Inverness is often referred to as the “Capital of the Highlands,” and has a good central location in the north of Scotland! There is a lot to see and do both in Inverness itself, and around the city like Loch Ness. Whether you’re looking for a Scottish weekend away, or passing through as part of a larger trip (like the North Coast 500), Inverness will keep you busy. Here’s a guide on what to see and do in and around Inverness!

EDIT: I visited areas around Inverness in 2019, I visited Inverness itself in August 2020, and this post was written before my marriage ended. I have decided not to edit the original post.

What To See In Inverness

Inverness Cathedral

Built in the late 1860s, Inverness Cathedral (also known as St. Andrew’s Cathedral) is an icon in the city. The twin towers dominate the riverside view, and the interior is beautiful. It’s free to visit Inverness Cathedral.

Inverness Castle

Inverness Castle itself isn’t open to the public, but there is a viewpoint with more information and an excellent view over the city. There is an admission charge for this, £5 per person. If you don’t want to fork out the money for the viewpoint, you can still get a great view of the riverside in Inverness from the outside of the castle.

Leakey’s Bookshop

Part treasure trove, part Instagram dream, Leakey’s Bookshop is one of the most visited bookshops in Scotland. It’s well-known around the country, partly thanks to the Instagrammable design and bookshelves. They have a huge selection of books from every genre. So if you want to browse as well as snap a pic or two, Leakey’s has you covered.

Victorian Market

Unfortunately, I visited the market at the end of the day, when most of the vendors had finished for the day. However, the interior of the Victorian Market is gorgeous—it’s definitely a must see when in Inverness!

Black Isle Brewery

If you’re looking for a nice place for drinks (or pizza), I loved visiting Black Isle Brewery in Inverness. You can visit the main brewery on the Black Isle (more below!), but this is a fantastic taproom and beer garden located in the center of Inverness. They also have hotel rooms and a hostel!

Daytrips From Inverness

Culloden Battlefield

An easy half-daytrip from Inverness, Culloden Battlefield has soared in popularity thanks to the Outlander show. Regardless of whether you’re Team Jamie or not, the battlefield is a must on any trip to Inverness. The Battle of Culloden was fought in 1746 between the Jacobites and the British government forces. There is a large visitor center, which has rave reviews (£11 entry per person). But the battlefield is worth walking around anyway.

There are information panels so you can learn more about how the battle unfolded, what happened during the battle, and has some touching memorials to clans who fought in the battle. Having a car will be easiest, as it’s only a 15-minute drive from Inverness. However, you can get here with public transport: take bus #2 which stops at the battlefield. While you’re there, the Clava Cairns are historic 4000-year-old burial cairns located just a 5-minute drive from the battlefield.

The Black Isle

I visited the Black Isle as part of my first day on the North Coast 500 road trip around Scotland. However, this easily merits a daytrip or half-daytrip from Inverness. The ruins of Fortrose Cathedral are beautiful and eerie, and the walk out to Fairy Glen waterfall (from Rosemarkie) is a must. You can also head out to Chanonry Point, which is one of the best places to see dolphins around Inverness! And you can head to Black Isle Brewery and stock up on some of their tasty beers in the shop.

There are a few other places around Inverness that unfortunately I didn’t have time to visit! Fort George is a big 18^th-century fortress, built after the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden. The views out to the Moray Firth are meant to be excellent! Beauly Priory is another historic site nearby—it was founded around 1230 by Valliscaulian monks from France. Cawdor Castle is most well-known for its connection to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, however the castle itself was built centuries after the events in the play supposedly happened. If you do visit, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore the beautiful gardens here!

Loch Ness

No trip to Inverness would be complete without a trip to Loch Ness. Loch Ness is the largest loch (lake) in Scotland by volume due to its deepness, and the second-largest in Scotland by surface area (Loch Lomond is first). A huge part of the draw of Loch Ness is a chance to spot the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie, in the lake! Whether you believe in the legend or not, I definitely recommend visiting Drumnadrochit and the Nessie Visitor Center. This is a really fun museum, which gives loads of information not just about Nessie, but about the features and history of the lake itself! You can also take a boat tour of Loch Ness—find out more information on the tours here. You can take Bus #919 from Inverness to get here.

Urquhart Castle

Urquhart Castle is another excellent place to visit around Inverness. It’s only about a half-hour drive from Inverness, and one of my favorite places that I visited in this part of Scotland. The present ruins date from the 13^th to 16^th-centuries, although this was built on an even older medieval fortification. The castle is mainly in ruins today, as it was partially destroyed in 1692 to prevent it being used by Jacobite forces. There are lots of different areas of the castle you can explore, and the views out to Loch Ness are stunning. Bus #919 from Inverness also stops here.

Glen Affric

If you have a bit more time and are looking to do some hiking, Glen Affric is a great choice! I only visited here briefly in 2019, but I would love to come back to this area of Scotland. Featuring miles of ancient Caledonian pinewoods, there are beautiful lakes to visit here and some truly spectacular views from some of the hiking trails. I loved visiting Plodda Falls and Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin when I went. On another trip, I actually went back to do the full Loch Affric circuit – read all about Glen Affric here!

Planning Your Trip to Inverness

Inverness is a walkable city, and you most likely won’t need to utilize public transportation within town. There is a train station in Inverness, with connections to major cities in Scotland and further south in England. I always use Trainline to get the best deal on train tickets. Inverness has its own airport, so you could try to fly into Inverness direct. I use Skyscanner to search for the best prices for flights. While some of the places outside of Inverness are accessible by bus, having a car definitely gives you a lot more freedom to maximize your time—so I suggest you rent one either in Inverness or as part of your Scotland trip.

There are plenty of options for where to stay in Inverness. Keep in mind that if you are renting a car, having accommodation with parking included will save you from worrying about parking. You can search for hostels on Hostelworld, or for hotels/B&Bs on Booking.com. You can also sign up to and search Airbnb for accommodation here.


Booking.com


Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more. If you’re interested in a tour in or around Inverness, check out these ones!

There is so much to see and do in Inverness and the surrounding area! If you’re hoping to visit all of the places in this post, I’d probably recommend 3-4 days minimum to do the area justice. Inverness is the traditional starting point for the epic North Coast 500, which I did last summer and absolutely loved! Whether you’re planning a long weekend break in Inverness, or visiting the area as part of a bigger trip around Scotland, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy here! I hope this post helps in planning a trip around Inverness!

Have you been to Inverness or the Scottish Highlands before?

You might also like my posts:

What to Know About the North Coast 500 in Scotland Before You Go

A 7-Day Itinerary For Scotland’s North Coast 500 Road Trip

How Much Does it Cost to Do the North Coast 500 in Scotland?

12 Tips For Planning Your Scottish Highlands Road Trip

Alternative Isle of Skye: 4 Ways to Avoid the Crowds

15 Tips For a Weekend in Edinburgh

All my Scotland posts!

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