Cities in Scotland

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I'm going to summarise the cities in Scotland here in just one page - just as an aid to your trip planning. Naturally, there won't be room for much detail on any of them. This is just an overview, with only enough opinion and hints to displease a few city tourism promoters. But at least you'll get an idea of what's in store - and I'm assuming you've never been to any of these places.

What qualifies as a city in Scotland?

Ask a Scot to list the cities in Scotland and they would start with Edinburgh and Glasgow, of course, then add Dundee and Aberdeen. Probably they would then remember some media story about Inverness and Stirling becoming cities in the 21st century. Then they would muse how a city is defined. Some say it's a town with a cathedral - hence soccer team names like 'Elgin City' or 'Brechin City' belonging to comparatively small places but communities with ancient cathedrals. Well, strictly speaking and according to official sources:

"City status is a rare mark of distinction granted by the Sovereign and conferred by Letters Patent. It is granted by personal Command of The Queen, on the advice of Her Ministers. It is for Her Majesty The Queen to decide when a competition for city status should be held. Competitions are usually held on occasions such as important Royal anniversaries."

That all sounds a bit serious - but the granting of city status allows access to various sources of development and promotional funding, so it's quite significant.

How long should I spend in the cities in Scotland, on a visit?

Edinburgh

Royal Scottish Academy (foreground), spire of Scott Monument and Balmoral Hotel (right)

Of all the cities in Scotland, this is the best looking. Scotland's capital is almost glamorous, it's certainly romantic and the word I've always used to describe it is 'theatrical'. That backdrop of castle, spires and craggy hill (Arthur's Seat), then the neo-classical columns and imposing facades of the New Town are just the setting of some Scottish melodrama. From certain angles, the place is impossibly handsome. With its galleries, museums, restaurants, pubs, shopping and all that touristy stuff - what's not to like? Why would you not want to go there? It really is that simple. Well, except for the problems of parking in Edinburgh. With its punitive regime it raises more cash than any other Scottish city and undermines its friendly and sophisticated image.

From a practical trip-planning point of view, you really should book in advance especially anywhere near its peak festival time - late July, August and into September. And as you can explore places like Fife, Glasgow, East Lothian, the Trossachs and so on from the city, you could easily spend, say, at least four nights on a first visit and still find lots to do. Sorry if that sounds arbitrary. Best to read the descriptions of the other cities if you're seriously trip planning.

Follow this link for a short list of facts about Edinburgh. A list of Edinburgh must sees is also found in the Seven Day Tour Scotland page. If you are visiting for the first time with only a couple of days on your schedule then here is a core list of must sees in Edinburgh.

Glasgow

This is Scotland's largest city. With reference to its industrial past, it is one of the cities in the British Isles that is sometimes described as 'the Workshop of the Western World.' In its post industrial phase, it did a great job of re-inventing its own image from about the late 1980s onwards and now likes to link itself to words such as 'stylish', as in Glasgow is 'Scotland with style'.

The other thing often said about Glasgow is that it offers the widest shopping choice of any of Scotland's cities (sorry, Edinburgh) and certainly used to trumpet the fact that it was second only to London, England, in terms of the importance of retail to the local economy. There seems to be some uncertainty about that - but it's definitely a shoppers' destination, not just for the usual High Street suspects but for a huge choice of exclusive outlets.

It also likes to fall back on its apparent reputation for friendliness - all that 'legendary friendliness of the Glasgow folk' stuff. Linked to this friendly yet urbane image is its own belief in its 'café society'. Like Edinburgh, there are plenty of cultural opportunities, plus all the clubs and pubs you could ever want to visit. And I see I've just managed to write a paragraph on it without using the word 'vibrant' -another of its favourite descriptions of itself. If you want to visit, then you'll need at least a couple of days to do the museums and the shops alone. On the other hand, if you have a preference for quaint little towns or rugged scenery, then you could miss Glasgow altogether.

Follow this link for a short list of facts about Glasgow. A list of Glasgow must sees can be found on the Seven Day Tour Scotland page. Actually, to be honest, I'm not sure if I even like Glasgow, though I remain open-minded, I hope. This topic is explored on another list of tentative Glasgow must sees.

Dundee

Personally, of the cities in Scotland, I find Dundee just as friendly as Glasgow. (I almost said 'less menacing'.) Or is it just that I always find I fall into conversation with folk in shops when I go there? Like Glasgow, a big chunk of the old inner city has been ripped up and renewed, especially where the old jute mills once stood. Dundee, again, like Glasgow, went through a period of re-invention and came up with 'City of Discovery' - which is pretty clever, as the RSS Discovery, a polar research ship, is berthed on the quayside as a symbol of the city's heritage of, well, all kinds of stuff - but mostly the building of the tough ships used by the whalers of olden days.

There's a clutch of heritage-type attractions to visit, as well as a worthwhile family-focused science centre (Sensation) and a flagship arts centre. And it's a good base for exploring Fife and the Angus Glens. While not a 'must see', and you like the idea of cities in Scotland, then you could spend a couple of days here, as there's a lot to visit round and about.

Aberdeen

This northern city wore the comfortable air of a large market town, until oil was found in the North Sea. Then it just got on with making money. It didn't worry about its image or about re-inventing itself and if tourists wanted to visit then that was OK too. Nothing much has changed. You can still hear gulls calling above the noise of the traffic on the main street (Union Street), as a reminder of its old maritime connections across the North Sea. Downtown, it looks different from all other cities in Scotland because of the widespread use of grey granite.

They fly in from Norway to shop here - itself a reminder that, had Aberdeen wanted to, it could have positioned itself as a North Sea rim city, flaunting its differences in accent and outlook - a vibrant northern community. But it never had to. It just got on with being Aberdeen. And that's fine. Sure, it used to be called 'the silver city with the golden sands' - a reference to the fact that it has, well, a very long promenade. For more on Aberdeen and its old role as Scotland largest seaside resort, take a look at the priceless prose of the 1950 guidebook Aberdeen the Silver City with Golden Sands.

But I can't think of why you would actually need to visit, if you only had only a few days in Scotland. Sorry about that. I'm not putting you off, am I? I mean, you'd certainly have a nice time if you arrive there, say, by accident. Superb water-colour collection in its art gallery, by the way.

Inverness

The Capital of the Highlands acquired its city status in 2000. As a natural route-centre, it's always busy with visitors. In fact, it's always busy- period - and consequently seems a very up-beat sort of place. Don't expect quaint and picturesque - but do expect a wide accommodation choice plus an equally wide-ranging list of out-of-town options, from Loch Ness monster spotting to Culloden Battlefield. All the rugged beauty of the western seaboard is only an hour or so away by road or rail. You could certainly spend a few days here - not because the place itself will make you go 'wow!' but, if you like larger places as a base, you won't be able to avoid it if touring the north!

Stirling

Historically speaking, a strategically important town on the edge of the Highlands that is very easily accessible by road and rail from Edinburgh and Glasgow. The 'must see' Stirling Castle plus the historic features of the Old Town immediately below are the main draws. Take these away and you have an ordinary Scottish town. Like any other everyday kind of place, there is the obligatory and anonymous very large shopping mall - the Thistle Centre, that could be anywhere in the UK.

The main street of well-to-do Bridge of Allan to the north may be worth a browse and it's easy to tour Highland edge places like the Trossachs from Stirling. The Wallace Monument is also popular. Ho-hum. The site of the Battle of Bannockburn - where Scotland won back almost four centuries of independence - is in the centre of undistinguished urban sprawl. It is historically significant and has a visitor centre. Alternatively, you could just make this small city a day excursion and visit the Castle. I wouldn't blame you.

Perth

(Above)Perth by the River Tay. City Chambers left, with Perth Bridge by engineer John Smeaton, opened 1771, on right.

Alert Scots, or anyone else familiar with Scotland, will be quick to point out that Perth isn't technically a city. Actually, it was one of the cities in Scotland but lost the status because of an administrative oversight after a local government reorganisation in 1975. And it sure would like that status back. So, as it comes out so well in 'quality of life' surveys and has a proportionately high number of small businesses and shops, plus a pleasant ambience down by the River Tay, I'm including it in the list of cities in Scotland. It's a good base for touring well-to-do Perthshire and well worth a look.

More information on touring from cities in Scotland - well, from Edinburgh,mostly.

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