The top 10 Places to visit in Scotland, iconic castles, incredible museums, beautiful gardens and much more in this list of top tourist attractions in Scotland.
The Places Every Scotland First-Timer Should Actually Prioritise
Lists of the top places to visit in Scotland inevitably include Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness. Both are worth seeing. But if you only have a week, the places that will stay with you longest are the ones most visitors drive past.
- Put Glencoe above Loch Ness on your list. Loch Ness is a long, dark lake with a visitor centre and a gift shop. Glencoe is a valley that stops you mid-sentence. Drive the A82 through it and you’ll understand why it’s in every film set in Scotland.
- Give Edinburgh two days, not four. Edinburgh is compact. You can cover the Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat, and the castle in two full days. Spend the extra days in the Highlands, where the real Scotland begins.
- The Isle of Skye needs 3 days minimum. Most visitors try to do Skye as a day trip from Inverness. This is madness. The Old Man of Storr, Fairy Pools, Neist Point, and the Quiraing need at least three days — plus a day for when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
- Don’t skip Stirling. It sits between Edinburgh and the Highlands and most people drive straight past. Stirling Castle is arguably better than Edinburgh Castle (smaller crowds, better views), and the Wallace Monument gives you the real story behind Braveheart.
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- Regimental Museum of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
- National War Museum
- Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- St Giles’ Cathedral
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Riverside Museum
- Scottish National Gallery
- Edinburgh Castle
- National Museum of Scotland
10. Regimental Museum of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Also based within Edinburgh Castle, the Regimental Museum covers over 300 years of history of the only Scottish cavalry regiment in the British regular army. You’ll see weapons, uniforms, medals and paintings right from the beginning in the late 1600s to the modern day stories of regimental personalities such as explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
9. National War Museum
Set within the walls of Edinburgh Castle, the National War Museum is filled with exhibits and artefacts that tell the tale of the impact of war on Scotland’s history, identity and reputation abroad.
8. Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop
Five Star Scottish Visitor Attraction, Shopping and Wedding Venue at the home of Anvil weddings since 1754.
The home of Weddings and the wedding capital of the UK, the Famous Blacksmiths Shop, in Gretna Green, has over 260 years of history and heritage, joining couples since 1754, and is now a world-class, award-winning wedding destination, with a 5-star visitor attraction, shopping and 3 hotels. Through four generations of ownership, since 1885, this family-owned and operated business has been at the heart of Gretna Green and Dumfries and Galloway local history for over 130 years!
7. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
For true drama visit Benmore Botanic Garden, renowned for its fine collections of rhododendrons and conifers grown to immense stature in a mountain landscape.
Benmore’s 120 acres feature a world-famous collection of plants from the Orient and the Himalaya to North and South America.
Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
6. St Giles’ Cathedral
St Giles’ Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh positioned at the heart of the Scottish capital. St Giles’ was founded in 1124, and in the 16th century became the focal point of the Scottish Reformation. The church is regarded as the Mother Church of World Presbyterianism and welcomes visitors from all corners of the globe.
St Giles’ is first and foremost a working church but also welcomes visitors to experience the history of the building. Today the church plays an important role in the cultural life of the city and nation, playing host to a wide variety of concerts, lectures, exhibitions and civic ceremonies.
5. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is home to 22 amazing galleries & is free to visit
4. Riverside Museum
Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s award-winning transport museum. With over 3,000 objects on display there’s everything from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams and cars to a Stormtrooper.
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https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/riverside-museum
3. Scottish National Gallery
The Scottish National Gallery is one of Scotland’s top free visitor attractions. It houses Scotland’s national collection of fine art from the early Renaissance to the end of the nineteenth century.
Spend an hour strolling around this peaceful setting and you’ll find masterpieces from Raphael, Velázquez and Vermeer to Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh. For a nation of Scotland’s size, the collection is rightfully regarded as one of the very best in the world. The most comprehensive part of the collection covers the history of Scottish painting. All the major names, including Ramsay, Raeburn, Wilkie and McTaggart, are represented in depth. Works on show include Raeburn’s much-loved The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch or, as it has become known, the ‘Skating Minister’.
2. Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a world famous icon of Scotland and part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.
https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/
1. National Museum of Scotland
Explore the diversity of the natural world, world cultures, science and technology, art, design and fashion, and Scottish history, all under one roof.
Set on Edinburgh’s Chambers Street, National Museum of Scotland is a treasure trove of ancient artefacts and precious objects. It’s the most popular attraction in the UK outside of London and offers a great, year-round programme of temporary exhibitions. Don’t miss the 10 recently opened galleries covering science, design and fashion
Want to learn some Scottish slang?
Related reading: Scotland is packed with incredible places to visit. For detailed planning, explore our 7-Day Solo Scotland Itinerary, discover How Easy It Is to Drive in Scotland, and find out about How to Choose the Best Season for Your Trip. Your essential starting point is our Scotland trip planning guide.
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