Bars, clubs, restaurants, and hotels catering to gays are confined almost exclusively to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness. Gay males can call the Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard (tel. 0131/556-4049; www.lgls.co.uk) or the Glasgow Gay and Lesbian Switchboard (tel. 0141/847-0447; www.sgls.co.uk) for information on local events. Lesbian visitors in Edinburgh can call tel. 0131/557-0751 for information.
Scotland doesn't boast much of a gay scene. Gay-bashing happens, especially in the grimy industrial sections of Glasgow, where neo-Nazi skinheads hang out. Although it's a crime, it's rarely punished. Open displays of affection between same-sex couples usually invite scorn in rural Scotland.
The best guide is Spartacus Britain and Ireland. Although the third edition of Frommer's Gay & Lesbian Europe doesn't include Scotland, it does include London and Brighton, in case you're heading to England before or after Scotland. For up-to-the-minute activities in Britain, we recommend Gay Times (London).
The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to their website and click on "Members."
Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Above and Beyond Tours (tel. 800/397-2681; www.abovebeyondtours.com) are gay tour operators. Now, Voyager (tel. 800/255-6951; www.nowvoyager.com) is a well-known San Francisco-based gay-owned-and-operated travel service.
