• Take a ‘hop on/hop off' open-top bus tour around all the main sights in Edinburgh (website: www.edinburghtour.com), including Edinburgh Castle (website: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk), which dominates the city skyline from its position atop a volcanic crag; relax on a sunny day in the central Princes Street Gardens.

• Don't miss the annual Edinburgh Festival, among the world's biggest arts events (website: www.eif.co.uk). Shows might range from a short open-air concert to a full-scale production by the Royal Shakespeare Company or the London Symphony Orchestra.

• Sports fans can make the pilgrimage to Hampden Park in Glasgow, the national Scottish football (soccer) stadium. Guided tours are available (website: www.hampdenpark.co.uk).

• Island-hop by ferry between the many Hebrides (to the west), including Skye (website: www.skye.co.uk), Lewis and Harris (website: www.visithebrides.com), the Orkneys (website: www.visitorkney.com) and Shetlands (website: www.visitshetland.com) to the north.

• Walk, climb or ski on Aviemore in the Grampians (website: www.visitaviemore.com).

• Boat on Loch Lomond, Loch Ness or Loch Katrine.

• Cycle on the extensive network of signposted cycling routes and off-road trails for mountain biking. On small country roads there is often little traffic. Bicycle hire and cycling tours are available throughout the country.

• White-water raft on the fast-moving Highland rivers.

• Golfers will be in their element, with some 500 courses nationwide, among them the Old Course at St Andrews, the ‘Home of Golf' (website: www.standrews.org.uk), and further top championship courses at Carnoustie, Turnberry, Royal Troon and Muirfield.

• Sample Scotland's lip-smacking export at whisky distilleries (website: www.maltwhiskytrail.com) on the east coast, between Inverness and Aberdeen.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.