Inverness is a little city with a lot of things to see and do. Inverness is famed around the world for its proximity to the legendary Loch Ness monster, but there’s a lot more to the city than that.
There are lots of things to do in Inverness. Inverness, situated on the banks of the River Ness in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, offers the best of both worlds: a compact city and a vast highland playground.
The city is full of cultural attractions, outdoor activities, and historic treasures when viewed as a whole. In this post, you are going to find out the places to visit in the Inverness and sea the beauty of this small city that is hidden somewhere in Scotland.
Inverness- A beautiful city in Scotland
Inverness is a city on Scotland’s northeast coast, near the mouth of the River Ness and the mouth of the Moray Firth. It is the largest and most culturally significant Scottish Highlands city. Inverness is a famous Scottish Highlands city.
The Gaelic language is spoken more commonly here than in other Scottish cities, and the city is closely linked to the surrounding rural areas of the north.
Culloden and Westhill are part of the Greater Inverness region. With a fifth of the Highland population residing in or around Inverness, it is one of Europe’s fastest expanding cities. Inverness is also known for the best quality of life.
If we talk a bit about the history of the city. Inverness is a vibrant modern city with an intriguing and long past. Inverness’s earliest secular dwelling, erected in 1593, is still surviving today.
Abertarff House was once the townhouse of the Frasers of Lovat, but it is now the headquarters of the National Trust of Scotland, which is pleased to call it home. Old High St. Stephen’s Church, for example, stands proudly as a tribute to the city’s history.
The church tower is from the Middle Ages. The Combat of Culloden, the final battle fought on British soil, was fought nearby on the grounds of the nearby district.
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15 Things to Do in Inverness with your Loved Ones
Here comes the list of things to do in Inverness that you were waiting for. One by one you can read about this and can start imagining your trip to Inverness. There are many worth seeing historic sites in Scottish history.
1. Loch Ness
Starting your journey with Loch Ness is a must-see while visiting the Scottish Highlands, and it’s only a thirty-minute journey southeast of the Inverness city centre.
You can get a set of photos of the water lake is also house to Urquhart Castle, one of the nation’s most iconic strongholds, and the most important factor that makes it popular is that it is claimed as the place of murder of Loch Ness monster.
Loch Ness is a freshwater which is spread approximately 37 kilometres in the southwest direction.
Explore the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibit to discover more about the legendary beast that lives in the water. The information about the monster and the surrounding make it more attractive.
Loch Ness is well-served by organized tour operators due to its reputation as a major Scottish tourist destination.
2. Inverness botanical gardens
The next comes the beauty of nature which is secured in the Inverness Botanic Gardens, formerly known as the Inverness Floral Hall & Gardens, which is a tranquil haven within easy reach of the city centre, having been inaugurated by Prince Edward in 1993.
The exterior gardens explode with colour and texture with each new season, and borders are designed to demonstrate a wide diversity of plants and growing conditions. The dramatic plant diversity ranging from lush rainforests to the barren, heat-scorched desert is revealed in the spectacular glasshouses.
Botanical Gardens, Nursery, and Secret Garden in Inverness. It provides a peaceful respite from the rush of metropolitan life. The Botanical Gardens is a lush emerald in the middle of the city, with stunning beautiful gardens, ponds, tropical houses, cactus houses, wildflower meadows, and much more.
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3. Inverness Museum Art Gallery
The next must-visit is the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery located on Castle Wynd in Inverness, Scotland’s Highlands. The event is free to attend. High Life Highland manages the collection and facilities on behalf of the Highland Council.
This museum combines excellent art with historical and natural items to provide visitors with a more comprehensive picture of Inverness’s complicated history.
4. Inverness Castle Viewpoint
The spectacular Inverness Castle grounds are a fantastic place to begin your tour of Inverness. Even though only the north tower of the castle is exposed to the public, this old sandstone structure provides an imposing (and photo-worthy) background overlooking the River Ness. You can also find within the park it is a large public park on the bank of river ness.
From the highest altitude above the River Ness, Inverness Castle – the Spirit of the Highlands – stares out over the city. The red sandstone castle of today was erected on the cliff-top site of an 11th-century stronghold, which has been the location of a succession of castles for centuries.
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5. Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle was the site of countless conflicts between the English and Scots, and it’s easy to imagine how magnificent it once was.
The castle’s role in Scotland’s rich history, dating back to ancient, is meticulously documented and displayed in the visitor’s centre. You must travel across it so that you can appreciate its historical significance.
6. Culloden battlefield
How we can not remember the great fight on the Scottish land on April 16, 1746. With first-hand descriptions of the conflict, a 360-degree film authentically depicting the day’s events, and breathtaking rooftop views of the battlefield, the historic site’s visitor centre is a must-see. The most worth seeing are the gravestones of Scottish clans and the six-meter-high Memorial Cairn constructed in 1881 to honour the conflict.
Old Leanach Farmhouse and the Cumberland Stone, which commemorates the place where the Duke of Cumberland issued commands to his troops, are two more notable landmarks.
The battlefield is littered with tributes to the fallen, notably the Keppoch Stone, which marks the spot where Alastair MacDonell, the Keppoch clan’s leader, was killed. Another commemorates the Irish Wild Geese (mercenaries fighting on the side of the Highlanders in the service of the French monarchy), while the “English Stone” honours those who fought side by side with Cumberland.
7. Cawdor Castle
Cawdor castle is 16 miles in the north direction of Culloden. It is one of the famous places because of Duncan’s assassination in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Although it is not historically correct (Duncan was assassinated by Macbeth at the Battle of Elgin), it is a fascinating destination to see because of its vast list of Shakespearean literature and antique furniture.
A 1370 hawthorn tree served as a message to the first Thane to build a castle here, and the charming grounds of this fairy-tale garden, with its colourful flowerbeds, are well worth a visit today.
The interesting place to visit is the nine-hole golf and natural paths. For those who want to truly immerse themselves in the atmosphere of this old castle and estate, a modest cottage on the grounds is available for rent.
8. Ness Islands
The Ness Islands are located on the River Ness, directly across from Bught Park in Inverness, Scotland. The first bridges to the islands were completed in 1828; before that, the islands could only be reached by boat.
You don’t even have to leave the city if you want to have a beautiful picturesque walk through the forest. Inverness boasts a series of little land in the middle of the River Ness that are linked to the embankment by attractive suspension bridges.
You’ll forget you’re in the city as you walk around the Ness Islands. Keep an eye out for the towering trees, Nessie-carved wood, and local anglers attempting to catch salmon and sea trout in the river.
9. Fort George
Fort George, which lies close, is well worth visiting for people travelling to Culloden. This gigantic artillery castle is located soon just after the Battle of Culloden to hold the defeated Highlanders in control, and it served as a permanent symbol of the English rule over Scotland.
The fort also houses the Queen’s Highlanders regimental museum, as well as key military installations such as the armoury and barracks. The visitor centre is also worth visiting, as it explains the fort’s significance. You can also visit the gift shop.
You can also find good hotels nearby fort George.
10. Inverness Cathedral
Inverness Cathedral, popularly called the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, is a Scottish Episcopal Church cathedral located near the banks of the River Ness in Inverness, Scotland. The Ordinary of the Diocese of Moray, Ross, and Caithness, Bishop of Moray, Ross, and Caithness, has his seat here.
The UK’s most northerly Anglican Cathedral. Bishop Eden’s vision, with Alexander Ross as the architect. Consecrated in 1874, it was built between 1866 and 1869.
Inside, there are beautiful stained glass windows and wonderful stone and wood carvings. Cathedral admission is free. Our cafe and shop are located on the grounds of the cathedral.
12. Leakey’s Bookshop
The next place is the perfect spot for the book lovers. This lovely bookstore is a bookworm’s paradise. Step inside to find an exquisite haven where every book and nook emanates charm.
Before your eyes have had a chance to marvel at the surroundings, the characteristic aroma of old book pages excites the senses. Hundreds of secondhand volumes add color to the inside, while stained-glass windows recall the structure’s previous life as an 18th-century Gaelic church.
Charles Leakey, the owner, has built a magical sanctuary that feels far distant from the modern world. I was convinced I’d see Harry Potter and his friends playing on the spiral staircase since the bookstore is so amazing.
Leakey’s Bookshop, one of Scotland’s largest and housed in a former church is a literature lover’s dream.
There is bound to be something that strikes your eye among the rare prints and classic editions available. There is also a cafe in the shop, which is ideal for having a rest.
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13. Highlanders Museum
The Highlanders Museum (Queen’s Own Highlanders Collection) is set amid the beautiful grounds of Fort George, near Inverness, with views of the Moray Firth. The local dolphin school can be seen from the ramparts throughout the summer months.
The historic Lieutenant Governors’ House in Fort George now houses the Museum, which spans three stories. Outside of Edinburgh, the museum is Scotland’s largest regimental museum.
14. Victorian Market
The Victorian Market, located in the centre of Inverness, is a covered market. All of our stores, cafes and services are independently owned and operated, offering a wide range of high-quality products You should visit to see this magnificent Victorian-style structure and receive a warm Highland welcome.
When you venture off the beaten route in search of something a little different, retail therapy gets a little more interesting.
With its Victorian Market, which dates from 1890, Inverness has exactly that. Hundreds of one-of-a-kind, independent companies are housed there, providing tourists with a traditional and alternative shopping environment.
The main road is lined with red steel arches and lamps, and the antique clock leads to a circle of brightly coloured facades. Toy shops, tea rooms, cosmetic products, a florist, and a joke shop can all be found here.
15. Clava Cairns
The Clava Cairns, also known as the Bulnuaran of Clava Prehistoric Burial Cairns, is a series of three Bronze Age cairns near Inverness. Clava Cairns is a wonderful example of the distant history of Highland Scotland, dating back roughly 4,000 years. It is a very significant and extraordinarily well-preserved ancient site.
There were two eras when the cemetery was used. A row of enormous cairns was created circa 2000 BC, three of which may still be seen today.
A thousand years later, the cemetery was reopened, with additional graves in some of the old cairns and the construction of three smaller monuments, including a ‘kerb cairn.’ Milton of Clava, a few ways up the valley to the west, has traces of a smaller cemetery. The cairns at Balnuaran of Clava ran the length of a gravel terrace above the River Nairn.
This must be the last trip according to the article but apart from the list of wonderful place given in this article.
Best Place to Stay in Inverness
A comfortable stay is important if you are going to any new place. You can enjoy your whole day if you’re getting a comfortable sleep at night.
Black Isle Hostel
A new hostel has opened in town. The Black Isle Hostel has resided in an old office building, following in the footsteps of the Black Isle Bar, which has rooms on the opposite street corner.
It has been turned into a bright and cheerful backpacker refuge by the crew. The fragrances, the freshly painted walls, and the plush carpets are all new to the hostel.
Comfortable couches, picnic-style dining tables, secondhand furniture, and great views of Academy Street and East Church adorn the lounge area.
The dorm rooms are unusually large, as are the communal toilets, which were spotless. To top it off, the employees are kind, conversational people who are enthusiastic about tourism and providing the best possible service to their customers. You won’t find a cheaper place to stay in Inverness.
Achnagairn Estate
The Achnagairn Estate is the perfect place to stay if you’re seeking a romantic getaway. It is ideally located just outside of Beauly, near Inverness but feels a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Individual rooms can be reserved, or the entire castle can be reserved for exclusive usage; this is a popular option for weddings.
The land also includes hidden suburbia with seven luxury cottages, in addition to the castle. Stag Lodge has a large room and it’s big enough to host a party or a fitness class. You can also check out the best stay in Inverness.
Conclusion
I think this beautiful small city is full of culture and the beauty is hidden in it is worth exploring. Inverness, located in the Scottish Highlands, is surrounded by a diversity of tourist attractions.
There is a lot of beauty that cannot be listed in the article. Glasgow is also one of the most famous cities in Scotland and a beautiful destination for holiday.
You can also check out the best time to visit Inverness city to make your holiday more memorable and full of the fun trip in this capital city of the Scottish Highlands. So pack your bags and tick the list of things for your day trip.
