Exploring

If you are keen to take a Scottish city-break to a place where you can really get a sense of the country's history and heritage then you should head to Stirling. This is where the Highlands meet the Lowlands and the area is full of reminders of a turbulent past. Scotland's newest city is the place where the national heritage is most vividly recalled. Here you can visit the sites of dramatic battles, walk through the home of kings and learn about Scottish heroes.

The city has a wonderful 19th-century Old Town that winds upwards to Stirling Castle, which is a daunting fortress with panoramic views over the Forth Valley and the Ochils and Trossachs Hill ranges. It is regarded by many as the grandest castle in Scotland and its outstanding architecture belies its turbulent history. The restoration of the Great Hall took nearly 10 years to complete. Originally built during the reign of James IV, the exterior has been returned to its original colour, a golden yellow officially called King's Gold, by the traditional method of harling. Within it you will find royal apartments, a rose garden and kitchens furnished with life-sized models of people, food and even a cookery book from the castle's medieval era. Seven great battles, including the decisive moments of Scotland's wars of independence, took place within sight of its walls and it later became a favourite royal residence for three centuries. The quality of the buildings is superb, particularly the Great Palace, the Chapel Royal and the Renaissance Palace. Housed in the castle is the Regimental Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, which colourfully recounts the 200-year history of the famous regiment.

On the castle esplanade is the Royal Burgh of Stirling Visitor Centre where you can get a short introduction to 1,000 years of Stirling's history. From the Wars of Independence, through the reign of the Stuart monarchs to its time as medieval burgh, Stirling has played a central role in Scotland's history for hundreds of years. Here you can learn more about the monarchs, nobles, merchants, craftsmen and common folk that have contributed to its past. William Wallace won a spectacular victory over English forces at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 and you can find out more about this national hero, made famous by the Hollywood blockbuster Braveheart, at the National Wallace Monument. It is a stunning Victorian Gothic tower where you can discover the drama of his campaign for freedom and see his impressive double-handed broadsword. In the hall of heroes you can also find out about other Scottish greats such as Robert the Bruce, Rabbie Burns, Adam Smith and Sir Walter Scott. It also offers splendid views over the city.

To learn more about the great figures and events that shaped Stirling's past, visit the Smith Art Gallery and Museum, which houses a wonderfully eclectic collection of artefacts and paintings. It has one of the most important and least-known Scottish history collections with many remarkable pieces such as prehistoric whalebones, medieval pottery, renaissance furniture, the world's oldest football and curling stone, Jacobite memorabilia, artefacts from the seven important Trades of Stirling, ancient tartans, and collections from Stirling's Tolbooth. You will also get to see Cosmo Alexander's portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. You should also find time to check out the Old Town Jail, which first opened, or rather began closing, its doors in1846. It is now an exciting visitor attraction which takes you back in time to experience prison life in Victorian times, including the chance to make the acquaintance of Jock Rankin, Stirling's notorious former hangman. There are living history performances during the months of April to October, with recorded tours during the other months of the year.

Another good Scottish city for exploring heritage and culture is Aberdeen. You can be transported back to the 15th-century by a walk around Old Aberdeen, with its cobbled streets and ancient dwellings and the original market cross still standing in the high street. At its heart is the university, which was established in 1495 and a short stroll around the cloisters of Elphinstone Hall or King's College quadrangle will leave you feeling serene (if you have the good fortune to come outside term time) and you may feel you've absorbed some of the centuries of learning that have occurred within its walls. St Machar's, the oldest of the city's three cathedrals, is arguably the oldest granite cathedral in the world and there has been a church on the site since 580 AD. Another place to soak up the history is Provost Skene's House, which dates from 1545 and is one of Aberdeen's few surviving examples of early burgh architecture. It now houses an attractive series of period room settings, recalling the elegant furnishings of earlier times from the 17th-century great hall, parlour and bedroom to the 18th-century bedroom and Georgian dining room, as well as a nursery recreated from the late 19th-century. There is also a costume gallery depicting the changing fashions. You could also pop into the Gordon Highlanders Museum, which charts the history of the regiment since 1794.

When you finally make your journey home to the modern world you will find yourself refreshed and revitalised and will carry with you a deeper understanding of Scottish heritage.

For more information, please visit the Stirling andAberdeen areas of the website.