Scotland is a former kingdom and forms the United Kingdom together with England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Scotland is located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain and borders England to the south. Some archipelagos that fall under the territory of Scotland are the Clyde Islands (Arran, Bute and Cumbrae), Hebrides (Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides), Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. A number of major cities in Scotland are: Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. See ask4beauty for Europe overview.
Scotland is mostly known for Whiskey, Scottish music, the bagpipes, the kilt and the “Loch Ness Monster”. In addition, Scotland has a beautiful nature. The landscape consists of various mountain areas, large lakes, grasslands and rock formations. In addition, the area has 2 National Parks and a long coastline with sandy beaches and many castles. The area is often covered in fog and temperatures rarely rise above 20 degrees. Scotland is often visited by walkers and mountain bikers.
Where is Scotland?
Travel information of Scotland
Official name: Scotland
Continent: Europe
Area: 78,782 km²
Capital: Edinburgh
Country code: GB, GBR
Population: 5,463,300 inhabitants (2019)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 1,344 m (Ben Nevis)
Distance (Amsterdam – Edinburgh): 664 km
Flight time: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Scotland that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Scotland, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Scotland. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Scotland?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Scotland at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Scotland has a temperate maritime climate. The temperatures are around 15 to 20 degrees during the summer months and around 5 degrees during the winter months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Scotland can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Scotland can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July and August are the best months to travel to Scotland. In these months you have the most pleasant temperatures.
Language
English is the official language in Scotland. In addition, a part of the population speaks Scottish Gaelic.
Would you like to translate from or into English for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in the United Kingdom:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Scotland:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
United Kingdom Consulate in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations to visit Scotland.
Money and Currency
In Scotland you pay with the British pound (GBP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Scotland can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Scotland are much higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +13% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (10% more expensive), food (20% more expensive), imported beer in catering (27% more expensive), cigarettes (71% more expensive) and public transport (2% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Scotland it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
In Scotland it is 1 hour earlier than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Scotland is equal to that in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Scotland can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Scotland you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Scotland.
Information on public transport in Scotland can be found at Travelinescotland.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Scotland.
Electricity
In Scotland you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Scotland can be found on our electricity page (see United Kingdom).
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999 or 112
– Fire: 999 or 112
– Ambulance: 999 or 112
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Scotland can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Scotland can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Scotland end in.co.uk.
Scotland’s official websites: scotland.org and visitscotland.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Scotland is 0044 or +44.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Scotland? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Phone numbers can be found in the Scotland Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Scotland.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Scotland.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Scotland.
Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all other public holidays in Scotland can be found on Gov.uk.
An overview of all school holidays in Scotland can be found in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Scotland, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Scotland?
On Teije.nl you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Scotland. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Scotland can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Scotland can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Scotland? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Scotland, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Scotland, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Scotland? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations, which you may encounter during your visit to Scotland.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoke from the age of 16.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Scotland is a former kingdom?
…In Scotland the stomach of a sheep is used in dishes?
…More than 3,000 castles can be found in Scotland?
…Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own fire station?
…The oldest tree in Europe is in Scotland (5,000 years)?
…The first international football match was played in Scotland in 1872?