I was raised in Scotland. Here are 7 reasons you should visit, from our traditions to quirky accommodation.

I was born and raised in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, UK.

Scotland is a small country, with about 5.4 million residents, according to the National Records of Scotland. It's a great place to have grown up, due to the country's unique history and beautiful landscape.

I've traveled around the globe for work and in my personal life, and I previously lived in the US and London. Whenever I'm asked about my home country, I always encourage others to visit. Personally, I believe Scotland should be on everyone's travel bucket list.

While Scotland is part of the UK, there are traditions that I grew up with that aren't celebrated by the rest of the nation — or the world.

For example, on January 25 every year we celebrate Burns Night in honor of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. If you visit the country on Burns Night, you'll be able to engage in some of my favorite Scottish pastimes including ceilidhs (traditional Scottish dancing) and you can try a Burns Supper, which consists of haggis, neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes).

Scotland is the ideal destination for anybody who enjoys the outdoors.

The country has more than 30,000 freshwater lochs, according to Nature Scotland.

A "loch" is the Scottish word for lake. Fun fact: There is only one body of water in Scotland that is considered a lake in Scotland, the lake of Menteith.

Scotland also has 282 munros (mountains over 3,000 feet), according to Visit Scotland, and so it's understandable that hill walking is popular here.

I currently live in a small town about four miles away from Glasgow's city center. I enjoy living close to the city, as it's great for shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.

That being said, I also enjoy the countryside. My town is within walking distance from a farm (pictured above) and a short drive to several lochs, hills, and munros.

Because Scotland is so small, it's only ever a short walk or a short drive to change your natural surroundings. It means you'll get to see more of the country in a shorter amount of time.

Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, was named UNESCO's City of Literature in 2004, according to Visit Scotland. Writers including J.K. Rowling, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert Burns have ties to the city, the website adds, and you can visit some of the locations where their books were written.

Scotland has also become a hotspot for TV and movies in recent years. You can visit the filming locations of "Harry Potter," "Outlander," and "Batman," to name a few.

There are traces of history seemingly everywhere you go in Scotland, and that's largely due to the many castles that are still standing.

According to Scots Castles, there are more than 1,500 castles in Scotland. While some are in ruins, others have been set up as visitor attractions and some have even been transformed into luxury hotels or apartments on Airbnb.

I've visited many castles, but I'm yet to stay in one overnight. I intend to cross it off my bucket list later this year.

English is Scotland's first language, but if you are a fan of learning new languages there is still an opportunity to do so.

Scots Gaelic is a member of the Godric group of Celtic languages, spoken mostly in the northwest of Scotland, according to Britannica. The language, which originated in Ireland, dates back centuries and is still spoken by around 60,000 Scots today, according to Visit Scotland.

You can learn some Gaelic as you travel the country, as most signage is written in both English and Gaelic.