rays of the sun hit the hills in just the right way, it creates a mood that can't be duplicated.In the highlands there are so many small roads that go through glens and each of them provides their own beautiful views and panoramas.
The Ring of Brodgar is a very spectacular stone circle, both in terms of size as well as the location, surrounded by hills and lakes.Twenty-seven stones remain of an original sixty in the impressive stone circle, and set up on a slope facing east. The surrounding ditch and bank can still be made out, with entrances on the NW and SE. The circle had a diameter of about 110 m (120 yards) and the tallest stone today measures 4.6 m (15 ft). This site is expected to date back from about 2500 BC. The Ring of Brodgar was once known as the Temple of the Sun and the Stones of Stennes as the Temple of the Moon.
Skara Brae is the oldest human settlement in the world and the houses here date back from approximately 3200 - 2100 BC. The village was only discovered in 1850 after a big storm, when winds and high tides stripped the grass from a large mound. After several excavations, 8 houses have been found linked by low alleyways. Each house shares the same basic design: large square room with a central fireplace, a bed on either side and a shelved dresser on the wall opposite the doorway.
Almost a holiday destination at its own, I nevertheless decided to place my Orkneys tips on my Scotland page. If you manage to visit the north of Scotland, you might as well take the next step and make a daytrip to the Orkneys. You won’t regret it, it will definitely be a highlight of your holiday. The most important highlights of the Orkneys are the prehistoric sites of Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stennes as well as the burial chamber of Maes Howe, which we didn’t visit, all found on the West Mainland of the Orkneys. The most important islands (except for Hoy) are mutually connected by means of bridges/dams.The easiest way is to stay 2 nights in a hotel in or near John o’Groats and do an organized daytrip by ferry/bus. Simply buy a ticket for this daytrip at the ferry terminal at John o’ Groats. Make sure you arrive on time in the morning and that you book the...
The Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh
5 Reviews and 770 Opinions Two men wearing kilts (or trews) welcome you at the door and an open fire welcomes you in the lobby,...
Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens Glasgow
1 Review and 352 Opinions One Devonshire Gardens is a class of its own.Fabulous rooms with four poster beds,tubs you could...
Skene House Rosemont Hotel Aberdeen
1 Review and 247 Opinions Skene House Apartments was so nice, an impressive layout , nice bedrooms !, Fantastic and modernised...
Reviews and photos of Scotland attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Scotland sightseeing.
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Q: Hello Lovely site indeed. Great resource. I plan on spending 11 days in Scotland and just wanted some advice. FYI: I have...
A: I can't address all your questions, but wonder if you want a full day on Loch Lomond unless you plan on boating, fishing, etc. One of the ways we dealt with not having a...
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