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Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scottish city attraction crowned 'best in UK' beating iconic London experiences
The "best things to do" in Scotland have been named. The best attractions and experiences in Scotland have been named at the annual Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards. One Scottish city attraction was also crowned the best in the UK. On Tuesday, July 22, Tripadvisor announced the winners of the 2025 Travellers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things To Do. The awards highlight the highest rated attractions and experiences based on Tripadvisor reviews. According to Tripadvisor, attractions cover everything from natural wonders to man-made marvels and museums. Topping the list for the UK this year, beating out iconic destinations such as The British Museum and Tower Bridge in London, is the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh. The Royal Yacht Britannia is a five-star and award-winning visitor attraction and hospitality venue permanently berthed in Leith. It was previously the royal yacht of the British monarchy, and was in service between 1954 and 1997. After retiring from royal service, the vessel opened as a tourist attraction. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of royalty as they step aboard to explore the Royal Yacht Britannia for themselves. Highlights of the vessel's five decks include the Engine Room, the Crew's Quarters, and the Sun Lounge—the latter being Queen Elizabeth II 's favourite room. The attraction is also home to the Royal Deck Tearoom, where visitors can enjoy a range of sandwiches, soups, scones, and cakes. Elsewhere, Edinburgh Castle comes in at number five on the UK-wide list of the best attractions. Situated in the heart of the Scottish capital, the castle has dominated the city's skyline for hundreds of years. Highlights of Edinburgh Castle include its Great Hall, St Margaret's Chapel, and the One o'clock Gun. Among the other standouts are the Prisons of War and The Queen's Embroideries. Following behind at number 10 on the list of the top 10 attractions in the UK is the National Museum of Scotland. Also located in Edinburgh, the museum is one of the most visited attractions in the nation. The National Museum of Scotland features thousands of objects across a number of galleries all under one roof. From science and technology to art and design, the attraction offers a world of discovery. Meanwhile, Scottish experiences also feature on Tripadvisor's list of the top 10 experiences in the UK. The highest placing is the Guided Walking Tour at Edinburgh Castle. Visitors will follow their guide through the grounds of Edinburgh Castle and hear tales of the its royal residents, including Mary Queen of Scots. After the tour ends, there is free time to explore the castle's interior and the rest of the grounds. Following behind at number five on the list is the Original Harry Potter Locations Tour in Edinburgh. The tour will take sightseers across the Scottish capital to see locations that inspired the iconic series and served as filming locations for the movies based on them. Elsewhere, The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour Experience in Edinburgh places at number eight on Tripadvisor's list of the top 10 experiences in the UK. The unique chocolate-making experience allows visitors to make their own Scottish-themed chocolate, before heading to a tasting room to sample a wide range of chocolates from both Scottish and international chocolatiers. The final Scottish experience to be named among the top 10 in the UK is the Full-Day Trip: Loch Ness, Glencoe and The Highlands from Edinburgh experience. The coach tour sets off from Edinburgh, before taking in iconic beauty spots such as Glencoe, Callander, Pitlochry, Loch Ness, and more. Tripadvisor President Kristen Dalton commented: "With such a huge selection of travel activities and excursions available on the platform, Tripadvisor helps travelers find the experiences that turn a trip into a lifelong memory. "Whether you crave adrenaline or prefer to take things slow, 'The Best of the Best Things to Do' showcases the world's top-rated experiences." See below for the full list of the best attractions and experiences in the UK. More information can be found on the Tripadvisor website. Top 10 attractions in the UK Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh Bodleian Library, Oxford Highgate Cemetery, London The British Museum, London Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Tower Bridge, London The Roman Baths, Bath National Maritime Museum, London Natural History Museum, London National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Top 10 experiences in the UK London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs, London Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket, Edinburgh The Manchester City Stadium Tour, Manchester Canoe Aqueduct tours Llangollen, Froncysyllte, Wales Original Harry Potter Locations Tour in Edinburgh : Guided Tour, Edinburgh St. Nicholas Market and Air Raid Shelter Walking Tour, Bristol Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath Day Trip from London, London The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour Experience in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Chelsea FC Stadium Tours and Museum, London
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Daily Record
Scotland's 'most boring' seaside towns named as dull beach destinations ranked
Scotland is blessed with thousands of miles of beautiful beaches, but some of them are less exciting than others. With warmer weather encouraging thoughts of seaside getaways, many Scots will be looking forward to a day at the beach. But for those still considering where to go, a new study has named Scotland's two "least exciting" coastal towns. Scotland boasts a stunning 11,602 miles of coastline, dotted with hundreds of towns and villages offering diverse experiences, from quiet hidden gems to lively resorts. However, according to the team at SuomiCasino, some notable spots fall short on traditional entertainment metrics. The boring beach list analysed 26 UK seaside towns based on factors including amusement parks, live music venues, bars and restaurants, casinos, landmarks, beaches, and escape rooms. And the study branded Dunbar as the "most boring beach town" in Scotland and the fourth most boring in the entire UK. Their analysis highlighted Dunbar's lack of amusement parks, live music venues, and casinos as reasons for its low ranking, along with counting just 27 bars and restaurants in the town. Yet, this statistical assessment appears to overlook the considerable appeal of Dunbar, a town located a mere 50 minutes by car from Edinburgh city centre. Far from being dull, it is celebrated as one of the finest destinations on Scotland's attractive east coast, proudly known as the sunniest town in Scotland due to its high levels of sunshine. Visit Scotland describes Dunbar as "a pleasant town on the North Sea coast of East Lothian, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh," praising its "renowned... high sunshine record, rugged coastline and attractive countryside." The town's deep history is also a draw. It was "one of the most important Scottish Fortresses in the middle ages," and its ruined castle, which "stands guard over the town's twinned harbours," famously "once sheltered Mary Queen of Scots when she fled Edinburgh after the murder of Rizzio." Beyond history and scenery, Dunbar provides significant recreational opportunities. Visit Scotland points to family attractions like East Links Family Park, a farm based activity park suitable for all ages with numerous activities including a tree level fortress. For water based thrills, Foxlake Adventures is Scotland's first wakeboard cable tow and offers a unique ropes challenge over water. The town also features a leisure pool with a wave machine and flume, plus a health suite and gym. Meanwhile, St Andrews, famous globally as The Home of Golf and site of Scotland's oldest university, placed tenth in the study's UK-wide ranking, which would make it the second-most boring seaside town north of the border. It scored better than Dunbar due to having 9 music venues and 103 bars and restaurants. Also, its 42 landmarks dwarf any other towns on the list. Rank Location No. of water /amusement parks No. of live music venues No. of bars/ restaurants No. of casinos No. of landmarks No. of beaches No. of escape rooms 1 Morecambe 0 3 51 0 8 3 0 2 Southwold 0 3 28 0 6 4 0 3 Filey 1 2 58 0 7 3 0 4 Dunbar 0 0 27 0 9 5 1 5 Whitstable 0 10 91 0 9 3 1 6 Whitby 0 10 140 0 21 3 2 7 Swanage 1 10 63 2 18 4 0 8 Aberystwyth 0 1 78 0 25 8 1 9 St Ives 0 9 100 1 22 5 2 10 St Andrews 0 9 103 0 42 3 0 Given its iconic status within the world of golf and its historical significance, it is no surprise that it scores well for landmarks. The main surprise is that the legendary town, whose beaches are world-renowned, features on the list at all. Welcome to Fife notes that the constant stream of visitors contributes to St Andrews' "lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a large dash of history." St Andrews offers rich historical experiences at the ruins of its Castle and Cathedral, and the ancient Dunino Den. Golf enthusiasts flock to The Old Course, the world's oldest and a regular Open venue, and the award winning World Golf Museum. The coast provides active options like paddle boarding and surfing at Blown Away on St Andrews West Sands, where Beach Wheelchairs ensure accessibility. Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its miniature railway and adventure playground, complemented by St Andrews' excellent shops and wide choice of places to eat and drink. Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its "miniature railway, glorious gardens, adventure playground and the magical Fairy Glen," complemented by St Andrews' "lots of great shops, along with an outstanding choice of places to eat and drink." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. 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