The Best Places to Visit in Scotland

When it comes to travel-bragging, Scotland has it all: outstanding castles, clan history, and just-caught crustaceans; misty mountains, moorland, and an almost make-believe atlas of islands; brain-hurting whiskey, bronze beaches, and stylish kilts.

Before traveling though, the hardest part is finding answers to the most commonly asked questions: What are the best places to visit in Scotland? Where are the most beautiful places in Scotland? What extraordinary sights shouldn’t be missed? And where are the most memorable places to stay? To help you get to grips with the spirit of this wild, wonderful, and, often, wet country, here’s our pick of the best places to visit in Scotland.

When is the best month to visit Scotland?

Scotland is beautiful at all times during the year, but we recommend visiting between May and September for the sunniest and warmest weather. You'll also get the most daylight during these months—perfect for exploring. However, if you're interested in seeing the dreamy, snow-capped mountains, then a winter trip is for you.

These are the best places to visit in Scotland

1. Edinburgh

This heart-thumping capital was built out of fire and stone: around the geological drama of panoramic Arthur’s Seat and the volcanic plug of Castle Rock, where the mightiest fortification in Britain looms like a medieval fantasy. Between the two runs the fabulous-but-frenzied Royal Mile, a raked boulevard of lopsided tollbooths, wizard hat spires, quality knitwear shops, pavement artists, and hidden corners that’ll have you ferreting from townhouse museum to historic pub. At all times, there’s a sense of theatre.

This sets the scene for Edinburgh’s Old Town, but beyond its cobblestoned wynds you could easily spend up to a week plotting trips to its terrific neighborhoods: the love of good food, drink, and culture shines out strongest in the New Town, West End, Stockbridge, Bruntsfield, Morningside, and Leith. Elsewhere, museums are rarely as uplifting as the National Museum of Scotland or Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and there is a greatest hits of unforgettable places to stay. Two highlights are refreshed classic The Balmoral, or burlesque-meets-rockstar hotel House of Gods.

2. Glasgow