The rich history, fantastical stories, and delectable cuisine of Scotland make it a fascinating destination. However, even native Scots like me may benefit from brushing up on these interesting tidbits.

Settle in and join us as we explore the history, language, and culture of Scotland, as well as some of the best tourist destinations in the world.

Statement town

Even though Edinburgh is a city universally adored, its rich past is little unknown.

Edinburgh, like Rome, was laid out on seven hills, and it also has more historical landmarks than any other city. There are a lot of variants where to stay in North Wales or any other part of the United Kingdom.

It's likely that the first skyscraper was built on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town. This must have been an incredible sight to see in the 17th century!

Islands

While the Isle of Skye is certainly well-known, you may not realize that Scotland is really home to around 800 individual islands.

There are just around 130 of Scotland's 790 islands inhabited by people. Lewis and Harris, the main island of Shetland, and the main island of Orkney may be considered our busiest islands, whereas the smallest islands in the archipelago only have a few dozen residents.

Islandhopping

Planning prepared is essential whether you're taking the boat or the aircraft to our islands.

The shortest passenger flight in the world takes off from Orkney.

You can go from Westray to Papa Westray in only two minutes. This is something that can only be done in Scotland.

One of the few remaining beach runways in the world is located here on the island of Barra.

Rarest items

You undoubtedly already know that Scotland is rather ancient, but did you realize that so much of its history is still around today?

The Fortingall Yew is an old yew tree that might be anywhere from 3,000 to 9,000 years old, making it one of the oldest living objects in Europe.

In addition, Perthshire is home to the Meikleour Beech Hedge. This beech hedge is 30 meters tall and 530 meters in length; it was established in 1745. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the world's largest hedge.

One of the largest and most complete stone circles in Britain and Europe is located in the Outer Hebrides, and it is known simply as the Calanais Standing Stones. They date back to circa 2,900 BC in antiquity.

In addition, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness (two stone circles), Skara Brae (an old Neolithic town), and Maeshowe make up the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (a Neolithic chambered tomb). Here, you have the opportunity to learn about a civilisation that has been extinct for almost five thousand years.

Fiction and tales

Myths and tales abound in Scotland; everyone has heard of Nessie, the country's most infamous monster, but nobody has ever really seen it.

Did you know that the mythical unicorn is also the symbol of our nation?

It is believed to have originally appeared on a Scottish coat of arms in the 12th century, and that its usage there represented virtues such as innocence, strength, and chivalry.