501 Best Sights in Scotland

This Victorian-era shrine to William Wallace (circa 1270–1305), the Scottish freedom fighter reborn as "Braveheart" in Mel Gibson's 1995 film of the same name, was built between 1856 and 1869. It sits on Abbey Craig, from which Wallace watched the English armies struggle across the old Stirling Bridge before attacking them and winning a major victory in 1297. A steep stone spiral staircase leads to the roof gallery, with views of the bridge and the whole Carse of Stirling. A less flamboyant version of Wallace's life is told in an exhibition and audiovisual presentation on the second floor. To reach the monument, follow the Bridge of Allan signs (A9) northward, crossing the River Forth by the New Bridge of 1832, next to the old one. The monument is signposted at the next traffic circle. From the car park a free shuttle will take you to the monument, or you can walk (15 minutes).

Skye's westernmost point is famed for its steep sea cliffs and picturesque, early-20th-century lighthouse, designed by David Alan Stevenson (cousin of Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson). The Neist Point Trail begins at the cliff-top parking area, from which it's a short but steep walk down to the lighthouse.

This fine late-17th-century house was designed by Scottish architect James Smith in 1686 as his own home. He later sold it to Lord Bellendon, and in 1707 it was bought by Sir David Dalrymple, first Baronet of Hailes, who improved and extended the house, adding one of the finest rococo interiors in Scotland. The library here played host to many famous figures from the Scottish Enlightenment, as well as inveterate Scot-basher Dr. Samuel Johnson, who dubbed the library "the most learned room in Europe." Most of the original interiors and furnishings remain intact, and there are beautiful walks around the landscaped grounds and through the surrounding woodland.

Across the Tay River, this charming shoreline suburb has spectacular river views, handsome Victorian architecture, and an interesting collection of independent shops and restaurants, plus some beguiling walks. Once just a small village with cottages, Newport was transformed and renamed "New Dundee" when the city's Victorian jute barons and middle classes made it a fashionable enclave. Dundee's mill workers folllowed suit, traveling on the Fifie steam ferries to escape the cachaphonous and polluted city; you can follow in their brogues and barefoot soles by walking along the Braes Riverside Park. Although the Victorian bathing establishments once there have gone, the ornate 1878 ferry port has been partly restored. You'd be brave to take a dip even on a warm Tayside day, so opt for a sunset sit-down here instead. Head here by bus from Dundee midafternoon to walk the Braes, landscaped gardens, and woodland of nearby Tayfield Estate (aka Berry's Den). Then head to the Boat Brae for refreshments while watching the sunset over the Tay.

Moored next to the Unicorn, you'll see a strange rusting red ship, the North Carr Lightship. After playing a significant role in World War II, Scotland's only remaining lightship was wrecked on the Fife shore during a storm in 1959; seven crew members were lost. The ship is sadly closed awaiting funds for refurbishment but is worth a look from the dock. Donations for restoration welcomed by the Taymara charity, which also runs boat trips.

This rich museum (formerly known as Caithness Horizons) is set within the beautiful Old Town Hall and displays multiple facets of the region's past from the dawn of time to the present day; that's everything from Picts and Vikings to the highly controversial Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment, dating from the 1950s and now gradually being decommissioned. There is also a pleasant café and shop.

The island of Noss (which means "nose" in old Norse) rises to a point called the Noup. The smell and noise of the birds that live on the vertiginous cliffs can assault the senses. Residents nest in orderly fashion: black-and-white guillemots (45,000 pairs) and razorbills at the bottom; gulls, gannets, cormorants, and kittiwake in the middle; fulmars and puffins at the top. Just be careful because if you get too close to their chicks, some will dive-bomb from above. To get here, take a ferry from Lerwick to Bressay, then another—the Noss Ferry, an inflatable boat that operates weather permitting—across to the island. It's a 4- to 5-hour walk around the reserve, so allow plenty of time if the walk is the draw. Mid-May to mid-July is the best time to view breeding birds. No matter when you visit, be sure to wear waterproof clothing and sensible shoes.

One of Scotland's oldest and smallest distilleries was founded in 1794, several years before the town where it now stands. It produces a well-known 14-year-old malt which, according to those who know, has a taste somewhere between the smoky Islay whiskies and the softer, sweeter Highland varieties—a distinctive West Highland flavor.

This free museum recalls Oban's history through two World Wars (there's less emphasis on peacetime) in photographs and other exhibits including a short cinema presentation. Always a fishing harbor and a ferry port, during the Second World War the town became a key naval command center.

On the Firth of Lorne, this imaginative venture lets you get a look under the sea. Hands-on exhibits include microscopes where you can observe tiny algae and a live undersea camera where you can see what's happening below the waves. Part of a scientific research center, it's educational but also accessible and fun. There is a bright little café and a shop with books on marine science and other topics. It's 2 miles from Oban—follow the signs for nearby Dunstaffnage Castle.

The oldest building on the island, Burravoe's Old Haa is known for its crowstepped gables (the stepped effect on the ends of the roofs), typical of an early-18th-century Shetland merchant's house. There's an earnest memorial to Bobby Tulloch, the great Shetland naturalist and champion of Shetland's bird population (1929–96), and the displays in the upstairs museum tell the story of the wrecking of the German ship, the Bohus, in 1924. A copy of the ship's figurehead is displayed outside the building. The Old Haa serves light meals with home-baked bannocks, cakes, and other goodies, and also acts as a kind of unofficial information center. A crafts shop is on the premises, too.

Along the dramatic road around the Trotternish Peninsula, a gate beside a parking area marks the beginning of the climb to the Old Man of Storr, one of Skye's most iconic landmarks. At 2,000 feet, this volcanic pinnacle is the highest point on the peninsula. Give yourself at least three hours to explore and enjoy the spectacular views from the top. The weather here changes very quickly, so be prepared.

This ongoing excavation of an Iron Age village is a worthwhile stop. Enthusiastic and entertaining guides, most in costume, tell stories that breathe life into the stones and the middens, showing how its former residents made their clothes and cooked their food, including their staple dish: the ghastly seaweed porridge.

This newer county jail was an improvement on the original jail across the road at the Tolbooth, but it was still a grim place as a visit to its cells will show. Visitors are taken through the cells and corridors by costumed actors who recount in gory detail what went on here. Groups depart from the main gate every half hour. A popular addition has been the Escape Rooms in which guests must find their way out following clues. Tickets for these rooms are for groups of between 4 and 8; be sure to book tickets and reserve a time slot in advance, especially in summer.

With artifacts from the Picts, the Vikings, and other ancient peoples, this museum—the former town house of the prosperous Bakie family of Tankerness—has the entire history of Orkney crammed into a rabbit warren of rooms. It's not easily accessible for those with disabilities, but with the help of staff, it can be done. The setup may be old-fashioned, but some artifacts—especially those from everyday Orcadian life in the 19th century—are riveting. Lovely gardens around the back provide a spot to recoup after a history lesson.

Vintage radio buffs will find this oddball museum fascinating. Amassed by the late Jim MacDonald, a radio operator during World War II, it tells the story of wartime communications at Scapa Flow, where thousands of service members were stationed; they used the equipment displayed to protect the Home Fleet. Run by volunteers, the museum also contains many handsome 1930s wireless radios and examples of the handicrafts produced by Italian prisoners of war.

This 30-foot-high granite statue of the Madonna and child is a symbol of island resistance. In the 1950s, the Ministry of Defense proposed building a missile-testing facility on South Uist, but islanders opposed the plans, fearing it would destroy their way of life, culture, and language. So they raised the funds for this ambitious work of art and erected it on land earmarked for development by the MOD. Today, it is a listed monument, making any future building proposals even less likely to succeed.

Paisley's 12th-century abbey dominates the town center. Founded as a Cluniac monastery and almost completely destroyed by the English in 1307, the abbey was not totally restored until the early 20th century. It's associated with Walter Fitzallan, the high steward of Scotland, who gave his name to the Stewart monarchs of Scotland (Stewart is a corruption of "steward"). Outstanding features include the vaulted stone roof and stained glass of the choir.

Set among the oak woods and above a rocky river just north of Pilochry, the Pass of Killiecrankie was the site of a famous battle won by the Jacobites in 1689. The battle was notable for the death of the central Jacobite leader, John Graham of Claverhouse (1649–89), also known as Bonnie Dundee, who was hit by a stray bullet. One English soldier is reputed to have escaped the Jacobite troops by jumping into the river at a point still known as "Soldier's Leap." After Dundee's death the rebellion petered out. The National Trust for Scotland's visitor center at Killiecrankie explains the significance of this battle, which was the first attempt to restore the Stewart monarchy. Its Jacobite Café offers French pastries in addition to a good lunch menu of quiches, soups, and sandwiches.

The exotic, almost Moorish mosaics of the Peebles War Memorial are unique in Scotland, although most towns have a memorial to honor those killed in service. It's a remarkable tribute to the 225 Peebleans killed in World War II.

The excited conversations among local visitors are the evidence that this museum tells the story of everyday lives in Glasgow. There is always something that sparks a memory: a photo, an object, a sound. Inside you'll find the writing desk of John McLean (1879–1923), the famous "Red Clydeside" political activist, and the banana boots worn onstage by Glasgow-born comedian Billy Connolly. On the top floor a sequence of fine murals by Glasgow artist Ken Currie tells the story of the city's working-class citizens. In contrast, the Doulton Fountain opposite the entrance celebrates the British empire. The museum is housed in a Victorian red-sandstone building at the heart of Glasgow Green, and behind it are the restored Winter Gardens (a Victorian conservatory) and a popular café. To get here from the St. Enoch subway station, walk along Argyle Street past Glasgow Cross.

This museum has a wide-ranging collection, including exhibits on natural history, local history, archaeology, and art, as well as an important glass collection. It also includes work by the great painter of animals Sir Edwin Landseer and some botanical studies of fungi by Beatrix Potter. It also now includes the 6,000 works—paintings, drawings, and prints—by the Scottish artist J. D. Fergusson (1874–1961) and his wife, Margaret Morris, an artist in her own right and a pioneer of modern dance. Fergusson was the longest-lived member of the group called the Scottish Colourists, who took their inspiration from the French impressionist painters in their use of color and light.

On the site of a famous battle in 1645 in which the Scottish Covenanters drove off the pro-English armies under the Earl of Montrose, the Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre is devoted to more peaceful pursuits: watching salmon. Its viewing platforms and underwater cameras allow you to follow the life cycle of the salmon. There are also country walks and cycling routes to follow, and an on-site restaurant, the Water Wheel, is good for lunch or afternoon tea. The website has a self-guided audio tour of the battlefield.

The dam built across the River Tummel, built between 1947 and 1951, was originally seen as a major threat to Pitlochry´s tourism, but has since become a major attraction for visitors. The fish ladder was created to allow migrating salmon who annually swim upriver in January to breed to continue to do so. The full story of the dam is told at the Dam Visitor Centre, which has a pleasant café and a view over the water. There are pleasant walks from there around the dam.

Five miles west of Ellon, at Pitmedden Garden is an exquisite re-creation of a 17th-century garden. It is best visited in summer, from July onward, when annual bedding plants—framed by precision-cut box hedging—form intricate formal patterns. The 100-acre estate also has woodland and farmland walks, as well as the Museum of Farming Life.

One of Andrew Carnegie's most generous gifts to his hometown was this sprawling green space west of Dunfermline Abbey and Palace. As well as being a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic, it also has historical significance as the original site of Malcolm's Tower, named after King Malcolm III (circa 1031–93) and effectively the main seat of royal power in Scotland during the Middle Ages.

Once a fishing and crofting center, Plockton today attracts visitors for its natural beauty and its warm microclimate, which allows palms to grow all along the main Harbour Street. Situated just 6 miles northeast of Kyle of Lochalsh, its natural bay is an ideal space for the small yachts that make their leisurely way to the coast and beyond, where gray seals can often be seen. Park at the car park at the entrance to the village and stroll along the main street, ideally with an ice cream as your companion.

This classic Georgian house, dating from the mid-1700s, sits amid landscaped gardens and avenues of trees that are now part of Pollok Country Park. It still has the tranquil air of a wealthy but unpretentious country house. The Stirling Maxwell Collection includes paintings by Blake and a strong grouping of Spanish works by El Greco, Murillo, and Goya. Lovely examples of 18th- and early-19th-century furniture, silver, glass, and porcelain are also on display. The house has beautiful gardens that overlook the White Cart River. The downstairs servants' quarters include the kitchen, which is now a café-restaurant. The closest train station is Pollokshaws West, from Glasgow Central station; or you can take Bus 45, 47, or 57 to the gate of Pollok County Park.

The south side of this dominant New Town street is occupied by the well-kept Princes Street Gardens, which act as a wide green moat to the castle on its rock. The north side is now one long sequence of chain stores with mostly unappealing modern fronts, with one or two exceptions: most notably the handsome Victorian facade on the corner of South St. David Street.

These beautifully manicured gardens, directly overlooked by Edinburgh Castle, are just a few steps and yet a whole world away from bustling Princes Street. The 38-acre park, divided into the East and West Gardens, was first laid out in the 1760s, on marshland created by the draining of a (long-since-vanished) loch. It has a host of attractions, including a functioning floral clock on the corner of Princes Street and The Mound, the Ross Fountain, a series of memorials, a children's play park, and a café. The gardens often host free concerts, and have a central role in the city's famed Hogmanay festivities.