Trips Around Scotland
Scotland is well-known as a country with great natural beauty with its many mountains and lochs, islands and beaches. As a student in Glasgow, you will be able to visit many great locations in Scotland, whether in the countryside, on the coast or visiting Scotland's historic cities and towns like Edinburgh or Stirling.
Edinburgh
Scotland's capital is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is an excellent destination for a day out from Glasgow as it can be reached by train or road in around one hour. The centre of Edinburgh is dominated by the historic Edinburgh Castle which towers over Princes Street and beautiful gardens which lie below it.
The Royal Mile runs form the Castle, down through the city's medieval Old Town to the Palace of Holyroodhouse which is the King's official residence when staying in Scotland. The area to the north side of Princes Street is known as the New Town (though it was built in the 18th century!) and contains many attractive Georgian buildings. Both Old and New Towns received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1995.
There are numerous museums in the city, ranging from the large National Museum of Scotland to smaller ones such as the Museum of Edinburgh and the Museum of Childhood. There are many important art galleries, such as the Scottish National Gallery, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
On Princes Street, the Scott Monument provides an even closer view of the street and gardens. Edinburgh has its own extinct volcano, called Arthur's Seat, in Holyrood Park - an extensive area of wild land situated next to Holyrood Palace. There are excellent views from the top of Arthur’s Seat across the entire city.
Stirling
Stirling is an historic town which, like Edinburgh, is dominated by a large, ancient castle on a hill, from which there are magnificent views over the Scottish countryside. There is a great deal to see in the castle, including the Great Hall, the Chapel Royal and the magnificent Unicorn tapestries.
You can also visit the Wallace Monument, a tall tower commemorating one of Scotland's great heroes, Sir William Wallace. It is built on a hill overlooking the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where Wallace defeated an English army.
Also close to Stirling is the Bannockburn Visitor Centre, built beside the site of the most famous battle in Scottish history, where King Robert the Bruce defeated King Edward II of England.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs park is not far to the northwest of Glasgow and is one of Scotland's most scenic areas. The park area includes a number of beautiful lochs and mountains, making it a very popular tourist destination.
Loch Lomond itself is the largest freshwater lake in Great Britiain and is overlooked by the mountain, Ben Lomond.
