Scotland Travel Guide - Travel Insights and Tips
Traveling to Scotland? Our detailed Scotland insights, blogs and travel tips will help you plan the best trip.
A historic land that has a vibrant culture, expansive wild spaces, and an amazing food and drink scene, Scotland is the perfect place for your next escape. From the many gorgeous castles to the breathtaking islands of Barra and Islay to the bustling cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, you can easily spend 10 days in Scotland. With so many events including The Fringe festival, the Highland Games, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo to name a few, there is always something exciting and new going on. Your holiday is bound to be great no matter how many days you decide to spend in Scotland.
In this Scotland travel guide, we will share the best time to visit Scotland, whether that is Scotland in May or Scotland in September, as well as all the best Scotland tours. Whether you are looking to roam across the Highlands, island hop in the Orkneys, get your fill of history and art in Dundee, or just bounce from one distillery to the next, there are a whole host of Scotland trips just waiting to be discovered.
Top Destinations in Scotland
Discover the highlights of Scotland.
Go Hiking in the Isle of Skye
With a landscape as breathtaking as the Isle of Skye, the best way to explore this part of Scotland is on foot. Strap on your hiking boots and wander the coastline and through the bush as you learn more about the ancient myths and legends of the island. View Tours
View the Victorian Architecture in Glasgow
Glasgow is a beautiful city known for many things, including its spectacular Victorian architecture, predominantly pioneered by Charles Rennie Macintosh, whose influence and design is everywhere to be seen. Explore the art and culture of Scotland here. View Tours
Tour the Grand Castles in Edinburgh
Consider yourself a history buff? Well, Edinburgh and the surrounding area is home to some truly spectacular castles all with their own scandalous and bloody history. Learn all about the rich history of this proud country. View Tours
Scotland at a Glance
Quick facts about Scotland.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. This historic city is split into the Old Town and New Town. In the summer, the city plays host to the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts and media festival that draws crowds and acts from all around the globe.
77,910 km². Much of Scotland is dedicated to wild spaces and estates. This means that although the trains do connect the main cities and towns, road-tripping is a popular way to travel. Ferries are also essential for getting around Scotland’s outstanding islands.
+44. As Scotland is still currently a part of the UK, it shares a dialing code with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Scotland uses the British Pound like the rest of the UK. The majority of the cities are card-friendly and you may find that some of the bus services use contactless cards. If you are in rural areas or remote islands, having cash on hand is a good idea.
The main airport of Scotland is Edinburgh Airport. It is located around 10.6km from Edinburgh city center. CODE: EDI CLOSEST CITY: EDINBURGH
US travelers can visit Scotland without a visa for up to six months. It is a UK-wide policy so you can travel around the whole country for up to 180 days. However, as always, we recommend checking your country's travel advisories before booking a trip.
The official language is technically English, but Scots and Gaelic Scottish are also having a resurgence. There are a lot of regional variations, dialects, and heavy accents depending where you are in the UK. For example, Glaswegian accents and slang, combined with some aspects of Scots, can seem like a completely different language, despite being predominantly English.
The local emergency contact number for police, fire, and ambulance is 999. From here you will be directed to a switchboard to reroute your call to the right emergency service.
While kilts are commonly associated with Scotland, they only tend to come out on special events, and each tartan is specific to a different clan. The Scottish clans famously had a lot of battles and grudges, so family and clan pride are still a big deal.
When to visit Scotland
Read the below travel guides to find the best time to visit Scotland.
- Jan Avg Daily: 5 ° C Avg Nightly: 1 ° C
- Feb Avg Daily: 6 ° C Avg Nightly: 1 ° C
- Mar Avg Daily: 9 ° C Avg Nightly: 2 ° C
- Apr Avg Daily: 11 ° C Avg Nightly: 3 ° C
- May Avg Daily: 14 ° C Avg Nightly: 6 ° C
- Jun Avg Daily: 17 ° C Avg Nightly: 9 ° C
- Jul Avg Daily: 19 ° C Avg Nightly: 11 ° C
- Aug Avg Daily: 19 ° C Avg Nightly: 11 ° C
- Sep Avg Daily: 16 ° C Avg Nightly: 9 ° C
- Oct Avg Daily: 13 ° C Avg Nightly: 7 ° C
- Nov Avg Daily: 9 ° C Avg Nightly: 3 ° C
- Dec Avg Daily: 7 ° C Avg Nightly: 2 ° C
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- Fair
- Poor
Scotland in June: Weather, Tips & More
A Scottish getaway is like starring in your own travel movie. And if you have the company of pleasant weather, this one-of-a-kind adventure will give you unlimited fun memories to take back home. The month of June in Scotland is a summon for outdoor lover ...Read more
Scotland in September: An Autumn Aesthetic
Get ready for a fantastic Scottish vacation in September. It is the beginning of autumn and the country’s woods and highlands are awash with golden fall foliage, giving it a fairy tale feel. Further lending to this image is ancient castles and ruins ...Read more
Scotland in May: Weather, Tips & More
Midges or not, Scotland in May is a fairy tale destination for a springtime break. The weather is pleasantly cool, and the month is almost rain-free. From charming countryside for a perfect cottage holiday to cities laced with history and culture, Scotlan ...Read more
How long to stay in Scotland
Read about the ideal duration to stay in Scotland.
Great Scotland Itineraries: How Many Days to Spend?
The land of magnificent castles, exquisite modern designs, and maybe, just maybe, a certain mythical monster in Loch Ness, Scotland has an incredible array of attractions. Where else in the world can you absorb the rich cultural highlights of Edinburgh or ...Read more
10 Days in Scotland: Top 3 Recommendations
With historic cities, a vast wilderness comprising lochs and mountains, and fascinating legends waiting to be unraveled, a trip to Scotland is always an unforgettable travel experience. To ensure you do not miss out on any of the country’s gems, pla ...Read more
FAQs for Scotland
Read the most frequently asked questions and answers about traveling to Scotland below.
- How many days do I need in Scotland?
- What is the best way to travel to Scotland?
- Is Scotland expensive to visit?
- Which Scottish tours should I go on?
Sustainable travel — How to travel through Scotland Responsibly
In line with Bookmundi’s vision, we wish to provide our travelers with a sustainable travel experience through Scotland. As part of this effort, we carbon-offset any Scotland tour that you purchase through us. You can read more details about our carbon offsetting efforts.
Here is what you can do to travel Scotland more responsibly:
- Carbon-offset your transport to and around Scotland via Loganair. The moment your tour starts in Scotland, and provided that you have purchased your tour through Bookmundi, we will carbon-offset your tour from its starting point to its ending point.
- If you are looking for a way to limit your carbon footprint on your trip to Scotland, check out Visit Scotland which outlines ways to ensure a sustainable and responsible trip to the country, as well as some tips you can take on an individual level to limit your carbon footprint.
- With so many wild and beautiful spaces in Scotland, conservation and environmental protection should be high on any traveler’s list. Help keep the national parks, wild spaces, and ecosystems protected for future visitors by donating to the John Muir Trust which helps protect and repair wild spaces across the UK.
Scotland travel tips and insights
- Do not refer to a Scottish person as English because of the complicated history between the two countries.
- Learning some basic Scottish words before your holiday can be useful if you ever need to ask for directions.
- Make sure you try haggis, Irn-Bru, and at least one deep-fried Mars bar.
- Do not ask a Scotsman what is underneath his kilt unless you really want to know.
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