Français 
Deutsch 
Español 
Italiano Scotland
Things to see and do
Organise your stay
Scotland :
Where to go?
Where to sleep?
Scotland Hotel tips
-
Macdonald Loch Rannoch Hotel & Resort from116 £
Book -
Macdonald Loch Rannoch from66 €
Book -
Ben Lawers Hotel from45 £
Book
Practical A to Z
Practical A to Z
Embassies and consulates
Irish Consulate – 16 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 7TT – t 0131 226 7711 – http://www.irishconsulatescotland.co.uk/
Health
Also see Know before you go.
Doctor and hospitals
NHS centres, affiliated to the British National Health Service, are available throughout Scotland. Nurses can be consulted without appointments. Health care costs vary.
Chemists
Same opening hours as shops. Addresses of out-of-hours chemists are published in the daily newspaper.
Midges
In summer, Scotland is invaded by clouds of midges, which can be extremely irritating. Anti-mosquito products are effective.
Money
Currency
The pound sterling (£) is the currency.
Scotland prints its own banknotes, which are valid throughout the United Kingdom.
Banks / exchange
Banks are open Monday-Friday from 9-10am until 4-5pm. Some banks close for one hour at lunchtime. Some branches are open on Saturdays from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
It is possible to change money in exchange offices, travel agencies and hotels, but the commission charged is often higher than in banks and exchange rates can be very variable.
Budget / cost of living
The cost of living in Scotland is no different to anywhere else in Western Europe. £50-70 for a double room in a standard hotel or B&B (from £10 for a youth hostel). An average meal will cost around £8-10. Add between £3-6 for visits to most sites and up to £13 for castles.
Public holidays
1 and 2 January
Good Friday
1st Monday of May – May Day Bank Holiday
Last Monday of May – Spring Bank Holiday
1st Monday of August – Summer Bank Holiday
30 November – Saint Andrew’s Day
25 and 26 December
Shopping
In most of the larger towns, shops are open Monday-Saturday from 9am-5.30pm (until 8pm on Thursdays) and sometimes on Sunday in the case of the larger shops. Elsewhere, shops are closed all day Monday, Wednesday or Thursday.
