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A weekend in... A weekend in... Scotland Travel

A Weekend In Callander

I live in Edinburgh, but I was born and raised in the middle of nowhere, Canada. So I like to get away from the city for the weekend when I can. Sometimes it’s just for a day in the Pentland Hills, other times it’s a weekend away on the Isle of Skye (it’s doable!). This time, it was a weekend in Callander. I picked Callander while on my way back from Skye, actually. Annoyed and jaded by all the tourists I saw on Skye, I wanted somewhere quiet, often skipped over by tourists. Just outside the tourist hub of Fort William* and still incredibly cute and cosy, Callander was the perfect fit.

*By normal standards Callander and Fort William aren’t too far apart. This is not the case by Scottish standards… where Glasgow and Edinburgh are on other sides of the planet

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A weekend in... France Travel

A weekend visiting Paris in the Rain

Le Marais, Paris

Last weekend we (Angus and I) were in Paris on a long weekend holiday to visit my cousin Claudia who’s studying there. I know that there are about a million and one travel guides for Paris, this is not one of them. If I’m honest, I did very little prep for this holiday. Since my cousin has been living there for months, I figured she’d know her way around and we’re already familiar with all the typical tourist destinations. So, in lieu of writing yet another travel guide, I’m telling you very simply what we did. Or at least I’m giving you the highlights. It was a miraculous weekend, and I think no travel guide can really tell you how to have one of those. This, is Paris in the rain.

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A weekend in... A weekend in... Scotland Travel

A Weekend Away In Skye

A woman sitting in a grassy field at Brothers Point, Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is a hotspot tourist destination, I knew that before I went. Loads of tourists on my tours had headed up there, and each and every one said that it was the highlight of their holiday. When I finally went with my family over the summer, I was so excited to see what it was all about! There are a million and one Isle of Skye destination guides: this is one for the weekend traveller. Here’s my advice for a weekend in Skye.

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Travel

How To Find Sentimental Souvenirs

If you’ve ever gone to any travel hotspot, you know the hubbub about souvenirs. Heavy plastic magnets with the name of the place and/or poorly drawn, inaccurate pictures of the skyline with a backing that’s sure to fall off within a few months, flags on everything, postcards with the most over-processed filters, and usually a little knick-knack known in the area. In Greece, everything has evil eyes. In Scotland, everything has tartan, or bagpipes, highland cows, Nessie, you name it!

Walking down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile you will see nothing but tourist shops that sell this kitsch. Does anyone really want to buy it anymore? Wouldn’t you rather buy something small that you’ll use again, that will remind you of your holiday? It can’t just be me! Here’s my guide on holiday shopping for sentimental souvenirs. 

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A weekend in... A weekend in... Scotland Travel

A Weekend In St Andrews

I know that St Andrews was on my list of Day Trips From Edinburgh, and I maintain that it’s a lovely place for a day trip! That said, I love St Andrews a lot. There’s a ton of cute walks, cafes, restaurants, and loads of things to see and do! So, I think if you have the time it’s well worth a whole weekend in St Andrews. The added bonus is that it’s not too far from Edinburgh so you really cut down on the travel time! Pretty much the opposite of a weekend away in Shetland. If you’re visiting Scotland from abroad, it’s definitely a weekend trip to consider because it’s so easy to get to and there’s still a lot of sightseeing opportunities!

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A weekend in... A weekend in... Scotland Travel Western Europe

A Weekend In Shetland

Lerwick Harbour ring buoy

Most people would think it is insane to spend only a weekend in Shetland as it’s so remote. But, if you’re based in a major city in Scotland and you’ve always wanted to go, it’s completely reasonable to spend a weekend in Shetland! That being said, Shetland often seems like the sort of place people only go if they really want to, but it’s a lovely and unique place to visit even if you haven’t heard of it before. Shetland is where Nordic and Celtic traditions really come to a head. It’s the northernmost point in Scotland, and an incredibly beautiful, relaxing, and cozy place to be!

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Edinburgh Scotland Travel

Easy Day Trips From Edinburgh

South Queensferry Lane

Scottish Day Trips From Edinburgh

There are so many options for day trips from Edinburgh that it’s hard to know what to pick. Coming from middle-of-nowhere-Canada, pretty much everything seems close to Edinburgh. I mean a flight to Sweden is less than two hours! I’m not so fond of flying that I’d go there for the day, though. Plus, most people are looking to get more of a taste of Scotland when they’re planning their day trips from Edinburgh. These are some cities, towns, and villages in Scotland that you can easily get to and from in a day!