Scotland's lingering spirit of independence hits the traveller early; its own law, education, newspapers, banknotes and parliament leave you in no doubt of your location. But break through the shell and the country%u2019s stern beauty is matched by a refreshing warmth of spirit.

Scotland

The Scottish Highlands have so much to offer – spectacular mountains, majestic glens and mirror-like lochs form the perfect backdrop to picturesque towns, isolated crofts, towering castles and pagoda-topped distilleries. A startling variety of wildlife also makes its home in the sea-lochs and glens where an unbroken thread of human history reaches back into the mists of time.

History, legend, romance and the great outdoors combine seamlessly here to guarantee visitors a warm Highland welcome and a truly memorable holiday. Whether you are looking for an action-packed adventure, a taste of the local culture and history, or just complete peace and quiet, the Highlands of Scotland is the place to come.

The Aberdeen & Grampian region of Scotland  – Scotland's Castle and Whisky Country – is blessed with outstanding scenery – the majestic Grampian Mountains dominate the skyline to the West whilst miles of unspoiled and often dramatic coastline frame the area in the East.

With its sparkling granite buildings, Aberdeen has one of Scotland's most enchanting skylines, while the old town has a magical air of time gone by. A fantastic range of first class restaurants and a vibrant nightlife combined with a thriving cultural calendar and shops galore, all help make Scotland's third largest city a modern destination well worth the trip.

The capital of the Grampian Highlands is even more unique thanks to the treasures on its doorstep. Sample the "water of life" and visit the eight distilleries and cooperage on the world's only Malt Whisky trail or follow the Castle Trail taking in 11 of the finest gems the region has to offer.

Perthshire, Angus and Dundee and the Kingdom of Fife are areas with an astonishingly diverse terrain, with plenty to attract and entertain visitors.

The area boasts some of Scotland's most attractive towns and cities: Perth, with its upbeat air, busy shops and relaxing pubs and wine bars; Dundee, dynamic and ideal for a cultural fix; Pitlochry and Aberfeldy, friendly, small-scale and welcoming, while not forgetting the pantile houses and colourful harbours of Fife's East Neuk – a photographer's paradise.

Away from habitation, the region offers plenty of active opportunities, from fabulous golf on some of the world's most famous courses to more adventurous alternatives, all set against countryside and coastlines rich with abundant wildlife.

Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and the Trossachs – the birthplace of Scotland, the cradle of its Christianity and nationhood and the focal point of much of its dramatic history. Here you can savour the atmosphere of Hebridean islands, the charm of rural villages and the natural frontier which separates the rugged grandeur of the West Highlands from the gentler beauty of the Lowlands.

These are lands where you can glimpse an eagle, an osprey, a wildcat, a fine antlered stag or even whales and dolphins. And if the fancy takes you, you can enjoy the spectacle of a Highland Games, the warmth of a traditional folk night or the flavour of a local food festival.

Scotland's first great travel writer, Sir Walter Scott, was captivated by the beauty of this fascinating area. In his best-selling poem, the Lady of the Lake, he wrote of the landscapes around Loch Katrine: ‘From Kintyre to Killin and Tobermory to Tillicoultry, an open invitation awaits you in these heartlands of Scotland.’

'Edinburgh,' said the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, 'is what Paris ought to be'. Its magnificent architecture shifts from the lofty tenements and narrow closes of its medieval Old Town as they tumble down the spine of the Royal Mile, to the grace and geometric precision of the Georgian New Town. Above it all, in its towering splendour, stands the Castle. Within this sweeping elegance is a compact city, a bustling city, above all a city which rewards every visitor.

Beyond the city, the Lothian countryside provides a beautiful setting for the rich gems of the capital. This is an area steeped in history, filled with castles, great houses and battle sites. It's also the ancient home of the game of golf and you can find some of the great links and parkland courses of the world here. In fact, the trails and parkland and miles of glorious coastline in the Lothians open up the countryside for everyone - from picnickers on the fine golden beaches, to walkers high in the Pentland Hills.

Vibrant and energetic, Glasgow enjoys a year-round buzz that visitors just love. This is particularly true of the city's arts scene. Over 200 arts organisations, including Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera, are based there, creating the cutting-edge productions and attracting high-profile exhibitions that led to the city being crowned as a European City of Culture.

Central Glasgow's Manhattan-style town planning affords many sweeping vistas of the city's impressive Victorian buildings, dotted with little gems from the medieval to the present day. But it’s the Art Nouveau 'Glasgow Style' for which the city has become famous, and no one should miss the work of Glasgow's most celebrated sons, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Surrounding the city is some of the best of Scotland's scenery, from the rolling hills of the Clyde Valley to the beautiful walking country of East Dunbartonshire that borders the south-west Highlands. Exploring further, you'll find that many of the towns and villages in the area such as Paisley, Hamilton, Biggar, Greenock, Gourock and of course the breathtaking New Lanark World Heritage Site make great day excursions from the city.

Rich, rolling farmland, rugged sea coasts and Clyde coast islands characterise the South of Scotland. It's a land of ancient abbeys, castles and historic houses and also boasts strong literary connections, with both Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott having lived here.

The real Scotland starts right at the border. Different accents in the shops and different names for beer in pubs are just two of the ways in which Scotland stamps its own personality straight away. Even the scenery changes and the hazy blue peaks of the Cheviot and Eildon Hills running out to a wide horizon have lifted the hearts of generations of travellers at Carter Bar on the A68.

Then there are the forests and wild moors of upland Galloway and the vivid greens of Ayrshire's rich pastures, with the steep mountainous profile of the island of Arran as a backdrop. Where ever you travel here, you can be sure of a real Scottish experience.

When the weather clears, the midges relent and all becomes still, the tranquillity is unforgettable.