Castles and Palaces of Scotland

Edinburgh reveals itself as one of Europe's most dramatic capitals, poised between volcanic rock and ever-changing skies. Its Old Town and New Town together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, two souls separated by a green valley, the Princes Street Gardens. Atop the crag stands Edinburgh Castle, a fortress guarding the Honours of Scotland and offering breathtaking views; from here the Royal Mile descends, the backbone of the old town, down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the sovereign's Scottish residence. Along the way open narrow alleys, the characteristic closes, St Giles' Cathedral with its stone crown, and shops of whisky and tweed. The airy, elegant Georgian New Town lines up neoclassical façades and stately George Street. Walkers can climb Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano giving panoramas over the whole city and the Firth of Forth, or Calton Hill with the monuments that earned Edinburgh the nickname Athens of the North. The National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden round out the cultural offer, while in August the city erupts with the famous Festival Fringe. The cuisine ranges from historic pubs and traditional haggis to seafood and Scotch distilleries. Within easy reach await the coastal villages of Fife and the bridges over the Forth. Edinburgh blends history, mystery and refinement in an atmosphere unlike any other.

Aberdeen gleams with a colour all its own, nicknamed the Granite City for its sparkling façades that glitter in the sun after rain. Scotland's third city and capital of the North Sea oil industry, it keeps a historic heart gathered around Marischal College and the ancient university quarter of Old Aberdeen, with its King's College Chapel and St Machar's Cathedral. The long city beach and the busy harbour tell of its seafaring soul. From Aberdeen you follow the valley of the River Dee, Royal Deeside, a region loved by the British royal family: here stands Balmoral Castle, the sovereigns' Scottish residence set among woods and moors, beside the picturesque village of Ballater and the fairytale Craigievar Castle. The region is rich in castles, the whisky distilleries of the Speyside trail and the mountain landscapes of the Cairngorms. Aberdeen is a solid and fascinating city, a gateway to one of Scotland's noblest and most evocative countrysides.

Inverness reigns as the capital of the Highlands, an elegant town set at the mouth of the River Ness, from which unfold some of Scotland's most legendary landscapes. Its red-sandstone castle commands the river, along whose banks you stroll among Victorian bridges and wooded islets. But it is the name of nearby Loch Ness that fires the imagination: this deep loch, wrapped in legend and the mystery of the monster Nessie, holds on its shores the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle, from which scenic cruises depart. A short way off lies the melancholy battlefield of Culloden, where the Jacobite rising ended, and the mysterious standing stones of Clava Cairns. Eastward opens the region of Speyside, heart of Scotch whisky production, dotted with famous distilleries along the celebrated Malt Whisky Trail. Inverness is the perfect base for exploring mountains, lochs and distilleries, a town that embodies the timeless allure of the Highlands.

Fort William earns the title of Outdoor Capital of the UK, a town set between the sea and the highest mountains in Britain, in the heart of the West Highlands. Behind it rises Ben Nevis, the island's highest peak and a coveted goal for hillwalkers, while all around stretch deep glens, waterfalls and crystalline lochs. From here departs the spectacular Jacobite Steam Train, made famous by the Harry Potter films, crossing the majestic Glenfinnan Viaduct in a curve above Loch Shiel. A short way off open the scenic Glen Nevis and the dramatic valley of Glencoe, one of Scotland's most striking, laden with history and legend. The region is a paradise for those who love trekking, climbing, fishing and mountain biking, but also for anyone simply seeking breathtaking scenery and whisky distilleries. Fort William is the ideal base for plunging into the wild nature of the Highlands, where every horizon takes your breath away.

Glasgow pulses with an energy all its own, Scotland's largest city and its creative, musical soul. Once an industrial engine of the Empire, it has turned its Victorian warehouses into galleries, bars and restaurants, earning a reputation as a cultural capital. The medieval Glasgow Cathedral and the nearby Necropolis reveal its oldest face, while George Square anchors the centre with monumental architecture. Not to be missed are the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, a free treasure house of art and curiosities, and the works of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, master of the Glasgow Style who designed the celebrated School of Art and many interiors. The West End, around the University of Glasgow and the Botanic Gardens, mixes bohemian cafés and markets, while Buchanan Street is the shopping heart. The city shines after dark among pubs, live music and a lively dining scene, from curry houses to reinvented Scottish cooking. Along the regenerated River Clyde rise the Riverside Museum of transport and the modern SEC auditorium. Glasgow is also a gateway to the Highlands and the western isles, a handy base for exploring Loch Lomond just beyond the centre. Frank and welcoming, Glasgow wins visitors over with its humour, its music and a warmth that lingers.