501 Best Sights in Scotland

The interactive exhibition, specifically designed for children, celebrates the life and work of this much-beloved children's writer who, for many years, spent her family holidays in the area. You're free to walk around the enchanting garden where you can peep into the homes of Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, her best-known characters. The visitor center has a well-stocked shop and a small café serving breakfast, lunch, and coffee and cake. The garden is a mile south of Dunkeld, in Birnam.

The tallest mountain in the British Isles, 4,411-foot Ben Nevis looms over Fort William, less than 4 miles from Loch Linnhe. A trek to its summit is a rewarding experience, but you should be fit and well prepared—food and water, map and compass, first-aid kit, whistle, hat, gloves, and warm clothing (yes, even in summer), as well as insect spray for midges—as the unpredictable weather can make it a hazardous hike. Ask for advice and check the weather forecast at the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre, where the most common circular hiking route begins and ends.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the future king meets three witches who prophesy his downfall "when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane." They were right. The trees of the once dense wood camouflaged the besieging armies approaching Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane. The Birnam Oak (now sustained by crutches) and the Birnam Sycamore are all that remain of the once great wood, though perhaps not as Macbeth knew it in the 11th century.

The Bishop's Palace dates to the 12th century when St. Magnus Cathedral was built. In 1253 this was the site of King Hakon IV of Norway's death, marking the end of Norwegian rule over Sudreyjar (the Southern Hebrides). It was rebuilt in the late 15th century, and a round tower was added in the 16th century. The nearby Earl's Palace was built in 1607 for Earl Patrick Stewart, the much despised Earl of Orkney and Shetland who bound the people of both into terrible inescapable poverty. While his name is still mud, his Orcadian residence is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland. The great hall with its magnificent fireplace may be a ruin, but it evokes the splendor of its age.

Standing like a grounded ship on the very edge of the Forth, this curious 15th-century structure has had a varied career as a strategic fortress, state prison, powder magazine, and youth hostel. The countryside is gently green and cultivated, and open views extend across the blue Forth to the distant ramparts of the Ochil Hills.

Built in 1855 using stones from the Kergord estate's "cleared" (forcibly evicted) crofts, Weisdale Mill is now the Bonhoga Gallery, a contemporary art space showing quirky exhibitions by local, national, and international artists. Downstairs is a small but cake-laden café that looks over the Weisdale burn. An excellent shop sells artist-made housewares.

In the former Drumlanrig Tower, this museum includes a good exhibition about the textile industry, once the lifeblood of the Borders. Plenty of interactive elements make it interesting for children as well. One room commemorates the demonstrations by textile workers who were demanding the right to vote in the 1880s. On the upper floor are up-to-the-minute fabrics that define the 21st century. Check out the shop, too.

Home of the Duke of Buccleuch, Bowhill dates from the 19th century and houses an outstanding collection of works by Gainsborough, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Reynolds, and Raeburn, as well as porcelain and period furniture. The grounds include an excellent adventure playground and are mostly accessible from April through August. Access to the house is only by guided tours on specific days in the summer; check the website for exact dates. All tickets must be booked ahead of time online. There is a 57-mile country ride for those who prefer horseback riding. A local stable rents horses.

On the northern outskirts of town, Braemar Castle dates from the 17th century, although its defensive walls, in the shape of a pointed star, came later. At Braemar (the braes, or slopes, of the district of Mar), the standard, or rebel flag, was first raised at the start of the unsuccessful Jacobite rebellion of 1715. About 30 years later, during the last Jacobite rebellion, Braemar Castle was strengthened and garrisoned by government troops. From the early 1800s the castle was the clan seat of the Farquharsons, who hold their clan reunion here every summer. Once grey and drab, its exterior now boasts dazzling white harling thanks to an ongoing £1.6 million renovation. Currently only the gardens and their quirky fog house—a wooden 18th century folly—are open to visitors, with no date set for the re-opening of the castle's interior and its historic living spaces.

This unabashedly royalist visitor attraction is devoted to the tartan heritage of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, the organizers of the original Highland Gathering. It also dedicates time to the British royal family's connection to the event and with Braemar from the days of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert through the 21st century.

The village of Braemar is associated with the Braemar Highland Gathering, held the first Saturday in September. Although there are many such gatherings celebrated throughout Scotland, this one is distinguished by the regular presence of members of the royal family. Competitions and events include hammer throwing, caber tossing, and bagpipe playing. If you plan to attend, book your accommodations months in advance and be sure to buy tickets---and, if necessary, your car parking ticket---about six months in advance, as they do sell out.

This charming hillside garden, opened in 1922, has winding paths and a variety of colorful plants that make it feel larger than its two acres.The alpine flowers are part of this varied color scheme and in summer the Himalayan blue poppies are a particular source of pride. The tearoom and its tables on the lawn outside are a lovely place to stop and enjoy the surroundings.

The town's 13th-century Brechin Cathedral and Round Tower is on the site of a former Celtic monastery (priory of the Culdee monks) and has some unusual examples of medieval sculpture. The tower is one of only two on mainland Scotland. This type of structure is more frequently found in Ireland.

Located in the old courtroom that had cells in its cellars, the Brechin Town House Museum houses a small but interesting collection of objects from inhabitants of the area: from Bronze Age jewelry to a Jacobite sporran to a letter from a World War I soldier. There is a small tourist information desk within the museum.

An Iron Age tower built between 500 BC and 200 BC, the Broch of Gurness stands more than 10 feet high and is surrounded by stone huts, indicating that this was a village. The tower's foundations and dimensions suggest that it was one of the biggest brochs in Scotland, and the remains of the surrounding houses are well preserved. It's located about 11 miles east of Birsay.

On the north side of Brodick Bay, this mansion with typical Scottish-baronial features was built in the 16th century and was the seat of the dukes of Hamilton, who added to it extensively throughout the 19th century. It now features an adventure park and visitor experience where costumed performers bring the past to life. In summer the expansive gardens are ablaze with azalea and rhododendron blossoms.

The country park that surrounds the castle embraces Arran's most striking scenery, rising to the 2,867-foot summit of Goatfell, the island's highest peak. The beautiful upland landscape is more challenging to explore than it seems, so it's important to go prepared with sturdy footwear and waterproof clothing. From the summit there is a stunning panoramic view of the Firth, Kintyre, and the Ayrshire coast, and on a clear day you can just see Ireland.

A magnificent, medieval turreted fortification, Brodie Castle was rebuilt and extended in the 17th and 19th centuries. Consequently, there are fine examples of late-17th-century plasterwork preserved in the Dining Room and Blue Sitting Room, as well as a superb collection of artworks from the Old Masters up to the modern day. You'll also find an impressive library and lush gardens with more than 400 varieties of daffodils. The castle is around 4 miles west of Forres, on the road from Nairn.

A Romanesque church can be seen at the Brough of Birsay, a tidal island with the remains of an early Pictish and then Norse settlement. (Brough is another word for "fort".) The collection of roofless stone structures on the tiny island, close to Birsay, is accessible only at low tide by means of a concrete path that winds across the seaweed-strewn bay. The path is slippery, so boots are essential. To ensure you won't be swept away, check the tides with the tourism office in Kirkwall or Stromness before setting out. The cliffs at the far side of the island are stunning but be very careful as you look for puffins.

Originally built to guard the Tay Estuary, Broughty Castle is now a museum focusing on fishing, ferries, and the history of the area's whaling industry. The cannons and ramparts make for fine photo opportunities, and inside (up a very narrow stairway) are four floors of displays, including some of the lovely art collection of the Victorian inventor and engineer Sir James Orchar. To the north of the castle lies beautiful Broughty Ferry Beach, which, even in midwinter, is enjoyed by the locals; there is regular bus service from Dundee's city center.

When he died in 1796, Robert Burns was buried in a modest grave in St. Michael's Churchyard. English poet William Wordsworth, visiting a few years later, was horrified by the small gravestone and raised money to build the much grander monument that stands there today.

At the northernmost point of Lewis, 3 miles northwest of Port of Ness, stands the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, which was first illuminated in 1862. Designed by David and Thomas Stevenson, it's one of many Scottish lighthouses built by the prominent Stevenson engineering family, whose best-known scion was novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, famed for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The adjacent cliffs provide a good vantage point for viewing seabirds, whales, and porpoises.

On the high slopes of the Cairngorms, you may see the reindeer herd that was introduced here in the 1950s. The reindeer are docile creatures that seem to enjoy human company. Ranger-led visits to the 150-strong herd are offered at least once a day, weather permitting. In July and August you can also accompany rangers on gentle half-day "hill trips," trekking through the mountains. From April through December a small herd of young reindeer is cared for at a paddock near the visitor center; you can visit (and pet them) for a small fee. Bring waterproof gear, as conditions can be wet and muddy. The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre lies 6 miles east of Aviemore.

The canal, which links the lochs of the Great Glen—Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, and Loch Ness—owes its origins to a combination of military and political pressures that emerged at the time of the Napoleonic Wars with France. In short: Britain needed a better and faster way to move naval vessels from one side of Scotland to the other. The great Scottish engineer Thomas Telford (1757–1834) surveyed the route in 1803, taking advantage of the three lochs that lie in the Great Glen and have a combined length of 45 miles, so that only 22 miles of canal had to be constructed to connect the lochs and complete the waterway from coast to coast. After 19 years, the canal, with its 29 locks and 42 gates, was open and ready for action. Travel along the canal today and stunning vistas open up: mountains, lochs, and glens, and to the south, the profile of Ben Nevis. At the visitor center in Fort Augustus, you can learn all about this historic engineering feat and take a picturesque walk along the towpath.

Near the town center, this grand country house gives you a glimpse of a wealthy family's daily life in the early 1800s. In the kitchen, local guides explain cooking in the early 19th century and may even offer you a sample. Entry is through an impressive wooden hallway, and the first-floor morning and drawing rooms are the grandest in the region. There are exhibits on the Romans and the Antonine Wall, as well as on the history of Falkirk. The second floor is a gallery space and houses the town's archives. You can relax in the grand tearoom before you move on to the beautiful grounds of Callendar Park, which has activities year-round. The house is something of a secret, but it's well worth a visit.

Robert Louis Stevenson's favorite view of his beloved city was from the top of this hill, and it's easy to see why. Located in the heart of the city, Calton Hill offers stunning vistas of the Old and New Towns and out to the Firth of Forth, making it a popular setting for picnicking and watching festival fireworks. Great views aside, the hill is also home to a number of impressive monuments. The most notable is the so-called National Monument, also known as "Scotland's Disgrace," which was commissioned in 1822 and intended to mimic Athens's Parthenon. But after just 12 columns had been built, the money ran out, leaving the facade as a monument to high aspirations and poor fundraising. Nearby, the 100-foot-high Nelson Monument, completed in 1815 in honor of Britain's greatest naval hero, is topped with a "time ball" that is dropped at 1 pm every day. Other hillside monuments honor notable Scots ranging from mathematician John Playfair to philosopher Dugald Stewart.

The hill is also home to the City Observatory, which hosts regular contemporary art exhibitions, as well as upscale restaurant The Lookout by Gardener's Cottage. It also plays host to the Beltane Fire Festival every April 30.

An extraordinary feat of human endeavor, this single-track, 2-mile road was conceived and constructed by one man—local crofter Calum MacLeod. Following several failed petitions to the local council, requesting them to improve access to northern Raasay by transforming a narrow footpath into a usable road, MacLeod decided to take matters into his own hands. Using only a pickaxe, shovel, and wheelbarrow, he began laying the road in 1964. Ten years later it was finally complete. The road would later be officially adopted and surfaced by the council and named "Calum's Road" in MacLeod's honor. It begins just beyond the atmospheric, 16th-century ruins of Brochel Castle on the northeast coast of Raasay, and it ends at Arnish.

J. M. Barrie donated this Camera Obscura to the town; located within a cricket pavilion, it magically projects an image of the wonderful landscape views onto the opposite wall. It is one of only four in the country and run by lovely volunteers.

View Edinburgh like a Victorian at the city's 19th-century camera obscura. Head up Outlook Tower for the headline attraction—an optical instrument that affords live bird's-eye views of the city, illuminated onto a concave table. It's been wowing visitors since 1853, and yet it retains a magical quality that can captivate even the most cynical smartphone-toting teen. After you've seen the camera obscura and enjoyed the rooftop views, head down to explore five more floors of interactive optical illusions. They are guaranteed to keep the kids entertained and educated for an hour or two.

This section of the Royal Mile takes its name from the canons who once ran the abbey at Holyrood. Canongate—in Scots, gate means "street"—was originally an independent town, or burgh, another Scottish term used to refer to a community with trading rights granted by the monarch. In this area you'll find Canongate Kirk and its graveyard, Canongate Tolbooth, as well as the Museum of Edinburgh.

This unadorned Church of Scotland building, built in 1688, is best known for its graveyard. It is the final resting place of several notable Scots, including economist Adam Smith (1723–90), author of The Wealth of Nations (1776); Dugald Stewart (1753–1828), the leading European philosopher of his time; and the undervalued Scottish poet Robert Fergusson (1750–74). The fact that Fergusson's grave is even distinguishable is due to the far more famous Robert Burns (1759–96), who commissioned a marker to be made. Incidentally, Robert Burns's literary lover Agnes Maclehose (the "Clarinda" to his "Sylvander" as noted in a series of passionate letters) also has a memorial stone here.