A picture of Edinburgh Castle

Top 5 Attractions in Scotland

If you’ve ended up here, then the likelihood is you’re looking for some of the top destinations in Scotland to visit! You’re probably also thinking “Not another Top 10” right?

We won’t give you the same-old Top 10 that you’re used to! Let’s narrow it down a bit. You don’t want to have to choose from 10 different destinations or attractions which might be spread all around the country right? We’re going for the Top 5!

 

Top 5 Destinations in Scotland

 

Edinburgh Castle

 

Possibly the most iconic attraction in Scotland is the Edinburgh Castle, the castle has existed since the 12th century, founded during the reign of David I. During the 15th Century the castle wasn’t domesticated, and was pretty much empty until the 17th century when it was primarily used as army barracks. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the castle was recognized as a monument worth being considered as a vital part in Scottish Heritage.

If you like the castle, you could always check out other destinations in Edinburgh, like the Edinburgh dungeons.

 

Loch Lomond

 

Loch Lomond just happens to be the largest spread of inland water within the United Kingdom, let alone Scotland, that should be awesome enough to convince one to visit the destination. If not, then maybe you’ll go check it out because there was a song written about it? ‘The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond’.

 

Loch Ness

 

Like Loch Lomond, Loch Ness is very rich in Scottish culture. If you haven’t already heard the Nessie myths, you’re about to.

The story goes that deep beneath the surface of Loch Ness lives a great serpent-like cryptid, some have said to be over 50ft long. The first sightings of the beast were around 1871, but the  first recorded story was of July 22nd 1933 recorded by  a man named George Spicer and his wife. They described the creature they saw as being roughly 1.2 meters high and 7.6 meters long.

Though the thought of there being a monster in the lake is quite a chill-to-the-bone one, it is always fun to go and have a look. Who knows, if you see Nessie, maybe he/she’ll present him/herself long enough for you to take a decent snap!

 

The Wallace Monument

 

If you’re looking for something a little less fantastical perhaps check out the Wallace Monument. The tower was built in 1869 after a fundraising campaign to rejuvenate the Scottish National Identity had commenced.

The tower was built to commemorate William Wallace, one of Scotland’s greatest historic warriors. William Wallace fought in many battles for Scotland’s independence from the English monarch. Despite Wallace taking part in many battles, there were two he was well known for participating in – The Battle Of Falkirk and the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

This was all –of course- before his sentencing and execution. William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered, a brutal but to-the-point execution used to strike fear into the hearts of the Scots.

 

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

 

Have a look around something just as interesting but a little less gruesome with the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. With exhibits ranging from Egyptian tombs to the art movements to evolutionary taxidermy, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery is definitely a must-see in attraction in Scotland.

The gallery is home to some very famous and influential paintings such as “Christ of Saint John on the Cross.” By Salvador Dali. If you’re interested in art culture, this is definitely the place to go!

 

So that’s our Top 5 Attractions in Scotland, all the attractions have their own websites you can check out and find prices for. The likes of Kelvingrove Art Gallery are free of entry fee, but you will find a donation box by the front door. The best part of these five attractions is that they’re all fab places to go on a budget too! To find out more about Scottish attractions, why not explore the rest of our blog?