Helsinki Finland, maybe I could see a reindeer.
Aspen, Colorado for skiing reasons
Jackson, MI because my parents live there
Egypt
Jerusalem

I was there mid-December through mid-January last year for my fourth trip to Scotland (I’m lucky enough to have some very friendly and generous friends there!) and though it’s cold, it is often clear and beautiful in winter.
Edinburgh is beautiful at Christmas and New Year (Hogmanay) and there is a street fair and ferris wheel at the end of December. Definitely go to Edinburgh castle and Stirling Castle as well if you really like castles. Rose Street is a pedestrian street full of charming pubs.
Also in Stirling is the Wallace monument, which is pretty interesting, they have William Wallace’s sword! The blade alone is taller than me!
St. Andrew’s is a couple of hours from Edinburgh but is a beautiful town and has the original golf club, and beautiful church ruins. Skip the admission fee for the ruined fortress. A few miles up the road is Anstruther, with the best fish and chip shop (Anstruther Fish Bar) in the country. They catch the fish that morning and serve up whatever they’ve caught. Glorious.
Glasgow has a rich history and fantastic museum at Kelvingrove. There is also a lot of modern architecture along the river in the southwestern section of the city. The main downtown is a lively shopping and pub district and great for people watching. St. Mongo’s Cathedral has a gorgeous church and nearby churchyard up on a hill, it’s definitely the biggest cemetery I’ve ever seen, and has great views of the city.

No matter where you go, absolutely try the haggis, it’s delicious (especially if the menu says “whiskey sauce”!). You can usually get a “wee taste of Scotland” plate at any pub, with haggis, neeps and tatties (delicious mashed turnips and potatoes), and an oatcake which is pretty dry and bland. But the haggis is worth it.
Vegetables will be scarce and overcooked, and expect to eat lots of delicious fried things. Go to a chip shop and get chips and anything – there are a thousand sauces you can get but the fries are thick and perfectly cooked most places; chips and curry are my favorite.
Keep in mind that Scotland is very far north and in the winter, daylight is only from about 8am to 3pm. Make sure you plan around any daytime sights and hit them early in the day – dark comes way earlier than you think it will.
Scottish CityLink has cheap buses from anywhere to anywhere that run pretty often. The buses are clean and the drivers are friendly.
With the exchange rate being around 2:1 things can get pretty expensive (though it is easy to calculate!) – if you are looking for a cheap drink and a hearty basic meal, find a JD Wetherspoons (also known as Spoons). They all have another name but also have Wetherspoons on the front usually. It’s a friendly homey pub, most of them are in beautiful old buildings like banks and hotels, and definitely the cheapest you can find. They’re everywhere (the website says there are 676 in the UK and I’d believe it) so you shouldn’t have to walk far to find one!
If you’re hungover or just want to try something new, go for Irn-Bru, a violent orange soda that is very popular in Scotland. It might grow on you.
The people are friendly and interesting and love to talk, but avoid politics and money.

I have a long-standing love affair with Scotland and I hope you have a WONDERFUL time!
Cheers,
Abby

The German Market in Edinburgh.
Princes Garden’s it’s bloody amazing.