This list of the best tips for traveling to Scotland It will help you prepare a trip to this impressive country full of magical corners, which we are sure, will exceed all your expectations.
Although you can visit in different ways, we recommend you choose a car route that will allow you to enjoy Scotland to the fullest, having the freedom to stop amid landscapes dotted with lakes, mountains and fairytale castles.
Although the landscapes and castles are the jewel of Scotland, you cannot forget the old town centers of cities like Glasgow and especially, Edinburgh or try the local food in a pub always accompanied by a good pint of beer, just two of the things they will do That you can't forget this trip.
Based on the experience of our trip to Scotland in 11 days, during which we toured much of the country, we have made this guide to travel to Scotland and not miss anything important.
1. What is the best time?
The best time to make a trip to Scotland It is between May and September, when the temperature is more pleasant (close to 20 degrees), there are more hours of light and less chance of rain.
Within this period, the months of July and August are usually the worst, not only for having the highest prices for accommodation and car rental, but also for being the time when the risk of rain increases.
In March (when it was us), April and October, you will depend a bit on luck because the weather is quite unpredictable and it will not hurt to wish that the rain does not become a faithful companion throughout the trip.
In winter although the prices are lower and you can see the landscapes with snow, there are very few hours of light and we would only recommend it if you are a lover of Christmas markets, which in this case you can enjoy in Edinburgh.
2. Entry requirements
For travel to ScotlandIf you are a Spanish or European Union citizen, you only need to show your ID or passport. Remember that if Brexit occurs, the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU, surely the requirements change and there is the possibility of having to pay a visa.
If your country does not belong to the European Union, we recommend you consult the British Embassy or the Foreign Ministry, to find out what agreements your country has with the United Kingdom and what are the mandatory entry requirements.
A document that is not mandatory, but if very necessary in case of any health accident, is the European Health Card with which you will have free access to public hospitals in Scotland.
If you do not have the card or want to extend the coverage offered by this card as the extreme and expensive case of a repatriation, we recommend you to take the best travel insurance to Europe possible.
We always travel insured with Mondo, with whom we carry a totally adequate insurance to the needs that we will have on the trip.
Hiring your insurance here with Mondo, just for being a Street Travelers reader, you have a 5% discount.
3. Money exchange
The official currency of Scotland is the pound sterling, currently one pound equals 1.20 euros and is popularly known as pound.
To save you commissions it is advisable not to change money in your country's bank, or use the exchange offices of the airport or the main cities of the country.
In these cases, the best way to get cash with the current change and without paying commission is to use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
Pound sterling
4. How to start the trip to Scotland
The most common way of travel to Scotland It is buying a plane ticket to the airports of Edinburgh or Glasgow.
From Spain you have a wide variety of great companies such as British Airways and Iberia as well as other low-cost ones such as Ryanair, EasyJet or Vueling that offer direct flights at a good price from the main cities of the Iberian Peninsula. You can use this recommended search engine to find your flight at the best price.
Once you have the ticket, the second most important step is to rent a car or camper, to have the freedom to stop where and when you want, something essential in a country of spectacular landscapes like Scotland, which also does not have an extensive public transport network .
The decision to rent a car or a camper will depend on the budget and the type of trip you want to do although if you are looking for comfort and you are not used to the motorhome, we recommend you rent a car and sleep in the usual B & Bs distributed throughout the Scottish geography.
If your budget is more tight, you can save yourself the expensive accommodations and restaurants, renting a camper or motorhome without forgetting that the roads in several areas of the country such as the Isle of Skye are very narrow, some one-way, so it is advisable rent a small vehicle ,.
In this case, if you have never driven on the left, it is advisable before going out on the road, take a few turns around the parking lot to take the distance well and then be very careful in the roundabouts and crossings, although you should not worry too much anymore It is amazing how the mind gets used to driving contrary to what is usual for you in a few hours.
In case of opting for a tourism it is advisable to trace the route as soon as possible to book the accommodations well in advance, especially if you travel in high season and you will go through areas with little supply, such as the north of the country and the Isle of Skye.
In our case, we opted to make a trip to Scotland in tourism and stay in B&B and on the subject of food we alternated restaurants with shopping in supermarkets, especially when we planned to eat in an area near a large landscape like a Lake or waterfall and one of the best options was to enjoy a picnic.
Neist Point on the Isle of Skye
5. What is the best itinerary to travel to Scotland?
Another of the best tips for traveling to Scotland It is to prepare in advance the route that you are going to take in the country.
We suggest making a circular route by car or camper for 10 to 14 days, starting in Glasgow and ending in Edimbugo or vice versa.
The route can be lengthened depending on the number of islands you want to know, taking into account that among the most famous are the Isle of Skye, that of Mull, that of Arran or the remote Hebrides, an archipelago with several islands among which Lewis and Harris stand out.
To get to all these islands you will have to take the ferries that leave from the nearest cities, in this way you can travel by car through the most interesting points of each island. Remember to book these ferry transfers in advance, especially if you are traveling in high season and although all are interesting, we on a first trip, we would recommend the Isle of Skye, since it has some of the best landscapes in the whole country . In addition this island is connected by road by one of the sides, so you only need to take a ferry, if you do not want to go around and enter and exit on the same road.
Another thing that must be taken into account in areas such as the Highlands, located in the north of the country, is that gas stations are scarce, so it is highly recommended to refuel even if you take half a deposit.
If you do not have so many days or do not want to drive you can base in Edinburgh or Glasgow and make excursions by public or private transport.
See Eilean Donan Castle when traveling to Scotland
6. Edinburgh
As we mentioned earlier, a more comfortable way to make a trip to Scotland, if you don't want to drive on the left or have fewer days, is to stay in Edinburgh every day and take small day trips.
To go from Edinburgh airport to the city center or your hotel you have several means of transport such as the Airlink bus, the Skylink and the N22 night line, the Edinburgh Trams tram, the taxi that costs 30 euros or this convenient direct transfer.
Among the most recommended hotels in the city are the Old Waverley Hotel with good connection to the airport and downtown or the Canon Court Apartments, a perfect option if you have a rental car.
Once you have chosen the hotel, you can plan the itineraries around the city with these guides optimized according to the days you have:
You can complete these guides with this list of essential places to visit in Edinburgh and this one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
Old Town in Edinburgh
Another of the best tips for traveling to Scotland is that once you know the capital well, invest the days you have left to do some of the best excursions in Edinburgh.
All these places can be visited by car, combining bus and train or with any of these comfortable excursions with a guide in Spanish:
7. Glasgow
Another good option for travel to Scotland It is to use the city of Glasgow as a base and get to know in small excursions the wonders of Scotland, which are closer.
To get to Glasgow you can land at Glasgow International Airport or Prestwick Airport. The two airports are well connected to the city center and in the case of Glasgow you have buses every 10 minutes and at Prestick, you have a train station right next door.
If you are in Edinburgh, you can take one of the many trains that leave Edinburgh Waverley Station every day or a bus from the Edinburgh Bus Station.
Once in the city you can stay at The Z Hotel Glasgow or at the One Glasgow Motel, both located near the old town.
To tour the city and not miss anything important we recommend you follow this list of places to see in Glasgow that can be completed in one day.
If you have more days you can do any of these day trips with a guide in Spanish:
San Mungo Cathedral in Glasgow
8. What to eat?
Another reason for travel to Scotland It is to try its abundant cuisine, always accompanied by a good pint of black beer and finish with a shot of a good Scotch malt whiskey.
Some of the most typical dishes are:
- Haggis: the most famous Scottish dish made from sheep or lamb, onion, oatmeal and spices.
- Neeps and tatties: mashed radishes and potatoes that usually accompany haggis.
- Scotch broth: traditional soup with barley grains cooked in beef or lamb and vegetables.
- Fish and Chips: fried fish and chips.
- Stovies: potato salad, onion and often leftovers of roast beef or minced meat.
- Cock-a-leekie: Leek soup, potatoes and chicken broth.
- Porridge: porridge or porridge.
- Cranachan: dessert that is a mixture of whipped cream, whiskey, honey, fresh raspberries and toasted oatmeal
- Shortbreads: butter cookies.
Another of the best things to do on a trip to Scotland It is to stay in a Bed & Breakfast and enjoy every morning the caloric English breakfast that is usually based on toasts, sausages, bacon, fried eggs, beans, fried tomatoes, mushrooms and other ingredients.
English breakfast
9. Other tourist attractions in Scotland
In addition to visiting the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, a trip to Scotland should include the great jewels in the form of landscapes, castles and abbeys, which make up this beautiful country.
Among the most essential landscapes include Neist Point, located on the Isle of Skye and known as the end of the Scottish world.
Another wonder of nature that will leave you speechless is the Glen Coe glacier valley surrounded by great mountains.
Scotland is also a country of lakes and although fame is always carried by Loch Ness, there are other prettier ones such as Lake Katrine, located in the beautiful Loch Lomond National Park and the Trossachs.
All these natural landscapes are dotted with ruined and rebuilt castles, located in the most privileged locations in each area, which make Scotland one of the most wonderful destinations in the world.
Our two favorites are Eilean Donan Castle and Dunnottar Castle, located on a rocky cliff above the sea although there are other essential castles such as Stirling, Glamis, Urquhart, Crathes, Fraser, Glamis and Stalker, located in the middle of An island of Loch Laich.
Keep in mind that the visits to the castles can also be mixed with those of the abbeys, among which the one of Melrose, located in the area known as Los Borders.
In this region of southern Scotland there is also the Rosslyn Chapel that became very famous by having a key role in the book and the film The Da Vinci Code.
If you are going to visit many of these castles and abbeys, as we did, we recommend you book the Explorer Pass for 5 or 14 days with which in addition to saving money on tickets, you will take a nice book-shaped souvenir with the stamps of each Castle you have visited.
Finally nothing better than spending a few days in cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh and Saint Andrews, cradle of golf and with several jewels as its cathedral.
Other highly recommended experiences is to visit a distillery like Glenfiddich, to see the whole process of making malt whiskey.
If you still have days you can reach less touristy places such as the Orkney Islands, the Hebrides, the Isle of Arran or that of Mull, among many others.
Another of the tips for traveling to Scotland is to complete this list of places to visit in Scotland essential.
10. More tips for traveling to Scotland
Between the best tips for traveling to Scotland they find each other:
- Always carry an umbrella or a raincoat, as rain can appear when you least expect it.
- Dress in layers, temperatures can rise and fall during the same day.
- Go carefully and at low speed when driving on the narrowest roads in the north of the island, as they can cross sheep.
- If you do not have Vodafone roaming that allows you to have the same data and call plan as in Spain, you can buy a prepaid SIM card at the same airport.
- Remember that you will need three flat pin adapters.
- If you are a Harry Potter fan, approach the Glenfinnan viaduct to see how the Jacobite steam train passes, an unforgettable experience.
- Remember that the Scots are very proud of their land, do not call them English.
- If you don't find any restaurant open, pubs serve traditional Scottish food.
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Do you want to organize this trip to Scotland?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Edinburgh here
The best hotels at the best prices in Scotland here
Book the best tours and excursions in Scotland in Spanish here
Book your transfer Airport⇆Edinburgh here
Rent your car in United Kingdom at the best price here
10 must-see places in Glasgow
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Edinburgh here
The best hotels at the best prices in Scotland here
Book the best tours and excursions in Scotland in Spanish here
Book your transfer Airport⇆Edinburgh here
Rent your car in United Kingdom at the best price here
10 must-see places in Glasgow
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