501 Best Sights in Scotland

The National Trust for Scotland's Priorwood Garden, next to Melrose Abbey, specializes in flowers for drying, and dried flowers are on sale in the shop. Next to the gardens is an orchard with some old apple varieties and other fruit trees. The walled Harmony Garden, belonging to the lovely Georgian house at its heart, sits nearby opposite the abbey.

Glasgow's oldest house, one of only four medieval buildings surviving in the city, was built in 1471 by Bishop Andrew Muirhead. Before it was rescued by the Glasgow City Council, this building had been a pub, a sweetshop, and a soft drinks factory. It is now a museum that shows the house as it might have looked when it was occupied by officers of the church. The furniture is 17th century, and the top floor is a gallery with prints and paintings depicting the characters who might have lived in the surrounding streets. Behind the house is a medicinal herb garden, and the cloisters house and its rather disturbing carved stone heads.

Built in 1545, this dignified medieval building is the oldest of Aberdeen's historic town houses. Home to wealthy merchant and Provost (mayor) of Aberdeen, Sir George Skene from 1676 to 1685, it reopened after a lengthy refurbishment in 2021 as the city's newest attraction. Inside, the Hall of Heroes celebrates the achievements of local figures including artists, musicians, writers, and sporting legends.

The only church Mackintosh designed houses the Charles Rennie Mackintosh (CRM) Society Headquarters and is the ideal place to learn more about the famous Glasgow-born architect and designer. The church has beautiful stained-glass windows and a light-enhancing carved-wood interior. The center's library and shop provide further insight into Glasgow's other Mackintosh-designed buildings. A taxi is probably the best way to get here, but you can also take a bus toward Queen's Cross from stops along Hope Street or walk up Maryhill Road from the St. George's Cross subway station.

Just opposite the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, this museum explores the centuries-old relationship between St. Andrews and golf and displays golf memorabilia from the 18th century to the 21st century.

Buried beneath the City Chambers, this narrow, cobbled close (alleyway) provides a glimpse into a very different Edinburgh. It was once a busy open-air thoroughfare with hundreds of residents and a lively market, but in 1753 it was sealed off when the Royal Exchange (now the City Chambers) was built on top. Today costumed guides take you around the claustrophobic remains of the shops and houses, describing life here for the residents from plague and quarantine to rivers of sewage, as well as the odd murder mystery and ghost story. But for all the (somewhat over-the-top) theatricality, the real highlights here are historical; the sealed-in street is a truly fascinating insight into 17th-century Edinburgh.

Some will tell you the Black Watch was a Scottish regiment whose name is a reference to the color of its tartan. An equally plausible explanation, however, is that the regiment was established to keep an undercover watch on rebellious Jacobites. The Gaelic word for black is dubh, meaning, in this case, "hidden" or "covert." A wide range of uniforms, weaponry, and marching banners are displayed in this museum in Balhousie Castle, and there's a very good café and shop. Be sure to book ahead if you would like a guided tour.

Exhibits of medals, badges, and uniforms relate the history of a famous, much-honored regiment and the men who served in it.

This viewpoint at the highest point of the route from Loch Lomond to Inveraray is one of the few places where you can pull off the road to enjoy the spectacular panorama. It's an ideal place to take some selfies, and it's easy to imagine how it earned its name in the days when the only travelers on this trail went on foot or on horseback. Just note that traffic through the area may be delayed due to road improvement work; visit  www.traffic.gov.scot  for the latest updates.

In Kelso´s main square, you'll find this small museum that is both a history of salmon fishing in the area and of the River Tweed itself, exploring the significance of fishing on the local economy and its decline. Historic maps and collections of fishing gear show the evolution of life (and fishing) on the river. There are even replicas of the biggest fish reportedly ever caught and the disputes each one provoked.

The B8083 leads from Broadford to one of the finest vistas anywhere in Scotland. This road passes by Strath Suardal and little Loch Cill Chriosd (Kilchrist), and it takes in breathtaking views of the mountain Bla Bheinn en route. As you near Elgol, look out for a gathering of traditional crofts that descends to a pier, and then admire the heart-stopping profile of the Cuillin peaks from the shore. Seek out the path, around halfway down the hill, that leads across rough grasslands into the mountains.

Visit the humble thatched cottage where Scotland's national poet lived for his first seven years. It has a living room, a kitchen, and a stable, one behind the other. The life and times of Burns, born in 1759, are beautifully and creatively illustrated in the fly-on-the-wall videos of daily life in the 18th century, while the garden is lush with the types of vegetables the poet's father might have grown.

It's just one part of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Besides being a poet of delicacy and depth, Robert Burns was also a rebel, a thinker, a lover, a good companion, and a man of the countryside. The main museum building, a short walk from the cottage along the Poet's Path, explains why the Scots so admire this complex "man o' pairts." The imaginative displays present each of his poems in context, with commentaries sensitively written in a modern version of the Scots language in which he spoke and wrote. Headsets let you hear the poems sung or spoken. The exhibits are vibrant and interactive, with touch screens that allow you to debate his views on politics, love, taxation, revolution, and Scottishness.

In the price of your ticket, you can also visit the spooky churchyard where Tam o' Shanter faced fearsome ghosts, and the neoclassical Burns Monument, built in 1823 and overlooking the Brig o' Doon—take care if climbing to the top.

Not surprisingly, Dumfries has its own Robert Burns Centre, housed in a sturdy 18th-century former mill overlooking the River Nith. The extensive yet compact exhibition commemorates Burns's last years in Dumfries. The center has an audiovisual program; it also houses Dumfries's only cinema. Tours of the center are available, but should be booked in advance.

Poet Robert Burns (1759–96) lived here, on what was then called Mill Street, for the last three years of his life, when his salary from the customs service allowed him to improve his living standards. Many distinguished writers of the day visited him here, including William Wordsworth. The house contains some of his writings and letters, a few pieces of furniture, and some family memorabilia.

Try your hand at printing the way it used to be done: painstakingly setting each letter by hand. Robert Smail's print shop, founded in 1866 to produce materials for nearby factories, boat tickets, theater posters, and the local newspaper, is still a working print shop as well as a museum. Two great waterwheels once powered the presses, and they are still running. The guided tour, which includes making your own bookmark, takes 90 minutes.

The ruling house of golf worldwide is the spiritual home of all who play or follow the game. Founded in 1754, its clubhouse on the dunes—open to members only, including women since September 2014—is a mix of classical, Victorian, and neoclassical styles; it's adjacent to the famous Old Course.

Built for Queen Victoria, this historic station and its railway line now serve passengers using veteran steam and diesel locomotives to haul vintage carriages along a short scenic route; the journey takes only 15–20 minutes.

Worth visiting for a look at the imposing, neoclassic architecture, this William Playfair–designed structure hosts contemporary art exhibitions with an emphasis on young artists. The underground Weston Link connects the museum to the National Gallery of Scotland.

Moored on the waterfront at Leith is the Royal Yacht Britannia—launched in Scotland in 1953, retired in 1997, and now returned to her home country. A favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II (she is reported to have shed a tear at its decommissioning ceremony), it is now open for the public to explore, from the royal apartments on the upper floors to the more functional engine room, bridge, galleys, and captain's cabin. The visitor center, based within the hulking onshore Ocean Terminal shopping mall, has a variety of fascinating exhibits and photographs relating to the yacht's history.

Set in the heart of Abernethy Forest, 3 miles east of Boat of Garten, the Loch Garten Osprey Centre offers a glimpse of the large fishing birds that come here to breed. The reserve, one of the last stands of ancient Scots pines in Scotland, attracts a host of other birds, too, including the bright crossbill and the crested tit. You might also spot the rarely seen red squirrel. The sanctuary is administered by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Looking like a ruined castle on a mound, Ruthven Barracks is redolent with tales of "the '45," as the last Jacobite rebellion is often called. The defeated Jacobite forces rallied here after the Battle of Culloden, but they then abandoned and blew up the government outpost they had earlier captured. You'll see its crumbling, yet imposing, stone outline as you approach. Most come by car—there's a small car park across the road—but it's also walkable from Kingussie in about 20 minutes.

This waterfront fortress was built in 1600 by Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney and Shetland. "Black Patie," as he was known locally, was hanged in 1615 for his cruelty and misdeeds, and the castle was never used again. To enter, retrieve the key from the Scalloway Museum during opening hours; you can then explore these handsome ruins to your heart's content.

This modern museum tells some fascinating stories about Scalloway and its well-traveled locals. There is a section dedicated to the exploits of the Shetland Bus, the WWII resistance movement that operated between Norway and Shetland, and cabinet upon cabinet of maritime artifacts and proil (sailors' booty) donated by locals.

Military history buffs will appreciate the Scapa Flow Museum, which charts the role of Orkney in the First and Second World Wars. There are fascinating displays of military vehicles and guns from both wars, as well as equipment salvaged from the German boats scuttled off the coast. In the plain but poignant graveyard here, British and German personnel both rest in peace. If you want to take your car over to Hoy, book well in advance with Orkney Ferries, as this is a popular route. The museum is a five-minute walk from the Lyness ferry terminal on Hoy.

Transforming malted barley and spring water into one of Scotland's most important exports—that's the subject of this popular Royal Mile attraction. An imaginative approach to the subject has guests riding in low-speed barrel cars and exploring Scotland's diverse whisky regions and their distinct flavors. Sniff the various aromas and decide whether you like fruity, sweet, or smoky, and afterward experts will help you select your perfect dram. Your guide will then take you into a vault containing the world's largest collection of Scotch whiskies. Opt for one of the premium tours (from £34 to £90) for extras ranging from additional tastings to a Scottish dining experience.

What appears to be a Gothic cathedral spire that's been chopped off and planted on Princes Street is in fact Scotland's tribute to one of its most famous sons, Sir Walter Scott. Built in 1844 and soaring to 200 feet, it remains the largest monument to a writer anywhere in the world. Climb the 287 steps to the top for a stunning view of the city and the hills and coast beyond.

This is possibly the most photographed rural view in the south of Scotland. (It's almost as iconic as Eilean Donan Castle, far to the north.) The sinuous curve of the River Tweed and the gentle landscape unfolding to the triple peaks of the Eildons and then rolling out into the shadows beyond are certainly worth seeking out.

Here's your chance to travel back 2,500 years to a time when this region's inhabitants lived in circular homesteads known as crannogs. Standing on stilts in the middle of lochs, these dwellings were approachable only by narrow bridges that could be easily defended from intruders.

At the Scottish Deer Centre, many types of deer can be seen at close quarters or on ranger-guided tours. There are falconry displays every two hours, woodland walks, and a café. The zoolike center, west of Cupar, is one of the few places you can spot the red squirrel, as well as wolves, lynx, wildcat, and European brown bear.

Scotland's now-iconic Parliament building is starkly modernist, with irregular curves and angles that mirror the twisting shapes of the surrounding landscape. Stylistically, it is about as far removed from Westminster as can be. Originally conceived by the late Catalan architect Enric Miralles, and completed by his widow Benedetta Tagliabue, the structure's artistry is most apparent when you step inside. The gentle slopes, the forest's worth of oak, the polished concrete and granite, and the walls of glass create an understated magnificence. Take a free guided tour to see the main hall and debating chamber, a committee room, and other areas of the building, or choose a specialist subject for your tour, from art to architecture. All tour reservations must be made online. Call well in advance to get a free ticket to view Parliament in action.