Scotland <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:Flag_of_Scotland_Pantone300.png|thumb|National flag of Scotland</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Edinburgh</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>Constitutional monarchy</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>Pound Sterling (£)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Time zone'''</td><td>WET (UTC; UTC+1 in summer)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 78,782 sq km<br>''water:'' 1.9%</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>5,062,011 (2001)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>English, Scots Gaelic, Scots</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Church of Scotland 42%, Roman Catholic 16%, Other Christian 7%, Islamic 0.8%</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Country Calling Code'''</td><td>+44</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Internet TLD'''</td><td>.uk</td></tr> </table> </div>  Scotland is one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. ==Regions== image:Scotland_map.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of Scotland There are 32 unitary authority regions, which can be grouped into these parts: *The Central Belt of Scotland|Central Belt *The Scottish Borders|Borders *The Hebrides *The Scottish Highlands|Highlands *North East Scotland *The Orkney Islands *The Shetland Islands *South West Scotland ==Cities== Glasgow is Scotland's largest city with a population of approximately 620,000 people while the capital, Edinburgh, has around 450,000 with Aberdeen next at about 220,000 inhabitants. *Aberdeen *Dundee *Edinburgh *Glasgow *Inverness *Perth (Scotland)|Perth *St Andrews *Stirling *Falkirk ==Other destinations== Scotland has extensive wilderness areas, some of which have been proclaimed as '''National Parks''': *the '''Cairngorms''' - the Cairngorm Mountains *'''Loch Lomond & the Trossachs''' - Scotland's first national park ==History== Scotland has a rich cultural history much of which is preserved in historic buildings throughout the country. Prehistoric settlements can be traced back to 9600BC, as well as the famous standing stones in Lewis and Orkney. The Romans invaded Britain in 43AD, moving into the Southern half of Scotland, but not occupying the country due to the fierce resistance efforts of the native Caledonian tribes. Today, Hadrian's Wall on the Scottish-English border is one of the most famous Roman remains in the world. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the various Scots tribes eventually united, and one King ruled the country. The early history of the new nation is marked with many conflicts with the English, and also the Vikings who invaded the North of Scotland. Today the Shetland Islands retain a strong Viking cultural identity. Wars with the English would dominate Scottish history for hundreds of years, until the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when the Scottish King, James VII inherited the English throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1707, the Parliaments of Scotland and England were united, creating Great Britain. From the 18th century, the Scottish enlightenment saw vast industrial expansion, and the rise of the city of Glasgow as a major trading port and eventually "Second City" of the British Empire. Universities flourished, and many of the great inventions of the world including television, the telephone and penicillin were invented by Scots. 20th century Scotland saw increasing calls for autonomy from London, and a Scottish Parliament was again established in Edinburgh. Scotland's history and geography is reflected in the wide range of visitor attractions available, from castles and cathedrals, to stunning countryside, and more modern attractions showcasing Scottish cultural achievements. ==Culture== Scottish culture is distinct from that of the rest of the UK, and the Scots have a strong sense of patriotism, reflected in their exuberant support for their national football team. Despite calls for independence for Scotland, the separatist Scottish National party only poll around 20% of the vote in national elections. "English bashing" can be a part of everyday culture, especially where football is involved, however it is usually good natured, and not taken too serious. The Scots are also welcoming to other cultures, and there are large Pakistani, Indian and Chinese communities in the main cities. Under the Treaty of Union with England, Scotland is entitled to its own legal system and educational system. As such Scotland has different licensing laws for bars and clubs, which are open significantly latter than in England. ==Get In== ===Immigration and visa requirements=== Scotland has the same immigration and visa requirements as the rest of the UK. * Citizens of the European Union do not require a visa, and have permanent residency and working rights in the UK. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland have additional rights allowing them to vote in elections. * Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland also have permanent residency rights, but may require a work permit in some circumstances. * Citizens of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States do not require a visa for visits under 6 months. * Most other countries will require a visa, which can be obtained from the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. * The UK also operates a '''Working Holidaymaker Scheme''' for citizens of the Commonwealth of Nations, and British dependent territories. This allows residency in the UK for up to 2 years, with limited working rights. For more information of UK Immigration and visa requirements, see the [http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk UK's Home Office website] ===By Plane=== Until recently, there was few direct international services to Scotland, meaning many travellers would have to fly into London or Manchester and then transfer to Scotland on an internal flight. However, there are now plenty European and long haul destinations served by the four international airports in Scotland: * '''Aberdeen Airport''', 8 miles north west of the city, has direct flights from Amsterdam, Bergen, Dublin and Paris * '''Edinburgh Airport''', 10 miles west of the city, has direct flights from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Cologne, Copenhagen, Cork, Dublin, Frankfurt, Galway, Hamburg, Moscow, New York, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm and Toronto * '''Glasgow International Airport''', 12 miles west of the city, has direct flights from Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Brussels, Calgary, Chicago, Copenhagen, Cork, Dubai, Dublin, Halifax, Malta, New York, Ottawa, Paris, Philadelphia, Prague, Reykjavík, Tenerife, Toronto and Vancouver. * '''Glasgow Prestwick International Airport''', situated 40 miles south west of Glasgow, is a hub of budget airline [http://www.ryanair.com Ryan Air] with domestic flights to London Stansted and Bournemouth; and international flights to Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Girona, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Oslo, Milan, Paris, Pisa, Rome, Shannon and Stockholm. There are many domestic flights operating to Scotland including: *[http://www.british-airways.co.uk British Airways] flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton and Bristol; *[http://www.flybmi.com bmi] flights from London Heathrow, Manchester and Leeds-Bradford *[http://www.easyjet.com Easyjet] flights from London Luton, London Stansted, Bristol, Belfast and Nottingham *[http://www.bmibaby.com bmibaby] flights from Cardiff and Nottingham None of the airports in Scotland, except Glasgow Prestwick, is connected to the rail network, meaning travellers have to use a dedicated bus service to the city centre, or take a taxi. ===By Train=== The three national train lines in the UK all run services to Scotland: * The '''West Coast Main Line''' is the busiest railways line in the UK, running from Glasgow Central Station to London Euston, with stops at Carlisle, the Lake District, Preston, Crewe and Rugby. Services are operated by [http://www.virgintrains.co.uk Virgin Trains] * The '''East Coast Main Line''' runs between Edinburgh and London's King Cross station, with stops at Newcastle, Durham, Doncaster, York, Stevenage and Peterborough. Services are operated by [http://www.gner.com GNER]. There are also some GNER services running north of Edinburgh to Stirling, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. * The Cross Country network, operated also by Virgin Trains, runs services between Scotland and Manchester, Birmingham, Cornwall and Brighton. [http://www.firstscotrail.co.uk First Scotrail], also operate a sleeper service between London and destinations in Scotland, including Fort William, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Fares start at £89 for a sleeper cabin. ===By Car=== The main road linking Scotland and England is the M74 motorway which runs from the South of Glasgow to Carlisle. The A1 road links Edinburgh and the North East of England, however this road is single carriageway in some areas, and not considered to be the be the best route into Scotland. ===By Bus=== Bus and coach services are the cheapest way to get to Scotland, but are probably the longest and least comfortable. [http://www.nationalexpress.com National Express] are the main operator, with services from Glasgow's Buchanan Street Station to most English cities. ===By Boat=== [http://www.superfast.com/Scotland/English/index.asp Superfast Ferries] sail from Zeebrugge, Belgium to Rosyth, near Edinburgh. ==Get Around== ===By Air=== Scotland is a small country, making air travel uneconomical most short routes. However, it is the fastest way to reach the Scottish islands. Loganair operates many internal Scottish flights on behalf of British Airways. Flights can be booked on the main [http://www.british-airways.co.uk BA website]. The Scottish Executive own '''Highlands and Islands Airports''' which operates the remote Scottish airports. Flights are available from Glasgow International Airport to Campbeltown, Islay, Stornoway, Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands. Flights from Edinburgh Airport also operate to Inverness, Wick, Stornoway, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands. It should be noted that flights can be disrupted or cancelled due to weather conditions. ===By Train=== [http://www.firstscotrail.com/ '''First ScotRail'''] operates the Scottish rail network, which covers most of the country. The main rail terminals are: * '''Aberdeen Station'''- with trains to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness * '''Edinburgh Waverly Station'''- with trains to Aberdeen, Fife, Glasgow Queen Street Station, Inverness, Perth and Stirling * '''Glasgow Queen Street Station''' with trains to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Fort William, Mallaig, Perth and Stirling. For trains to Inverness, change at Perth. * '''Glasgow Central Station''' for trains to South West Scotland including Ayr, Kilmarnock and Stranraer; West Scotland including Dumbarton and Greenock; and Lanarkshire including Hamilton, Scotland|Hamilton and Lanark. * '''Inverness Station''' for trains to Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh The train services to Fort William and Mallaig from Glasgow Queen Street take in some wonderful views of the Scottish landscape, and footage from the line was used in the Harry Potter movies. Note there is no train services to the Scottish Borders, although there are plans to re-open a former railway line to the area, running from Edinburgh. Generally train fares in Scotland are comparable to the rest of the UK, and are more expensive than most European countries. Typical off-peak fare between Glasgow and Edinburgh is £15 return, and between Edinburgh and Aberdeen £40 return. It is best to avoid peak time services between Glasgow and Edinburgh, as they are often overcrowded. ===By Car=== As Scotland is not a big country, most location can be reached within a few hours. Visitors from outside the United Kingdom should take special care when driving with the car, as it is not that easy to drive on the left-hand side if you have never done that before. Many by-passes have been built to allow faster travel, but you will miss out on the beautiful scenery of Scotland. ===By Bus=== The bus is the cheapest way of getting around in Scotland. You can get almost everywhere with the Citylink bus, but it is more expensive than Megabus. Megabus is a very cheap way to travel, with ticket prices from £1. Megabus departs from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Perth, going between these Scottish cities as well as to English destinations. Note that with Megabus you can only book online (from 45 days to 30 minutes before departure) and buses tend to depart not from major bus stations, but nearby bus stops. * [http://www.citylink.co.uk/ '''Citylink'''] — Journey information and ticket sales. * [http://www.megabus.com/ '''Megabus'''] — Journey information and ticket sales. ===Hitching=== Hitchhiking is surprisingly easy in Scotland, but better to do outside the big cities. In the Highlands you might need to wait for a long time until a car comes by. General caution must be given. ==Talk== English is the official language of Scotland and is spoken by more or less everyone. Gaelic is also spoken by around 60,000 people, mainly in the highlands and islands, but even there everyone speaks English. In some rural communities in the Lowlands, the Scots language (a language with similar roots as English, and not to be confused with Gaelic) is the common vernacular. The Scots, like most Britons, generally have rather poor foreign language skills, although those in tourism-related industries generally have better language skills. French and German are the most commonly known foreign languages. Here are some useful Scottish words: *Ben = mountain (''Fort William|Ben Nevis'') *Burn = stream (''Stirling|Bannockburn'') *Ceilidh = informal celebration, party *Close = entrance to an alley or courtyard *Firth = estuary (''Edinburgh|Firth of Forth'') *Glen, Strath = valley (''Glen Coe'') *Kyle = narrow strait of water (''Kyle of Sutherland'') *Loch = lake (''Loch Ness'') *Wee = small *Wynd = lane ==Buy== ===Currency=== As in the rest of the United Kingdom, the currency is Pounds Sterling, and banknotes and coins are issued by The Bank of England, the UK's government-owned central bank. Unlike England and Wales, Scottish law permits certain private banks to issue their own, legal, sterling banknotes. These are The Bank of Scotland, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and The Clydesdale Bank. These notes are very common in Scotland, but are sometimes not accepted in shops in England (although English banks will exchange them for Bank of England notes). ATMs commonly dispense the Scottish notes, but bank tellers will cash travelers cheques into English notes on request. Scottish banknotes may be difficult to exchange outside the UK, where banks are generally unfamiliar with the notes. The Scottish banks still produce £1 notes, unlike England. They are legal tender in Scotland but not elsewhere and so will need to be changed. As English notes are more commonly forged than their (lower-circulation) Scottish equivalents, smaller shops are sometimes wary of larger-denomination English banknotes, particularly when the note is in an uncirculated condition (as is common with sterling notes sold abroad). Euros are accepted at a very small number of highstreet stores and tourist shops, but this should not be relied upon. Scotland (similar to the rest of Britain) is quite expensive when compared to other European countries. The further north you go the more expensive it gets, mostly because of the difficulty of supply.  <table style="background-color: #f3f3ff; border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff; border-collapse: collapse;"> <tr><td style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff; padding: 2px;" colspan="3">Currency conversion table</td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px; font-weight: bold;">'''Foreign currency'''</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px; font-weight: bold;">'''Either one'''</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px; font-weight: bold;">Pound Sterling</td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: left; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">€1.45 Euro</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">1</td><td style="text-align: right; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">£0.69</td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: left; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">$1.80 US Dollar</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">1</td><td style="text-align: right; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">£0.56</td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: left; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">$2.49 Australian Dollar</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">1</td><td style="text-align: right; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">£0.40</td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: left; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">$2.26 Canadian Dollar</td><td style="text-align: center; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">1</td><td style="text-align: right; border: 1px solid #C9AFFF; padding: 2px;">£0.44</td></tr> </table>  ===Souvenirs=== The classic tourist souvenir is a kilt and everything else involving the tartan. Note that a real kilt costs about £300-400 and is made of heavy wool (so it won't reveal what you are wearing underneath even at strong winds), but most souvenir stores only offer unauthentic thin ones. If you really want a genuine kilt or full traditional outfit (Kilt,sporran,jacket, shirt and shoes) the best place to look is a clothing hire shop. These specialise in hiring suits and kilts for weddings and often sell stock at reduced prices. The traditional highland kilt is a section of cloth about 6 feet wide and 14 feet long. This is wrapped about the body then then brought up over the shoulder and pined in place, a little like a toga. The modern short kilt was introduced during the industrial revolution to give more freedom of movement. Whisky is also a common buy and huge differences in price and taste. ===Cost of living=== Most visitors are unpleasantly surprised by the high cost of living in the UK. Although prices in Scotland are not as bad as in London or the south of England, compared to the USA or most other parts of Europe basic living expenses are still high. Most goods have an additional 17.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) applied although this is usually included in the marked price. Fuel has a VAT level of 5% applied and petrol (gasoline) has a massive 70% excise tax. Petrol (gasoline) is priced at about 80 pence per litre which is £3.62 per Imperial (UK) gallon or £3.02 per US Gallon or a staggering $5.67 !! ==Eat== Image:Haggis.jpg|thumb|right|Haggis *'''Haggis''' - Scotland's national dish does sounds quite disgusting to foreigners because of its ingredients, but doesn't really taste as bad as one might think. Haggis is made up of chopped heart, liver and lungs of a sheep and then cooked in a sheep's stomach bag. Nowadays, you can buy and cook Haggis in plastic bags. It is served with mashed potatoes and turnips. *'''Porridge''' is an oat meal the Scottish eat at breakfast, usually with salt as topping, although it is not the everyday breakfast anymore.... *'''The square sausage''' another common breakfast favourite it is a flavoured thin square of beef ( steak sausage) or Pork (lorne sausage) fried or grilled, often served in a roll. *the '''Crisp Roll''' is one of the strangest snacks that you see some Scottish people eat. To make yourself one, get a fluffy roll, put butter on it and then put crisps (crisps as in <i>Pringles</i> chips) in between them. The taste obviously depends to the flavor of the crisps. *the '''Deep Fried Mars Bar''', regarded by many as an urban myth, remains alive and well (ironically!) in Scotland and particularly in its home city of Glasgow [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4103415.stm] - an NHS survey reported that at least 1/5 of Glasgow fast food joints and fish and chips shops sell the item, at roughly 60 pence a go, mainly to school children and young adults. You will have to ask them to put one in the fryer, though. * Another chip shop treat is '''deep fried pizza''', which is exactly what it sounds like. ==Drink== Bars are the places you meet people and where you have a good time. More than in other countries, bars are very lively and it is easy to get to know people when you're travelling alone. The Scottish are very welcoming, so it's not unusual that they will buy you a beer even though you just met them. The legal drinking age is 18. * '''Beer''' — Beer, especially the ales, are measured in pints. One pint equals just over half a litre (568ml). * '''Irn Bru''' — A highly popular, fizzy, orange-coloured soft drink that is supposed to be the best cure for a hangover, be aware its loaded with caffeine! * '''Whisky''' — Scotland's most famous export. ==Sleep== *SYHA Hostels -- The SYHA (Scottish Youth Hostel Association) has hostels all over Scotland and is probably the cheapest place to stay. Some of the buildings are very impressive, like the one in Loch Lomond and the Carbisdale Castle Hostel. [http://www.syha.org.uk/ SYHA hostel listing] *Independent Hostels -- there are also independent hostels throughout Scotland. Cheap, no membership required. [http://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/ Scottish Independent Hostels] ==See== Most historic sites are maintained either by the '''National Trust of Scotland''' or by '''Historic Scotland'''. Both offer memberships (with free priority access and other discounts) for a year or a lifetime - and have reciprocal arrangements with their English and Welsh equivalents. Depending on how much you get around and how long you are staying, they may well be worth buying.... Membership also contributes to the sites' preservation and new acquisitions. *'''Historic Scotland''' [http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/] - sites and prices, yearly membership starts at £34 adult, £65 family (properties include Edinburgh and Stirling Castles) *the '''National Trust of Scotland''' [http://www.nts.co.uk/] -sites and prices, yearly membership starts at £33 adult, £54 family (properties include Craigievar and Crathes Castles, numerous wilderness areas) ==Do== *Cycling -- Even though there are only a few cycle trails compared to England, Scotland makes a great cycling country as there are many roads with little traffic. See Cycling in Scotland. *Hillwalking -- Scotland is famous for hillwalking. You can try to climb all 284 Munros of Scotland (which are mountains higher than 3000 feet / 911.4 m) and become a Munroist, or you could hike the popular West Highland Way, which stretches for 153km (95 miles). ==Learn== In the bigger cities you can learn highland dancing. If you're interested in learning how to play the Scottish bagpipe, you should know that it takes about one year to play on an actual bagpipe for the first time. It is really more difficult than it looks like and needs daily practice! ==Work== The regulations governing who can work in Scotland is the same as for the rest of the UK. Citizens of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have permanent work rights in the UK. Citizens of Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, or Slovenia may need to to register under the Worker Registration Scheme. Generally the citizens of other countries will require a visa to work for more than six months in the UK. However, the UK has low unemployment, making it easier for those with specialist skills to gain working visas. A general shortage of skilled labour in the health sector means the British health service actively recruits abroad, making it easier for those with specialist health care skills to work in the UK. The Scottish Executive is also keen to attract immigrants to Scotland to plug a perceived declining population. The UK does operate a working holiday programme, for citizens of Commonwealth countries which allow residency and limited work rights for 2 years. For more details see the [http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk British Home Office's visa and immigration website]. ==Safety== Scotland has no unusual high or low crime rate. Certain areas of both Edinburgh and Glasgow should be avoided. The main danger in any of the urban areas is likely to be drink-related violence. ==Stay healthy== When hillwalking, you should always take along a compass, detailed maps and a good pair of boots. A charged mobile phone can be a lifesaver as most mountain areas have cell coverage. Note networks like O2 and Orange don't cover the highlands very well so check before you go. Note that the weather on the hills can change suddenly, with vision of only a few meters. Never do hillwalking on your own! and always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. In case of emergency, call 999 from any phone. ==Contact== *Internet -- Most libraries offer free internet access. In Edinburgh you will need to join the library first though. Internet cafes are rare outside of the major cities. *Post -- Mailboxes are red. In most post offices you can change your foreign money without a fee. Also see Contact entry under United Kingdom for national information on telephone, internet and postal services. See Contact entries under individual cities for local information. ==External Links== *[http://www.visitscotland.com/ VisitScotland.com] -- the Official Site of the Scotland's National Tourism Board *http://home.freiepresse.de/uwdel/whw.html -- some information about hiking the West-Highland-Way fr:Écosse de:Schottland WikiPedia:Scotland First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

Thanks to all the contributors at wikitravel.org.

if you like cool drinks you may be interested in:

The best prices - up to 45% discount - the best brands - Armani, Lacoste, Aquascutum, Evisu, Prada, Burberrys - and the biggest range - new season stock still arriving - all makes the Brown Bag offering exciting

She Desires is the indulgence store for women. Selling everything from home spa products, to chocolate, adult toys and much more, She Desires has everything a woman could desire to pamper, indulge and feel good.

Hope you enjoyed reading about Scotland

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page - St Augustine

: Home ::