Inverness, Scotland | Complete Guide to The Capital of the Scottish Highlands

Inverness is the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands and the perfect city to set as a travel home base in the north. It is a beautifully historic city set in the rugged landscape of Scotland. It’s in the right location to take day trips (or multi-day trips) around the highlands, but don’t miss out on what the city itself has to offer! It’s filled with history, museums, art, fantastic food, great parks, and a river running through the city. Read on for a guide to Inverness, Scotland!

Read more: Explore the Scottish Highlands and Inverness | Fantastic 3-day Itinerary

Where to Stay in Inverness, Scotland

Inverness has a population of approximately 80,000, which makes it a lovely and quaint city that is very walkable. It’s about a one hour walk from one end of the city to the other, and most of the activities are within the city centre. The bus station and train station are both in downtown Inverness and only about 5 minutes apart. You can’t go wrong with staying in the city!

Budget: Black Isle Hostel is minutes from both the bus and train station. The hostel was clean and quiet when I stayed there in June 2022.

Mid-range: Kingsmills Hotel is a beautiful hotel in the southeast end, with a spa, golf and dining!

Luxury: Ness Walk Hotel is the number 1 rated hotel in Inverness, located on the River Ness.

What to do in Inverness, Scotland

Inverness is not a large city, but there’s plenty to see! Give yourself a day or two to explore the city and then venture out on some day trips to the Highlands.

Inverness Castle. Overlooking the River Ness in the Inverness Castle. The castle there today was built in 1836 but there have been castles on this site since the early 1000’s! Work is being completed on the castle to open it to the public, and there is a 360° lookout as part of the works! The castle itself is impressive to look at.

Inverness Museum & Art Gallery. See art that celebrates life in the Highlands.

River Ness & Ness Islands. Inverness actually means “Mouth of the River Ness” which is very fitting here! Inverness is at the mouth of the river, where the River Ness meets the Beauly Firth and Moray Firth. Take a walk along the paths on either side of the River Ness.

Inverness Cathedral. I feel like no guide is complete without at least one cathedral!

Inverness Botanic Gardens. Free to visit, step out of the hustle and bustle of the city and into a nature oasis!

Leakey’s Bookshop. Stop by Scotland’s largest secondhand bookshop. You know my obsession with libraries and books!

Eden Court Theatre and Cinema. Visit this large theatre, cinema and arts venue situated in Inverness, Scotland!

Whin Park. A beautiful park in the city where you can rent row boats and grab an ice cream cone on a hot day.

Merkinch Local Nature Reserve. Nature reserve on Beauly Firth that is perfect for a summertime stroll or to bird watch!

Try Haggis. The national dish of Scotland!

What to Pack

Expect wind and rain, but also be prepared for sun in the summer and snow in the winter! A general packing list is below.

• 1-2 activewear outfits (walking through the highlands or exploring the city)
• 2-3 casual day outfits (pants/t-shirts and dresses)
• 1-2 nightlife outfits
• 1-3 sweaters
• A waterproof jacket (warm jacket for winter)
• 1 pair waterproof shoes (Vessi’s are a great option, or Hunter rain boots)
• The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is such a fantastic travel accessory to keep your essentials close
• A pair pj’s

Read more: Ultimate Scotland Packing List to Stay Warm and Dry

If you’re interested in coordinating your outfits with the scenery, try bringing earth tones like greens, blues and browns!

Read more: How to Pack a Clothing Capsule for Travelling

Day Trips or Multi-day Trips

Loch Ness Cruise

Head to Loch Ness to see if you can spot Nessie: the Loch Ness Monster. A photo of her is worth $1 million!

If you’re staying in Inverness without a car, hop on the city bus at the Inverness Bus Station. If you buy a round trip ticket, it’s a bit cheaper than buying 2 one-way tickets but you have to know when you’ll be making your way back! There are a few cruise options and the most economical is to book the Loch Ness: Urquhart Castle Round-Trip Cruise. There is an option to hop off the cruise at the Urquhart Castle and hop back on the next cruise, if you want to see the ruins up close! Prices for the cruise are around £17.00 for an adult.

Urquhart Castle

If you’ve booked a day tour, or multi-day tour, you’ll likely stop at the Urquhart Castle. The Loch Ness Cruise also makes a stop at the dock if you book the combined tour. The Urquhart Castle is a castle ruin that sits on Loch Ness. The castle was built in the 13th century and was raided several times. Urquhart was partially destroyed in 1692 and was then abandoned and left to decay. It is now a scheduled monument and open to the public, and is one of the most visited castles in Scotland!

You can visit the castle and roam the grounds and ruins. Prebooking is recommended to guarantee your visit and adult ticket prices range from £7.00 – £12.00. Parking is free, but must be booked in advance.

Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you can’t miss this one! You can book a day tour from Inverness and it’s approximately an 8-12 hour day. If you have a car and want to visit yourself, the best time to go is when the train is travelling TO Mallaig, around 10:45 AM and 3:15 PM. Make sure to give yourself time before to find parking (it’s very busy). The walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint is about 10-15 minutes.

If you book with a tour guide, they will ensure you’ll get there on time. There isn’t a huge difference in the many day trip tours you can book online but I personally enjoyed my 8 seater bus tour. Take a look at the proposed itineraries and choose the one that speaks to you the most!

Read more: Glenfinnan Viaduct Tips to Visit and Take the Best Photos

Invermoriston Old Bridge

I cannot help but nerd out here, when I visited the Old Bridge in Invermoriston. As part of the day trip to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the tour guide made an unscheduled pit stop at The Old Bridge. The two span, single lane stone arch bridge was constructed in 1813 as part of the main road between Drumnadrochit and Fort Augustus. In the 1930s, the highway through the Highlands was relocated beside the existing bridge. This is typical of transportation planning when there are constraints, such as this bridge which is a single lane structure that would require widening to accommodate highway traffic. By relocating the highway, the existing bridge can remain in it’s existing location and no modifications would be required. Today, it’s a great spot for photographs and you might also be lucky enough to see salmon leaping in the falls!

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