Guide to Scotland. Scotland. Castles and villas

Scotland– these are the fascinating Hebrides and the mystical Loch Ness, fabulous Edinburgh, business Glasgow and historical Stirling. Scotland is associated with fine whiskey, the sound of bagpipes and men in skirts called kilts. In Scotland you can play golf or croquet, go fishing and boat rides, ride horses, visit medieval castles, visit clubs and restaurants, and travel around the Islands and Highlands. There are plenty of opportunities for active recreation and travel.

Scotland: Travel Guides

Scotland: How to get there

You can get to Scotland from Russia, Ukraine, the CIS countries, as well as from other cities in Europe and the world by plane, train, bus, car, ferry. Information on how to get to Scotland using each of these types of transport is in our section:.

Scotland: Hotels and Accommodation

Housing Features

As with the rest of the UK, living in Scotland is expensive. There is a choice from accommodation in real castles, to accommodation in guest houses and hostels.

Castles and villas

The top level and special flavor of accommodation are five-star castles, where the interior of the Middle Ages has been preserved, as well as huge villas located far from large cities. This accommodation option is offered for the most discerning and wealthy tourists. Often in such hotels, in addition to breakfast, they also offer lunch and dinner.

Hotels

The cities feature hotels from world-famous families; they offer everything you need for a stay, but do not have the luxury that castles and villas have.

Inns (pubs)

Another popular and colorful, but more modest option for accommodation is the numerous inns (inns), they are also pubs. They are also called “restaurants with rooms.” These are small hotels with just a few rooms, where greater emphasis is placed on the existing pub inside, in which not only hotel guests, but also, to a greater extent, pub guests spend time.

Budget types of housing

More budget options for accommodation in, or you can find youth hostels, guest houses and B&B (bed and breakfast), and in the summer - campuses in student settlements. For outdoor recreation, especially in the Highlands area (Highlands), you can stay at one of the many campsites - in a tent or in a van. In cities and rural areas, local residents rent out their houses and apartments to tourists - cheaper if you rent for a week or more.

Scotland: Food and Food

Kitchen features

Scottish cuisine is dominated by dishes made from lamb and beef, fresh fish; here they also respect dishes from wild animals, which are prepared with berry sauces. Edinburgh and Glasgow have a choice of cuisines from around the world: Thai, Japanese, Turkish, Caribbean. Glasgow has a reputation for being a city where dishes are curried, while Edinburgh has a lot of seafood dishes.

Dishes

Scottish dishes worth trying include lamb tripe seasoned with offal, oatmeal and spices (haggis) and Kalen soup. In most Scottish hotels, breakfast includes sausages, bacon and fried eggs, with the addition of potato scones and black pudding (blood sausage). Other breakfast options could be porridge or fish dishes: herring, smoked haddock. At lunchtime, the standard snack is a sandwich with a cup of soup. The regular menu offers soup, sandwiches, shrimp and chips.

Dessert

One of the most famous Scottish desserts is clootie dumplings (fruit pudding) and cranachan (a dessert made from toasted oatmeal with the addition of cottage cheese, cream, raspberries and honey).

Beverages

The local Irn Bru (carbonated fruit drink) has long been produced as a soft drink, which is more popular in Scotland than Coca-Cola or Fanta. Scotland also produces large quantities of mineral water, which it exports to other countries. The main drink is strong tea with added milk.

Alcoholic drinks

The national alcoholic drink is whiskey, which originates from Scotland. These are the famous brands “Johnie Walker”, “Ballantine’s”, “Hankey Bannister”, “Black & White”, “Dewar’s” and others. They also brew good ale and lager here, which can be found in any pub and restaurant. Alcohol is permitted for persons over 18 years of age.

Restaurants and cafes

The best option in terms of price-quality ratio would be a lunch meal in one of the hotel's pubs or restaurants. If we talk about cities, you can have lunch cheaper at one of the fast foods. In many areas of Scotland, eating times are limited. Breakfast in hotels often ends by 9 o'clock, lunch by 2 o'clock, and dinner by 20 o'clock. If you are traveling in remote regions and realize that you will not make it by the set time, it makes sense to arrange in advance at the hotel reception to prepare food for you at a later time. Pubs are often open from 11 am to 11 pm, but popular pubs in tourist areas may be open all night. Smoking is prohibited in all pubs and restaurants throughout Scotland.

Scotland: Transport

Airplane

It makes sense to travel by plane only to those regions that are not accessible by train or bus. Islands are such places. From Edinburgh and Glasgow, Flybe airline operates flights to the Shetland Islands (Samborough Airport) and Lewis and Harris Island (Stornoway). The flight time is about 1 hour, and tickets can be purchased at prices starting from 220 GBP round trip.

Train

The train is the fastest and most convenient way to travel around mainland Scotland. Trains are operated by the national company ScotRail. It is better to buy tickets online, since the cost is lower and you can buy a ticket at a promotional price. From Edinburgh to Glasgow the train takes about 1 hour (ticket costs from 15 GBP one way), and from Edinburgh to the western Highlands (Highlands), to the city of Fort William (Fort William)– 5 hours (from 18 GBP one way). If you are transporting oversized luggage, a bicycle or animals, you may have to pay extra.

Bus

The bus covers distances in the same time as the train, and given the mountainous areas, it may be the only possible way of transportation. You can get from Edinburgh to Glasgow in 1 hour 10 minutes (ticket costs from 6 GBP one way), and to Fort William in 5 hours (from 30 GBP). The main carriers in Scotland are National Express, Megabus, Scottish Citylink and Stagecoach. Tickets can be purchased on the company websites, printed and presented to the driver upon boarding. In some regions such as the Highlands , Hebrides , Shetland Islands, you can travel only by postal buses (capacity - from 3 to 10 people). These buses depart around 8 am from the post offices of the respective villages.

Water transport

You can take a ferry from Shetland and Orkney, and from Oban (Oban)– to the Hebrides and the Isle of Mull (Mull Island). Tickets cost from 35 GBP per person, one way. Main carriers: Caledonian MacBrayne and North Link Ferries. The fare also includes car transportation on the ferry. It is cheaper to travel together or in a group; if you travel alone, the ticket per person will be more expensive.

You can plan a trip to Scotland by ferry and view the schedule on the website

VISA The UK tourist visa is valid for 6 months. An application for its receipt on-line is filled out in English on the website www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk. At the British Visa Center (Bolshoy Savinsky Lane, 12, bldg. 18) you will be provided with an international passport valid for at least six months, a certificate from the place of work (study) indicating the position and salary, a color photograph 45x35 mm, confirmation of hotel reservations, old international passports, documents confirming the availability of necessary funds for the trip. All documents must be accompanied by an English translation. SEASON The best time to travel to Scotland is spring, when the yellow gorse blooms, and summer, when the slopes of the mountains and heathland are covered with a purple carpet of flowering heather. TICKETS There are no direct flights from Moscow to Edinburgh. You can fly with a transfer in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, Frankfurt am Main or London. Airplanes from Aeroflot, Transaero, British Airways, and British Midland Airways (BMI) fly from Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports to London. Flight duration is 4 hours. Air tickets cost from 14,000 rubles. There are high speed trains between London and Edinburgh. Travel time 4 hours 30 minutes. MONEY The British currency is the pound sterling (GBP). There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 GBP. Coins: 1 and 2 GBP, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 pence. EDINBURGH The busiest place in the Scottish capital is the Royal Mile, which starts from Edinburgh Castle. Shops, a cathedral, monuments, restaurants, street performers, museums and, at the very end, the Palace of Holyroodhouse - since 1529, the official residence of all the rulers of Scotland, starting with James V and ending with the current Queen Elizabeth II. The palace is open to the public. In the tower of James V, traces of the blood of David Riccio, Mary Stuart’s trusted secretary, who was killed in front of the queen’s eyes by her jealous husband Lord Darnley, are preserved. HOTELS $$$ The Bonham Located west of the center of Scotland's capital in a house built in 1882 with luxurious interiors. The walls of the restaurant are decorated with oak panels. There is excellent French cuisine here. (Drumsheugh Gardens 35, +44(131)226.6050, www.thebonham.com, from $160) $$$ The Balmoral Centrally located next to Edinburgh Castle. Antique furniture, picturesque canvases of Scottish landscapes, gourmet cuisine from the Michelin-starred Number One restaurant. (Princes Street 1, +44(131)556.2414, www.thebalmoralhotel.com, from $450) RESTAURANTS $$$ Vintners Rooms Hidden away in a 16th-century wine cellar. Excellent cuisine and pleasant atmosphere. (The Vaults, Giles St. Leith 87, +44(131)554.6767, www.thevintnersrooms.com, from $50) $$ Atrium “New British kitchen”, beautiful Art Nouveau interior, soft lighting and dark wood tables. (10 Cambridge St., +44(131)228.8882, www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk, from $40) ISLAND OF SKYE The largest of the Inner Hebrides with a population of 9,250. Homeland of the Skye Terrier. Located off the west coast of Scotland, just under 100 km long and 50 km wide, it is so indented by bays that from any point it is no more than 8 km from the sea. The island was first mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. Medieval chronicles speak of Skye as an island of clairvoyants and giants. In the north and in the center there are picturesque rocks. In the south there are green sheep pastures and small farms. HOTELS $$ Duisdale Victorian hunting lodge with fully preserved historic interiors. The hotel has 18 rooms and a restaurant serving excellent French cuisine. (+44(0)147.1833202, www.duisdale.com, from $200) $$$ Three Chimneys The cozy family hotel on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean has only six rooms, but they are equipped with royal luxury. The hotel has one of the best restaurants in all of Scotland. (+44(0)147.0511258, www.threechimneys.co.uk, from $420) Prices are per night in a double room

Scotland offers a multifaceted and unique holiday experience. Only in this country can you fully enjoy both lush nature and extreme varieties. Excellent excursion tours will help diversify your holiday in Scotland 2019. Prices and attractions seen here will be remembered for a long time by all tourists.

Sights of Scotland

The unique natural attractions of Scotland include crystal clear lakes and ideal fjords, picturesque valleys and snow-white mountain peaks. All this can be seen by visiting this northern country.

One of the most popular cities for tourists is the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. The city sits on the shores of the beautiful Firth of Forth. Here you can see many ancient castles in interesting architectural styles. Tourists can visit the 15th-century Church of St. Gilles, the Houses of Parliament built in 1639, the house that belonged to the Protestant reformer John Nonce, the National Portrait Gallery, and many museums. A large number of hotels are always available to tourists. A room in such a hotel will cost an average of 3,000 rubles per day. You can also stay in an inexpensive hostel, it will cost from 800 rubles per day.

Edinburgh has a vibrant cultural scene. Various arts festivals are constantly held here, where you can enjoy the modern music of the country, especially popular are the melodies performed on the traditional Scottish bagpipes. It is better to travel in the capital by public transport; one trip will cost about 145 rubles.

Not far from Edinburgh there is a place called Fife. Here you can stroll along beautiful sandy beaches and visit fishing villages.

If you go to the north of the country, you can find yourself in the Spadeside distilleries. Here you can get acquainted with the history of the famous Scotch whiskey and taste this strong drink.

For active and sociable tourists, a trip to Glasgow is suitable, where there are many old pubs, and numerous fashionable boutiques and chic restaurants tempt you to spend all the money you brought.

Medieval castles have become the real pride of Scotland. All of them have now been rebuilt into hotels or serve as museums. Newlyweds especially love these castles, because they can be used as a wonderful decoration for a wedding.

Scotland is a state that is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, located on the island of Great Britain and bordering England. The country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.

Total area – 78,772 sq. km, the population is more than 5,000,000 people, of which 88% are Scots, 7% are English, the rest are Irish, Poles, Pakistanis, Chinese, Indians, and people from Africa. Most of the population considers itself to be a member of the national Church of Scotland, the rest are Catholics and atheists. The official languages ​​are English, Scottish Gaelic and Anglo-Scottish.

The capital is the city of Edinburgh.

Cities of Scotland

Acquaintance with the mysterious Scotland should begin from the capital - the city of Edinburgh. This metropolis attracts tourists from all over the world with its historical monuments, museums, nightlife, and restaurants. And the world organization UNESCO awarded the city the status of “City of Literature”. A large number of guests gather annually for Festivals - Performing Arts (in August), Conversation Lovers (in October), Festival of Various Arts (in June), International Book Festival (in August), Film Festival (in June), Jazz Festival (in July).

The city of Glasgow is one of the largest in Scotland. This is a city with modern architecture and a large number of natural monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Inverness is an industrial city associated with the name of the Loch Ness monster.

Dundee is home to spectacular scenery, historic sites and golf courses.

Aberdeen is a port city, former Royal residence.

The city of Stirling is the smallest city in Switzerland, in the past it was the capital of the state.

How to get to Scotland

There are no direct flights between Belarus and Scotland.

You can fly with Turkish Airlines, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa with connections in Istanbul, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Frankfurt or Prague.

You can fly to London, and then take a bus, train or plane to Edinburgh.

Your trip to Scotland will be exciting, interesting and unforgettable if you contact the travel company “Spasibo Travel” when planning your trip.

Climate of Scotland

The territory of Scotland is influenced by a temperate oceanic climate. Weather conditions are greatly influenced by the warm Atlantic Gulf Stream.

The average air temperature in summer is +19 degrees, in winter - +5 - +7 degrees (slightly cooler on the coast).

Annual precipitation is 800 mm – 3000 mm depending on the area. It can rain 200 days a year.

In coastal areas, storms are a common occurrence.

The best time to travel around the country is from June to August.

Scotland Hotels

The hotel base in Scotland is at a high level and is represented by all “star” categories, which are quite consistent with reality.

Here you will find excellent service, modernly equipped rooms, quality service and a developed entertainment infrastructure. The average cost of living is from 20 to 320 US dollars, depending, of course, on the number of “stars” on the facade.

A special type of accommodation is accommodation in ancient castles, where you can also practice shooting, falconry, fishing, golfing, and horse riding.

Alternative accommodation options include apartment hotels, Bed & Breakfast hotels, hostels and boarding houses.

Banks, money, exchange offices

The currency of Scotland is the pound sterling, divided into 100 pence (pennies). There are paper notes in circulation in denominations of 5,10,20,50 pounds, coins in denominations of 1.2 pounds and 1,2,5,10,20,50 pence.

Banking hours:

From Monday to Wednesday – from 9.30 to 12.30

Thursday – from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 16.30 to 18.30

Friday – from 9.30 to 15.30

Only branches of large banks are open on Saturday

Closed on Sunday

You can exchange currency in banks and specialized exchange offices (commissions are charged everywhere). ATMs are found everywhere.

Credit cards of the world's major payment systems (Visa, Maestro, Master Card) are accepted for payments in most restaurants, hotels, shops, clubs and even by some sellers in the markets. Travel checks (preferably in pounds) are widely used, but are not accepted as payment for goods and services.

Tipping in Scotland is accepted at 10 – 12% of the total amount of the check, if the service charge is not included in the check.

Tourist safety

The crime rate in Scotland is quite low, but here, too, basic rules of conduct must be observed:

• It is advisable to leave valuables, large sums of money and documents in the hotel safe
• In crowded places, it is recommended to monitor personal belongings and not leave them unattended
• Don't forget to bring repellent on your trip.

Transport

Domestic air services in Scotland are quite well developed. Transportation is provided by FlyBe (the cheapest), British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

The railway communication is at a fairly high level. The trains are modern, comfortable, run strictly on schedule, and offer magnificent views along the route. The cost of travel, for example, from Edinburgh to Glasgow (travel time - 50 minutes) is 13 - 22 pounds.

It is more profitable to purchase passes for planes and trains.

The most convenient way to get to remote places where there is no railway is by bus. The average cost of a trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow, for example, will be around £4. It is more profitable to purchase a Scotish Explorer Pass.

There is a ferry service between the islands. The cost of a trip lasting from 10 minutes to 1 hour will be 5 - 8 pounds, transporting a car is 5 - 6 times more expensive.

Urban transport in Scotland includes buses, metro (in Glasgow), ferries (on the islands). The cost of one trip is 1.2 pounds, a full-day pass is 2.5 pounds.

Taxi is a fairly popular and widespread form of transport. Externally, the cars may resemble black London cabs with a yellow sign on the roof. You can hire a taxi at special parking lots, right on the street, or by phone around the clock. All cars are licensed and equipped with meters. Fare:

• From 6.00 to 22.00 - 3 pounds for the first 1161 m and 20 pence for each subsequent 169 m
• From 23.00 to 5.00 - £3.75 for the first 1161 m, 25% is added to the cost of subsequent ones
• 1 hour wait – 15 pounds
• Maximum baggage charge: £5

In order to rent a car, you will need:

• International driver's license
• Passport (age – from 21 years)
• Credit card

Rental cost - minimum 23 pounds per day + 12 - 20 pounds for fuel and parking. It should be noted that in Scotland you drive on the left.

Entertainment, excursions, attractions

The main attractions of the city of Edinburgh are the building of the modern Parliament and Parliament Square, St. Andrew's Square, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Rosslyn Chapel of St. Matthew, the Forth Bridge, St. Mary's Cathedral, the Royal Theater. It is worth visiting the numerous museums of the city - the Center - Museum of the History of Whiskey, the Museum of Childhood, the Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions. Young tourists will be interested in visiting the Edinburgh Zoo with its daily Penguin Parade and the National Museum. Not far from the city is the Aquarium Center, where you can swim with sharks and swim through a 112-meter long tunnel (the largest in the world), as well as have a great time on Portobello Beach.

When in Glasgow, be sure to visit the Cathedral, Crookston Castle, the Art Gallery and numerous museums.

The main place of pilgrimage for tourists in the city of Inverness is the famous Loch Ness with the great mystery of the Loch Ness monster, which came to us from the 17th century. It would be worth visiting the Nessie Museum, located nearby. To this should be added the ancient castle, St. Andrew's Cathedral and the Historical Museum.

In Dundee, must-see attractions include Glamis Castle, St Mary's Tower, the McManus Galleries, the Botanic Gardens and the Mills Observatory.

The city of Aberdeen is famous for its Art Gallery, Maritime Museum, St. Machar's Cathedral, castles - Craigievar, Balmoral, Drama and, of course, parks and squares.

The castle of the city of Stirling dates back to 83 and today receives a large number of tourists. There are other attractions here - the Wales Monument in honor of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1214, Holyrood Church and Cambuskennet Abbey.

Ski lovers can have a great time at the resorts of Glenshee and Lecht.

For lovers of active recreation, cycling and mountaineering, Aberdeenshire hospitably opens its doors.

Cuisine and restaurants

The main dishes of Scottish cuisine are:

• Thick, rich soups - cereal, meat and potatoes, fish (for example, with smoked fish)
• Beef, lamb legs, venison (considered a delicacy), fish, shellfish, crustaceans
• Haggis is a dish of sheep's tripe and barley, seasoned and baked in the stomach of a sheep or lamb. Served on a warm platter with mashed potatoes, turnip puree and whiskey
• Sweet puddings, buns with jam, muffins, desserts made from whipped cream, rolled oats and berries

Alcoholic drinks: whiskey.

Shopping and shops

Store opening hours:

From Monday to Saturday – from 9.00 to 17.30 – 18.00

On Sunday - only large ones - from 10.00 - 11.00 to 17.30 - 18.00

From Scotland, as a rule, they bring clothes made of wool and cashmere, bagpipes, souvenirs with Celtic symbols, and kilts - national clothing.

Edibles include canned haggis, heather honey, heather liqueur and, of course, Scotch whiskey.

VAT in Scotland is 17.5%, you can return it by taking a special receipt from the seller (for a purchase worth at least 30 pounds) and presenting it at customs along with the unopened goods.

Customs

Allowed to import:

• Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250 g of tobacco
• Up to 1 liter of strong alcohol and 2 liters of weak alcohol
• No more than 50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de toilette
• Goods totaling up to 180 euros
• Medicines (with a doctor's prescription)

It is prohibited to import:

• Guns and switchblade knives
• Drugs
• Counterfeit coins and banknotes
• Plants
• Obscene materials
• Radio transmitters
• Products (meat, fish, honey, eggs, milk)

Allowed to export:

• 2 liters of wine or 1 liter of strong alcohol
• Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco

It is prohibited to export:

• Historical values, jewelry, antiques
• Food of animal origin
• Weapons without special permission
• Drugs
• Animals and plants

It is allowed to import pets if you have an international veterinary certificate, a certificate of vaccination against rabies issued at least 7 months before departure, and permission from the veterinary service.

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The railway landscapes from Harry Potter are the same Scotland. In this article we will tell you about walks in the hills of seaside towns and hidden streets of Edinburgh.

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Visa and tickets

When is the best time to buy tickets?

We flew to Scotland at the beginning of October 2017 for 11 days. We bought tickets three months before departure: in my experience, this is the optimal time to buy tickets profitably.

Flight

There is no direct flight from Russia to Scotland. We had a composite air route: Perm → Moscow → London → Edinburgh. The total flight time “there” was six and a half hours: Prm-Msk: 2 hours, Moscow-Lndn: 3.5 hours, Lndn-Ednbrg: 1 hour, transit zones twice for two hours.

“Back” transit zones took longer and it took about a day to get home. The cost of a ticket per person at that time was 26,500 rubles, round trip. At the time of purchasing tickets, I knew almost nothing about Scotland. Therefore, before the trip, I bought and studied in detail a guide to England and Scotland. After reading it, I realized that I needed to watch nature and Edinburgh.

Visa application

The most tedious thing is the need to provide documents confirming your solvency. The bank account should have an amount of 10-15 thousand rubles per day of stay in the country. They also pay attention to whether you have real estate and a car. A big plus will be an invitation from your friends who live for permanent residence in England, if there are any, of course. Fingerprints and retinal photos will be taken by consular employees.

Visa centers , in addition to the two capitals, they operate in Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don and Novosibirsk. We received a visa at the Ekaterinburg British Consulate. All fees and duties cost 7 thousand rubles. The British visa is valid for England itself, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Edinburgh

Airport

At Edinburgh airport we went through passport control quickly and calmly. Unlike London. At the capital airport in England they were meticulously interested in where we were going, where we had flown from, whether there was an invitation, and where we would live. In front of us, right from the checkpoint, a customs officer called the inviting party and checked whether the invitation was fake and where exactly the traveler would live.

You can get from the airport to the city by tram. The ride takes 30 minutes, the ticket costs one and a half pounds. Tickets are sold at the terminal at the stop. There is a caveat: it is better to have both a card and cash with you. There are terminals in Scotland that may not accept cash but will accept cards and vice versa.

Currency

There were currency exchangers at the airport, but we didn’t look at them because the exchange rate there was unfavorable, just like at any airport in the world. We stocked up on pounds in Russia.

Housing

Rental housing cost 35,000 rubles for six days. It is worth noting that the prices of living in Scotland do not depend in any way on the development of infrastructure and the size of the total area of ​​the city. Prices are the same both in Glasgow and in the fishing village on the Atlantic coast. In Italy, you can turn from the main street into a courtyard and the price tag becomes noticeably lower. Not so in the UK.

Walks

Walking around Edinburgh, we realized that JK Rowling wrote her famous saga here. After all, when you sit in a cafe you can see a hill, and on the hill there is a castle, and under the hill there is a cemetery of the 15th century. The houses themselves in Edinburgh are not very old, but due to the fact that the material was limestone, which darkens over time, the buildings look gloomy, fairy-tale, medieval.

From any point in Edinburgh you can see Arthur's Seat or Arthur's Seat. This is an observation deck, which is located at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level. Standing on this hill, the feeling of Middle Ages is maximized ㅡ look to the south: a castle on a hill, an ancient temple in the north, pastures with sheep and shepherds in the east and west.There are many castles, temple museums, entrance costs an average of 13 pounds.

• One of the main places in Edinburgh for tourists is The Royal Mile. It starts at Edinburgh Castle - this is a real castle, which is just under 1000 years old. At the end of this mile is the royal residence of the reigning English monarchs.
• Near the Royal Mile there is an underground attraction street called Mary King's Dead End. This is a street that, until the 15th century, was lower in level than parallel streets due to the topography. Poor people, criminals and other “declassed elements” were sent to live on this street. And they decided to level the street; they simply buried it along with the houses. And in the 19th century it was opened as a historical attraction: in some houses even the wallpaper was preserved.
• Roslin Chapel is a famous Gothic church based on Dan Brown's work, where, according to legend, the Templars buried Mary Magdalene. But this is not the main feature. Inside, the entire chapel is carved: wonderful animals, ears of wheat and biblical scenes - there are no repeating patterns.You can get to the chapel by city bus: the ride takes 20 minutes, the fare costs 2 pounds, entrance to the chapel costs 8 pounds. Nearby are picturesque fields and, of course, a castle.

Train, Nessie and fishing town

All the recommendations that I read before the trip unanimously said: if you want to see the beautiful landscapes of Scotland, then you need to go north. So we bought a train ticket to Inverness.

How to get there

It is better to buy a ticket in advance: we bought it through the website while still in Russia. The thing is that closer to the departure date of the train, there may not be any budget seats left. The ticket must be printed and scanned at the station terminal. There is a nuance: if you bought a ticket using a bank card, during scanning at the terminal, this card will need to be inserted into the terminal. It doesn't matter if your card is valid in Scotland: the system needs to make sure it's you. And or not. The ticket cost £12 and the journey from Edinburgh takes three hours.

The compartments on the train were comfortable: essentially, it was an electric train, but with individual seats, and a compartment for bags located above your head. In general, the carriages were very comfortable: the doors to the toilet close themselves, soap drips into your palm, and the toilet itself is clean, paper, soap and towels are in place, the air conditioning in the compartment works.

Road

The area we passed through is called the Highlands. In the fall, the hills, covered with grass and other bushy greenery, turned rusty orange with yellow spots. Sheep and small ponies roam the hills, all in patches of fog. When Harry rode along the aqueduct to Hogwarts, he rode along this road. For the entire three hours of the journey we were glued to the window: rivers, hills, waterfalls and fog.

Meals are not included in the ticket price, but in any supermarket you can safely buy ready-made food in sealed packaging. That's what we did. The city of Inverness itself was interesting to us only as a transit point: it is the largest of the northern cities. Here you can easily rent a house and move further north.

Route

Near the city is Loch Ness. It takes 15 minutes to get to the lake by bus, the fare costs 4 pounds. The approaches to the lake are free, no fee is required. Paid only for the museum on the shore: 12 pounds to look at the history of the search for the underwater monster. There is also a medieval castle on the lake. We lived in the city of Inverness for 5 days. Rental housing cost 32,000 rubles.

Since the city is seaside, we ordered seafood at a local cafe. Moreover, the menu literally looks like this: “what we caught this morning.” The huge portion of food cost £18. On the plate there were three types of shrimp, fresh and smoked salmon, mussels, oysters and langoustines.

There is a caveat: mountain railways can be unpredictable. As we were returning to Edinburgh, the train stopped moving and just stopped on the tracks. It turned out that a few kilometers in front of us there was a mountain collapse and the paths were blocked with stones. Fortunately, local railway workers were ready for this and several buses were brought to the tracks, which took us to the capital. We caught the plane just in time.

Kitchen

Food in the UK is quite heavy: mainly meat, dough and potatoes. Northern region, what to do. A portion of a similar dish costs about £15. The portions are large, enough for two. If this is not a restaurant, but an ordinary diner, then you can keep it under 10 pounds with a drink.

To save money, we cooked ourselves more often than went to a cafe. A basic meal of milk, eggs, bread, meat, fruit, vegetables and fish, plus alcohol, cost us £15 per person for three days. We had breakfast and dinner at home and lunch in the city.

Sliced ​​ham costs less than in Russia: one pound for a plate of good meat. In Russia it would cost 300 rubles. Alcohol is relatively inexpensive. A bottle of beer costs 1.5 pounds. I liked the beer in Scotland even more than in England. I bought lagers and stouts. Beer is sold in bars in pint and half-pint sizes. An English pint is 0.56 liters.

Climate

In October it was about 15 °C. The average annual temperature is 7-9 °C, there are no strong changes throughout the year. During the trip it rained only once; in London it didn’t rain much either.