Highland cattle on Islay
With the good looks, history, and intrigue of Edinburgh, the buzzy, post-industrial reinvention of Glasgow, and the sheer drama of Skye, Scotland cant be accused of being a one-trick pony.
In Edinburgh and Glasgow, you can find high culture and heritage behind the venerable facades of eminent museums and galleries as well as boundary-pushing art shows and pulsating, pioneering music in the underground clubs and thrilling pop-ups that form the beating hearts of both cities.
But if what youre looking for is peace and solitude, you dont have to travel far. The Highlands, a huge region that covers much of the north and west of Scotland, is home to some of the countrys most remote communities, magnificent mountains that sweep down to glittering blue lochs, and a truly breathtaking array of wildlife.
The Isle of Skye is surely the Highlands showpiece. This prehistoric land still bears evidence of its former dinosaur residents, along with scars from the last Ice Age, when melting ice tore through the island, leading to landslips that left jagged peaks, soaring spires, and steep drops. The result is a land of stark contrastsconical hillsides meet sharp crevices, barren-looking munros (Scottish mountains higher than 3,000 ft/914 m) hide glistening lochsand only folklore can explain the incomprehensible.
Riverside Museum, Glasgow
Edinburgh Old Town
The Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye
Scotland is a country of juxtapositions. Although the cities are undoubtedly dynamic and vibrant, what attracts travelers time and time again is the sense that the country has remained largely unchanged for eonsmaking it the ultimate destination for slow travel. A blank canvas for outdoor adventure, the Highlands offers trekkers the opportunity to camp under skies unpolluted by urban lights, to spot puffins, whales, red deer, and red squirrels in the wild, and to wander through abandoned villages. Or you can just take your time working through the countrys many single malt whiskies, preferably in a cozy old inn.
Whether you want to spend never-ending summer days exploring new sights, or coorie doon and escape the brooding winter nights by a fire, youll find that Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Isle of Skye represent the best of all that Scotland has to offer. Hence the answer to the common question, How long are you here for?, is oft For as long as possible.
Edinburgh Castle
Highland wildflowers
University of Glasgow
Sampling the best Scottish whisky and gin, from single malts produced by Islays whisky , one of Edinburghs coolest hangouts.
Trekking to cut-off and deserted villages such as on Skye, where the impact of the Highland Clearances can truly be felt, and stopping to take in the spectacular views en route.
Scaling the 822-foot-high (251-meter-high) peak of to view the ancient yet cosmopolitan city of Edinburgh in relative peace.
Kicking back in one of the many beautiful and green spaces in Glasgow, such as the Victorian-landscaped Kelvingrove Park bordered by grand buildings.
Breaking away from the contemporary music scene for a traditional jam at Glasgows .
Riding the over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct and catching a glimpse of the Glenfinnan Monument on the banks of Loch Shiel.
Bagging a munro (Scottish hills higher than 3,000 feet/914 meters), such as on the Isle of Skye, and feeling like youve conquered Everest.