Scottish Travel Guides
Guides to Scotland
The best general guides to Scotland are the Rough Guide and the Lonely Planet. Both guides have been fully updated for 2008 - which you choose is a matter of personal preference, although the Lonely Planet is perhaps a better choice for those on a tighter budget.
Both the Rough Guide and the Lonely Planet guides are densely packed with useful information. You can also try Footprint Scotland, Insight Scotland and the Insight Compact Guide Scotland guides. A new edition of Fodor's Scotland will be published this summer.
A useful summary of the best tourist locations, places to eat and drink, outdoor activities and more is Scotland the Best! - with 2,007 tourist attractions and activities listed. Scotland Recommends is a guidebook written by the people of Scotland, and is the pick of the best from The Scotsman's 'Scotland Recommends' feature.
The Highlands and Islands Guides
There are also some specific travel guides to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland - The Rough Guide to the Highlands and Islands (a new edition is dune in June 2008) is probably the best, but Hamish Haswell-Smith's beautiful compendium, The Scottish Islands is the perfect souvenir or source of inspiration. Both Footprint and Cadogan produce Highlands and Islands guides.
City Guides
Rough Guides produce a slim guide to Edinburgh, which includes a CD and internet links. The Lonely Planet Edinburgh was last updated in 2006. There are no Rough Guides or Lonely Planet guides to Glasgow or other Scottish cities, but there is a Frommer's Guide to Edinburgh and Glasgow, pocket Insight Glasgow a range of useful guidebooks in our Glasgow Travel books page. The Time Out Edinburgh guide also covers Glasgow and Fife, and is well respected.
Accommodation in Scotland
If you are looking for accommodation guides for Scotland, then VisitScotland produce yearly guides to Caravan and Camping, Bed and Breakfast and Hotels and Guest Houses. They also produce a Self Catering guide. All the VisitScotland guides have been updated for 2008.
Alternatively, try Scottish Hostels for cheaper accommodation. VisitScotland also produce the official guidebook, Touring Guide Scotland.
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Add to BasketBed And Breakfast - Paperback
£6.99
This is a comprehensive guide to over 2500 bed and breakfast establishments in Scotland. All entries are assessed and graded, and cover a wide range to suit all budgets. Many entries are illustrated with a photograph. -
Add to BasketCaravan And Camping 2008 - Paperback
£4.99
This is a comprehensive guide to over 280 camping and caravanning parks in Scotland. All the entries are graded for quality under the British Graded Holiday Parks Scheme, with particular emphasis on level of cleanliness and facilities. -
Add to BasketEdinburgh - Paperback -
£11.99
This fourth edition of the Lonely Planet guide to Scotland's capital city includes coverage of the major festivals, including the Military Tattoo, the International Festival and the world-famous Fringe Festival. -
Add to BasketEdinburgh - Paperback -
£6.99
The main section of this guide gives a district-by-district account of the sights, restaurants, shops, transport links and nightlife, all generously illustrated. In addition there are 27 themed spreads and comprehensive Festival coverage. -
Add to BasketEdinburgh - Paperback
£7.99
'Time Out Shortlist' guides offer all the usual visitor information, presented in a way designed to take you straight to what you're looking for: reviews of the classic sights and venues in area-by-area chapters, maps with all entries pinpointed, customised itineraries and visitor basics. -
Add to BasketEdinburgh & Glasgow - Paperback -
£11.99
Covering many of the world's hottest tourist destinations, the 'Frommer's' guidebooks are updated regularly, reflecting current tourist trends and featuring the best places to eat, sleep, drink and shop. -
Add to BasketScotland Highlands And Islands - Paperback -
£13.99
This is a comprehensive guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, covering all the islands in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Orkneys and Shetlands plus the Argyll and Highlands area. -
Add to BasketGlasgow - Paperback -
£4.99
This small carry-along guidebook offers an informative introduction to Glasgow, from its historical background and culture, to the latest events and attractions. For travellers with limited time, suggested tours are also included. -
Add to BasketHotels & Guest Houses Guide 2008 - Paperback
£8.99
This is a comprehensive guide to over 3000 hotels and guest houses in Scotland. A wide range of establishments are covered from hotels and guest houses to inns, lodges, restaurants with rooms, B&Bs and campus accommodation. All entries are graded. -
Add to BasketThe Rough Guide To Scotland - Paperback -
£13.99
From the glens of Loch Lomond to the lively Edinburgh festival, 'The Rough Guide to Scotland' tells you all there is to know about this stunning and varied country. The guide includes hundreds of listings of the country's top hotels and restaurants, plus reviews of all the best shops, bars and clubs. -
£10.99The Rough Guide To Scottish Highlands & Islands - Paperback -
This guide highlights the best places to sleep, eat and drink in the Highlands and Islands. It includes coverage of all major and minor outdoor activities, hiking trails and mountain bike routes. -
Add to BasketThe Rough Guide To Scottish Highlands & Islands - Paperback -
£11.99
This guide highlights the best places to sleep, eat and drink in the Highlands and Islands. It includes coverage of all major and minor outdoor activities, hiking trails and mountain bike routes. -
Add to BasketScotland - Paperback -
£4.99
On of a series of compact guides offering a clear, informative, illustrated introduction to the featured destination, from its historical background and culture to the latest events and attractions. -
Add to BasketScotland - Paperback -
£11.99
Scotland's patchwork of sweeping mountains and lochs, craggy coastline and lively towns deserves to be explored and savoured. Walk in the footsteps of historical heroes, soak up culture in Edinburgh and catch live music in Glasgow. Go beyond bagpipes and haggis clichés with our expert authors. -
Add to BasketScotland - Paperback
£14.99
'Insight Guides' feature colour photographs, going beyond the landmarks, with up-to-date tips on travel, excursions, accommodation and restaurants. -
£13.99Scotland - Paperback
Written by travel writers who live in Scotland, this guide includes hotel and restaurant recommendations to suit all tastes and budgets, a smart travel tips section packed with advice, up to date website information to help plan your trip, and multi-day itineraries. -
Add to BasketScotland - Paperback -
£12.99
Scotland is one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in Europe, this guide offers comprehensive coverage of Scotland - from the Solway Firth to Muckle Flugga. The guide offers objective recommendations of the best places to stay and where to find the best food and drink. -
Add to BasketScotland's Highlands & Islands - Paperback -
£12.99
With its combination of stunning scenery and hip cities, Scotland is a popular holiday destination. Richenda Miers explores the unspoiled and undiscovered islands and Highland regions, from Inverness to the Outer Hebrides and Shetland. -
Add to BasketScotland The Best - Paperback -
£14.99
This authoritative guide to the best that Scotland has to offer will be of interest both to discerning visitors and to Scottish people who want to experience all that is good in their own country. -
Add to BasketTouring Guide Scotland - Paperback
£7.99
Produced in association with Visit Scotland, 'Touring Guide Scotland' provides an up-to-date listing of 1700 things to do and places to visit. Each entry provides cross references to locator maps. - Add to BasketSelf Catering 2008: Where To Stay 2008, Self Catering - Paperback
£5.99
This is a comprehensive guide to inspected self catering properties in Scotland. It covers a range of self catering accommodation, such as houses, cottages, apartments, chalets and other similar properties. - Add to BasketScottish Hostels Guide - Paperback
£2.00
This unique guide includes detailed information on all types of hostels, whether they are independently owned or part of a larger organisation such as SYHA, National Trust, Local authority etc. -
Add to BasketThe Scottish Islands: A Comprehensive Guide To Every Scottish Island - Hardback -
£35.00
Containing information on access, anchorages, points of historical or natural interest, and things to see and do, this book provides a guide to the islands of Scotland. -
Add to BasketScottish Place Names - Paperback -
£4.99
Maggie Scott takes the reader around the country from Dumfries to Shetland to explain the meanings of the places that make up today's Scotland.
Other selected titles
More detail needed?
This page gives an overview of the best travel guides to Scotland. But our Regional Map of Settings and Locations has more detailed information about the different areas of Scotland, and highlights local authors, novels, and travel guides.