Scotland

Majestic castles, ancient cities, and picturesque mountains, rivers and countryside

Scotland is permeated with legend and romance. Its ruined castles standing amid fields of heather and bracken bespeak a past of heroic struggle. Its two great cities--the ancient seat of Scottish royalty, Edinburgh, and even more ancient Glasgow, boasting Victorian splendor--are among Europe's most dynamic centers. And equally alluring is the picturesque countryside, with Highlands, mountains, lochs, salmon-filled rivers, incomparable golf courses, and so much more.

The cost of train travel in Scotland is often quite low, and trains are generally punctual. The country has a special service, The Royal Scotsman, which is one of the most luxurious trains in the world. Called “a country house hotel on wheels," the train passes by ancient mountains and mysterious lochs, through glens and across villages as travelers rest in sumptuous surroundings. Eurail passes are not valid here, but BritRail is, as well as the Scotland-specific Scottish Freedom Pass, with unlimited transportation on trains and most ferries throughout Scotland and discounts for bus travel.

© 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.