Stirling has played an important role in Scotland’s history, especially during vitally important times. In and around Stirling has an incredible selection of spectacular tourist attractions and a mass of of monuments and places to photograph. In the following article I discuss 3 places to visit in Stirling; Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Castle and Stirling Old Town Jail:

Stirling Castle

Set 250 feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by shear cliffs is Stirling Castle. Stirling Castle is immensely important in Scotland’s history, there have been many coronations at the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots’ in 1543. Stirling Castle was also witness to a shocking murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, sadly no longer stationed there. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, can be found within the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail of today is not the first jail in Stirling, for four hundred years, Stirling’s prisoners were held in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was awfully overcrowded, and smelled dreadful, with 24 prisoners per cell, and zero sanitary facilities. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the fearful living conditions there, and in 1847 the current jail opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial jail, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a tourist attraction, and was only restored in the 1990’s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled lift that rises to a viewing deck at the very top of the jail. From commanding viewpoint you can gaze out across the Forth Valley, and glance across at the Highland mountains.

Argyll’s Lodging

Argyll’s Lodging is found on Castle Wynd, located in the middle of Stirling and is Scotland’s finest existing renaissance house. The mansion was built around 1630, by Sir William Alexander, originator of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who became Secretary of State for Scotland, and was then appointed the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging passed to the Argyll family on his death and was extended by the ninth Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, dining room, drawing room and bed chamber, have all been expertly restored and furnished, as they would have been when the 9th Earl lived there, circa 1680.

If you are thinking about a city vacation in Stirling you will discover a large amount of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will find a massive range at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/

It may lie just seventy miles off the coast of West Africa. But the small Canary Island of Lanzarote is Spanish owned. And has long been a hot favourite with British and Irish tourists – who accounted for over one million visitors last year,attracted by a delightful year round climate, good quality holiday accommodation and the island´s unique volcanic scenery.

There is a wide choice of apartments in Lanzarote but if you prefer a more put your feet up holiday then the hotels in Lanzarote will also be to your liking.

At just four hours flying time Lanzarote is one of the closest winter sun holiday destinations to the UK. And is serviced by a number of the biggest low cost flight operators – such as easy Jet and Fly Monarch. Which means it is usually possible to pick up cheap flights to Lanzarote for as little as £200 return from all major UK airports.

The sole airport on the island is called Arrecife and is located around 3km outside of the island capital of the same name. Thanks to Lanzarote´s relatively small size (it measures just 58km by 34.5km) transfer times from the airport to the island’s three main resorts are mercifully quick. With Puerto del Carmen just ten minutes from the airport, Costa Teguise fifteen and Playa Blanca around thirty five minutes away.

The majority of visitors to the island arrive on package holidays. So they are usually transferred to their resort on board coaches provided by their tour operators. But Lanzarote is also very popular with independent tourists who like to make their own travel arrangements. And they rely on either taxis or hire cars to get them to their resort accommodation.

Car hire in Lanzarote is very good value in relation to many other holiday destinations. With prices starting from as little as €20 per day. Petrol is also much cheaper than in the UK or Eire, costing around 80 centimos for a litre of unleaded fuel.

Around 40% of all visitors book hotels in Lanzarote. Which are of a high standard, particularly in the island’s newest resort of Playa Blanca in the south of the island. Where all establishments built over the last ten years are of a four star standard and above.

Whilst the bulk of the best villas in Lanzarote are located in and around the resort of Puerto del Carmen. Which was once known as a small fishing village called La Tiñosa before package tourism first really took off on the island. Transforming it into the most popular resort on Lanzarote.

The island is also blessed with a raw volcanic scenery and plenty of natural beauty. Making it an ideal holiday location for sightseeing. Elements of the landscape have been united with the artistic aesthetic of the island born artist Cesar Manrique. Who created a series of seven unique tourist attractions during the 1970´s – such as the Cactus Garden and the Jameos del Agua – which still delight tourists to this day.

For holiday information about the canaries in general visit Canary Islands holidays .