Rough Guides named Scotland as the most beautiful country in the world in 2017 — so if you visit Great Britain without venturing ‘north of the border’, you’re really missing out.
Although the Scots have some things in common with their southern neighbor England, there are several longstanding divergences which mean their culture is dynamically distinct.
With a different legal and educational system from the rest of the UK, a devolved parliament in Edinburgh and strong ties with Europe which pre-date the 1707 Act of Union, Scotland is an inventive and outward-looking nation with a propensity for partying.
So if the skirl of the bagpipes stirs your soul and lochs and glens take your breath away, these four fab tips for a Scottish trip will help you fall in love with Caledonia.
- Bonnie Dundee
In the past year or so, Dundee in Scotland’s north east has been named as one of the ‘must visit’ global destinations by Bloomberg, Lonely Planet and the Wall Street Journal.
The recent opening of the Kengo Kuma designed V&A museum of design has fueled much of the recent media attention — and this ship-shaped building on the banks of the River Tay is simply stunning.
But it’s also a creative city with lively nightlife and many daytime activities for the entire family — browse attractions on visitdundee.com to find out more.
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival — in 2017, organizers confirmed that the annual event held in August spanned 25 days and featured 53,232 performances of 3398 shows.
If you visit during this busy time, the streets of the old and new towns are bustling with buskers, jugglers, break-dancers and contortionists, while official shows range from avant garde mime to stand-up comedy.
Keep an eye on edfringe.com to see what’s in store for 2019 — there’s something for everyone.
- Belladrum Tartan Heart
Since it was founded in 2004, the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has welcomed hundreds of thousands of music fans to its stately setting in Inverness for three days of dancing, drinking and mass karaoke.
It has featured acts like Ed Sheeran, James, The Automatic and The Proclaimers over the years, with a lively genre mix of indie, alternative and folk.
Book Belladrum tickets for 2019 at tartanheartfestival.co.uk and get ready to rock.
- Pre-flight prep
Visitors to Scotland in the summer should beware of the dreaded highland midge.
This critter isn’t as harmful as a mosquito, but its bites cause blotches — Skin so Soft repellant from Avon is one of the most effective products to pack in your hold luggage.
And if you’re taking your own ride to the airport rather than stuffing yourself into public transport, find airport parking deals at Looking4.com — they’ll recommend facilities from Seattle to Syracuse.
These four fab tips for a Scottish trip should set you up for a terrific vacay — start planning for 2019 today.
Do you have recommendations for a Scottish vacation? Share them in the comments section.