Such a controversial Edinburgh. What to see in Edinburgh and Glasgow Unified ticket search OMIO

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travel to Scotland

Kilts, clans, whiskey, bagpipes, thorns, castles - these are the words that come to mind when talking about Scotland. Few get there; for most, Scotland remains mysterious, distant and unexplored. And yet she invites you to become very close acquaintances.

Some people visit Edinburgh or Glasgow on business and at the same time explore some of the most famous attractions. You can also buy a special tour in Moscow to the castles of Scotland or Edinburgh with accommodation in excellent hotels. But if you want to really understand what Scotland is like, the best thing to do is travel around it yourself. Go on a trip.

Travel not in a straight line, but in a zigzag and roundabout way, identifying the main points (like, for example, the Royal Castle of Stirling), but allowing yourself to deviate from the main route. Move from one town to another, spend the night in roadside hotels, dine in small pubs. And then it turns out that all the stories you heard about the Scots as a child are true, only in reality everything is much more interesting.

It’s still better to hit the road from Glasgow. This is the largest city in Scotland, but there is no point in staying there for a long time: it is rather gloomy and not very interesting. Translated from Scottish, "Glasgow" means "dear green place." The city is indeed quite expensive and green. Interesting are the houses built by the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the founder of British Art Nouveau and Art Nouveau, for example the building of the School of Art. And after visiting the medieval St. Mungo's Cathedral and the wonderful Glasgow Art Gallery (one of the best in Europe), you can rent a car with a clear conscience and go looking for adventure in rural Scotland.

The first thing that shocks you there is the feeling of peace and inner harmony: green hills and mountains (higher than in England), huge lakes, small towns and villages. Those who studied English at school know from regional studies that lakes here are called loch, valleys are called glen, and mountains are called ben. The famous Ben Nevis mountain, the highest in England, is quite difficult to get to, but it can be seen from afar. Of the lakes that are framed by local legends and beliefs, literally all are good, including the famous Loch Lomond (the largest lake in Scotland) and the more distant Loch Ness (where, as is known, the legendary monster lives) - to the latter you need to go through the same Grampian Mountains. Some lakes are connected by ingenious pipe systems left over from the Romans. By the way, regardless of the season, it will be much cooler here than in the city.

There is a lot of wildlife around, wild and domestic: large birds fly out from under your feet, local shaggy brown cows, terribly friendly, graze in the meadows, and wild ponies come across on the roads. The lakes and mountain streams here are home to trout and salmon, which are offered smoked in local eateries along with local whiskey.

Whiskey, however, deserves special mention. Because literally every two or three miles you will come across so-called distillers, or distilleries - buildings with sharp roofs where whiskey is made and tasted.

The Scots, unlike the Americans, call their drink whiskey, without the “e” (cf. American whiskey), and also “scotch”. The adjective "Scottish" in relation to any other objects sounds like scottish. In addition to whiskey, you should definitely drink the local beer, which is absolutely wonderful, called ale here, a hundred times better than English, and each brewery also has its own. Food in Scotland is simple, tasty and nutritious. It is worth trying real haggis - stuffed sheep or ram stomach. Actually, this is a New Year's delicacy (the celebration of the Scottish New Year, or Hogmonay, is a special theme), but it is prepared for tourists all year round.

The Scots are much closer to the Russians than the British, and this is immediately felt. For example, they say about Glaswegians: if you meet one of them in a pub, you never know whether he will become your bosom friend or immediately punch you in the eye. Mysterious Scottish soul. In general, local people, especially in small towns, are friendly, open, welcoming and keenly interested in the world outside the British Isles.

Each of the cities and towns in Scotland that you decide to visit along the way (or after losing your way) is famous for something: the same whiskey is brewed in Perth; in Melrose (closer to Edinburgh) there are the ruins of the most ancient Gothic abbey, the restoration of which Walter Scott himself had a hand in; in Ayr (closer to Glasgow) the hero of Burns's ballad, unfaithful husband Tom O'Shanter, "licked himself" (for which reason "the city of Ayr seemed to him much higher than all the capitals in the beauty of its maidens"). In general, in Scotland you get the impression that no matter where you spit you will find yourself in a place where Scott, Burns, or, at worst, a character Shakespeare wrote about, or even a historical place associated with the heroic struggle of the Scots, once was. with the British. In Montrose is the setting of Scott's novel "The Legend of Montrose", in Perth - of course, "The Beauty of Perth", and near the city of Inverness (this is to the north, very close to Loch Ness) there is Lady Macbeth's castle - Kovdor. There are a lot of castles in Scotland - for every taste. If you're interested in Scottish history, Stirling Castle is particularly worth a visit, the majestic home of the Stuart dynasty standing proudly on a cliff. Here you can also buy a transcript with the colors and names of Scottish clans. In Sterling, it’s worth visiting the cemetery and looking at the tombstones.

Stirling is just a stone's throw from Edinburgh.

It would be nice to visit the port town of Berwick-on-Tweed in Northumberland. It is famous mainly for the fact that, being on the border of England and Scotland, it constantly changed hands, so its freedom-loving residents did not recognize either English or Scottish laws. Berwick became a symbolic city for the warring parties, and the title of the English king, after listing his large possessions, ended with the words: “... and the king of Berwick-on-Tweed.” In 1856, when peace was concluded between Russia and England at the end of the Crimean War, an English official forgot to mention the city of Berwick in the king’s title, so that until very recently it, the only English (Scottish?) city, officially remained at war with Russia . But this is so, in the form of a curiosity.

You can write a lot about Edinburgh in detail, mentioning the castle on the rock, the Royal Mile, 16,000 historical buildings, Edinburgh festivals, bohemian life, etc. History here is not separated from the present, but smoothly intertwines with it - just look at your feet. I personally still remember the saying “Freedom is a noble thing” carved on a pavement stone by some famous Scotsman of the 13th century.

VICTORIA MUSVIK

The harsh climate, mountain meadows, rivers and lakes, vast expanses - an aura of mystery over unusual landscapes - all this is Scotland - the northern wilderness, a land of bright rich colors.
The special pride of Scotland is its powerful medieval castles, impressive defensive fortresses, cozy family homes, family estates - against the backdrop of endless expanses, mountains and lakes.

From the middle of the 15th century capital of Scotland is city ​​of Edinburgh. The city's overcrowding made Edinburgh one of the first European cities to multi-storey buildings, the architecture of which has been preserved in the old part of the city. In the center of the city rises on a cliff Edinburgh Castle - a symbol of power in Scotland.

This is one of the most fortified castles not only in Europe, but also in the world. Locals rarely visit it, however, for tourists it is the most visited site in the city. A Latin inscription meaning "No one will attack us, attack us, enter here" and the royal coat of arms of Scotland with a red lion in the center are above the only gate to the castle on the city side. The castle - a witness to history, a keeper of secrets, was a royal fortress - kings visited here only as a last resort. And in it, Mary Stuart gave birth to an heir in 1566 - the future ruler of Scotland and England. Currently in the fortress of Edinburgh located Museum of Military History. Paying tribute to military traditions, every day a shot is fired from tools of time. Edinburgh's main historic street - Royal Mile connects the medieval part of the city with Holyrood Palace, which is the residence of the Queen of Great Britain in Scotland. New city of Edinburgh, with a well-thought-out rational layout, quarterly development of streets according to the profession of citizens, with clearly defined parks, wide streets, public gardens, well-kept gardens, significant buildings, fit into the new era of enlightenment with dignity. This is how such attractions as the Royal Scottish Academy, the National Scottish Gallery, and the Palace of the Scottish Parliament appeared.

To link capital of Scotland with other regions of the country and large cities such as Dundee, Aberdeen - it was necessary to solve the problem of railway communication across the Forth River. After a train crash due to the collapse of a railway bridge over the River Tay, a new solution, advanced technology and large financial investments were needed. This project was developed and implemented over 7 years. Already in 1890 it was opened railway bridge over the River Forth- the highest achievement of engineering thought of the 19th century. And today, the city is constantly changing, keeping up with the times. Now, for example, a tram system for urban environmental transport is being implemented.

Scotland's largest center city ​​of Glasgow. River Clyde is the main artery of the city, the embankments of which are now being improved and built up, contributing to the formation of a city of European level. This is how the business district, modern residential areas, and the Transport Museum appeared. The river has not lost its historical significance, as maritime trade center and the largest shipbuilding center 19th – 20th centuries. The Clyde divides the city into two parts and they are connected by many bridges; the latest Clyde Arch Bridge (2006) stands out for its architecture. Glasgow has preserved many historical buildings and attractions: the Gallery of Modern Art, St. Andrew's Church, the City Chamber, the University Building, the People's Palace in the East End - the History Museum with a magnificent Winter Garden, etc...

No less interesting is the historical capital of Scotland - city ​​of Stirling, with his Stirling Castle on a natural hill of volcanic origin. Due to its geographical position and landscape, the city played an important role in history of Scotland. It was called the gateway to the Highlands. Fierce battles for Scottish independence took place here. In honor of the leader of the Scottish troops William Wallace(victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on the River Forth in 1297) a 67-meter tower was erected in 1869 on Abbey Craig Hill - Wallace Monument. The tower houses a year-round museum, on four floors of which you can learn about the history of Wallace and the course of the battle on Stirling Bridge, visit the Hall of Heroes of Scotland, learn from the exhibition about the construction of the tower, and at the very top explore the city and surrounding area from the observation deck. Another top attraction in Stirling is Holyrood Church, in which Mary Stuart's son, James VI, ascended to the Scottish throne in 1567.

Since childhood I dreamed of going to Scotland. And now, finally, the dream has come true. It was not easy to get there, I wanted to arrive early, so as not to lose days, I had to get there with a transfer in Dusseldorf. And here is Edinburgh.
For the first time I liked the road from the airport to the city; Edinburgh is beautiful not only in the historical center, it is all the historical center. At first, I had a constant feeling that this country had chosen a different path of development, and as a result they had arrived at a completely different civilization. All the houses are in Victorian style, there is almost no advertising, the people are unusually friendly. If it weren’t for the crowds of tourists, one might assume that I was in the past.
I stayed in a nice guesthouse with an incredibly friendly hostess. The only thing is that getting to the guesthouse with a suitcase is incredibly difficult, the road is always uphill. If I had known this earlier, I would have taken a taxi. By the way, the bus fare costs £1.40 and is paid in cash only; change is not given.
On the first day, I just had time to walk around the city and visit the whiskey museum. The Whiskey Museum is located at the very end of the Royal Mile, close to the castle entrance and is definitely worth a visit. At the end of the excursion there is a symbolic tasting. By the way, I personally liked ale more in Scotland, which also seems to be the national drink.
In addition, I took the CityBus twice, I highly recommend it. Costs £10, you can see the main attractions, and the guides have a typically British sense of humor, making the tour quite interesting.
Since it was Saturday, in the evening I began to notice young people gathering in groups, gradually the companies turned into crowds that were heading to the bars. To be honest, this has always surprised and delighted me about foreigners. On the one hand, how do they not get tired of spending every Saturday like this? On the other hand, I can hardly imagine that such a crowd in Russia would be so non-aggressive and good-natured.

The next day I went straight to the castle. I paid for the audio guide, which I didn’t regret at all! This is the best audio guide in the world! It seems to me that even a person who is completely uninterested in history, Scotland, or excursions would still be interested in listening to these stories.
By the way, despite the fact that I was alone, you don’t feel lonely in Edinburgh, you always feel someone’s presence, as if you were walking with a group. It is impossible to convey the splendor of the castle in words. Let me just say that I looked at the treasures of the Scottish crown, and then I was knighted, so to speak. It's called Lady for the Day. I tried to act like a lady all day, I don’t know if it worked or not.
It took me half a day to explore the castle, after which I headed to the National Gallery and Museum of Scotland. Both are free.
The gallery didn’t really impress me, but after New York and Amsterdam, as well as Florence and what’s more, Moscow, the only thing that can impress me is Paris. But overall nothing. But I liked the Museum of Scotland, especially the part dedicated to the Celts and witch hunts, two of my favorite topics, perhaps.
After which I headed to the Elephant House cafe, where Harry Potter was written. The place is quite democratic and pleasant; the ladies' room is especially interesting, painted from floor to ceiling with declarations of love for Harry.
I also managed to visit the Museum of the Central Bank of Scotland, also free entry. It was funny for me to see how much everything had changed and at the same time how much it remained the same. I was especially amused by team building and socializing at the beginning of the century. In addition, I visited the Writers' Museum; surprisingly, almost all of my favorite writers were born or lived in Edinburgh. Once here you understand where they got their inspiration from.
I didn't have time to do much. Before I had time to visit the Royal Residence, I climbed Calton Hill to the observatory. But it doesn’t matter, I will still have the opportunity to return. Although, I admit, I made a mistake and it was that I went to Glasgow.
Never go to Glasgow! I have never seen a more unpleasant and ugly city in my life!
I bought a train ticket in Moscow on the Internet, it cost 10 pounds. The journey took an hour and a half.
In Glasgow, I stayed in another nice guesthouse, which was even more difficult to drag my suitcase to. By the way, I promised myself that from now on, unless I am traveling by car, I will always travel only with a small suitcase. I'd rather buy something for myself while traveling than work on pumping up my biceps; after all, I'm not a bodybuilder.
In Glasgow, I also took a CityTour and quickly looked at the city, which shocked me. Gray from the rain, dirty, and obviously unsafe, I didn't like Glasgow. The only thing is that the western part, where the tourist attractions are concentrated, turned out to be quite pleasant.
I visited the Glasgow Gallery and walked around the university grounds in search of the museum. Caring Scots constantly came up with the words: Are you a new student? Let us show you everything!
Which incredibly lifted my spirits, if I can still be mistaken for a student, it’s not so bad!
The museum turned out to be closed and I had no choice but to head to the Botanical Garden. What’s also nice is that it’s free.
For some reason, this always happens - if you don’t want to go somewhere, you end up enjoying the trip. I was completely alone in the botanical gardens, except for a charming squirrel that climbed up my leg as if it were a tree and sniffed my hand. I tried to give her a piece of bread, but she was not inspired by it. It was incredibly calm there and, it seems, I was able to comprehend everything that I saw in Edinburgh.
On the way back, I stopped at a cafe and ordered Black Pudding, the national dish of the Scots. I was sure it was something sweet and was deeply shocked when it turned out that it was something meaty. I haven’t eaten meat for many years, I tried to force myself to try it. In principle, the pudding had nothing to do with meat, but vegetarians, keep in mind - you have nothing to eat in Scotland! I ate mostly sweets there, because they don’t understand the phrase “meat-free dish” in principle. By the way, the Scots, oddly enough, did not understand me well. I am good at them, and they are bad at me, although, in theory, it should have been the other way around. I don't have any difficulties with the British, so here it was surprising.
The next day I had a trip to Ayr planned. And this is where the greatest disappointment awaited. I really wanted to go to the village of Robert Burns, I grew up reading his poems. And since he wrote My heart in the Highlands, I was completely sure that he lived in the mountains and I would see the real Scotland. Why! So, everyone who wants to see real Scotland needs to go north, to the Loch Ness area, or even further north.
Ayr is a lovely city, an hour's drive from Glasgow. There are many Gothic buildings, churches, and also access to the Atlantic, which is beautiful in itself! In general, it’s a typical European resort city, like Brighton in miniature.
But I wanted to go to Alloway, the village where Burns was born. For some reason, I imagined a God-forsaken place, to which it was unclear how to get, where they would look at me in amazement, why did you come? Everything turned out completely wrong. In fact, you buy a ticket at the local bus station and ten minutes later you find yourself in some kind of Yasnaya Polyana.
When I bought the ticket, it started pouring rain, the cashier expressed surprise and we started talking.
— Do you know anything about Robert Burns? - he asked.
“Of course,” I answered, “That’s why I came.”
- Where are you from?
- From Russia.
The next question surprised me a lot.
— Have you read Robert Burns in Marshak’s translation?
I nodded.
“You know,” he continued, “Sometimes it seems to me that Marshak’s translation is much better than Burns himself.”
“I was just thinking about this on the bus.” Do you know Russian?
It turned out that he studied Russian at school, like many Scots. They generally love Russia and admire our country. They are also sweet, modest, and have managed to maintain amazing pride; for example, they categorically refuse to tip.
I liked the Robert Burns Museum; you can see the cottage where he was born, the museum itself, the ruins of a church and bridges across the river. Everything is beautiful, interesting, but the only thing missing is what I came for - a Scottish village.
But I still found the village and an accident helped me. On the way back, I discovered that I no longer had cash. The village ATM turned out to be quite a village and was unable to issue money on my cards. Bus drivers only accepted cash.
I started preparing mentally to ask someone for money. This is probably what I dislike most in life.
And then a happy idea came to my mind - to stomp on foot, through the fields, as Robert Burns himself once walked, and perhaps find a village! Bring water with you, have a backpack, and comfortable shoes! And even the umbrella is in place.
So, I set off on the road and I finally found a barley field, and horses, and some village houses. By evening, tired, I got to Ayr, walked to the ocean, and headed back to the station.
The next day I had to return to Edinburgh again, as I had a plane from there.
I regretted that I had not planned the trip differently; instead of Glasgow, I could have easily gone to Loch Ness, but that’s okay, there will be a reason to return.
Another interesting event happened on the train. I am writing about it because it best characterizes the national character of the Scots.
When I arrived at the station, it turned out that the train to Edinburgh leaves not at 9, as was on the ticket, but at 9.05. I didn't pay attention. Then my ticket that allowed me onto the platform didn’t work. I didn't pay attention to that either. The last sign by which a normal person should have guessed that something wrong was happening was when I discovered that my ticket indicated carriage F, and there were only 2 carriages, i.e. A and B. But this is a normal person, and I calmly sat down and drove off. In the middle of the journey, the ticket inspector approached me and asked for a ticket. And that’s when it turned out that I had boarded the wrong train, because my train turned out to be called differently and simply passed through Edinburgh. I didn’t have a flight number, how was I supposed to know that?
“Well, you say crosscountry,” she told me.
And I tried to explain to me what is crosscountry and what is not crosscountry. In the end, the girl said that I needed to pay an extra 12 pounds for the ticket. I didn’t object, but noticed that I only had a card, and she went to get the card reader.
A few minutes later she returned without the card reader.
“Well, that’s it, they’ll take me off the train,” I thought, and my brain began to figure out what to do next so as not to miss the plane. By the time she approached, I already had at least three ideas.
“You know,” she said, “I thought that it was my fault.” (what, you ask? Is she to blame for my stupidity?), I could have approached you before the train departed, but I didn’t. So it's ok, you can ride for free.
I was pleasantly surprised and even touched. They are the Scots, proud and selfless, just as Robert Burns wrote about them.
The British, no offense, are different. The imperial habits are still alive in them, of course, there are different ones, but you often come across the fact that they show their superiority, like Britain is a great empire, and Russia is a developing third world country. Usually, in such situations, I suggest playing a game - how many times can someone manage to place Britain on Russian territory. Helps. This is not necessary with the Scots, they are friendly, hospitable, and besides, they managed to preserve the most beautiful city on earth. This is not an exaggeration, Edinburgh is a fairy tale!

The distance between Edinburgh and Glasgow is about 75 km. You can cover this entire route in just an hour, which you can devote to contemplating the beauty floating outside the window; fortunately, the comfort of the trains only encourages you to relax and simply enjoy the road.

To travel around the country, it is best to choose a train, because do not forget that the nature here deserves special attention, and the attractions of Scotland are concentrated not only in its capital.

Train Edinburgh - Glasgow

First ScotRail trains depart every 15-20 minutes from Edinburgh Waverley Station, with one-way tickets starting from £8.80 in advance, regular prices from £13.90. You can also purchase a ticket that is valid for the whole day, if you can’t figure out your plans exactly; its price is slightly higher than usual. 1st class tickets are also available - £21.20. Trains arrive at Glasgow Queen Street.

This route is also served by Virgin Trains. It is worth noting that their ticket prices may vary.

You can purchase a train ticket on a Russian-language website that specializes in European railway routes, as well as by searching for transport tickets around the world.

Bus Edinburgh - Glasgow

The bus service is just as comfortable and fast. For example, the Megabus company offers its customers tickets starting from £1 (one way - a limited number of promotional tickets), the regular price is £11.60. Intervals between flights do not exceed 30 minutes. Travel time is about 1.5 hours.

National Express also has flights along the route; ticket prices start from £9.49. Scottish Citylink charges between £7-11 each way, running its buses at intervals of 20-30 minutes.

You can compare all options for moving between cities in terms of cost and travel time via.

Taxi transfer from Edinburgh to Glasgow

Ordering a transfer is primarily convenient for those who need to quickly get from the airport. All taxi options from Edinburgh to Glasgow with prices from the KiwiTaxi service:

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Edinburgh to Glasgow by car

The distance from Edinburgh to Glasgow by car is 75 km.

Description of the route Edinburgh - Glasgow

Route length between Edinburgh and Glasgow: 75km

Approximate travel time: 1h 3m show route description

Car rental in Edinburgh

To travel around the UK, it will be convenient to immediately rent a car in Edinburgh. All options with prices:

Several airlines operate regular flights between the two cities. The cheapest flights are offered by Flybe with a transfer in Birmingham or Belfast. Flights start from £119. You can find flights with transfers from other air carriers.

Timetable Edinburgh - Glasgow

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Unified ticket search OMIO

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