Scotland Travel Tips

Scotland is a place that at one time or another we have all thought about visiting. The highlands are today as they were hundreds of years ago. Many of the outlying islands are also seem to be from the past. The culture of Scotland intrigues many of us and it still reflected in the modern cities.

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Scotland:

Where to stay?

There are many areas to stay each with their own attractions and charm. Here’s a list of places to start planning your trip to Scotland:

• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Aberdeen
• Outer Hebrides
• Inner Hebrides Skye
• Highlands
• Shetland and Orkney

Furthermore, in each of these cities and towns, you will find a selection of accommodation. Indeed, you will find the usual hotels, ranging mostly between 3 and 5 stars, as well as youth hostels, ideal to travel to Scotland on a budget! Other budget accommodations in Scotland include guesthouses, bed&breakfast, apartments rental (even short-term) and camping, or glamping!

On the other hand, an interesting lodging in Scotland would be to sleep in a castle. In fact, you will find an unparalleled choice of castle accommodation to fit your budget in Scotland. Indeed, there’s everything from 5-star luxury castle hotels to exclusive venues and not forgetting self-catering options of castles to rent out.

Activities and excursions in Scotland

While a small country, Scotland does offer a wide variety of options for the visitor.

• Usually, when we think of island hopping we have destinations like the Philippines or the Caribbean in mind. True! But Scotland has some outstanding beaches to discover on its numerous islands. The panorama is not same, but equally appealing to most travelers!
• Castle Hopping: If you love castles, you can enjoy an entire vacation visiting one castle after another. Plus, some castles allow overnight stays.
• Harry Potter fans… this is your destination! Indeed, there is a 4 days “Film and Book Location tour” that is perfect for you. Visit Scotland has put together a list of places that are either film locations or are involved in the books or their development. One of the features is a ride on a steam engine on the route of the Hogwarts Express.

 

• Play golf in the country that created it. If you are a golfer, then it is a law that you play at least one round at one of the 550 courses in the country. Okay, it is not really a law but you could tell your spouse it is.
• Whiskey Tours: Many distilleries are open for tours.
• The Royal Yacht Britannia: a look at the way royalty travels.
• Loch Ness: A “Loch” is the Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Scots word for a lake or for a sea inlet. Loch Ness is famous for the sea monster that is supposed to be living in the loch. Even if you do not see the monster, the lake and the surrounding countryside is worth the visit.

Best time to visit Scotland

As the old Scottish saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!” Scotland is a country with four seasons. It is also said it can be possible to have all four season on a single day, thus, it is important to be properly dressed. Here are more details below!

• During the months of March, April and May the average maximum temperatures range from approximately 7°C (45°F) to 13 °C (55°F).
• The summer sees 15°C (59°F) to 17°C (63 °F) average day time highs. Also, the days are longer and at the peak of the summer, it does not go completely dark at night time.
• September to November is Scotland’s fall with day temperatures ranging from around 8°C (46°F) to 14°C (57°F).
• Winter sees generally the coldest months in Scotland, with the average maximum temperature usually around 5°C (41°F). However, the temperatures in the highlands and far north may be cooler.
• Scotland has five ski resorts that often operate from November to April.

Overall the weather is moderate, so pick the season best for your activities!

Health and Safety

The level of healthcare in Scotland is very good. In fact, Scotland has a public health system modeled after England, which is called NHS-Scotland. Certain visitors may be entitled to free public health services. For example, the people from other European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) member states or Switzerland are eligible.

Moreover, the government has some agreements with another 18 countries that also may receive free health services. You can find more information about the system and its requirements for overseas citizens on the publication found on the NHS Scotland’s website.

In case of an emergency, you’ll be taken in charge by the NHS Accident & Emergency department. They will treat you and keep you under observation as needed without the request of an immediate payment. The situation will be evaluated with the patient, hospital and insurance policy afterward. Of course, you should always have travel insurance, this simply means that health comes first in Scotland’s healthcare system!

Regarding safety concerns, Scotland is a very safe place to travel to in general. Normal precaution applies, just like in your home country.

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Scotland, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Where is Scotland located in the world?

Scotland occupies the north of the Island of Great Britain and is a part of the United Kingdom (UK). The southern border of Scotland is with England. Also, Scotland includes almost 800 smaller islands offshore.

 

How to get to Scotland?

Scotland has five international airports: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow Prestwick, and Inverness. These airports directly reach about 150 international destinations. Moreover, the busiest airport is Glasgow, with numerous airlines from all over the world landing and leaving from there.

Do I need a visa for Scotland?

As a member of the United Kingdom, Scotland follows the same immigration rules as other members of the UK and shares the same visa. Also, note that the UK is not a member of the Schengen Area, unlike most countries of Europe, and does not accept its visa. However, free travel is allowed for nationals of both the European Union and Economic Community (ECC).

Plus, it’s important to know that if in the past the UK had multiple visas, they are now combined into the Standard Visitor visa. Indeed, this allows you a number of days or months of stay in the UK which varies depending on your nationality. Such a visa is good for vacationers, business travelers, students, etc.

Getting Around

Scotland has a well-developed transportation network. Indeed, transportation is readily available in each city.

Moreover, when it comes to travel between cities, there are airports connecting most of them. Plus, if you are heading to islands such as the Outer Hebrides, Orkney or Shetland, flying a possibility, and so is the ferry. Indeed, the islands are connected to different cities by both passenger ferries and car ferries. It takes longer than a flight, but gets you to feel the country and see more of it!

Also, when traveling inland, you may also want to consider taking a train. The trips themselves are as enjoyable as the destinations they lead to. In fact, both the general passenger service and special tourism trains take you by spectacular landscapes. Plus, the country has an outstanding coach system as well.

Scotland is a destination that can take you back in time. The natural beauty, wide open spaces and the older architecture can make you believe that life in the past may have been actually better than what we know today!

Scotland Photos

Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Scotland Diving