Edinburgh
The palace of Holyrood

Stirling
Luca, Gianpaolo and Roberta in "Drughi" attitude

Helmsdale
Wait

Helmsdale
Contemplating sunset

Helmsdale
The beach

Stromness
The arrival at the port

Skara Brae
One of the primitive houses

Stenness
Stone circle

Stenness

A calm relax

Yesnaby
Panorama of Stacks

Yesnaby

A splendid Cliff

Drumnadroquit
A colourful house

Drumnadroquit
Foreshortened view of Loch Ness

Loch Lomond
The haunted Hostel

Glasgow
Houses

Glasgow
The cathedral

 

EDINBURGH

It's Considered one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Decidedly fascinating the Royal Mile, road that crosses the Old Town until arriving to the Castle. Take a glance to the beautiful palaces and closes (entrance) and wynds (alleys) with their dark and gloomy atmosphere that inspired Robert L. Stevenson for the tale of Dr. Jackyll and Mr. Hyde.
The Edinburgh Castle is situated in a splendid position on top of an extinguished volcano, dominating the city. It's much more fascinating from the outside than inside. During the month of August the square in front of the castle is full of people that assist to the military parades.
Visit the St. Giles' Cathedral with the statue of John Knox at the outside.
To the other end Royal Mile regarding the Castle, there is the Palace of Holyrood, royal residence of XVI century. Around the palace there are splendid parks with beautiful walks. It's wonderful to climb up the top of Arthur's Seat from which you should have a splendid panorama on the city.
Edinburgh does not lack curious buildings: on Calton Hill you can see the Royal High School, inspired by the Theseus Temple in Athens and the National Monument, a curious "imitation" of Parthenon. On the top of hill the Nelson Monument is similar to a telescope.
The New Town is beautiful example of Georgian architecture. If you look at a map you can notice the absolute geometric order with which roads and squares are developed.
Hostel: Royal Mile Backpackers, 105 Royal Mile. Clean and comfortable.
If I can give a subjective opinion, I have found Edinburgh too much cold and grey. I was much more favourably impressed by the lively and modern Glasgow.

STIRLING

The castle of Stirling theorically is equally fascinating as the Castle of Edinburgh, maybe even more interesting. Unfortunately when I went there it was closed for restoration. I think the restoration is now finished so it is worth to be visited.
Stirling is a pleasant rich village with narrow lanes and little squares of medioevale style. There are numerous buildings that deserve a much more careful look: Church of the Holy Rude, the Parish church, the Town-walls, the Guildhall.
Approximately two miles North, the Wallace Monument is situated in a wonderful position and there is an exhibition about Scottish heroes; from the top of the monument you can have a breath-taking view on the surrounding area, centre of important battles for Scottish history.
Hostel: Stirling Youth Hostel, St. John St. Modern and very well-kept Hostel but rather expensive.

INVERNESS

In the outward journey we didn't find any place to sleep as it was completely full of tourists, in the return neither. My memories of Inverness are therefore connected to some interminable hours spent at the Tourist Office searching for a place to sleep and the waits at the bus station to move to a calmer places.

HELMSDALE

Very small village on the sea. The much colourful marina and beaches from which I have seen a splendid sunset. There aren't any touristy attractions, but it's wonderful to relax oneself in the calm and Hush of this magical place.
Hostel: Helmsdale Youth Hostel. It's a small wooden hostel, like an alpine shelter, with 2 large dormitories to divide males from females.

ORCADI

I took the Boat from Scrabster to Stromness on Mainland. The Orkney really deserve a deepened visit. I stayed there 5 days and was only able to visit Mainland, but even the other islands offer many interesting and famous archaeological sites and landscapes.
Stromness is a beautiful and rather calm village. The Stromness Youth Hostel is enough pretty even if as usual, being an official hostel, there is curfew at midnight, the lights are turned off and you can't either go out or entry.
Kirkwall is the chief town of Orkney. The St. Magnus Cathedral is a beautiful church in Red Sandstone with a cemetery on the calm shadow of leafy Trees.
Interesting the visit to the Highland Park Distillery, the most northern distillery of the world, where you will be able to observe with a guided tour, all the processes that are needed by whisky distillation and even taste an optimal single malt they produce.
Among the archaeological sites the most remarkable are: Maes Howe, wedge tomb realized approximately 5000 years ago; Menhir of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, 27 stones 5m height.
In Skara Brae there is the best preserved prehistoric village of Europe. You can even see the inner furnishings of houses, constructed in stone.
Another spectacular panoramic point that deserves a visit are the stacks of Yesnaby.
You can rent a bicycle in Stromness and, if the weather is good, make a beautiful tour of the main places in a single day.
Bizarre is the Italian Chapel, constructed by war Italian prisoners of using prefabricated huts and iron scraps.

THURSO

Not expected stop after having lost the bus for the enormous delay of the ferry. There is a beautiful garden near the Thurso Youth Clubs, calm and much pleasant Hostel (there is also billiards: if you don't know how to spend your time you can dare the manager of the Hostel).

DRUMNADROCHIT

After another brief stop in Inverness we decided to go in the true "native land" of Loch Ness' Monster. The exploitation of the myth of Nessie reaches here maniacal levels with two "exhibitions" beyond many souvenirs shops.
Beyond this, the Loch Ness BackPackers is beautiful a Hostel in a very calm position approximately 1 mile far from the small village.
Deserves a visit the Urquhart Castle (The ticket office closes in late afternoon, we went at the sunset, climbing the gate, and we had the chance to view this wonderful and calm landscape lighten by the colours of the night that was falling down), with splendid ruins at the edge of small cliffs over the Loch.

GLENCOE

Theatre of the bloody slaughter of the Clan of MacDonald's by the hands of Campbell's, and set of many scenes of the movie "Braveheart". The landscape is truly spectacular, narrow valleys are frames of forests and wild areas.

LOCH LOMOND

The Loch Lomond Youth Hostel is one of the most spectacular Hostels pf Scotland being situated in a Castle (haunted by Ghosts). All around there is a beautiful garden and a forest. The closest village is a couple of miles far from the hostel; bear in mind if you have anything to eat with you.
Here we finally had the first warm and sunny day of our holiday so we played soccer in the gardens that skirt the lake. If you want you can swim in the lake (!!??).

GLASGOW

Like I've already said, I preferred it to Edinburgh, above all for vivacity you can breath in every corner of the city. Moreover it doesn't lack attractions and interesting museums.
The Glasgow Backpackers Hostel is a discreet Hostel in a rather calm position over a hill (they also have double rooms - I hope you won't sleep in the basement).
To see the Glasgow Cathedral, in gothic style, and the splendid Lower Church, in the basements, authentic forest of stone columns. Absolutely deserves a visit one of the most unusual museum I've ever seen: The St. Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art, in which are examined the various aspects of the main religions of the world.
The Burrel Collection is situated in a splendid position inside a park (you can go there by train) and hold the art collection of Sir William Burrell. The building in which these treasures are exposed is truly fascinating. High windows that watch the surrounding park allow to illuminate in a natural way the works inserting them in the external landscape.
If you have an idea of who was Charles Rennie Mackintosh or if you are however fascinated by design and Art Noveau architecture you can't miss some important buildings of this great architect: the Glasgow School of Art, the Queen's Cross Church and the Mackintosh House, beyond the Willow Tearoom where you can have a huge breakfast with scrambled eggs and salmon with bread and salted butter.
Even the University of Glasgow can be an interesting visit; in the nearby the Hunterian Museum with collections of coins, fossils and minerals.

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