What to see and do
Inverness is the capital city of the Highlands. It is known as the Gateway to the Highlands and when you arrive here you will see why. It is an ideal base for touring and has the advantage of being set amongst some spectacular scenery with views across mountains and the Moray and Beauly Firths going out to sea.
Within the city there are beautiful walks along the river Ness. You could also climb Craig Phadraig or the mysterious Tomnahurich Hill. The city also has a leisure centre, swimming, ice rink, bowling centre, golf and cinemas.
Alternatively you could take a trip around the Black Isle and out to see our resident dolphins who live wild in the Moray Firth and make reliable appearances.
If you are interested in history visit the Battlefield of Culloden which is the site of the last battle fought on British soil. Alternatively there are several castles in the Highlands including Cawdor, Brodie, Urquart and the romantic Eilean Donan (to name a few), all of which have generally violent and romantic histories.
Loch Ness and our famous Nessie monster are only a 10 minute drive away. A trip around the loch would be a wonderful day out. Or you can experience it from the water with a cruise down Loch Ness that take in Urquhart Castle or via a coach trip.
Glen Affric and Glen Cannich offer the walker or driver some stunning scenery including mountains and waterfalls. It is the last stronghold of the Caledonian Forest. The Great Glen Way which runs for 60 miles Inverness and Fort William offers a wonderful challenge for walkers and cyclists alike.
If you are interested in becoming aquainted with “uisge beatha”, the water of life there are several Whisky distilleries within the Highland area that make up part of the Scottish Whisky Trail.
When you return from your day out Inverness offers a wide choice of restaurants and bars for your evening meal. There is plenty of live Scottish music in the pubs and a range of well known bands play at the Ironworks. If music isn’t your cup of tea then there is the theatre, Eden Court, which offers a range of shows throughout the year.
We also have several festivals both cultural and music, throughout the year including Belladrum, Loopallu and Rock Ness.
