I am going on a trip to Scotland in May of 2027 I am going to Glasgow, the Oban Region, Isle of Skye Region, Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and The St. Andrews area. Should I order the best of Scotland with color pics and a map, ( I am not familiar with Scotland at all) or the black and white version of Best of Scotland. thank so much for the input.
Posted by
Chicago
4029 posts
You should get the black and white one as it will have more info. and be more up to date.
If you view the guidebooks on the site here, and scroll down to “is this the right book for me” you will see this:
Rick Steves Scotland, the complete guide, offers more coverage of more
destinations in a mostly black-and-white format. The shorter Rick
Steves Best of Scotland guidebook focuses on Scotland's top
destinations and sights, is in full color, and is updated a little
less frequently than the complete guide.
Posted by
Delaware
1693 posts
Hi, Backyard,
The RS Scotland Guide gives short shrift to Aberdeenshire. It's okay to get the RS guide, but you should back it up with the current edition of the Rough Guide to Scotland, which covers some of those areas which you're visiting in more detail. As you have plenty of time between now and your travels, you could probably stop by your local library and order a copy of the Rough Guide through ILL (interlibrary loan). The ISBN for the latest (2025) issue is 978 1835291986.
Once you've had an opportunity to look through the Rough Guide, you can decide whether you want to purchase your own copy.
Safe travels!
Best wishes,
Mike (Auchterless)
Posted by
OP
United states
70 posts
Thank you Mike. I appreciate the advice. I will check with my library.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2864 posts
I'd also recommend DK Eyewitness Scotland It has lots of colour picrtures as well as detailed diagrams of castles etc. It covers many places ignored by other guides and includes many 'hidden gems'. It also has suggested itineraries. The maps are detailed enough for initial planning.
As always you will need to check latest opening times on the internet.
There is also the Undiscovered Scotland website which has loads of information and pictures. Use the map pages to go to the area map you are interested in and then follow the links for the text pages with all the detailed information. The site Index helps you navigate to less well used parts of the site. There are also suggestions for driving tours too.
Posted by
OP
United states
70 posts
Wasleys,
Thanks for the book recommendations and especially the website information.
Backyard