When you are visiting a country, the first port of call is very often the capital city. People feel a sense of security by going to the capital city and see it as a good way of easing yourself into a new culture before fully exploring all that it has to offer. No matter where you go, this is usually the case – people flock to London before heading off to Manchester, or to Paris before going to Lyon. In Scotland, the main airport is in Edinburgh and the vast majority of people fly there when they want to visit Scotland. This means that you see the capital and get a feel for the culture as opposed to throwing yourself in at the deep end by going straight to the Highlands! However, it must be noted that the second stage to the holiday; the exploration of the rest of the country, is impossible if you do not have access to a car.

Scotland is inaccessible without a car; there is a reason why the Romans never managed to conquer north of the border! Instead of restricting yourself to Edinburgh (although not a bad thing) make sure that you hire a car from the airport as soon as you arrive in Scotland. The service is cheap and very quick; particularly if you book beforehand and causes no hassle whatsoever. For a little bit of extra time spent at the airport you can have a whole nation at your fingertips, just ready for you to explore.