Scotland

Attractions

Explore ancient castles, go on a whale watching cruise, see local malt whisky being made or delight in some entrancing garden.

Museums and Galleries in Scotland »

Scotland’s oldest public Museum is the Hunterian in Glasgow, though only one of a large number of civic museums in Scotland.

Castles and Stately Homes in Scotland »

Early castle sites in Scotland take the form of ‘mottes’ - grass mounds once topped by wooden fortresses, now long gone. A small rectangular stone tower on the island of Wyre, Orkney, Cubbie Row’s Castle, as it is known today, is probably the earliest surviving stone fortress in Scotland, c. 1145.

Whisky Distilleries of Scotland »

In Scotland, whisky is never spelt whiskey and the Scots themselves never refer to it as Scotch! Another important definition is that a malt whisky is the unblended product of a single distillery.

Family Fun in Scotland »

Family days out in Scotland are easy to find with a whole range of attractions, with a variety of themes, catering for the diverse needs of all age groups.

Boat Trips and Cruises in Scotland »

Scotland’s choice of cruises and boat trips is simply huge and covers a range of excursions on inland loch, sea-loch and open sea right around the coast, from the Bass Rock in the east to St Kilda in the west.

Gardens and Nurseries of Scotland »

Scotland has a great tradition of gardening and horticulture – partly through the work of generations of Scottish plant-hunters, such as David Douglas and George Forrest, who went abroad to bring back new species and give their names to many familiar garden plants of today.

Historic Sites and Monuments in Scotland »

Scotland’s historic sites and monuments span the centuries, from Neolithic standing stones such as the famous circle at Calanais on Lewis to 20th-century sites such as the Churchill Barriers on Orkney.

Historic Towns of Scotland »

From the time of the 12th-cenury King David I onwards, towns in Scotland were given ‘burgh’ status. Some early burghs include Aberdeen, Elgin, Edinburgh, Peebles, Lanark and Inverness.

Nature Reserves in Scotland »

In Scotland, preserving the natural environment is in the care of a number of bodies. National nature reserves are the responsibility of the government funded organisation, Scottish Natural Heritage.

Guided Tours and Walks in Scotland »

Guided tours take many forms. There are custom-made Scotland tours with your own tour guide, with the tour often built round a specific theme, for example genealogy or fine dining. There are whole programmes of guided tours, usually starting and ending in the cities, which allow small groups of visitors more than a glimpse of the scenic Highland areas of Scotland.

Beaches of Scotland »

With a coastline estimated at 8197 miles (13,115 km) long, there is plenty of room for Scottish beaches!

Abbeys, Churches and Cathedrals of Scotland »

Whithorn in Galloway is regarded as the site of the earliest stone church in Scotland, though the island of Iona, where an abbey still stands today, is also regarded as ‘The Cradle of Christianity’ in Scotland.