I’ve already been to Scotland two times, and I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it was enough to make me fall in love with the place. I’ve visited the two biggest cities: Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I also went to a small town in between them called Linlithgow.
These three places have a very different vibe, but they all had the same Scottish warmth. I can’t express how much I loved every visit, so I thought I’d tell you what made me love it so much. Of course there’s many places I’d still like to see in Scotland and hopefully I’ll write about them after, but for now, this has to do.
In this article, I wrote down some of the reasons why Scotland charmed me in the hope that I’d convince everyone to visit Scotland at least once in their lifetime. I guarantee you won’t leave disappointed if you like a vintage vibe and stunning architecture. If you’re an outdoors lover, you’ve got an extra reason to love it as well. Read along and get ready to book some flights!
From the second you step into any Scottish city, you’ll see and feel the true Scottish essence. They are very proud of their culture, traditions and long history and the way they honour craftsmanship is incredible. Everywhere you walk, you’ll see shops with traditional Scottish gifts such as tartan clothing pieces, bags and throws, all sorts of thistle decorations and of course, highland cows. If you walk into one of these shops, you’ll get a lovely explanation of every piece of tradition that is in there. Locals really know how to sell their culture.
Apart from the Scottish gifts, you can also go for guided tours around Edinburgh that not only show you the city, but also introduce you to the legends and myths around each area. These tours are usually great if you want to learn more about the culture and you want to immerse yourself completely in the city. There are some fun ones with different themes and there’s even night tours that can get a little spooky. For more of this Scottish charm that I loved when I was there, I’d suggest going to a smaller town for the day. The small streets, the friendly pubs and the sense of community in these smaller places in Scotland is unreal. There’s always gonna be a part of you left in that little town once you go.
Apart from the city vibes and the pop of culture you’ll get, there’s so much more to Scotland if you just go out into nature. And you don’t have to be the biggest hiker to enjoy Scottish nature, there’s something for everyone. They have a lot of natural parks and reservations where you can walk around, see local animals, gardens and sometimes old mansions that were turned into museums. This is perfect if you’re wanting that picture with an adorable highland cow. Just make sure you go in season, so that you can actually see them.
You can also do a lot of walks that are beginner friendly and will take you through some of Scotland’s best landscapes. These activities can be found pretty much all over the country, but you can check out the parks and heritage sites on their website.
You only need one day out in one of these to get to love Scotland like I do. Just make sure you’ve got the right walking shoes with you, so that you can fully enjoy the day!
Last but not least, something that I pay attention to in every country I visit: the people. There are places around the world where you travel and you almost feel guilty for intruding whenever you talk to a local. Whether it’s because of the language or just the overall vibe of the locals, we can all agree that it’s not what we want on holiday.
Well, Scotland is definitely not one of those places. Once you get used to the accent and you start to understand 2-3 words, you’ll realise that Scots are ready to give you their last penny if that means you’ll sit for a chat and a pint. Any pub you walk into will likely have someone who’s happy to engage in conversation and give you some suggestions or just share some stories.
Reasons I love Scotland and Why Everyone Should Visit It
In this article, I wrote down some of the reasons why Scotland charmed me in the hope that I’d convince everyone to visit Scotland at least once in their lifetime. I guarantee you won’t leave disappointed if you like a vintage vibe and stunning architecture. If you’re an outdoors lover, you’ve got an extra reason to love it as well. Read along and get ready to book some flights!
Tradition, myths and culture
From the second you step into any Scottish city, you’ll see and feel the true Scottish essence. They are very proud of their culture, traditions and long history and the way they honour craftsmanship is incredible. Everywhere you walk, you’ll see shops with traditional Scottish gifts such as tartan clothing pieces, bags and throws, all sorts of thistle decorations and of course, highland cows. If you walk into one of these shops, you’ll get a lovely explanation of every piece of tradition that is in there. Locals really know how to sell their culture.
Apart from the Scottish gifts, you can also go for guided tours around Edinburgh that not only show you the city, but also introduce you to the legends and myths around each area. These tours are usually great if you want to learn more about the culture and you want to immerse yourself completely in the city. There are some fun ones with different themes and there’s even night tours that can get a little spooky. For more of this Scottish charm that I loved when I was there, I’d suggest going to a smaller town for the day. The small streets, the friendly pubs and the sense of community in these smaller places in Scotland is unreal. There’s always gonna be a part of you left in that little town once you go.
Outdoor activities
Apart from the city vibes and the pop of culture you’ll get, there’s so much more to Scotland if you just go out into nature. And you don’t have to be the biggest hiker to enjoy Scottish nature, there’s something for everyone. They have a lot of natural parks and reservations where you can walk around, see local animals, gardens and sometimes old mansions that were turned into museums. This is perfect if you’re wanting that picture with an adorable highland cow. Just make sure you go in season, so that you can actually see them.
You can also do a lot of walks that are beginner friendly and will take you through some of Scotland’s best landscapes. These activities can be found pretty much all over the country, but you can check out the parks and heritage sites on their website.
You only need one day out in one of these to get to love Scotland like I do. Just make sure you’ve got the right walking shoes with you, so that you can fully enjoy the day!
Lively and friendly
Last but not least, something that I pay attention to in every country I visit: the people. There are places around the world where you travel and you almost feel guilty for intruding whenever you talk to a local. Whether it’s because of the language or just the overall vibe of the locals, we can all agree that it’s not what we want on holiday.
Well, Scotland is definitely not one of those places. Once you get used to the accent and you start to understand 2-3 words, you’ll realise that Scots are ready to give you their last penny if that means you’ll sit for a chat and a pint. Any pub you walk into will likely have someone who’s happy to engage in conversation and give you some suggestions or just share some stories.
You won’t get bored either, as the country is very lively and you’re likely to find a place with live music and great vibes. Getting used to the accent might take a while, but Scots are aware of this, so you can easily ask them to repeat. Might even get them to laugh at you for not understanding their accent!
