Scotland
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Scotland country guide

Things To Do In Scotland

Two cities forty minutes apart that could not be less alike, and a Highland landscape that starts an hour north of both. You are legally allowed to camp in almost all of it.

Pick a city What it costs
£22
Dorm bed, from
Free
Wild camping, by law
790
Islands
50min
Edinburgh to Glasgow by train

Cities first, Highlands immediately after

Edinburgh and Glasgow are fifty minutes apart and behave like different countries. Edinburgh is a stone city on volcanic hills, a castle on a rock, and in August the largest arts festival in the world. Glasgow is bigger, friendlier, post-industrial and has the best music scene in Britain.

The Highlands start about an hour north of either. Loch Lomond, Glencoe, the road to the Isle of Skye and the North Coast 500 give you mountains, sea lochs and single-track roads with passing places, and the scale is far larger than the map suggests.

Scotland's right to roam is the most generous in Europe: you can walk and wild camp on most unenclosed land, which makes a Highland trip genuinely affordable if you have a tent and are prepared for the weather, which will be worse than you planned for.

Where to go

Trains link the cities and the West Highland Line is a journey in itself. The islands need ferries and planning.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh

26 hostels · dorms from £23

A castle on a volcanic rock, a medieval old town, and the world's biggest arts festival every August.

One of my favourite cities in the world.Very beautiful and heaps of things to see and do.also great for bars and food.Excellent public transport.The local people are eager to help,positive in attitude and welcoming. Its a great base for exploring southern Scotland. Just be sure to take waterproofs it is colder and wetter than London.It's also fairly hilly in the centre and a struggle if you have mobility issues Its crazily busy in August when it hosts the huge (4000 shows) Edinburgh Fringe Fest

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Edinburgh guide
Glasgow

Glasgow

6 hostels · dorms from £18

Bigger, warmer and funnier than Edinburgh, with the best live music in Britain.

What a city! Great people, great vibe, navigable, good nightlife and great for eating out.

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Glasgow guide
Inverness

Inverness

5 hostels · dorms from £23

The Highland capital, Loch Ness next door, and the start of the North Coast 500.

Adorable town! We were only there for evenings, so didn’t get a chance to explore the city in the day but it was lovely during our stay.

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Inverness guide
Fort William

Fort William

8 hostels · dorms from £28

Under Ben Nevis, at the end of the West Highland Way and the start of the Jacobite steam line.

Fort William is a great place for adventure lovers and hikers, with easy access to Ben Nevis, beautiful lakeside views, and stunning mountain scenery. It has good food options, shops, and supermarkets like Lidl and Morrisons, making it a convenient and enjoyable place to visit.

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Fort William guide
Stirling

Stirling

1 hostel

A castle, a battlefield and the Wallace Monument, halfway between the two big cities.

Stirling is an historic city with many opportunities for sightseeing, walking, cycling and entertainment. It also has access to local transportation to various outlying destinations. Stirling Is worth a visit.

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Stirling guide
Aberdeen

Aberdeen

1 hostel

The granite city on the North Sea, with a beach, a harbour and the whisky trail of Speyside inland.

The Aberdeen guide
Dundee

Dundee

2 hostels

A V&A on the waterfront, a comics heritage and the cheapest city break in the country.

Dundee is cold and windy but full of art, culture, friendly people and good parks. The public transport is very reliable.

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Dundee guide
St Andrews

St Andrews

Golf, a ruined cathedral and Scotland's oldest university, on a cold and beautiful stretch of the east coast.

The St Andrews guide
Oban

Oban

3 hostels

The seafood capital and the ferry port for Mull, Iona and the Hebrides.

A lovely place to add to your to do list when visiting Scotland. We were lucky to have sunshine all day and it was so easy to go across to the isle with the water taxi. Lots of restaurants to choose from with live music and fantastic harbour views. The best sunset I have seen in a while for sure

A traveller, on Hostelworld
The Oban guide
Portree

Portree

Skye's main town, and the base for the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr and the Cuillin ridge.

The Portree guide

What kind of trip is this?

Scotland is a walking country with two very good cities attached.

Adventure in Scotland

Munros, long-distance paths and a legal right to sleep out.

What to do

  • Walk the West Highland Way
  • Climb a Munro
  • Wild camp beside a loch

Spots to visit

  • Glencoe
  • Cairngorms
  • Isle of Skye

Best cities for it

Reading on adventure in Scotland

See all

Where to go in West Scotland: a 2-week road trip itinerary

Maya Hawes · 10 min read
Best Scotland Road Trips

The 12 best road trips around Scotland

Hostelworld Blog · 30 min read
Things to do

Things to do in Scotland

Edinburgh is compact and vertical. The castle, the Royal Mile and Arthur's Seat — a hill in the middle of the city that takes 45 minutes to climb — are the essentials, and the National Museum of Scotland is free and excellent. In August the Fringe puts 3,000 shows into the city and doubles the price of everything.

Glasgow's case is made by its music venues, the Kelvingrove museum and an architecture trail built around Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It is also the transport hub for the west coast and the islands.

North of the cities, the walking is the point. The West Highland Way runs 96 miles from Glasgow to Fort William, Glencoe and the Cairngorms are among the most dramatic landscapes in Britain, and Skye has outgrown its car parks — go early, or better, go somewhere else nearby.

More on things to do in Scotland

All things to do in Scotland
brown and green concrete building under blue sky

Day Trips from Glasgow to Experience Scotland’s Heart

Diana Morais · 13 min read
dean village, day trips from edinburgh

Day Trips from Edinburgh: Exploring Scotland

Diana Morais · 14 min read

14 totally secret things you never knew you could do in Scotland

Hostelworld Blog · 5 min read

Things to do for free in Edinburgh

Hostelworld Blog · 7 min read

15 Free Things to Do in Edinburgh

Hostelworld Blog · 6 min read
Food and drink

Eating in Scotland

Scottish produce is genuinely excellent — seafood from the west coast, beef, venison, and smoked salmon — and it is often cheaper here than where it gets exported to. A bowl of cullen skink, smoked haddock soup, is £6 to £9 and a meal.

Haggis is worth trying and is not what people fear: spiced, crumbly and usually served with neeps and tatties for £12 to £16. Vegetarian versions are everywhere.

Whisky is the other pillar. A dram in a bar runs £4 to £8, distillery tours are £15 to £25, and Islay, Speyside and the Highlands each taste entirely different. Pubs will pour you something interesting for the price of a pint if you ask.

More on food and drink in Scotland

All food guides for Scotland

10 insanely good cheap restaurants in Edinburgh

Hostelworld Blog · 5 min read

10 British foods that are actually delicious…

Hostelworld Blog · 4 min read
Nightlife

Going out in Scotland

Glasgow is the night out. It has produced a disproportionate share of British music and the venues are still there — King Tut's, Barrowlands, the SWG3 arches — with gigs most nights and drinks cheaper than Edinburgh.

Edinburgh's nightlife concentrates on the Cowgate and Grassmarket, which is student-heavy and busy, and in August the whole city becomes one continuous late licence.

Scottish pubs close later than English ones, often at one, and the whisky bars are worth an evening: a good one has several hundred bottles and staff who will guide you through them without snobbery.

More on nightlife in Scotland

All nightlife guides for Scotland

Bars in Edinburgh – Your Favourite Top Edinburgh Bars

Hostelworld Blog · 6 min read
Getting around

Getting around Scotland

ScotRail links the cities and reaches further north than people expect — the West Highland Line to Mallaig is one of the great railway journeys, passing the viaduct from the Harry Potter films.

Citylink buses are cheaper than trains and reach most Highland towns. For the islands, CalMac ferries go everywhere on the west coast, and foot passengers rarely need to book, though cars in summer absolutely do.

A car transforms a Highland trip. Roads are single track in places with passing places — pull in, let people past, and do not use them as parking spaces for photographs, which is the thing that annoys locals most.

More on getting around in Scotland

All transport guides for Scotland

Where to go in West Scotland: a 2-week road trip itinerary

Maya Hawes · 10 min read
Best Scotland Road Trips

The 12 best road trips around Scotland

Hostelworld Blog · 30 min read
Costs

What Scotland costs

Scotland is cheaper than London and roughly level with the north of England. Dorms start around £22 in Edinburgh and Glasgow, less in Highland towns outside summer.

August is the exception and it is dramatic. Edinburgh during the Fringe can triple accommodation prices and beds sell out months ahead, so it needs planning in one direction or the other. Edinburgh also added a 5% visitor levy to accommodation from 24 July 2026, charged on the first five nights.

The savings are the same as England's plus one: free national museums, cheap buses, and the legal right to wild camp, which takes the bed line to zero for anyone carrying a tent.

More on costs in Scotland

All budget guides for Scotland

Edinburgh on a budget – your cheap city guide

Hostelworld Blog · 7 min read

10 insanely good cheap restaurants in Edinburgh

Hostelworld Blog · 5 min read
Safety

Staying safe in Scotland

Scotland is safe, and the cities are friendly in a way that surprises visitors — strangers talk to you in Glasgow, which is not a scam.

The risks are entirely outdoors. Scottish mountains are not high but they are serious: weather changes within minutes, cloud comes down, and mountain rescue is called out constantly for people who set off in trainers. Take waterproofs, a map that is not on your phone, and tell someone your route.

Midges are the other thing nobody warns you about properly. From late May to September, in still weather, they make Highland camping genuinely unpleasant without repellent and a head net. Buy both before you go north.

Entry and documents

Entry and documents

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, which is outside the EU and Schengen. Time here does not count against the 90-day Schengen allowance.

Most visitors need an ETA, the Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online before travel. EU citizens need a passport rather than an ID card. Check the official UK government site before booking, because the requirements have changed repeatedly.

Scottish banknotes are legal currency and identical in value to English ones, though shops in England occasionally query them, which is a quirk rather than a problem.

When to go

May and September are the answer: long days, fewer midges than high summer, and prices that are not August's. Winter is dark, cheap and atmospheric.

7°
Jan
Dark and cheap. Hogmanay hangover, then quiet
7°
Feb
Winter walking, if equipped. Cheapest month
9°
Mar
Lengthening days. Highlands still wintry
12°
Apr
Spring. Before the midges, which matters
15°
May
The best month. Long days, midges not yet in force
17°
Jun
Light until 22:30, and midges arriving
19°
Jul
Warmest, busiest and peak midge season
18°
Aug
The Fringe. Edinburgh triples in price and fills entirely
16°
Sep
Excellent. Midges fading, colours turning, prices down
12°
Oct
Autumn in the Highlands, and very good value
9°
Nov
Dark and wet. Lowest prices
7°
Dec
Christmas markets, and Hogmanay is a national event
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets: quiet busy peak

Average highs for Edinburgh. The Highlands are cooler and much wetter, daylight runs from about 17 hours in June to under 7 in December, and midge season peaks July and August.

What your trip will cost

Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person, in pounds, outside August in Edinburgh.

Wild camping can take the bed line to zero. Car hire for the Highlands is £40–60 a day and is the main extra for a road trip.

—
  • Beds—
  • Food and drink—
  • Getting around—
  • Doing things—
What's on

What is on while you are there

One of these changes the price of a whole city for a month. Plan deliberately around August.

Barbie®: The Exhibition Staff pick
13 Jun – 18 Oct

Barbie®: The Exhibition

Glasgow

Barbie®: The Exhibition at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum invites visitors to explore the evolution of one of the world’s most recognizable dolls. With…

Sonica Glasgow Staff pick
24 Sep – 4 Oct

Sonica Glasgow

Glasgow

Sonica Glasgow is a renowned biennial festival celebrating cutting-edge audio-visual art and sound, produced by Cryptic since 1994. Showcasing innovative UK and international artists,…

Wigtown Book Festival Staff pick
25 Sep – 4 Oct

Wigtown Book Festival

Wigtown

The Wigtown Book Festival is a celebrated literary gathering held in Scotland’s official National Book Town, nestled in the picturesque Dumfries and Galloway region.…

Edinburgh Cocktail Week Staff pick
2–11 October

Edinburgh Cocktail Week

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Cocktail Week is a celebrated festival that transforms the city into a haven for cocktail lovers, featuring over 100 participating bars offering exclusive…

Kane Brown Staff pick
3 October

Kane Brown

Edinburgh

Kane Allen Brown is a singer and songwriter from the United States. Brown was originally brought to the public's attention through social media. In…

Comic Con Scotland Staff pick
24–25 October

Comic Con Scotland

Kirkliston

Pop culture fans from over 40 countries gather here each year to meet stars from film, TV, gaming, and anime — past guests have…

Westlife Staff pick
3 November

Westlife

Aberdeen

Westlife is an internationally acclaimed Irish pop group renowned for their powerful harmonies and chart-topping ballads. Since their debut in 1999, Westlife has sold…

Loch Lomond Shores Christmas Festival Staff pick
5–6 December

Loch Lomond Shores Christmas Festival

Balloch

Experience the festive spirit at Loch Lomond Shores, where the Christmas Festival transforms the waterfront into a magical winter wonderland. Browse a bustling market…

All events in Scotland
Hostels

Where to stay in Scotland

The highest-rated hostels in the country, live from Hostelworld. Edinburgh and Glasgow have the most; Highland hostels book out far ahead in summer.

Castle Rock Hostel 9.4 25,754

Castle Rock Hostel

Edinburgh
Dorms from £23 a night
See dates and book
Glasgow Youth Hostel 8.8 2,151

Glasgow Youth Hostel

Glasgow
Dorms from £25 a night
See dates and book
Skye Basecamp 9.8 672

Skye Basecamp

Isle of Skye
Dorms from £27 a night
See dates and book
Glen Nevis Youth Hostel 9.6 562

Glen Nevis Youth Hostel

Fort William
Dorms from £28 a night
See dates and book
Bazpackers Hostel 9.6 2,138

Bazpackers Hostel

Inverness
Dorms from £33 a night
See dates and book
High Street Hostel 9.2 9,245

High Street Hostel

Edinburgh
Dorms from £26 a night
See dates and book
Roam Glasgow 7.5 1,501

Roam Glasgow

Glasgow
Dorms from £18 a night
See dates and book
Flora Macdonald Hostel 9.5 572

Flora Macdonald Hostel

Isle of Skye
See dates and book
Loch Ossian Youth Hostel 9.5 220

Loch Ossian Youth Hostel

Fort William
Dorms from £29 a night
See dates and book
Inverness Youth Hostel 9.1 965

Inverness Youth Hostel

Inverness
Dorms from £23 a night
See dates and book
Royal Mile Backpackers 9.2 3,574

Royal Mile Backpackers

Edinburgh
Dorms from £27 a night
See dates and book
Revolver Hotel 7.1 550

Revolver Hotel

Glasgow
Dorms from £30 a night
See dates and book
All hostels in Scotland

Scotland travel questions

The ones we get asked most.

How many days do you need in Scotland?
Four days for Edinburgh and Glasgow, which are fifty minutes apart. A week lets you add the Highlands — Glencoe, Fort William and Skye — and ten days makes the North Coast 500 possible without rushing.
Can I wild camp in Scotland?
Yes. Scotland's right to roam permits wild camping on most unenclosed land, which is unusual in Europe. Leave no trace, avoid fires on peat, and check for local byelaws — parts of Loch Lomond have seasonal restrictions.
When is the Edinburgh Fringe?
The whole of August. It is the largest arts festival in the world and it triples accommodation prices while filling the city entirely. Book months ahead or visit in a different month.
How bad are the midges?
Bad, from late May to September in still, damp weather in the Highlands. They will not hurt you but they can ruin camping. Repellent and a head net are cheap and genuinely necessary.
Do I need a car in Scotland?
Not for the cities, which trains and buses link well. For the Highlands and the North Coast 500, a car makes an enormous difference — bus services are sparse and the point is stopping where you like.
Is Scotland expensive?
Cheaper than London and about level with northern England. Dorms from £22, a pint at £4.50 to £6, and free national museums. August in Edinburgh is the one dramatic exception.
Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Edinburgh for the castle, the old town and the festival; Glasgow for music, nightlife and a friendlier city that fewer visitors bother with. They are fifty minutes apart, so the honest answer is both.

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