Not able to jet set this summer? Try these Scottish destinations you’d think were another country

NOT able to fly this summer? Who wants the trouble of all that airport stress, getting searched at customs and having to fork out for a trolley load of mini toiletries anyway?

We pick out some of the best spots in Scotland that could be a holiday destination you’d pay dizzying amounts to get to. See if you can tell the difference.

Cellardyke or the Mediterranean?

Terracotta vases; bougainvillaea; quaint, winding streets; colourful pastel houses; shimmering sea scapes and some of the best ice cream in the world. Who’d have thought all this could be found in the East Neuk of Fife? With the temperate climes of our current heatwave, you could be wandering through streets in the south of Spain.

Isle of Islay or Western Australia?

A stunning drive through Loch Lomond, up the rest and be thankful and out the other side takes you to Kennacraig, where you can enjoy a two hour cruise amongst the southern Hebrides to Islay. The island’s eight distilleries certainly help with relaxation, but its beaches are the white sand icing on this paradisal cake. These azure waves and dazzlingly long beaches could be found thousands of miles away in Australia, but are also just a hop, skip and a jump over to the Queen of the Hebrides.

Dunrobin Castle or German fairytale?

Nestled in the Highlands of Scotland is Dunrobin Castle. The largest castle in this part of the country, its architecture was inspired by French architect Viollet-le-Duc and you could be fooled into thinking you were wandering around the grounds of Versaille Castle in France. Or, looking up at the towering turrets and pointing domes, a fairy tale palace out of a Hans Christian Andersen story, like the German castles that inspired his work.

Scottish Highlands or Norway?

While Scotland’s mountainous neighbour, Norway, is renowned for its unbelievable peaks, head north in Scotland and you’ll find views just as inconceivable. The bridges and causeways along the Applecross peninsula and over the Kyles of Lochalsh are just some of Scotland’s mouth dropping vistas that more than rival Norway’s fjords.

Isle of Arran or the Canary Islands?

The most southerly of all Scotland’s isles, Arran enjoys its own microclimate, allowing lush palm trees and pampas grass to grow across the island, scenes you’d find just as easily in the Caribbean. It’s also home to at least three other types of trees not found anywhere else on the planet. The island’s waters are also warmed by the gulf stream and as such, are home to dolphins, porpoises, minke whales and basking sharks.