Lifestyle in Scotland

A lifestyle choice is how many people explain their decision to move to Scotland. Some people come for the clean air and the scenery, some come to leave behind stressful and time consuming commutes; others because they want more time for their children and choose Scotland as the place where they want their children to grow up.

And no wonder! Scotland has attractions ranging from stunning natural scenery to a sophisticated and multicultural city life in its major cities.

Whether you are an outdoors person, into architecture and history, interested in theatre and concerts, keen on golf, sailing, climbing or walking, or a lover of good restaurants and a lively nightlife, Scotland could be the perfect choice for you. 

The List is an excellent resource for nightlife, music, special concerts and performances, places to eat out and things to do in Glasgow and Edinburgh. If you want to know more about lifestyle in Scotland check out the lifestyle magazine Scottish Field, which is published once a month and features information about fashion and style, food and drink, the arts, business and politics as well as in depth features.

Below you will find stories about Scottish lifestyle, including experiences of going out, culture & arts, shopping, sports & outdoor and what Scotland is like to live in for children. There is also additional information including reports about the quality of life in Scotland and the cost of living. In the section "in the life of",a number of financial professionals share their experiences of daily life and weekends.

Scottish lifestyle

Moving to Scotland will almost certainly give you more free time. This is how some of the financial specialist staff who came to Scotland chose to spend it. 

Going out 

The choice and number of restaurants in Scotland's major cities has exploded in the past couple of years. As well as Scottish and ethnic restaurants of every kind, Scotland also has a superb selection of restaurants in beautiful surroundings throughout the Highlands and Islands.

Some of the world's finest food and beverages - meat, fish, game, cheese, and of course whisky - originate in Scotland. Scotland is a paradise for whisky lovers, and the best Scottish restaurants, pubs and inns will feature a well-stocked selection of single malt whiskies. Alternatively, whisky can be explored at the many distilleries - there are more than 46 operating distilleries in Speyside alone - where most tours feature a peek at "the wort" being heated in the "mash tun" and conclude with a "wee dram". 

The quality and variety of Edinburgh's ethnic eateries astounds visitors, while Glasgow is renowned for its Indian restaurants. There are many good restaurant guides, including The List, which is published weekly.

Not only is there now a greater choice of restaurants and bars in both cities, the number of cafes and sandwich outlets has increased significantly, too: 

The nightlife in Scotland's two major cities is quite distinct, but both are blessed with the friendly Scottish licensing hours where pubs may stay open all day and nightclubs often are open until 0300 am. The lively Edinburgh nightlife is influenced by the high number of students in the city. There are a variety of pubs and bars, ranging from student pubs in the Grassmarket to classic traditional pubs such as The Bow Bar in Victoria Street, and to stylish modern bars such as The Dome in George Street or Opal Lounge, also in George Street, where Prince William is rumoured to have dropped in. 

Glasgow is trendy and has a buzzing nightlife. There are numerous wine bars in the City Centre and many speciality places to go out, such as the Republic Bier Hall, which serves more than 200 different beers. Student nightlife is found in the West End, while upmarket bars and wine bars converge in the Merchant city. Popular nightclubs include The Tunnel in Mitchell Street and The Corinthian in the Merchant City.