Days out

Explore Scotland with some extra special excursions

Take a break from big city life and go exploring the more unusual things to do around your town. Your liver will thank you.

Spotlight on: Dundee

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Scotland’s ‘third city’ sits on the River Tay, with the landmark Tay Rail Bridge as a backdrop. Few cities in Britain can match Dundee’s setting, arguably seen at its best from across the river in Fife. After shrugging off its…

Fair Trade at the Fringe

Edinburgh's Castle Street farmers market

The annual ethical market is taking up its familiar place between Castle Street and Princes Street this year, with the usual array of stalls. Food, fashion and homewares from as far afield as Nigeria, and as near-to as Cream O’ Galloway ice cream, and…

Hole In My Pocket mark Pope's Scottish visit by starting their own church

Eilidh MacAskill and the Parsonage choir appear at Arches event

Inspired by the papal visit, Allistair Burt, more usually known as an architect and the brains behind Glasgow blog Southside Happenings, has just started his own religion. ‘With the Pope being in town, it just seemed like the perfect time,’ says the…

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival

While the majority of attention this year is on the festival’s Scottish indie allstars album The Fruit Tree Project, it’s worth remembering that there are almost 200 other events happening up and down the country this month, all aimed at tackling the…

I Belong to Glasgow

Tina Warren tells us where her loyalties lie

Tina Warren, co-owner of Club Noir reveals what she loves, from Glasgow’s vintage togs to its cafe culture

I Heart Edinburgh

Sarah Tanat-Jones explains why

Come on Gang!'s Sarah Tanat-Jones talks about what makes Auld Reekie special to her

Getting Around: Edinburgh

Get from A to B in the country's capital

Orientating yourself around any new city can be a daunting prospect but help is at hand, as Niki Boyle takes you area-by-area through Edinburgh’s finest haunts and cherry-pick the top spots you cannot afford to miss

Beach Babies

A guide to the beaches of the East.

While the Scottish weather doesn’t always afford reason to be cheerful, Scotland’s beaches can certainly put a smile on your face

Spotlight on: St Andrews

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Nestled on the east coast of Fife, less than two hours away from Glasgow and Edinburgh, the picturesque seaside town of St Andrews boasts world famous golf courses, ancient medieval ruins, golden beaches galore, dozens of bars and restaurants and a…

Spotlight on: Stirling

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Only a short hop from some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery, the ancient town of Stirling is well worth a visit. Synonymous with two of Scotland’s greatest heroes, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, there's plenty here to wile away a day.

Spotlight on: Aberdeen

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Officially, Scotland’s third largest city is both a thriving, youthful university town and a prosperous, grown-up centre thanks to the North Sea oil industry. Just a train or bus ride away from Glasgow and Edinburgh, there are a few wee gems to check…

Beauty bargains

Hair and pampering in the central belt

Splashing the cash on some R&R can seem an unlikely prospect, as a hard-up student, but there’s a treasure trove of establishments with vouchers and discounts on offer, just for you, finds Alice White

Music Guide 2010

What's big and what's coming up

Niki Boyle and Camilla Pia reveal Scotland’s amazing music scene and the gigs worth getting in line for Music

Getting Around: Glasgow

How to move around one of Scotland's biggest cities

Orientating yourself around any new city can be a daunting prospect but help is at hand, as Lindsey Johnstone takes you area-by-area through Glasgow’s finest haunts and cherry-pick the top spots you cannot afford to miss

Finance Advice: Post Study

It may seem like a long way off in your first year, but The Scottish Government’s Fresh Talent Initiative is committed to encouraging people to live, learn, work and remain in Scotland, after they graduate. Post Study Work affords international…

Is it drafty in here?

Doors Open Day turns 20

As Doors Open Day turns 20, Kirstin Innes looks behind a selection of available portals.

Suit Squad

Here at Shop we never underestimate the power of a good look, and neither does Dress For Success.

Auction of Pleasures

Do you like pina coladas? And getting lost in the rain? Well, Glasgow Women’s Library might not be able to help you there, but they can probably find anything else to suit you. In order to help finance their move to new premises in the Mitchell Library…

Askasaurus: The Dinosaur Event for Grown-ups

Kids tend to get all the good things: organised nap time, adventure playgrounds, babygros... and at some point, they seem to have called dibs on dinosaurs, too. To rectify that, the National Museum of Scotland have decided to put on an adults-only…

Festival Insider

Bo Burnham uses this week’s Festival Insider space to consider the trees' perspective

A letter to the Fringe, from the Trees of Edinburgh. Dear Murderers, For the past month, we have stood idly by while you distribute and discard the mangled bodies of our fallen brethren. The Fringe Festival, thought by many to be a celebration of…

Words Per Minute 5

There’s life in Glasgow again, as the spoken word, film, music and performance event goes for broke with an all-lady line-up. Zorras, Eilidh MacAskill (of Eilidh’s Daily Ukulele Ceilidh fame, pictured) and Kirsty Logan are all present and correct – look…

David Shrigley's top ten tips

Kevin Eldon COMEDY ‘My wife and I saw him last week in the Edinburgh Festival. He’s very funny. It’s sort of character-driven comedy, and then he goes off on these weird rants. It gets quite otherworldly, and a bit surreal. It’s very verbose, and…

Magic Spaghetti

With a passing nod to The Magic Porridge Pot, this lively show from children’s theatre company Licketyspit manages to entertain and inspire healthy eating in one go. Strega Nona has a magical pot that produces endless spaghetti coated in tantalising…

Highland Wildlife Park Tour

A trip up North courtesy of the Edinburgh Zoo

Fed up with staring at comedians baring their teeth inside hot rooms? You need some fresh air, my friend. Edinburgh Zoo have very sweetly put on a bus to take parties interested in getting out of Edinburgh (an impulse we can kind of understand, by this…