Scotland
A country with vibrant cities and sweeping landscapes
These days, travelling to Scotland‘s vibrant cities have become every bit as popular as visiting its sweeping pastoral landscapes. Glasgow is an important centre for architecture and design, and the annual Edinburgh International Festival, one of the largest in the world, gets bigger and more edgy every year.
Even with all that urban activity, there are plenty of places to get away from it all when travelling in Scotland. Travel to the Highlands, one of Europe's wildest and least spoiled areas, you can walk for hours across misty moors and clamber up and down rocky slopes without seeing a soul. Scotland’s travel vistas range from stunning natural landscape crowned with ancient monuments and stately castles to the memorable and haunting lochs, wild coastline and islands.
A shaggy Highland cow, a thread of smoke curling from a cottage chimney or a soaring golden eagle may add to the feeling of blissful solitude. And when you're ready for company, you'll find it at Scotland’s numerous friendly pubs and inns, where traditional music—and in the Highlands and islands, Gaelic culture and language—thrive.
For all its air of wildness, rebellious history and moody weather, Scotland has a wonderfully cosy and warm side. The Scots have a strong hospitable streak and a great sense of humour, love welcoming travellers, which often comes washed down with a "wee dram" and an infectious toast of slainte (to your health). Make Scotland a priority travel destination when visiting the UK.
Glasgow
Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city is famous for its culture, architecture, and design. Encountering the city’s people will be your most cherished Glasgow travel experience.
Vibrant and energetic, travelling to Glasgow is an all year round buzz that travellers love. Known as Scotland’s style capital with its art deco brassieres, stylish shops and cultural centres, Glasgow boasts more than 30 art galleries and museums and an annual programme of performing arts and festivals.
Long described as Britain’s finest Victorian City, Glasgow’s history is bound with entrepreneurial spirit and commerce. However, it’s the Art Nouveau “Glasgow Style” for which this destination has become famous, and Glasgow travel must include a trip to the Lighthouse where the story of architect and designer Charles Rennie Macintosh is told, one of the most celebrated sons of Glasgow.
Travel along the Clyde on the Clyde Waterbus to explore beyond the city or a paddle steamer into the outer estuary from Greenock. Further into the Clyde Valley is the town of Paisley which gave its name to the distinctive pattern of the Paisley shawl, and is home to the magnificent 12th century Abbey.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Glasgow
The main tourist period is April to September with the busiest months in July and August when accommodation is at a premium. Scotland has a cool temperate climate. The weather changes quickly - a rainy day is often followed by a sunny one. May and June are generally the driest months, but expect rain at any time.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh, the Festival City, buzzes with life year round, whether it be the fireworks and stranger hugging of the world famous New Year Hogmanay street party, or the flurry of arts extravaganzas that burst through the cobbled streets of the old and new towns during the Edinburgh Festival in August, making this a truly exciting destination.
It is easy to see what attracts visitors to travel to Edinburgh, with one of Europe's most charming old cores dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, complementing a New Town. Edinburgh is a wildly exciting, forward-looking destination, full of art, culture, history and beauty. It has many art galleries and museums, five major performing-arts theatres and a year-round calendar of international festivals.
The city is abuzz with cultural activity during August for the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival. There are also the lively Fringe Festival, Military Tattoo and the Book, Film and Jazz Festivals, which run concurrently with the main event. No matter how busy Edinburgh gets, it is still a remarkably green oasis of parkland with its own botanical garden.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Edinburgh
The best months to travel to Edinburgh are May to September, with the peak season being early August to early September, when the Edinburgh Festival takes place, book many months ahead and be prepared for peak hotel rates. Winters get bitterly cold, however on the plus side, Hogmanay (New Year's) rapidly followed by the anniversary of the great bard Robert Burns (Burns Night, January 25) are occasions of great fun.
