The nation of Scotland is part of the UK. It occupies the northern portion of the main island in the British Isles, but also includes almost 800 islands scattered across northern regions of the Atlantic Ocean. Scotland shares a border with England to the south. Although a member of the EU, Scotland, like England, does not use the Euro for currency but has elected to continue use of the pound.
Two of the largest cities in Scotland are Edinburgh, the capital, and Glasgow. In the latter city, tourists can visit the oldest public museum in the country, the Hunterian, which appropriately displays artifacts from the era of Roman occupation of Britain. Glasgow also features Kelvingrove, a recently renovated art gallery and museum that specializes in modern works. In contrast, the National Galleries of Scotland feature works from the Old Masters and present a continuous picture of the art world through the early decades of the 20th century.
Tourists staying in Scotland vacation rentals can also visit the town of Paisley, famous for its influence on textiles, particularly with its development of the paisley pattern commonly used on wool shawls.
Castles are another popular attraction in Scotland. The earliest castle site can be found on the island of Wyre in Orkney. Known as Cubbie Row’s Castle, it dates from about 1145 A.D. and is the oldest surviving castle in the country. More popular still is Castle Sween, found on the mainland in Argyll.