Sightseeing in Scotland
I had the pleasure of visiting Scotland this autumn holiday with my lovely mother as the prize for winning this year’s writing competition. I’ve been wanting to go to Scotland for quite some time now, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to visit a dream destination.
We spent most of our days sightseeing in Edinburgh. We strolled in Haymarket and along Princes Street, exploring the many shops they had to offer. I don’t even want to admit how much I spent on CDs and souvenirs during the trip. We also had time to visit The Scottish National Gallery and the National Gallery of Modern Art which were, to my surprise, fully admission free! It was amazing to see art being made accessible to everyone prioritized over making profit.
One of our days in Scotland was dedicated to a 13-hour bus tour on which we got to experience the breathtaking Highlands. The tour was truly the highlight of my whole trip. Our main stop was at Loch Ness where we explored the ruins of Urquhart Castle. I also had an encounter with Nessie herself, but she was a bit camera-shy, though, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.
We also made a brief stop in Glen Coe. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was the most beautiful and angelic view I have ever seen and probably will ever see. The scale alone made me audibly gasp when we first stepped out of the bus to admire the tranquil scenery. What made the whole tour really memorable was our amazing tour guide/bus driver, Paul, aka “The Kilted Biker”. His hilarious anecdotes and enlightening trivia about Scottish history made the hours fly by in an instant.
Venni Kallikari, November 2025