During my two weeks in Scotland, I stayed in Inverness for five days and six nights. The guy from the hostel where I was staying thought it was crazy to stay there for that long, but I did not regret it! He said there wasn’t much to see in Inverness and wondered what I would do for that long. Not promoting his town, was he? 😉

He was right about the number of days needed to explore Inverness. You can see most of it in one day, but if you want to take it slow, you could stretch it to two days.

I used the extra days to make some day trips outside of Inverness! Because there’s so much to see around Inverness, and you can see the city as your starting point for several trips and to explore the Highlands!
So, is Inverness worth visiting? Definitely yes! And it is the perfect point to start your day trips!
Let me explain in this blog post what there is to see in Inverness, where to eat, and what possible day trips you can do from Inverness!

What to see in Inverness?

Old High St. Stephen’s Church and churchyard
This beautiful church and churchyard are overlooking the banks of the river Ness. Even if the church is not open, this place is still worth a visit. You can admire the ancient building from the outside, wander in the churchyard, and check the dates on the graves. It’s a perfect combination of city views and history!
If you pass here in the evening, you will find the church beautifully illuminated!

Inverness Town House
While strolling on High Street, you cannot miss this beautiful building in the heart of Inverness!
The entrance is closed most of the time, but you can still admire the architecture on the outside!
Don’t forget to take a look at the wolf statues that are guarding the entrance.

The Victorian Market
In the city center of Inverness lies this covered small market. The market is not a must-see, but it’s still a nice place to visit and a great place to shelter on a rainy day. Here, you’ll find several shops (mostly souvenir and gift shops) and a food court.

Leakey’s Bookshop
This second-hand bookshop is a must-see in Inverness! I would say it’s perfect for a rainy day, but it’s perfect any other day! You can easily spend hours in this shop (like I did!). The interior is truly stunning, with a cozy and magical atmosphere! Book lovers will find their thing here, but also, if you’re into antique prints, you will love this place! They sell a lot of old drawings from all sorts of things. I bought a beautiful print of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh!

Inverness is worth visiting because of this second-hand bookshop alone!

You can find Leakey’s on Church Street near the Old High Church.
It’s open from Monday to Saturday from 10 AM to 5:30 PM. On Sunday, it’s closed.

Inverness castle
You cannot visit the castle because it’s temporarily closed for renovation, but it should be open to the public again in 2025. That doesn’t mean you can’t still admire it from the outside! The best way to get a good view is from the opposite side of the river Ness. It makes a beautiful panorama with the churches of Inverness.

Inverness museum & art gallery
In this small museum, you can discover some art, history, and heritage of the highlands!
It’s best to check their website for the correct opening times because they have different winter and summer opening hours.
The museum is closed on Sunday and Monday.

River Ness
When the weather allows it, you should go for a walk along the banks of the River Ness. You can go for a long walk (a 2-hour circuit) with beautiful views! Start your walk from the city center of Inverness and follow the Ness walk towards the Botanic Gardens. You will pass along the Ness Islands, which are located naturally in the middle of the river. There are footbridges so you can explore both sides of the riverbank. It is a perfect spot for relaxing, taking stunning pictures, and finding the wooden Nessie!

Inverness Botanic Gardens
Combined with your walk along the River Ness, you can visit the Botanic Gardens. This small and beautiful garden is free to visit and is open seven days a week. There’s a secret garden, a tropical house, a cactus house, and more.

Inverness Cathedral
When crossing the River Ness from the city center, you will see the Cathedral of Inverness on the left side. During a walk along the river, you cannot miss it.
There are beautiful stained glass windows and wood carvings.
The cathedral is open each day from 9 AM to 4 PM.

Night walk Inverness
If you stay one or more nights, I recommend an evening stroll around town to see Inverness beautifully illuminated. The Ness bridge has lights that reflect over the River Ness. The townhouse, some churches, and churchyards look more magical at night. So, after dinner, it’s time to go for another walk! 😉

When visiting Inverness, you can explore the city for a day or two, but it’s also a great location to use as a base for exploring the surrounding area and the highlands. Even without renting a car, you can take several day trips from Inverness to nearby destinations such as Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye, Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Culloden Battlefield, or Fort William. Here are some details about the day trips I took from Inverness:

Day trip to Loch Ness

Loch Ness is undoubtedly the most famous loch in Scotland! Although it may not be the largest one by surface or the deepest one, it captures people’s imagination and, therefore, attracts many tourists. The reason for this is Nessie, the legendary creature that supposedly inhabits the lake. If you’re staying in Inverness, near Loch Ness, it’s the perfect opportunity to go on a day trip there.

During my trip to Scotland, I booked a full-day tour to Loch Ness with Rabbie’s small group tours. We drove around the entire lake, making several stops along the way, including a boat trip. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in experiencing the beauty and mystery of Loch Ness. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and we got to see many stunning spots. As a solo traveler, a group tour was also a great way to meet other travelers.

During our day trip to Loch Ness, we visited a few interesting places.

Our first stop was at Dores Beach, a part of the lake where the Nessie Hunter, also known as Steve Feltham, lives in a trailer and is determined to find Nessie someday. You can buy clay statues of Nessie that he makes himself.
You can read more about his story on his website: nessiehunter.co.uk
Dores Beach is one of Loch Ness’s pebble beaches.

After that, we visited the impressive Fall of Foyers waterfall.
Later, on our way to Fort Augustus, we stopped at the stunning Suidhe Viewpoint.

Fort Augustus (situated on the southern tip of Loch Ness) was the perfect place to have lunch, and we had some time to explore the small town.
In the afternoon, we traveled to Invermoriston and enjoyed the beautiful views of River Moriston.

Next, we went to Drumnadrochit to start our boat tour. We sailed for about an hour on the famous Loch Ness, which was amazing! Luckily, it didn’t rain that day.
One of the major attractions during the boat ride was Urquhart Castle, whose ruins added to the mystery of Loch Ness.
The water of Loch Ness is very dark, which can be a bit terrifying because you can’t see much in the water.
However, the boat tour offered a perfect opportunity to try and spot Nessie! After the boat tour, we returned to Inverness, feeling content with the beautiful memories of this day!

Day trip to Fort William and Glenfinnan Viaduct

As a Harry Potter fan, I had to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct! This iconic location is famous for the flying car scene in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!
But it appears in the first and third Harry Potter movies as well!
Instead of joining a group tour, I decided to plan the trip myself.
Since I didn’t rent a car, the best way to get there was by bus.

To reach the Glenfinnan viaduct, take a bus from Inverness bus station to Fort William. From Fort William, take another bus to the viaduct. For instance, you can take the 919/920 bus at 9 AM from Inverness and arrive at Fort William at 11 AM, which is a 2-hour drive. This service runs every 4 hours, but it’s best to check the times online using www.rome2rio.com.

After arriving at Fort William, you can explore the town, go for lunch, and then take bus 500 towards Mallaig, King’s Way (Shiel Buses) to reach Glenfinnan Viaduct. I took the bus that departed from Fort William at 1:27 PM and arrived at the viaduct at 1:54 PM.
To locate the exact stop, you can ask the bus driver for help. The stop is called Glenfinnan, Slatach Road End.

From the bus stop, it’s only a short walk to the viaduct.
You can spare some time to explore the viaduct and wait for the train to pass! The train passes over the viaduct four times a day, twice from Fort William to Mallaig and twice from Mallaig to Fort William.
The train schedule is as follows: the first train passes around 10:45-11:00, the second around 13:20-13:35, the third around 15:00-15:30, and the last one around 18:05-18:20. It takes approximately 33 minutes for the train to reach Glenfinnan from Fort William.
If you arrive in Glenfinnan by bus at 1:54 PM, you can see the train pass by around 15:00-15:30.

On Saturdays, the second and last train follows a different timetable.
Please double-check the times on the West Coast Railways official website (the Jacobite) before visiting.

When at the viaduct, find a spot to take good photos and enjoy the stunning view. However, be cautious of the midges, as there are many of them, and they can leave you with itchy bites.

There is also a visitor center with a souvenir shop.

On my way back, I took the 4:41 PM bus from Glenfinnan and arrived in Fort William at 5:08 PM (Bus 500). From Fort William, I took another bus at 5:43 PM that arrived in Inverness at 7:45 PM (Bus 919).

The journey involves a lot of time on the bus, but that’s the same with most other day trips you book. But being on the bus for a while means you can enjoy the stunning views of the Scottish Highlands! I just loved being on the move!

Day trip to the Isle of Skye

While in Scotland, I wanted to see more of the highlands, especially the Isle of Skye, which I had heard so much about.
Since I didn’t rent a car, I booked a full-day trip from Inverness to the Isle of Skye on Viator with Highland Experience Tours.
It was a small group tour, so it was not too crowded and felt just right!
We started our journey at 8 AM from the Inverness bus station.

During our day trip, we visited several breathtaking locations. Our first stop was at Loch Ness, followed by a stop near the stunning Eilean Donan Castle. In my opinion, it was the most beautiful castle I have seen in Scotland.

Next, we arrived on the Isle of Skye and made our way to the capital town of Portree for lunch and some exploring. The town has a beautiful, colorful harbor!

In the afternoon, we continued our drive around the island and saw natural wonders like the Old Man of Storr, a beautiful rocky hill, and the Rigg viewpoint, which offered stunning views despite the windy weather.

We also stopped at Kilt Rock with the Mealt Falls, and after that, Quiraing, one of the most famous and breathtaking viewpoints on the Isle of Skye! It features dramatic rock formations and stunning mountains, making it a must-see!

Finally, we headed back to Inverness and made one last stop at the Sligachan Old Bridge and nearby statue. It was an unforgettable day trip filled with beautiful sights and experiences!

Where to eat or go for a drink in Inverness?

There are many great places to eat and drink in the city! Here are some nice spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a night out in Inverness:

Wild pancakes:
The perfect place for breakfast and delicious pancakes!
17 Inglis Street.

Lettuce eat Sandwich shop:
Great sandwich shop with fresh and tasty food! The perfect spot for lunch with generous portions.
6 Stephen’s Street.

Coyote’s Inverness:
This restaurant serves delicious burgers and fries for dine-in or takeaway!
27 Bank Street.

Comfort foods:
Huge portions and good food! It’s a friendly and busy small place where they serve breakfast and lunch.
22 Church Street.

Mcleod’s Fish & Chips:
If you’re craving fish and chips during your stay in Inverness, this is your place to be! It’s takeaway only.
29 Grant Street.

Black Isle bar:
One of the best places for a night out! It’s a vibrant bar where you can eat some excellent wood-fired pizza and has a cozy rooftop terrace!
68 Church Street.

Hootananny:
This traditional Scottish pub offers food and live music starting around 9 PM. This bar is a must-visit during your stay in Inverness if you want an authentic Scottish experience.
If you’re planning to eat there, I recommend to make a reservation.
67 Church Street.

Thank you for reading my blog post! I hope it was helpful to you and that it convinced you to add a trip to Inverness on your Scotland trip because Inverness is definitely worth visiting!

For more information on planning your trip to Scotland, check out my blog post about Edinburgh!

Tags: day trips from Inverness, is Inverness worth visiting