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Why Choose Scotland for your Conference? |
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Why choose Scotland? | About Scotland | Where in Scotland | Edinburgh | Glasgow
| Aberdeen | Inverness | St. Andrews
Why choose Scotland?
Although relatively small, Scotland is a land rich in contrasts. Often within a few hours of traveling, you can experience a landscape that changes rapidly from gentle rolling hills to rugged coasts and dramatic, towering peaks. Vibrant, cosmopolitan cities whose outlook is definitely to the future rub shoulders with ancient castles and monuments rooted firmly in the past while the cultural frenzy of the Edinburgh Festival is also within easy reach of the peace and tranquility of sandy beaches, country parks and outstanding nature reserves. In fact, the only constant is the warmth of the welcome you'll receive wherever you go!
Ease of arrival
With four international airports and three major ferryports to choose from, getting to Scotland couldn't be easier. Conveniently located close to major cities, airports are modern, are regularly upgraded and attract major carriers from North America and Continental Europe. And once you do arrive, getting out and about to explore is simple. Thanks to an extensive road, rail and ferry network, there are a range of transport options to carry you to every corner of the country and experience the country's intriguing mix of dramatic landscapes, lively towns and cities, and its wealth of history, attractions and events.
Getting to Scotland
There are direct air services from Europe to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness or Kirkwall, and from the States to Glasgow or Edinburgh.
There is a train from London which will get you to Edinburgh in four hours or Glasgow in five. Scotland has ferry links to Larne, near Belfast and to Belfast itself. In summer there is a weekly ferry service between Aberdeen, the Shetlands and Norway and a twice-weekly ferry from Aberdeen to the Faroes.
Scotland has an excellent road network with motorways and dual carriageway roads linking many of the main cities and towns. The primary road network extends over most of the country except for a few remote areas, where there are single track roads with passing places (where you have to pull in to let others pass).
The People
The Scots are a welcoming and fun-loving people, hardy as the landscape requires, with a friendly rivalry toward their Southern neighbors!
Food and Drink
Scotland's larder has always overflowed with some of the finest produce to be found anywhere in the British Isles, with a reputation for some of the best game dishes in the world including venison and grouse. Other legendary Scottish meals include porridge, shortbread, haggis (a delectable mix of chopped lungs, heart and liver mixed with oatmeal and boiled in a sheep's stomach), and Scotch Broth. Scottish Salmon is another well renowned dish.
Ask people what they associate most with Scotland and the most popular answer is whisky. Acknowledged as Scotland's national drink, (Uisce Beatha in Gaelic, meaning water of life), has been produced there for longer than anyone can remember. Something that began centuries ago as a way of using up rain-soaked barley after a wet harvest, the whisky industry has now grown into one of the country's biggest earners, bringing in hundreds of millions of pounds every year.
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About Scotland
Facts
Size: 77,097 sq km
Capital: Edinburgh
Estimated Population: 5,137,000
Perched on the outer rim of Europe, Scotland forms the northern part of Great Britain and is about two-thirds the size of England and Wales which occupy the remaining portion. It is surrounded by sea on three sides: to the west and north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the North Sea. Its only land border, that with England, runs for approximately 60 miles (96 km) along the line of the Cheviot Hills.
Language
The language of Scotland is English, although some people in rural areas also speak Scots Gaelic.
Climate
Scotland's position on the edge of the European continent with sea on three sides means that the weather is very varied. Records show that May and June are usually drier than July and August.
Edinburgh's annual rainfall is only slightly greater than London's and many of the east coast towns have less annual rainfall than Rome.
Generally speaking, the east coast tends to be cool and dry, the west coast milder and wetter. July and August are normally the warmest months, average temperature of 15-19°C/60-68°F. Snowfall is common in the highlands in winter.
Time
Scotland lies on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Due to its Northern latitude it tends to have very long days in summer, and short days in winter.
Currency
The currency in Scotland is the pound sterling (£). Scottish banks issue their own bank notes in all denominations. These differ in design from English notes, but are of the same value and are accepted elsewhere in the UK (although you are best to change £1 notes for £1 coins before you leave Scotland). English notes are accepted in Scotland.
VAT and Tax Refunds
Value Added Tax (VAT) at 17.5% is applied to goods and services. Non-EU visitors to Scotland can reclaim it on goods only, by using the Foreign Exchange Tax Free Shopping arrangements. You can reclaim VAT at participating stores. A Tax Free Shopping form is obtained and completed at the shop where you must also show your passport. The form has to be presented to HM Customs and Excise, as you leave the UK.
Opening Hours
Shops generally open from 9 am to 5 pm or 6 pm (working days), often with late opening on a Thursday evening. Museums open from 10 am to 5 pm and may be closed on Mondays.
Electrical Current
The standard electricity supply is 240 volts AC in Scotland (50 cycles). Visitors may require a transformer and a plug adaptor.
A plug adaptor is necessary to convert 2-pin plugs to the standard 3-pin plugs and these can be bought at any airport or electrical supplier.
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Where in Scotland
Cities/destinations offered
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Inverness are all modern, dynamic and thriving centers which encapsulate all that is best about Scotland as it moves into the new century. Each has a distinctive character of its own but all guarantee their visitors a vibrant mix of history, culture and entertainment, stirred together with some of the best retail therapy in the UK! But if the cosmopolitan pace gets too much, then an escape to the tranquility of Scotland's breathtaking landscape is never more than a short trip from each.
Edinburgh | Glasgow
| Aberdeen | Inverness | St. Andrews
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| venuesscotland.com |
PLATINUM ONE, 19 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DF.
Tel +44-131-514-4404 Fax +44-131-514-4404
Email info@venuesscotland.com |
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