Scotland Travel Facts & Tips

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Captial City	Edinburgh

Dialing Code	(00) 44

Emergency Numbers	Ambulance, police and fire 999/112

Weather	The climate of Scotland is temperate and rarely extreme. The country is warmed by the North Atlantic Drift and because of the northerly location of the country, it experiences rather mild conditions. Average temperatures are lower compared to the rest of Great Britain, winter maximums are generally around 5 to 7°C, with summer temperatures averaging 15°C. The coastal areas in the west of Scotland are normally warmer than the east and the inland areas. The western highlands of Scotland are one of the wettest regions in the UK. The annual rainfall there can be up to 4577mm. European windstorms in autumn and winter are a common feature in Scotland.

Tourist Board website	http://www.visitscotland.com

Most Famous For	Tartans, whisky, bagpipes, haggis

Useful Phrases	Scottish Gaelic: Halò (hello), Beannachd leat (goodbye), taphada leat (thank you), Gabh mo leisgeul! (sorry)

Accommodation	In Scotland, you’ll find a full range of accommodation, such as guest houses, bed & breakfasts, hotels, international resort hotels, self-catering, campsites, serviced apartments, lodges, inns and campus accommodation. Accommodation is rated by VisitScotland, VisitBritain, Visit Wales, the AA and RAC. These have recently agreed on certain standards for accommodation's quality assessment. Accommodation is rated using the international star system of one to five stars.

Business Hours	Banks are open Monday - Friday 09.30-16.30(some close later and are also open Saturday mornings). Smaller shops are open Monday - Saturday 09.00-17.30, but supermarkets/off license shops are open longer, often until 22.00. Many shops in larger towns and cities are open on Sundays from 11.00 - 16.00

Visas	EU citizens and nationals of the following countries do not require a visa: Australia, Canada, USA, Japan, South Africa, American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Botswana, Brazil, British Overseas Territories, Brunei, Chile, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, French Guiana, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Korea (Rep), Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macau (SAR), Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saba, St Eustatius, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tahiti, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Vanuatu and Venezuela.

Tipping	If you were happy with the service you received, a 10-15% tip is common, especially in restaurants or cafés with table service. Tipping in bars is not really common and not considered necessary. In a cab, you’d normally simply round up the fare to the nearest pound when paying.

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