Scottish Travel Guides
Guides to Scotland
All the major travel publishers produce guides to Scotland, and some produce specific Highlands or city guides. The best general guides to Scotland are the Rough Guide and the Lonely Planet - which you chose is a matter of personal preference, but the Lonely Planet is perhaps a better choice for those on a tight budget. Lonely Planet are also publishing a full-colour Discover Scotland guidebook, a glossier publication with prepared itineraries.
Both the Rough Guide and the Lonely Planet are densely packed with useful information. Other Scottish guidebooks include:
- Fodor Scotland
- a new Michelin Green Guide
- the Thomas Cook Self-Drive Guidebook
- Insight Scotland
- AA Best Drives Scotland
- Time Out Scotland
- and even a Scotland for Dummies
Smaller pocket-sized travel guides include the AA Mini Guide to Scotland, the Berlitz Scotland guide, the DK Top 10 Scotland, the AA Leisure Guide and the AA Where to Stay & Eat.
Don't know your Inver from your Aber? Confused by the proliferation of bens and duns? Maggie Scott's Scottish Place Names explains the meaning behind the names of Scotland's towns, lochs, mountains and rivers, and this entertaining and compact guidebook will help you navigate the land.
The Highlands and Islands
The remote and beautiful Highlands and Islands of Scotland draw tourists from all over the world, and if you are coming to Scotland for the rural scenery, a specific Highlands guide is a good place to start. A new Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands is published in 2011. The classic Island text is Hamish Haswell-Smith's The Scottish Islands - beautifully presented, but perhaps best studied in advance as this £30 hardback won't fit in your pocket or even rucksack.
The Footprint Scotland Highland & Islands Handbook describes the area as Europe's last great wildness, and has plenty of advice on getting away from the usual tourist trails. An alternative is the Thomas Cook Scottish Highlands guidebook.
There are many guides to specific Scottish islands, for wildlife, history and more - our maps pages have area-by-area lists.
Walking in Scotland
It is little wonder that visitors come to Scotland to walk her varied mountain ranges, her rugged coastline, her remote islands and her romantic glens. We have a specific feature on walking guides to Scotland and another on mountaineering in Scotland.
City Guides
Our local maps pages provide the most comprehensive list of books about Scotland's major towns and cities. We have picked out the best of these guidebooks in our separate Scotland's Cities page.
Featured Scottish Travel Guides
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Add to BasketDiscover Scotland
£9.74
- Paperback - Lonely Planet
This is a full-colour guide to the best of Scotland, showcasing the essential experiences. Useful itineraries are organised by region, theme and length of trip. -
Add to BasketThe Rough Guide To Scotland
£11.89
- Paperback - Rough Guides
From the glens of Loch Lomond to the lively Edinburgh festival, 'The Rough Guide to Scotland' tells you all there is to know about this stunning and varied country. The guide includes hundreds of listings of the country's top hotels and restaurants, plus reviews of all the best shops, bars and clubs. -
Add to BasketScotland
£12.74
- Paperback - APA
'Insight Guides' feature colour photographs, going beyond the landmarks, with up-to-date tips on travel, excursions, accommodation and restaurants. -
Add to BasketScotland
£12.74
- Paperback - Michelin
This guide presents an introduction to Scotland, its people and culture. It contains information on what to see, where to stay and how to get around, as well as top sights and attractions. -
Add to BasketScotland
£4.24
- Paperback - AA
Contained in this guide is an A-Z of places to visit, plus information on walking, cycling, sports and outdoor activities. There is advice on shopping in the country, historic cities, beaches, local events and festivals, while activities for children are highlighted and there are reviews of the best pubs and tea rooms. -
Scotland
£11.99
- Paperback - AA
This practical guide features 25 car tours for the independent traveller. Details are given of the most interesting places to visit en route, as well as mileage charts, documentation, customs, public holidays and currency. -
Add to BasketScotland
£7.49
- Paperback - AA
This guide offers coverage of the best-loved and most popular parts of Scotland - including rural areas, national parks, heritage coastline and areas of outstanding natural beauty. It contains ten walks, three cycle rides, and two car tours. -
Add to BasketScotland
£4.24
- Paperback - Berlitz
Covering over 100 destinations, each guide in this series is designed to suit all types of travellers. A wealth of information is packed into the pocket-sized format. This book focuses on Scotland. -
Add to BasketScotland
£13.59
- Paperback - Thomas Cook
Combining guidebook and route map, this series contains everything a self-drive traveller needs to know to tour a region or country by car. As well as road maps and city plans, these guides are packed with information on the top sights to visit, places to stay and restaurant recommendations. -
Add to BasketScotland
£11.04
- Paperback - Lonely Planet
Scotland's patchwork of sweeping mountains and lochs, craggy coastline and lively towns deserves to be explored and savoured. Walk in the footsteps of historical heroes, soak up culture in Edinburgh, catch live music in Glasgow and go beyond bagpipes and haggis clichés. -
Add to BasketScotland For Dummies
£14.44
- Paperback - Wiley
This guide to Scotland focuses on the best sights and activities for first-time visitors, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the Borders, the Kingdom of Fife, the Argyll Region, the Hebridean Islands, and the Highlands. Updated coverage is also included of restaurants, accommodations, and attractions. -
Add to BasketScotland: Where To Stay And Eat For All Budgets, Must-See Sights And Local Secrets, Ratings You Can Trust
£14.44
- Paperback - Fodor's
Written by travel writers who live in Scotland, this guide includes hotel and restaurant recommendations to suit all tastes and budgets, a smart travel tips section packed with advice, up to date website information to help plan your trip, and multi-day itineraries. -
Add to BasketScottish Place Names
£4.24
- Paperback - Black & White
Maggie Scott takes the reader around the country from Dumfries to Shetland to explain the meanings of the places that make up today's Scotland. -
Add to BasketTime Out Scotland
£9.74
- Paperback - Time Out Guides
Time Out Scotland takes you straight to the most inspiring destinations, from spectacular walks to grand gardens and stately homes; the best places to stay, eat and drink, and the most compelling sights, villages and landscapes. -
Add to BasketScotland
£7.99
- Paperback - Dorling Kindersley
From the charmingly historical city of Edinburgh to the tiny villages tucked away in the highlands, all the must-sees of Scotland are covered in trouble-free top ten lists. There are dozens of lists: sights in Edinburgh and Glasgow, golf courses, fun places for children, plus bars, hotels and more. -
Add to BasketWhere To Stay & Eat In Scotland 2011
£7.99
- Paperback - AA
This companion for anyone travelling in Scotland contains everything you need to know about the hotels, guest houses, restaurants and pubs you may wish to venture into.
Scottish Island Guides
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Add to BasketThe Rough Guide To Scottish Highlands & Islands
£11.04
- Paperback - Rough Guides
This guide highlights the best places to sleep, eat and drink in the Highlands and Islands. It includes coverage of all major and minor outdoor activities, hiking trails and mountain bike routes. -
Add to BasketScotland Highlands & Islands Handbook
£12.74
- Paperback - Footprint
This is a comprehensive guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, covering all the islands in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Orkneys and Shetlands plus the Argyll and Highlands area. -
Add to BasketScottish Highlands
£8.49
- Paperback - Thomas Cook
'Scottish Highlands' is the perfect guidebook for visitors to one of the most stunning and diverse destinations in the UK, from the vibrant city of Inverness to the wilderness of Rannoch Moor and the spectacular heights of the Grampian Mountains. -
Add to BasketThe Scottish Islands: The Bestselling Guide To Every Scottish Island
£25.50
- Hardback - Canongate
Containing information on access, anchorages, points of historical or natural interest, and things to see and do, this book provides a guide to the islands of Scotland.
More detail needed?
This page gives an overview of the best travel guides to Scotland. But our Regional Map of Settings and Locations has more detailed information about the different areas of Scotland, and highlights local authors, novels, and travel guides.
