For the most popular Scottish tourist attractions you can easily find suggestions like Edinburgh or the Scottish Highlands with a quick online search, but of course there is much more on offer in this bonnie wee country of ours.
Majestic castles, UNESCO heritage sites, and tropical-style beaches are only some of the sights that make Scotland such an unforgettable place to visit. This list includes attractions that are free to visit, some famous and others considered to be ‘hidden gems’.
So, here are twenty-five of the most spectacular places to visit in Scotland according to our Scotsman readers.
13. Orkney Islands
The Orkney Islands includes 70 islands and islets of which there are roughly 20 which are inhabited. This land, which has 5000 years of history behind it, rests about 20 miles north of the Scottish mainland over a strait called the Pentland Firth. Photo: via World History Encyclopedia
14. St Giles’ Cathedral
St Giles’ Cathedral started as a Romanesque Church in 1124 but now stands as a modern Presbyterian Church. Its 900-year-old heritage packs many fascinating stories but it recently hit headlines for acting as the site where Queen Elizabeth II’s body rested while in Scotland. Photo: vgm8383 on Flickr
15. St Magnus Cathedral
The Cathedral was built to serve as the final resting place for the relics of Saint Magnus. Built from local yellow and red sandstone, construction commenced in 1137 making it one of Scotland’s oldest cathedrals and the most northerly one in the United Kingdom. Photo: stuartherbert on Flickr
16. The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms National Park houses one quarter of the native forestry in Scotland. Here, you can also find the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd which is the only free-roaming herd of Reindeer you can find in Britain. Photo: via Wallpaper Flare