Scotland Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions
Think of a place like Scotland and you'll probably call up fleeting images of skirling bagpipes ringing with familiar Scottish tunes, tartan-kilted mountaineers, isolated towering castles, the legendary mysterious Loch Ness Monster, golf, hairy Highland cattle, and stunning scenery; all of these play a role in the overall mystique surrounding this almost magical country, but still also a genuine preview of what tourist attractions visitors can expect to find there.
Today, tourists could explore Scotland by foot, through its many fabulous trails, touring by automobile, by boat, or on scenic rail rides, and each guarantees to lead to memorable adventures. History is practically everywhere as each sightseeing trip takes you to a majestic towering castle, or a legendary battlefield where tribes and clans once fought fiercely to the death, assist you in tracing the footsteps of long forgotten emperors and kings, or follow literary paths carved out by authors like Sir Walter Scott and James Barrie.
Another perhaps less obvious but top attractions that are available in abundance in Scotland is its solitude, nurtured by its distant stretches of heather-shrouded moors; quiet, serene, and secluded beaches; and romance-inspiring mountains with their narrow valleys of delightful greenery.
Whether you begin your tour with a historic town overlooking a gorge, remote islands and moors, or vibrant cities like Glasgow, you'll learn they are all packed to the brim with exciting tourist attractions to see and things to do.
Plan your next travel with my Scotland travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in Scotland.
1) Edinburgh Castle. Since as early as the 13th-century Edinburgh Castle's walls and stone towers have been dominating Edinburgh skyline. Seated atop dark basalt rock, the castle provides impressive sights of the city, including a path through the country's turbulent history.
Edinburgh Castle offers highlights such as the stunning Crown Jewels, the renowned Stone of Destiny, and then St. Margaret's Chapel, constructed in 1130, plus Edinburgh's oldest structure. Enter the castle after crossing a drawbridge that overlooks an old moat, where the famed Edinburgh Military Tattoo occurs each August. Bronze statues of such fabled heroes Robert the Bruce and William Wallace appear to be watching above the castle gates.
Below, begins the Royal Mile, stretching down the arduous escarpment that lead to the refined Palace of Holyroadhouse, one of the most renowned landmarks in Edinburgh. Though lined by historic landmarks and brick townhomes, the Royal Mile also is packed with museums, kilt makers, small shops, cafes, and tearooms. Between its high structures, a few rising over ten floors, you'll notice little narrow alleys, referred to as "winds" which weave between very small concealed closes.
Do not miss a visit to the National Museum of Scotland while here. As a top-ranking attraction, this fascinating museum offers everything ranging from medieval objects to exhibits relating to science and art.
2) The Royal Yacht Britannia. For over forty years, this regal yacht acted as a floating residence for royalty, sailing over a million miles all over the world. Catch a peek of the life of the royal personalities, their invited guests, and even the crew while exploring the vessel's 5 chief decks via an audio guide, touring from the Bridge, Royal Bedrooms to the Engine Room.
Also, you could see the actual Rolls-Royce Phantom V which accompanied in those travels onboard, and drop by for some cakes and tea by entering the Royal Deck Tea Room.
Recently added is the Fingal Hotel which offers luxury accommodations, from a former lighthouse that stands conveniently beside the royal yacht.
3) Stirling Castle. Once the palace that both James V and Mary Queen of Scots called home, Stirling Castle now is one of UK's best preserved Renaissance structures. Although some earlier buildings yet stand, all of the castle's rooms and grand halls have been meticulously restored and then furnished admirably to its former 1500 appearance, even including laborious recreations of its tapestries. Moreover, costumed interpreters are always around interacting with tourists, reviving the castle along with its colorful and eventful history, and there exist History Hunter programs over the weekends designed specifically for young inquiring minds.
Perfectly located between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the castle is renowned for the fate-determining Battle of Bannockburn, where history books narrate Robert the Bruce overcoming the English enemy in 1314, and heroic William Wallace securing Scotland's independence in the famous Battle of Stirling Bridge. The fine Bannockburn Heritage Centre provides a superb range of exhibits that add another dimension regarding this significant period.
Between Bridge of Allan and Stirling stands the magnificent Wallace Monument, an extraordinary tower rising 246 steps high with amazing views of the surrounding area. In addition, you'll find a few artifacts believed to have William Wallace's personal possessions.
4) Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Because a terrible fire broke out destroying a lot of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's work at the then Glasgow School of Art, another location was required: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum became the main destination for fans of the Glasgow Style, a unique part belonging to the Arts and Crafts movement as well as to the Art Nouveau styles.
Built and then opened prior to the fire, the Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style Gallery hosts many whole Mackintosh rooms, including art works by other eminent artists of the same movement.
Together with other major treasures such as Bronze Age tools, Van Gogh portrait, and a splendid 1901 organ still in use in daily free concerts, the museum's wildly popular display is Christ of St. John of the Cross by Salvador Dali.
5) Fort William. The top site for exploring Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, is from Fort William's beautiful town. Located at the southeastern termination of the Caledonian Canal, the coastal town could actually trace its roots all the way to Fort William, constructed around this area in the seventeenth century. Despite the fact it's long gone, West Highland Museum offers visitors a chance to explore the fort's history, as well as enormous collections of weaponry, paintings, and Highland costumes.
You must ride The Jacobite, which is a steam train that Harry Potter movies help popularize. The train runs through the West Highland Line across the impressive Glenfinnan Viaduct.
Next, there's Ben Nevis, which can easily be seen on a fine day from Fort William. It's an incredible sight, drawing several hikers, from novices to the most experienced. In spite of its height, the climb could be completed in about 2.5 hours. The entire ascent is fully justified for the impressive views, stretching as long as 150 miles over the Scottish Highlands and beyond.
