If you are planning to travel in Scotland and a bit confused where to start then don’t worry this post will be your complete guide to visit in Scotland. We live in Scotland and have traveled fare bit of the country, exploring all the major and offbeat places. We will help you to plan your trip to Scotland, so lets get started with the basics first.
Scotland travel visa?
You will need to apply for a UK visitor Visa for your travel, specially if you are coming from India, You have an option to pick multi-entry visa, of different validity ( 1,2,5 and 10 years). This is the a bit costly and the amount keeps changing year after year. You can find more details in Home Office portal.
When is the best time to visit Scotland?
If you ask me, I will recommend April and May. Personally, I feel these are the best time to visit as there are plenty of sunny days. Also, days are just long enough so more time to explore. These months are onset of Spring too so you get to see loads of wild flowers (specially Daffodils) everywhere adding to the scenery. It is also shoulder season so the hotels will cost lesser and in the highlands they will open for the season.
Another season you can try is Mid August to Early October, onset of Autumn. It is also nice time to travel to Scotland, but it can be wet. In Scotland autumn is not as gorgeous as Canada and USA as it can be very wet.
You can opt for summer months but remember it is going to be cold. Just to give you a reference, when Europe is burning with heatwave, Scotland had maximum 28 degrees temperature. In the highlands temperature can get lower than this. It is also peak season to travel hence all stays are charged 4 to 5 times more. If you ask me summer days are longer almost like mid night sun so can get tiring if you exploring all day.
I will say avoid winter season to travel to Scotland, it is grey, wet, gloomy and very short days. Being said that, it is not as cold as Nordic countries, USA or Canada. You will have few days in winter that will get to sub zero temperature.
Weather of Scotland
If you are coming to Scotland, please make sure you are prepared for all four seasons, no matter when and where you chose to travel. A proper winter jacket and a good raincoat is a must thing to carry. It rains almost everyday and you need a waterproof jacket for that, forget about bringing your umbrellas. It is very windy here so your umbrellas won’t even last a day.
What to pack on your trip to Scotland?
As I said, you can expect all four seasons a day in Scotland. You need to carry a good rain jacket and a winter jacket so you can layer it as needed. If visiting in summer a light jacket with rain coat will make you survive the trip.
In case you are planning your trip during June, July, August then you need to be prepared for Midges. A nasty cousin of mosquitos and the ones in Scottish Highlands can bite too. You need to carry insect repellent or get one during your trip here.
Also it is very important to wear fully covered clothes, as it is Tick season and they can cause Lyme disease. You need to carry a tick remover and find the tutorial of ” How to remove a Tick?”
Which airport will be better?
If you are combining England along with your Scotland trip then London will be the best option to take flights to. More and cheaper options are available from London. If you are coming to Scotland only then Edinburgh airport and Glasgow airport will be your best bet. I will recommend Glasgow airport as it is closer to the Highlands and cheaper accommodations than Edinburgh.
Getting around to visit Scotland
We recommend you to rent a car and drive, specially if you are going to Scottish highlands. You don’t want to drive, no worries Scotland public transport is great with frequent bus, train options to all the cities and major sites in highland. We love the train as it takes very scenic route, passing through mountains and lochs. If you are planning to leverage train then do check out their travel passes for extra discounts all around UK. If unsure, and planning your trip last minute then getting around by bus will be easier as train tickets if not booked early can get really expensive.
Make sure to look for a day pass if you are taking a bus in a city or ask for family pass if traveling with children. These can help you to save some extra bucks.
In cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh you will find Uber as well to take you places within the city.
You will also have options from airport to the city by bus, which is very frequent and reasonable as well. It is cost effective if you are traveling solo.
Where to stay during your visit to Scotland?
If you are coming to Scotland, you will definitely visit Edinburgh, but, staying in Edinburgh is insanely expensive no matter what time of the year. You will land up staying in some outskirts. If you have a car you can do that but otherwise I would recommend staying in Glasgow. The cost in Glasgow is reasonably cheaper and its just 45 mins train ride away from Edinburgh. Glasgow is also very strategically located and more closer to the highlands.
If you are doing your Scotland trip just by public transport based out of Scotland / Edinburgh will be best. In highlands Inverness will be the best place to stay.
If you are on a road trip across Scotland then your stay can be flexible.
Do you need to carry cash while your travel in Scotland?
You don’t need to carry cash for your Scotland visit. We have been able to use our credit cards or travel cards all across the country. If you can carry few bucks, which you can use for small businesses, honesty shops or sometimes takeaways in highlands.
Currency in Scotland
British Pound is used in Scotland, though it looks little different than the one you get in London, England. You need to remember though it looks different and printed by Royal Bank of Scotland it hold the same value.
Do you need to worry about language spoken in Scotland?
Believe it or not English is the language spoken in Scotland, but you might struggle with the accent. Worry not as people are kind and never get angry to repeat if you are not able to understand. Just for your knowledge Scotland had different languages for every clan, but as of today Gaelic is the one that is surviving (hardly spoken in remote island and highland).
How many days are needed for Scotland trip?
If you are visiting for the first time in Scotland then I would recommend minimum 5 days here. The best option in my opinion will be 7 days if you have time.
In my opinion there is more to Scotland than Edinburgh, so keep at least day or two to experience Scottish highlands along with your capital city visit.
If you do not want to drive and have less number of days then, we highly recommend you to take day trip to Scottish Highlands.
Where to eat during your visit to Scotland?
If you fancy fine dining experience then worry not, all across Scotland you will great amazing restaurant serving British cuisine. If you are looking for Michelin star restaurant then you will have good number of options in Edinburgh and Glasgow. You can also find good Indian restaurants in these cities, there are plenty in highlands as well. The one in Highlands are how authentic I am not sure.
What to eat in your Scotland trip?
If you are visiting Scotland for the first time then there are few things you must try while you are here:
- Full Scottish breakfast with haggis and black pudding
- You can also try Haggis pakodas
- Cullen Skink – A fish soup originated from a coastal town called Cullen
- Fried Pizza or Fried Mars bar – Yes you heard this right. As it sounds like it is exactly the same and can give you blocked arteries. You can find it in local chippie shop ( Fish & Chips ).
- In-case you are in coastal towns then watch out for the seafood shacks available in beach areas.
Things to buy in your visit to Scotland
If you want some Scottish souvenirs then below is the list I feel make sense to take home with you.
- Scottish Tablets – Sweet caramel treat perfect for gifting
- Scottish shortbread – This one is everyone’s favorite back home, these biscuits are vegetarian and a must.
- Highland coos – Unique Cows of Scotland, you will find mini decors, cards and tote bags featuring them you should get one
- Handmade Jewellery – You get small businesses selling handmade jewellery and worth getting one. My favorite is Heather Gems, made of Heather and each piece is unique.
- Scottish Tartan – You can get woolen scarf or shawl with tartan prints in them, very traditional thing to buy.
If you think I have missed anything please feel free to comment below with your favorites, it will help others.
Top things to do during your Scotland visit
Spot wildlife of Scotland
This might come as a surprise but Scotland has many wildlife spotting activities you can enjoy if you manage to be here in right months. You can spot puffins, whales, seals and dolphins in different times in Scotland.
Edinburgh Trip
Your trip to Scotland remains unfulfilled if you miss a trip to Edinburgh. One of the most beautiful cities in the world is worth your time and effort. So please make sure you have it in your itinerary if your are visiting UK.
Scottish Highland
If you manage to be in Edinburgh then make sure you keep at least a day to visit gorgeous Scottish Highlands.
Visit Isle of Skye
You need to visit Skye and give it at least 2 full days to explore , trust me it gives you a mini taste of Scotland. You can find more details here.
Scottish Isles
Islands in Scotland are gorgeous and if time permits then do try your luck visiting one. The easiest one you can try is Isle of Mull from Oban. We have drafted all you need to know as well for Oban trip. We highly recommend Outer Hebrides islands as well.
Visit Castles of Scotland
You will get an opportunity to see Edinburgh castle in Scotland, it is gorgeous. Apart from that, you must see one or two castles in the highlands like Dunnottar Castle, Stirling Castle or any other random ones you fancy.
Hope you enjoyed the post and it was helpful for your trip planing. If I have missed anything please share in the comments below.
