GREAT SCOTS

Has The Traitors got you yearning for a Scottish staycation? These three Gaelic getaways offer something for everyone

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Looming over the city from up high and lit up in dramatic red lights at night, Edinburgh Castle looks like it could be straight out of a Traitors scene.

Tickets (£21.50 for adults) get you access to all parts of the 900-year-old site, including the Scottish crown jewels, St Margaret's Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh, dating back to 1130) and the Prisons of War exhibit.

Our favourite tourist attraction in the city, however, was The Real Mary King's Close. This guided tour takes you back in time through some of Edinburgh's former residential streets, which were built in 1753 to construct the Royal Exchange above them. It's interesting for adults and older children alike, with engaging guides, and it's fascinating to see how people lived here more than 400 years ago, including through the devastating plague years.

LIGHT BITES

When it was time to rest our weary feet - Edinburgh's streets are notoriously steep - and fill our rumbling stomachs, we loved Ka Pao for its delicious Southeast Asian sharing dishes. Don't skip the fried Brussels sprouts, which even had our party's sprout-hater converted. Booking is essential - there was a two-hour wait for walk-ins on the Friday night we visited.

For traditional pubs, head to the historic Grassmarket area and nearby Rose Street. For fancier cocktails served with flair, we loved Commons Club (part of the Virgin Hotel), Panda & Sons, a cool speakeasy-style establishment posing as a barbershop, and The Last Word, a romantic, candle-lit gem with an impressive whiskey list in Edinburgh's upmarket Stockbridge area.

WHERE TO STAY