Trip IdeasFodor's Scotland, 21st Edition
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About This Book
Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Scotland!
•Updated frequently, Fodor’s Scotland provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.
•Fodor’s Scotland features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top-tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Scotland
•Experience Scotland like a local! Fodor’s Scotland includes choices for every traveler, from attending Edinburgh’s festivals and playing golf in the Highlands to shopping in Glasgow’s boutiques, and much more!
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Scotland!
•Updated frequently, Fodor’s Scotland provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.
•Fodor’s Scotland features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top-tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Scotland
•Experience Scotland like a local! Fodor’s Scotland includes choices for every traveler, from attending Edinburgh’s festivals and playing golf in the Highlands to shopping in Glasgow’s boutiques, and much more!
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
Be a Fodor’s Correspondent ............ 3
About This Book ............ 7
What’s Where ............ 8
Quintessential Scotland ............ 16
If You Like ............ 18
Great Itinerary ............ 22
When to Go ............ 25
On the Calendar ............ 26
Scotland
Chapter 1: Edinburgh & the Lothians ............ 29
Exploring Edinburgh & the Lothians ............ 32
Where to Eat ............ 54
Where to Stay ............ 64
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 74
Sports & the Outdoors ............ 80
Shopping ............ 81
Side Trips from Edinburgh ............ 84
Edinburgh & the Lothians Essentials ............ 98
Chapter 2: Glasgow ............ 104
Exploring Glasgow ............ 107
Where to Eat ............ 122
Where to Stay ............ 131
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 140
Sports & the Outdoors ............ 143
Shopping ............ 144
Side Trips: Ayrshire, Clyde Coast & Robert Burns Country ............ 148
Side Trips: The Clyde Valley ............ 157
Glasgow Essentials ............ 161
Chapter 3: The Borders & the Southwest ............ 168
The Borders ............ 171
Dumfries & Galloway ............ 187
The Borders & the Southwest Essentials ............ 198
Chapter 4: Fife & Angus ............ 201
St. Andrews & Fife’s East Neuk Villages ............ 204
Dundee & Angus ............ 216
Fife & Angus Essentials ............ 228
Chapter 5: The Central Highlands ............ 230
Stirling ............ 235
The Trossachs & Loch Lomond ............ 242
Perthshire ............ 252
The Central Highlands Essentials ............ 261
Chapter 6: Aberdeen & the Northeast ............ 263
Aberdeen ............ 267
Royal Deeside & Castle Country ............ 278
The Northeast & the Malt Whisky Trail ............ 289
Aberdeen & the Northeast Essentials ............ 300
Chapter 7: Argyll & the Isles ............ 304
Around Argyll ............ 308
Arran ............ 316
Islay & Jura ............ 319
Iona & the Isle of Mull ............ 324
The Smaller Islands ............ 328
Argyll & the Isles Essentials ............ 329
Chapter 8: Around the Great Glen ............ 332
Speyside & Loch Ness ............ 335
Toward the Small Isles ............ 353
Around the Great Glen Essentials ............ 361
Chapter 9: The Northern Highlands & the Western Isles ............ 364
The Northern Landscapes ............ 368
Torridon ............ 379
Isle of Skye ............ 382
The Outer Hebrides ............ 392
Northern Highlands & Western Isles Essentials ............ 398
Chapter 10: Orkney & Shetland ............ 401
Around Orkney ............ 403
Around Shetland ............ 410
Orkney & Shetland Essentials ............ 419
Chapter 11: A Golfer’s Country ............ 422
Understanding Scotland
Scotland at a Glance ............ 437
Beyond the Tartan Plaid ............ 439
Books & Movies ............ 441
Chronology ............ 445
Scotland Essentials
Getting Started ............ 452
Booking Your Trip ............ 456
Transportation ............ 465
On The Ground ............ 472
Index ............ 485
About Our Writers ............ 496
CloseUps
Edinburgh’s Castle Fit for a King ............ 35
Leith, Edinburgh’s Seaport ............ 51
Ancestor Hunting ............ 54
Festivals in Edinburgh ............ 75
Charles Rennie Mackintosh ............ 121
The World of Sir Walter Scott ............ 183
Which Castle Is Right for You? ............ 281
Do ye ken fitehm sayin’, laddie? ............ 283
Around Queen Victoria’s Retreat ............ 286
Whisky, the Water of Life ............ 292
Bonnie Prince Charlie ............ 342
Cairngorms National Park ............ 348
Island Festivals ............ 410
The Evolution of “Gowf” ............ 433
Maps
Scotland ............ 12
Great Britain ............ 14
Edinburgh ............ 38
Where to Eat in Edinburgh ............ 58
Where to Stay in Edinburgh ............ 68
West Lothian & the Forth Valley ............ 86
Midlothian & East Lothian ............ 94
Glasgow ............ 110
Where to Eat in Glasgow ............ 124
Where to Stay in Glasgow ............ 134
Ayrshire & the Clyde Coast ............ 149
Clyde Valley ............ 158
The Borders & the Southwest ............ 171
The Borders ............ 173
Dumfries & Galloway ............ 188
Fife & Angus ............ 205
St. Andrews ............ 207
Fife ............ 212
Dundee ............ 217
Angus Area ............ 222
The Central Highlands ............ 233
Stirling ............ 236
The Trossachs & Loch Lomond ............ 243
Perthshire ............ 252
Aberdeen & the Northeast ............ 267
Aberdeen ............ 269
Royal Deeside ............ 279
The Northeast ............ 291
Argyll & the Isles ............ 307
Argyll & Arran ............ 309
Islay & Jura ............ 321
Iona, Mull & the Smaller Islands ............ 325
Around the Great Glen ............ 335
Speyside & Loch Ness ............ 338
Toward the Small Isles ............ 353
The Northern Highlands & the Western Isles ............ 368
The Northern Highlands ............ 370
Isle of Skye ............ 383
The Outer Hebrides ............ 393
The Orkney Islands ............ 405
The Shetland Islands ............ 411
Great Golf Courses ............ 430
Be a Fodor’s Correspondent ............ 3
About This Book ............ 7
What’s Where ............ 8
Quintessential Scotland ............ 16
If You Like ............ 18
Great Itinerary ............ 22
When to Go ............ 25
On the Calendar ............ 26
Scotland
Chapter 1: Edinburgh & the Lothians ............ 29
Exploring Edinburgh & the Lothians ............ 32
Where to Eat ............ 54
Where to Stay ............ 64
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 74
Sports & the Outdoors ............ 80
Shopping ............ 81
Side Trips from Edinburgh ............ 84
Edinburgh & the Lothians Essentials ............ 98
Chapter 2: Glasgow ............ 104
Exploring Glasgow ............ 107
Where to Eat ............ 122
Where to Stay ............ 131
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 140
Sports & the Outdoors ............ 143
Shopping ............ 144
Side Trips: Ayrshire, Clyde Coast & Robert Burns Country ............ 148
Side Trips: The Clyde Valley ............ 157
Glasgow Essentials ............ 161
Chapter 3: The Borders & the Southwest ............ 168
The Borders ............ 171
Dumfries & Galloway ............ 187
The Borders & the Southwest Essentials ............ 198
Chapter 4: Fife & Angus ............ 201
St. Andrews & Fife’s East Neuk Villages ............ 204
Dundee & Angus ............ 216
Fife & Angus Essentials ............ 228
Chapter 5: The Central Highlands ............ 230
Stirling ............ 235
The Trossachs & Loch Lomond ............ 242
Perthshire ............ 252
The Central Highlands Essentials ............ 261
Chapter 6: Aberdeen & the Northeast ............ 263
Aberdeen ............ 267
Royal Deeside & Castle Country ............ 278
The Northeast & the Malt Whisky Trail ............ 289
Aberdeen & the Northeast Essentials ............ 300
Chapter 7: Argyll & the Isles ............ 304
Around Argyll ............ 308
Arran ............ 316
Islay & Jura ............ 319
Iona & the Isle of Mull ............ 324
The Smaller Islands ............ 328
Argyll & the Isles Essentials ............ 329
Chapter 8: Around the Great Glen ............ 332
Speyside & Loch Ness ............ 335
Toward the Small Isles ............ 353
Around the Great Glen Essentials ............ 361
Chapter 9: The Northern Highlands & the Western Isles ............ 364
The Northern Landscapes ............ 368
Torridon ............ 379
Isle of Skye ............ 382
The Outer Hebrides ............ 392
Northern Highlands & Western Isles Essentials ............ 398
Chapter 10: Orkney & Shetland ............ 401
Around Orkney ............ 403
Around Shetland ............ 410
Orkney & Shetland Essentials ............ 419
Chapter 11: A Golfer’s Country ............ 422
Understanding Scotland
Scotland at a Glance ............ 437
Beyond the Tartan Plaid ............ 439
Books & Movies ............ 441
Chronology ............ 445
Scotland Essentials
Getting Started ............ 452
Booking Your Trip ............ 456
Transportation ............ 465
On The Ground ............ 472
Index ............ 485
About Our Writers ............ 496
CloseUps
Edinburgh’s Castle Fit for a King ............ 35
Leith, Edinburgh’s Seaport ............ 51
Ancestor Hunting ............ 54
Festivals in Edinburgh ............ 75
Charles Rennie Mackintosh ............ 121
The World of Sir Walter Scott ............ 183
Which Castle Is Right for You? ............ 281
Do ye ken fitehm sayin’, laddie? ............ 283
Around Queen Victoria’s Retreat ............ 286
Whisky, the Water of Life ............ 292
Bonnie Prince Charlie ............ 342
Cairngorms National Park ............ 348
Island Festivals ............ 410
The Evolution of “Gowf” ............ 433
Maps
Scotland ............ 12
Great Britain ............ 14
Edinburgh ............ 38
Where to Eat in Edinburgh ............ 58
Where to Stay in Edinburgh ............ 68
West Lothian & the Forth Valley ............ 86
Midlothian & East Lothian ............ 94
Glasgow ............ 110
Where to Eat in Glasgow ............ 124
Where to Stay in Glasgow ............ 134
Ayrshire & the Clyde Coast ............ 149
Clyde Valley ............ 158
The Borders & the Southwest ............ 171
The Borders ............ 173
Dumfries & Galloway ............ 188
Fife & Angus ............ 205
St. Andrews ............ 207
Fife ............ 212
Dundee ............ 217
Angus Area ............ 222
The Central Highlands ............ 233
Stirling ............ 236
The Trossachs & Loch Lomond ............ 243
Perthshire ............ 252
Aberdeen & the Northeast ............ 267
Aberdeen ............ 269
Royal Deeside ............ 279
The Northeast ............ 291
Argyll & the Isles ............ 307
Argyll & Arran ............ 309
Islay & Jura ............ 321
Iona, Mull & the Smaller Islands ............ 325
Around the Great Glen ............ 335
Speyside & Loch Ness ............ 338
Toward the Small Isles ............ 353
The Northern Highlands & the Western Isles ............ 368
The Northern Highlands ............ 370
Isle of Skye ............ 383
The Outer Hebrides ............ 393
The Orkney Islands ............ 405
The Shetland Islands ............ 411
Great Golf Courses ............ 430
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