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Scotland is a land of legends. From mountain-top castles to kings in kilts, the picturesque country never fails to romance visitors. Rolling hills, fields of wildflowers, bagpipes and festivals are year-round fixtures, and stories of the Loch Ness Monster and Braveheart are recounted on Scotland flights and immortalized in the country’s history. Along with England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Scotland makes up the United Kingdom but its people remain independent. The Scottish parliament was formed in 1999, creating a new set of laws specific to Scotland and free from London’s reign.
The Scots are passionate people who remain steadfast to their country’s culture and steep traditions. The whiskey flows fast during the popular summer festivals, when many travelers book flights to Scotland to take part in the highland games or head to Edinburgh for cultural celebrations.
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Peak season:
The best time to see Scotland is during the summer months. The country is crowded and Scotland flights and accommodations should be booked in advance, but the festivals and the celebrations are worth attending.
Spring can be a beautiful time of year to visit. The weather can be mild and the countryside is starting to turn green again. City breaks in Edinburgh and Glasgow are very popular and in more remote parts of Scotland the golden and red leaves can set the countryside ablaze.
Off season:
The winter months can be wet, cold and dark and they get most of the snow that falls on the UK too. However, this is when legendary and world-famous Hogmanay takes place. If you can manage the cold, find a cheap flight to Scotland and take part in the New Year's celebration.
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Public transportation in the central belt (Glasgow across to Edinburgh) is reliable and efficient, but getting around the more remote areas of the Highlands and Islands, it can take a lot of forward planning. Most train services are operated by FirstScotRail. Coach services are popular and reasonably priced. Rental car is an option. All the major car rental companies have branches here.
By boat: about 50 islands have ferry links. You can take a car on some of them. Book in advance however and be prepared for the weather to interrupt your journey.
Scotland has four main airports – Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Glasgow Prestwick – and other smaller airfields around the country which are linked up by carriers such as British Airways, Loganair, Highland Airways and Eastern Airways.
Aberdeen Airport (ABZ). The airport is situated 7 miles northwest of Aberdeen.
Edinburgh Airport (EDI). The airport is 8 miles west of Edinburgh.
Glasgow Airport (GLA). The airport is located 8 miles west of Glasgow, off junction 28 of the M8 motorway.
If a visa is not required, travelers should hold a return or onward ticket, or proof of funds for the duration of stay. Passports must be valid for the period of intended stay in the U.K.; nationals of the EU require a passport valid on arrival. All nationals of non-EEA member states travelling to the UK for more than six months require an Entry Clearance visa.
U.S. travelers must hold a valid passport; a visa is not required. U.K. immigration officials will decide on length of stay up to six months depending on reason for travel.
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Irvine WelshA modern classic. Linked short stories about a small group of characters who seek to escape (with drugs and alcohol) the boredom and brutality of their lives in Leith, Edinburgh.
Samuel Johnson and James BoswellWritten in 1773, the friends take a three-month tour, Johnson observing the Scots and the countryside and Boswell observing Johnson.
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