Scotland is a country in the United Kingdom and features some of the Britain’s most impressive landscapes including rugged mountain ranges, wild islands, heather filled moors and deep valleys. It’s a unique country with its own distinctive culture, lifestyles and traditions and it’s well worth a visit to! Glasgow is the Scotland’s largest city and is a popular tourist destination, as is the Scottish capital of Edinburgh which is the UK’s second most popular tourist attraction after London! Scotland is popular with outdoor enthusiasts who love the amazing walking, climbing, cycling and sailing opportunities. Scotland has several mountain ranges – perhaps the most famous is the Grampian Mountain range which includes amongst its peaks Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in the British isles!
Accommodation & Self-Catering Apartments Scotland
Whether you’re looking for a cottage in the highlands or holiday apartment in Edinburgh, we’re sure you’ll find something amongst Wimdu’s range of accommodation in Scotland. We have stunning rooms for rent, rustic cottages on the island of Skye, guest rooms and self-catering apartments in Glasgow that are much better value that any hotel, hostel or bed and breakfast! Find your ideal accommodation with Wimdu today!
Fun Facts!
- The Bank of Scotland is the oldest surviving bank in the UK and was founded in 1695!
- Edinburgh was the world’s first city to get its own fire service in 1824!
- Edinburgh was built on seven hills, just like Rome!
- Scotland is called ‘Alba’ in Gaelic!
- Scotland has 787 islands!
Things to See and Do in Scotland
Glasgow and Edinburgh
Edinburgh is one of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions and over 5 million people visit each year! It’s not surprising when you consider what the city has to offer. The picturesque streets are a pleasure to walk along, there are many excellent pubs and restaurants and Edinburgh Castle is an interesting place to explore. There’s also Arthurs Seat hill which offers great views over the city, the Royal Mile street and the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh. Edinburgh also hosts the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Festival and numerous other cultural events that attracts performers and fans from all over the world. Check out our range of self-catering apartments in Edinburgh city to see what is on offer.Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and is also an extremely popular tourist destination and is home to some of Scotland’s best museums and art galleries. The Glasgow School of Art and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum are well worth a visit and a regarded as some of the city’s best attractions. Glasgow has a formidable shipping heritage and in the past was an extremely significant port and economic centre. Today, several museums and landmarks pay tribute to Scotland’s history including The Tall Ship Glenlee which was launched onto Glasgow’s River Clyde in 1895. The Glenlee is moored next to Scotland’s Transport Museum, which also features exhibitions on Scotland’s industrious past. Make sure to check out our accommodation options in Glasgow!The Hebriden Islands
Located west of Scotland are the famous islands of the Hebrides, which include Skye, Mull, Harris and Lewis. These wild and barren islands are great places to visit and they have captured the imagination of many people including famous classical music composer Felix Mendelssohn. The weather is often harsh on the islands but in the summer on a clear day there truly is no better place to be in Scotland!
The Lochs of Scotland
There are over 600 square miles of freshwater lakes in Scotland and they’re known as lochs. Perhaps Scotland’s most famous Loch is Loch Ness. The world famous Loch Ness Monster, which supposedly resides in the depths of the loch has captured the imagination of people the world over and many tourists visit the loch hoping to catch a glimpse of this fabled monster! Loch Lomond is another popular loch and it is located north of Glasgow. It is the largest inland stretch of water in the UK and is a well-known leisure destination - boating, golfing and cycling are all popular activities on and around the loch. Wimdu have a great selection of self-catering cottages close to many of Scotland’s lochs, be sure to take a look at what’s on offer.
Getting Around
Getting to Scotland is straightforward thanks to the excellent transport links with not only England but also Europe. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee all have major airports and flying from the rest of the UK to Scotland is a popular, affordable and quick way to get to Scotland. There are several train routes connecting England with Scotland and it’s surprisingly quick to get to Edinburgh and Glasgow from cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds. The best mode of transport to use when getting around Scotland is the car – the windy mountain roads, steep streets of Edinburgh and barren islands are all best navigated with a car. It is possible to get around on public transport, most likely the bus, but to really explore Scotland it is best to hire a car. Whilst there are small airports located on the Scottish islands, including a fairly busy one at Stornaway on the island of Lewis, the most popular way to reach the islands is by ferry and there are many ferry routes connecting the main land with the islands.
