Falkland is a cute little town near St Andrews in Scotland. It is most famous for its Falkland Palace, which Mary, Queen of Scots used to visit on her hunting trips and on other royal occasions.
Falkland Palace is one of two Renaissance palaces in Scotland (the other being Stirling Castle). It was transformed from an old, dingy medieval castle into a beautiful royal palace by James IV and James V in the early 16 century. James V later extended the palace in French Renaissance style.
Falkland continued to be a popular retreat for the Stuart monarchs in the Stuart period. The surrounding forests were used for hunting deer and boar and practising falconry.
Today, it is a tourist attraction but it is not open in the winter months. When I visited Falkland, it was in the dead of winter in December. It is a quaint little town with cute independent shops selling Christmas decorations. There is also a cosy cafe and several pubs and hotels in the town.
Below are photos of the cosy cafe I went to. I had afternoon tea there. It had a warm homemade feel to it.
After tea, we strolled around the town and we eventually went to a pub/hotel for a drink. The pub had a working fireplace, which was a welcome treat in winter.
