What's up guys we're here in Inverness, Scotland, and in this video we're going to show you
the best things to do in and around the city.
It's also really close to the famous Loch Ness so we're going to show you how you can
find Nessie for yourself!
so I hope you enjoy it.
Inverness is located on Scotland's Northeast Coast.
It is considered the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands.
It's a fairly small and compact city, with an abundance of places to stay, eat, and shop.
And while there aren't as many beautiful historic buildings as you find in Edinburgh, Inverness
has a lot of character and is the gateway to the highlands and the famous Loch Ness.
In this video, we highlight 9 fun things to do in and around Inverness, which are best
combined in a two to three day visit.
We'll first outline things to do in the city itself and afterwards show some historic places
to visit nearby.
We will also include one bonus activity at the end.
Now let's dive in!
We're Zac and Ine.
We make helpful videos about destinations around the world so you can easily plan your
own adventures.
One of the most peaceful things to do in Inverness is to stroll around its beautiful waterfront
area to the Ness Islands.
You can start your walk in the city center and follow both banks of the river in an easy
three kilometer or two mile loop.
From the waterfront, you'll have some great views of the Ness Bridge and Inverness Cathedral,
which we'll highlight later.
And once you get to the Ness Islands, you can relax and enjoy a picnic.
This series of small Islands are located in the middle of the river and mark the halfway
point of the trail.
We found the real Nessie here on Ness Islands.
But she doesn't move so much unfortunately.
Inverness is a great place to immerse yourself in Scottish culture and one of the best ways
to do that is to hit one of the local pubs at night.
For a classic Highland Pub experience, head to one of the many pubs on Church Street.
Highlander and Hootananny offer Scottish live music every night.
That said, you can find pubs all around the center and the oldest pub is Gellions bar
on Bridge Street, which opened its doors in 1841.
Another fun thing to do in Inverness is to visit Inverness Cathedral, also called St.
Andrew's Cathedral, located on the banks of the river Ness.
Built in 1869, this historic building is one of the prettiest cathedrals in all of Scotland.
You can also visit the inside for a small fee.
Here, you'll be able to admire the fine stained glass windows as well as stone carvings.
There's also a small café and gift shop on the cathedral grounds.
And while the cathedral is a fun, cultural activity, you'll definitely want to stick
around for our recommendation at number five for a true Scottish experience.
if you're into reading books, then Leakey's Bookshop is a must-visit.
This is Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop and you can find anything here: from contemporary
paperbacks to vintage prints, books, and maps.
Interestingly, this store is housed in an old Gaelic church and you can notice some
church remains such as stained glass windows.
Scotland is famous for its whisky and Scottish people are very proud of the sophisticated
drink.
In Inverness, you can find whisky at any bar or pub.
But if you haven't done so yet, we recommend doing a whisky tasting.
In this way, you'll be able to taste a variety of whiskies from different areas of Scotland.
You'll be surprised by how different each one tastes.
We did a whisky tasting at the Malt Room, which offers over 200 different malt whiskies
for tasting.
Right next to the Malt Room, you can find the Victorian Market.
Built in 1890, this is a covered market that houses a variety of shops selling unique handmade
gifts, art, and crafts.
There are also a number of cafes and dining experiences here.
It's a great place to shop for Scottish souvenirs.
For many travelers, visiting Inverness isn't necessarily about the town, it's about the
surroundings.
The Clava Cairns are located 11 kilometers or 7 miles outside of Inverness City Center.
This prehistoric site is a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery complex that dates back
to around 2,000 BC.
There are three different large cairns that can be visited and it's entirely free.
Nearby, you can also find the Culloden Battlefield and Viaduct, which played a significant role
in Scottish history.
It's easy to combine both in one visit.
Located only a short drive from Inverness, Loch Ness is one of the most famous places
in all of Scotland.
This freshwater loch is home to the legendary monster called Nessie, which is said to live
in the deep, murky waters.
The visibility is exceptionally low due to a high peat content in the soil, but there
have been various claim Nessie sightings over the years.
And although many of the encounters have been discredited over time, it's still a thrill
to head to the lake.
Fort Augustus is situated on the southern tip of Loch Ness, offering boat tours and
spectacular views.
But if you want to learn more about this legend, head to the Loch Ness Center & Exhibition
near Urquhart Castle, which we'll discuss next.
Find a link to a Boat Tour and Loch Ness Day Tour from Inverness in the description.
So we're here at the famous Loch Ness.
We haven't spotted Nessie yet.
We have seen some weird movements going on in the water, I don't know if that's maybe
because of this crazy wind around us.
But we heard we can maybe spot Nessie closer back in town, so we're gonna head there.
Finally, along the north shore of Loch Ness, you'll find the ruins of spectacular Urquhart
Castle.
This is one of the most picturesque scenes in Scotland and a must-visit in our opinion.
The castle's history dates back over a thousand years and has witnessed some of the most dramatic
events in the nation's history.
You can learn about it in the visitor center, which houses a short film, exhibits, and artifacts
relating to the castle's important role in Scottish history.
You can also walk around the ruins itself and climb the different towers.
As promised at the start of this video, we included one bonus activity.
If you have more time in Inverness, you must visit the beautiful Isle of Skye and Eileen
Donan castle.
Skye is the second-largest island in Scotland and has the most picturesque views you'll
encounter.
Some incredible sights include the Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, the Fairy Pools, Fairy
Glen, and Kilt Rock.
You can do a full day tour from Inverness, which takes you to most of these sites.
We've included a link for a great day tour in the description.
But if you want to spend more days here, make sure to check out our full Isle of Skye video.
Also, if you have more time in Scotland and you're planning to visit multiple places outside
of Inverness, it's worth checking out our full Scotland video, which also includes a
few road trip itineraries.
There are a few things to do in Inverness that we didn't mention, because either we
didn't have enough time or the weather didn't allow us or some were simply closed like the
Inverness Castle.
If you're planning your Scotland trip, we recommend keeping things organized with our
interactive travel planner.
Find a discount code below.
We also included important links that you'll need for your Inverness trip in the description,
such as a full travel guide with where to stay, where to eat, and an interactive map
so you can get to each spot that we mentioned.
We'll catch you on the next adventure!