Life & style, Travel

Reasons why Edinburgh is resplendent (and Glasgow is radge)

17 Mar 2010

So, Edinburgh's better than Glasgow, right? Better arts venues, better eating & drinking, better architecture, more civilised residents, why would you ever want to get on the train to Queen Street? We want to hear your reasons why Edinburgh is miles…

Reasons why Glasgow is brilliant (and Edinburgh is baws)

17 Mar 2010

So, Glasgow's better than Edinburgh, right? Better clubbing, better music, better shopping, cheaper travel, why would you ever want to get on the train to Waverley? We want to hear your reasons why Glasgow is miles ahead of its neighbour. Remember…

Valentine's Day: A night at One Devonshire Gardens

3 Feb 2010

I’ve always been suspicious of Valentine’s Day. It’s not that I’m not romantic, I just object to being told how, with what colours, and on what day I ought to be expressing my love. All that pink. All that expense. All that expectation. While I can see…

IndigoSilk offers spiritual retreat in East Lothian

New Moon

7 Jan 2010

January is traditionally the month for decluttering. Your cupboards, your insides, your bad habits; the start of the year is a perfect time to fling out the old and welcome in the new. But what about getting rid of bad juju? Detoxing your emotional…

The best winter hotel breaks in Scotland

4 Nov 2009

The Lovat, Loch Ness This beautifully restored hotel has been inspiring excellent reviews since refurbishment was finished in 2007. The Victorian main building is supplemented by studio annexes, with rooms done out in a hybrid of classic 19th century…

The Cool Hotel List

23 Oct 2009

There's more to travel than seeing the sights and meeting the locals – the best hotels in the world make staying in a worthwhile venture. For a unique (if sometimes costly) experience, Siân Hickson presents our definitive list of the world's five…

Manhattan transfer: New York's Jane Hotel

Checking in to the New York hotel that has gone from seamen’s flophouse to celebrity hangout

16 Oct 2009

‘Hey, can you get me in?’ a woman with a brash New England accent squawks at me as I approach the entrance to the Jane hotel in New York’s West Village. Friday night is turning into Saturday morning, and what was a quiet residential street hours earlier…

Northern light - Dornoch Castle Hotel

11 Sep 2009

‘One thing we’ve noticed this year,’ says Colin Thompson, owner and manager of the Dornoch Castle Hotel in the Highland tourist haven of Dornoch, ‘is that there have been many more young couples and families staying with us.’ It seems the ‘staycation…

Discover what Scotland has to offer you

13 Aug 2009

From our history, culture and traditions and our contributions to the worlds of creativity, innovation and entertainment, through to our food and sport, Scotland has always punched above its weight... Find out more about our history and tradition or…

Over the sea to Skye

6 Aug 2009

Brad Pitt may be somewhat lacking but as we clamber Thelma and Louise-style into my old knackered banger, a miraculous sunny spell sets the mood for the days to come. Heading north out of Edinburgh, we leave behind us the traffic jams and daily grind of…

Scottish Islands: The essentials

6 Aug 2009

Go in search of the fairies The Isle of Mull’s MacKinnon’s Cave is believed to be the deepest in the Hebrides. A winding path leads towards a waterfall just before the mouth of the Cave and folklore suggests that it offers a passage to the underworld…

Isle of Lewis - Give ‘em a Minch

6 Aug 2009

‘Up here, you really just have to appreciate the weather by the moment,’ says Marion Fordham, as she picks us up from Stornoway’s tiny airport to drive us to out to Broad Bay House, the guesthouse she and her husband run in a crofting community right on…

Málaga Feria - a day in the life of the free, Spanish festival

23 Jul 2009

If there are a thousand reasons to be in Edinburgh during the Festival there are as many to escape, and where better than a free festival in a Mediterranean port founded by the Phoenicians some 3000 years ago. Which is why, at midnight on a mid-August…

Sonar 2009, Barcelona, Thu 18 to Sat 20 Jun

3 Jul 2009

After months of agonising waiting it was finally upon us – Sonar 2009! Arriving at Barcelona’s supercool Sonar Village in the complex of Centre de Culture Contemporanea de Barcelona (CCCB) near Las Ramblas on Friday afternoon, we were like kids on…

What goes around - Orbital

28 May 2009

Orbital were pioneers in the world of dance music, with brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll epitomising up the sound of the illegal rave scene with their marrying of ambient and techno, but perhaps more significantly they managed to turn this music – until…

Round the World

28 May 2009

Just for Laughs Montreal, Canada, 16-26 Jul Legendary comedy fest brings together global superstars of comedy including Tommy Tiernan, Bill Cosby and John Cleese. www.hahaha.com Iceland Airwaves Reykjavik, Iceland, 14–18 Oct Weekend-long…

Get Healthy, Get Outdoors and Go For It with the VisitScotland Adventure Pass

13 Apr 2009

FREE VisitScotland Adventure Pass for everyone!

Beach Babies

2 Apr 2009

Portobello Back in the swinging 60s Portie was a popular seaside destination. After getting a little rough around the edges in 70s and 80s, it has once again become an enjoyable jaunt for visitors and locals alike. Walk along the beach, play on the…

Parklife

2 Apr 2009

With a family ticket to the average theme park costing close to £100, it’s worth remembering that a day out at one of Scotland’s country parks can offer just as much fun – for no money at all. None of the parks listed here charges for admission or…

WIN a luxury self-catering adventure break to Perthshire with VisitScotland Adventure Pass

31 Mar 2009

VisitScotland has teamed up with Equazen to give you an action-packed adventure break in Perthshire, Scotland. Equazen produce healthy fish oil products, which will help keep you fighting fit and ready for Scotland’s Great Outdoors. WIN an…

WIN a 4-night adventure break for 4 to the eco-friendly Loch Lomond Waterfront Lodges worth £1,800

16 Mar 2009

Explore a thrilling variety of adventure activities, whilst taking in the awe-inspiring landscapes that Scotland has to offer. With over 10,000kms of coastline, spectacular scenery, and unspoilt countryside, it’s no wonder that Scotland is known as…

Get Active, Get Outdoors & Go For It with VisitScotland Adventure Pass!

9 Mar 2009

Get Active Get active in the New Year and explore some of Scotland’s great variety of adventure activities, whilst taking in the awe-inspiring landscapes that Scotland has to offer. With over 10,000kms of coastline, spectacular scenery, and…

WIN a luxury adventure break for 4 to the sandy beaches of St Andrews, Scotland

20 Feb 2009

Get Healthy, Get Outdoors and Go For It with the VisitScotland Adventure Pass this Spring. Explore Scotland’s great variety of adventure activities, whilst taking in the awe-inspiring landscapes that Scotland has to offer. With over 10,000kms of…

Couchsurfing

22 Jan 2009

What if I said you could travel anywhere in the world and not pay for accommodation; that you could leave your Lonely Planet at home and be given a personalised itinerary of everything to see and do? Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, no…

The death of budget travel?

22 Jan 2009

We must have known that it wasn’t going to last, and that future generations would look back on the early years of the 21st century as a lost golden age of rock-bottom-cheap travel, when you could zip to Paris for a weekend in almost less time, and for…