stirling

Put an undeniably beautiful, fascinating and enthusiastically tourist-friendly area at the crossroads of Scotland and visitors will come from far and wide. Add genuine world-class crowd-pullers such as the Castle, a gateway to Scotland's first National Park, great shopping and top entertainment, and it's small wonder Stirling is attracting increasing attention. In the 7 years to 2000 visitor numbers more than doubled and shoppers trebled. More than a million tourists visit the city annually at present.

It's the diverse, imaginative heritage-shopping-recreation approach which has established Stirling as a local, national and international destination for all. History buffs will be in their element discovering the Castle with its Great Hall - the largest and finest medieval banqueting hall in Scotland. Other gems at the Top of the Town are Argyll's Lodgins, the most complete surviving example in Scotland of a 17th century town residence, with rooms decked out 1680 fashion, and the evocative Old Town Jail.

The Wallace Monument, Bannockburn Heritage Centre and Old Stirling Bridge are just some of the other unmissable attractions.