Things to see and do EST

If you like the Georgian style and the architecture of William Adam, then you can't miss this iconic site. The manor house is simply splendid, seen from the inside and outside, and offers a rich history, from its construction, to royal visits and its use as a prison camp in wartime. It is a place devoted to art, with regular exhibitions in collaboration with the National Galleries of Scotland, a landscaped park of ornamental follies and a superb neo-gothic mausoleum, among others.

Dunnottar castle is undoubtedly one of the most photogenic and impressive castles. Its ruins awaken all the fantasies of terrifying ghosts or epic medieval scenes. Home of the Counts of Marischal, he was visited by the greatest historical figures: Marie Stuart, William Wallace and the future King Charles II. Through its discovery, the whole history of Scotland is explored, from the Picts. Why not continue the excursion on the surrounding trails to the War Memorial? The view is breathtaking.

This luxurious stately home was designed by the famous Scottish architect William Adam, in a Palladian style at the height of elegance and refinement. The house, which is over 400 years old, has many stories to tell and each room is filled with historical anecdotes. For example, the Queen's Bedroomis named after Queen Victoria who stayed here in 1857. Works of art are omnipresent here, thanks to an invaluable collection of paintings by Victorian painter James Giles. Don't leave without admiring the beautiful formal gardens.

This distillery is a place of pilgrimage for whisky lovers. After a 523-year hiatus, the copper stills at Lindores Abbey are back in operation. The distillery offers simple tours to understand everything about whiskey making and "apothecary experiments" around the Aqua Vitae, first created in 1494. The welcome center, in a cloister, is another asset of the place, as well as its café and its afternoon teas... whisky and champagne!

Dunfermline Abbey is the final resting place of King Robert the Bruce and the burial place of 11 kings and queens of Scotland. Founded as a priory, Dunfermline was transformed into an abbey by David I and later became a royal mausoleum. Its nave is particularly impressive and its Romanesque architecture of great beauty. You can take a walk in the monks' refectory and admire the breathtaking view of the valley from the palace's windows.

7 km east of Dundee, in the Broughty Ferry district, is this 16th century tower that dominates the surroundings. It was built to guard the entrance to the Tay River and now houses an exhibition on the local history and that of its people, as well as the flora and fauna of the area. The whaling industry of the town is particularly well covered. The castle offers a magnificent view of the river. Make the most of your visit by taking a walk on the beach and along the esplanade of Broughty Ferry.

If you enjoyed Discovery Point, you may also want to visit Dundee's second naval attraction. This almost 200 year old ship is the only example of a wooden warship still visible in Scotland. Built by the Royal Navy and launched in 1824, she could accommodate 46 guns and 300 men for a total length of 46 metres. Today it is possible to walk along its four levels, from bow to stern, to immerse oneself in the heart of this fascinating witness of the past. Children can even take the tour in disguise!

The plant collection in this garden attracts specialists from all over the world, especially for rhododendrons, alpine plants, herbaceous borders and peat gardens. A two-hectare hillside garden, it was created in 1920 by enthusiasts. There is no season to visit these acres, considered to be the most beautiful private gardens in the country. Spring, summer and autumn each have their own intoxicating blooms and fragrances. Don't leave without stopping at the charming tea room, for its menu and breathtaking views.

At the eastern entrance of Aberfeldy, the Dewar's distillery enjoys a huge fame in the whisky industry. Worked by the Dewar family, it started distilling in 1898 and produces very appreciated and varied single malts and blends. The classic tour is very informative and includes the tasting of a dram of your choice. There is also a tour combining the flavours of chocolate and whisky. There is also a very pleasant café-bar on site.

This fascinating discovery centre reproduces daily life in the Iron Age, with the complete reconstruction of a dwelling of the time, called a crannog, which was erected on the surface of a loch. 4 of the 18 buildings are still present, out of the original 18. The remains that have been found are also on display and form real treasures, more than 2,500 years old. The visit is very instructive and fun thanks to the presence of costumed guides.

The first university of Aberdeen, founded in 1495.

On the border of the National Park, Dalwhinnie is a world-famous distillery. The location alone is quite impressive, beaten by the wind between the mountains. Founded in 1898, it is the highest in the country. The visit is very complete and interesting, and lasts about 45 minutes. It was voted the best in Scotland in 2017. At the end, a tile of chocolate accompanies a 15 year old dram, a 43% single malt, complex, thick and aromatic. An in-depth chocolate & whisky tasting is also offered.

Here you will find maps of numerous routes and itineraries through the woods, along the lochs and in the mountains, for all levels of hikers, from an hour's walk to a sporting expedition. Why not consult them while enjoying a coffee and a snack on the spot? Don't miss, outside the building is a memorial to a company of Norwegian resistance fighters based at Glenmore during the Second World War.

This fascinating open-air museum immerses visitors in what the Highlands were like between the 18th and 20th centuries. The tour begins with a small village from 1700 and ends with a crofters' farm from the 1960s. It was either built from scratch or brought to the region from elsewhere and then refurbished and furnished as it was in the past. One easily spends more time than expected on the 32 hectares of the site, with more than 30 buildings of different uses and from various periods, where one can also find a café, a shop and children's games.

The beers of this local and artisanal brewery in full expansion are absolutely excellent. This visit is an opportunity to come and discover where they are born before ending up in your pints. The brewery is in constant operation and it is best to book in advance to be sure of availability for a guided tour. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and include a beer tasting. A bar is open at the same hours as the shop, where you can taste the beers of the week, among others.

No need to go all the way to Scandinavia to get close to the reindeer! The ticket for the visitor centre includes the exhibition and the approach of a few deer in the enclosure, but you will have to follow one of the daily visits to venture out to meet the herds on the hills. If we forget everything once we are with the reindeer, busy feeding them, we still have to take into account that the "hill trip" is done in large groups (sometimes 80 people) and that you have to be in the queue as soon as the centre opens to get your place.

If you like to walk (just a little) and observe animals in their natural environment, this activity is for you. Wildlife is all around us when we walk in Scotland, but you still need to keep your eyes open for deer, squirrels and birds... And it's also about recognising and identifying the species of birds you hear or see. The 4-hour mini safari is perfect for families with children. Outings can also be done by the day.

This stone, attributed to the Picts, is one of the most mysterious sites in Scotland. Indeed, no one has ever been able to know who built this building, when and what it was used for. The only certainty is that there was once a Pictish fort at Burghead, built between 2000 and 1500 BC. It has been said that this hollow was once a well. The current hypotheses are: a sanctuary for Celtic water deities, a place of ritual execution, an early Christian baptistry or a Pictish cult space.

Glen Moray whisky has been distilled on the banks of the Lossie River since 1897. While things have changed in a century, the ingredients, processes and skills have remained constant. This small, friendly and informal distillery is located in the heart of Speyside, Elgin once being its capital. Tours take place every day when the distillery is open, at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm and are free for under 18s. Tasting sessions of 3 or 4 whiskies are available at the bar, between 10am and 4.30pm (from £35).

Residence of the Archbishops of Moray, Spynie Palace rose from the ground in the 12th century and remained occupied by its illustrious residents until 1686. David's Tower is the most imposing tower-house still standing in Scotland, 22 m high. The remains of the Great Hall are a reminder of its former grandeur. Although the whole site is now partly in ruins, it is still impressive and beautiful, both in its architecture and its privileged natural environment. Royalty often used this palace as a guest house.

Scotland's oldest independent museum, the Museum offers a diverse collection, taking visitors on a journey back in time to before the dinosaurs and into the present day. It holds 36,000 items (not all on display), including fish fossils dating back over 450 million years - its fossil collection is recognised as being of national importance - and archaeological finds from prehistory to the Middle Ages. It also has a number of works of art of local and international importance.

This small museum is run by passionate volunteers who are happy to present their superb cars and share their passion. Lovers of cars, especially English models, don't miss this visit. The museum is housed in an old mill. There are parked superb old cars and motorcycles, rare, and very rarely seen in France. Most of them drive and are used for various events such as the famous Goodwood Festival, well known to enthusiasts. At the end of the visit, each visitor notes in the guestbook his favourite vehicle.

This medieval fortress, now in ruins, belonged to the Moray family and is one of the most beautiful motte and bailey castles in the country. Mottes were common in the 12th and 13th centuries before being replaced by stone castles. These fortifications consisted of a wooden keep, placed on top of an artificial mound. Some also had an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, with additional wooden buildings. This proud castle was once one of the strongest in Scotland. It has, alas, been abandoned since 1705.

Part of this huge park is designed for the blind, and a maze is suitable for people with disabilities. The smells are particularly delicious.

Marischal College, founded in 1593 and the second University of Aberdeen, and King's College, founded in 1495, merged in 1860 to form the Modern University of Aberdeen. Construction of the present Marischal College building began in the 1830s and was completed in 1906. It is the second largest granite building in the world. Teaching and research now falls within the domain of the Foresterhill and King's College campuses. The Marischal College building is leased to Aberdeen City Council, where it has been the seat since 2009.

This charming little museum will attract all those interested in the history of Aberdeen. Just a short walk from the town's harbour, the visit tells the story of its connection with the sea and more particularly the development of the oil industry off the coast of Aberdeenshire. The oil industry is a huge generator of activity for the whole region, employing a large proportion of the local population and affecting almost everyone from near and far. The replica of an offshore platform is particularly impressive. The interactive content is particularly instructive.

This important cultural centre has a rather prestigious collection of paintings from the 19th (Pre-Raphaelite, English and Scottish painters) and 20th centuries. It has a fabulous collection of fine art, but not only that. You will also see a collection of decorative arts (15,000 pieces), covering all facets of this art. It also features maritime history, the city's industrial history, an archaeology collection and a numismatic collection. Its renovation was recently completed (2017), providing a successful transformation.

Here are delivered 200 years of history about the "best regiment in the world", in the words of Sir Winston Churchill. The Gordon Highlanders have fought on all fronts of contemporary history, from the Napoleonic Wars to the present day. Interactive maps, reproductions, films, photographs, uniforms and weapons are on hand to bear witness. You have to get out of the city, but the visit is worth the detour, especially if you are passionate about military history.

In what is one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in the city, the Tolbooth Museum, a well-preserved seventeenth-century prison, presents exhibits on local history. It tells the story of Aberdeen through crime, police, law, order and punishment of the time. The prison world is portrayed over the centuries and the old gloomy cells, through which many convicts passed, including 50 Jacobites after the Battle of Culloden, are explored.

Duthie Park and David Welch Winter Gardens are located in the same place, the latter being part of the former, at least as far as the tour is concerned. If you miss the green in this beautiful city of Aberdeen, you're in the right place. For families, there is even a treasure hunt!

Duthie Park: This beautiful park is located near the city center and is 44 hectares in size. It is very popular with locals and visitors alike, both for its perfectly restored Victorian features and for its beautiful lawns and boating pond. The park was donated to the city by Miss Elizabeth Duthie in 1880 and opened as a park in 1883. It is recognized as one of the best designed parks in Scotland. Landscape lovers and topiary enthusiasts, don't miss this visit! The Japanese garden, a floral wall and even a talking cactus are particularly noteworthy..

David Welch Winter Gardens: In the heart of the pleasant and bucolic Duthie Park is one of the largest covered gardens in Europe and the third most visited in Scotland. Many exotic plants from all over the world and colorful flowers can be seen and observed here. Thematic areas group species according to their origin and nature.

Notice to families: Children will enjoy the large play area, which was even voted best play area in Scotland in 2013.

The little extra: you can get married there!

Rabbie's Tour offers the opportunity to discover the beautiful landscapes of Scotland aboard a modern and comfortable minibus with a maximum capacity of 16 passengers on many tours departing from Glasgow. The driver-guides will take you on an adventure to little-known sites, far from the tourist attractions. The richness and quality of their knowledge as well as the originality of their quirky stories will make you live a totally different experience. Regardless of the number of participants, the departure is guaranteed and the experience is guaranteed or reimbursed.

1 km north of Braemar stands this amazing keep flanked by turrets. Home of the Farquharson clan, it was built in 1628. It is filled with the collections accumulated by its owners. About fifteen rooms are visible and make this visit very complete and attractive. One discovers there in particular a ghost story or this anecdote about Stevenson: while he was on holiday in Braemar in the summer of 1881, 7 continuous weeks of rain shut him up in his office, offering us the first pages of Treasure Island.

Royal Lochnagar was founded in 1845, just before Queen Victoria bought the neighbouring land to build her castle. The distillery owes its title to this proximity - it used to be called New Lochnagar - and to the links with its important neighbours. The site combines tradition and modernity with its characteristic distillery roofs and its modern installations. The tour ends with a tasting of the 12-year-old, a balanced, fruity and spicy single malt.

Built in 1953 and equipped with a refraction telescope, it is the only observatory in Great Britain where an astronomer is permanently present. Exhibitions on space exploration are organized there.

History : The Mills Observatory was established by a bequest from John Mills in 1935, a wealthy flax farmer, who left the observatory a legacy of fertile land. Designed by the town's architect, McLellan Brown, in collaboration with Professor Ralph Sampson, it is built in sandstone and has a rather atypical dome 7 m in diameter. It was built for the sole purpose of popularizing science to the general public! Its main telescope measures 400 mm in diameter and offers quality images of the Moon and the planets. However, it has another, much more prestigious and older instrument, a 250 mm telescope made by Thomas Cooke of York in 1871. Alas! due to its age and condition, it is hardly used anymore. When this observatory opened its doors on October 28, 1935, it housed a 450 mm mirror telescope built by Grubb Parsons of Newcastle. What remains of this equipment can still be seen today in one of the observatory's rooms. An astonishing mixture of classicism (the buildings and old telescope) and modernity (the telescopes in which visitors usually observe), this observatory is still worth the trip, as it is located in a pleasant wooded park that stands in stark contrast to the surrounding residential areas.

This historical museum is located in a building with beautiful neo-gothic architecture. It would be ideal to visit on arrival in Dundee to better understand the city. Two floors and eight galleries tell the story of the city and the whole region over some 400 million years. The first men, the Victorian era, the whaling industry and many others are the subject of much attention, with the help of numerous period objects of great heritage and aesthetic value. An audioguide allows you to enjoy a complete visit in French.

This huge space dedicated to contemporary art is one of the great pride of the city. On five floors, it offers two exhibition galleries, but also two cinemas and a very trendy café. Many of today's British artists are represented here, as well as some international names. It is one of the cultural lungs of Dundee and will delight all lovers of innovation and creativity. Don't forget to check out the website for the latest news about the venue, which boasts a programme that is as eclectic as it is dense.

The Perth Museum & Art Gallery traces the history of the city and the region, from geology, social facts, art, the environment... The statues, sculptures and paintings are interesting and some archaeological objects are more than 10,000 years old. There is also a collection of photos on local life that plunges into the past and temporary exhibitions all year round. The lovely neo-classical building alone is worth the trip.

Located in the Balhousie Castle, this is the museum of the Black Watch Regiment. Weapons, uniforms, medals, paintings, photographs, notebooks: the very complete collection plunges into the history of this military corps. Founded in 1725, it has been involved in every war and conflict since its creation. The visit breaks down into seven major chronological periods and ends with the current deployments of the Black Watch. History buffs will enjoy both the exhibition and its setting.

To the north of Perth is the small town of Dunkeld with its cathedral, which is of great historical interest and was very influential before the Reformation. Built between 1250 and 1501, the cathedral is rich in different styles, ranging from Romanesque to Gothic. It is said that the relics of Saint Columba were kept here before being sent to Ireland. In 1689, the Battle of Dunkeld pitted the Jacobites against the Orangemen in the surrounding area, which was resolved by a victory for the latter. Today, the building is still used for services.

This 15th century castle was built for the Ruthven clan and called the House of Ruthven for most of its existence. It was here that Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley stayed during the Chaseabout Raid. The visit is an opportunity to discover this dramatic historical episode on site. The castle consists of two towers and a great hall, which brought them together in the 17th century. There are some beautiful painted ceilings and plasterwork, dating from around 1540. A treasure hiding place is also to be discovered: a cupboard in a closet, hidden by a stone.

A 16th century fortified manor house on the banks of the River Tay, Elcho Castle is remarkably well preserved. The historic holiday home of the Wemyss family, it is one of the best preserved buildings of its time in the region. You can walk through all the rooms, including the interesting kitchen, and enjoy the beautiful view from the top. The interior is not furnished, but still has its original features. Perhaps you will see the new tenants of the place: pipistrelles, frightened owls and grey squirrels?

It was here, during the first Jacobite revolution, that the men of the Highland clans opposed the Orangemen on July 27, 1689. The victory was Scottish. This small visitor centre of the National Trust traces its history, while providing valuable information about the nature of the surroundings and their landscapes. The place lends itself perfectly to walking and hiking, with a footbridge offering superb views, a wooded and flowery gorge...

Claimed as the smallest distillery in Scotland, Edradour was created in 1825 and produces only a little more than 90 000 litres of whisky per year. The visit lasts 90 minutes and includes a tasting time, including the 10-year-old, a silky single malt with hints of peppermint and walnut. What is perhaps most striking is how here, the spirit of the place and the soul of the whisky are linked. The tasting bar is exclusively open to visitors of the distillery and offers an exceptional range of Edradour single malt.

In the heart of Pitlochry, Blair Athol Distillery started its activity for the first time in 1798, but quickly stopped, before starting again in 1826. Today it is one of the oldest in the country and attracts 30,000 visitors every year. Its production is used for bottling single malts but also supplies the blended industry and Bell's in particular. The classic visit ends with a tasting of the 12-year-old, a round and smooth whisky with a 43% strength, with notes of spices and candied fruits.

This site invites you to discover hydroelectricity, on the very site of a dam. Several exhibits allow those curious about science and technology to understand how the Pitlochry Dam, which produces electricity for 15,000 homes, works. It is also a site for discovering the life of the salmon and sea trout that have the difficult task of bypassing the dam. The salmon ladder, with its 34 pools, allows them to pass safely.

The very popular Highland Safaris offer to take you to meet the local fauna and flora, through its superb landscapes, in the forest, on Loch Tay or in the mountains. We embark on a 4×4, on a mountain bike or on a boat, to be told about the region by those who really know it. A red deer center allows you to observe deer up close, as well as feed and pet them in a dedicated area, but also to get acquainted with the center's barn owl. A café on site offers good snacks.

This 400 th century castle is the historic headquarters of the Menzies clan and occupies a strategic and military place for more than years. Involved in Highland History, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed there for the Culloden Battle. Its austere high walls are home to a few pieces in a charming and chic way, contrasting with its exterior appearance. This is due to the renovations he has endured over time, to move from a defensive fortress to a comfortable nobility residence.

This Victorian manor house in the middle of Kinburn Park is home to the local St Andrews City Museum, which tells the story of its history and heritage over time. Its religious and academic development is recounted here, alongside its world-renowned sporting excellence in golf. Temporary exhibitions are held regularly in the Kinburn Gallery. There are also lectures, concerts and workshops for children. The museum has its own café, a very pleasant place where you can eat at good value for money.

Overlooking the cliffs and the sea, the castle of St Andrews was first built in the 12th century and for a long time hosted the city's bishops. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The version we see today is the work of Bishop Walter Trail (1400). Parts of it were used as a prison. He also saw monarchs pass through, since James I received part of his education there. James III may even have been born there. The Reformation overcame his religious function, and then quickly overcame his condition once he was abandoned.

Some would have been offended if St Andrews had not had a museum dedicated to its star sport. It reopened in 2015, at the 144th Open, after some work. More than 500 years of history are told and there is the largest collection of objects related to the discipline in Europe. Clubs, balls, trophies, medals, decorative arts, films, photographs and archives follow one another to reveal all the secrets of golf, to the layman and the unconditional. There is also a brand new café on site.