Inverness

The gateway to the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Inverness has an authentic, lived-in feel that transcends the rows of souvenir shops and travel agents offering monster-spotting tours of Loch Ness. This is where the Scotland of the tourist brochures - silent lochs, heather-covered moorland, hairy highland cattle and famous name distilleries - begins, and the airport provides a popular access route for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Fans of highland history are drawn here by the town museum and castle and the medieval buildings along Church Street; nature buffs come to take cruises along the River Ness and Moray Firth in search of seals, ...

The gateway to the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Inverness has an authentic, lived-in feel that transcends the rows of souvenir shops and travel agents offering monster-spotting tours of Loch Ness. This is where the Scotland of the tourist brochures - silent lochs, heather-covered moorland, hairy highland cattle and famous name distilleries - begins, and the airport provides a popular access route for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Fans of highland history are drawn here by the town museum and castle and the medieval buildings along Church Street; nature buffs come to take cruises along the River Ness and Moray Firth in search of seals, dolphins and the elusive Nessie. Inverness also offers some of the best nightlife in the Highlands - the Northern Meeting and Inverness Highland Games are highlights of the cultural calendar - and the surrounding hills are dotted with famous locations from Scottish history, including Cawdor Castle, of Macbeth fame, and the site of the Battle of Culloden.

About the Expert

Joe Bindloss has written more than 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Time Out and other publishers, with a focus on Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and island nations.