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City in the Highlands of Scotland
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis, "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in The Great Glen and Strathspey area of the Scottish Highlands, at the point where the River Ness flows out into the Moray Firth.
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A great defensive position it's not: castles on this site have been serially destroyed, most recently in 1746 when its Jacobite occupiers wrecked the medieval bastion to prevent its use by government forces. The elegant pink sandstone edifice that now stands here was built in 1847. Until 2020 It housed the law courts - they've moved to a modern building on Longman Rd. Castle reopened in December 2025 upgraded to a more immersive Inverness Castle Experience.
The museum has a collection of Pictish stones and wildlife dioramas, as well as historic weapons. The gallery has art exhibitions on two floors, no permanent collection.
19th-century shopping arcade opposite the railway station.
Built in 1593, the oldest house in Inverness, now run by the National Trust for Scotland, with a small exhibition and garden.
The oldest in Inverness, this Gothic Church of Scotland parish church was mostly built in the 18th century, and there's probably been a church on this site since St Columba's time. The congregation is referred to as "Old High St Stephens" reflecting a merger in 2003 between this and St Stephens, a 19th-century church half a mile south. Both churches remain active but nowadays all services are in St Stephens.
Its denizens are mostly 19th-century, but the original Chapel of St Mary, part of a monastery, was 14th-century. Chapel and monastery are long gone as Cromwell carried off the masonry to build a bastion.
St Andrew’s
Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) cathedral, built in 1869 in a mix of red sandstone and granite. Look up to the two giant spires . . . which aren't there, because the money for building ran out.
The main Roman Catholic church, built in 1837, with fine stained glass windows and altar. It's not a cathedral as the RC diocese is based in Aberdeen.
A fine mansion of 1726 but only occasionally open.
Pictish, carved around 600 AD, showing a wild boar amidst spirals and bristles. It's been moved from the farm where it was found to the south side of the Highland Council offices on Glenurquhart Rd.
Glasshouse and gardens, with a range of exotic plants, plus a cafe. Assistance dogs only.
A theatre, arts and cinema venue. They host Under Canvas music festival throughout July and August.
Popular local bakery with loaves, pies, sweet pastries, croissants and more. It's at the corner of Glenurquhart Rd, handy for the council offices, and for the B&B strip in case Mrs Macbeth's catering is parsimonious.
Perk Coffee & Doughnuts
serves coffee and doughnuts by day (daily until 3PM), martinis by night (Th-Su 4-11:30PM).
bistro serving modern Scottish dishes.
Vegetarian cafe-deli.
This sounds Indian but it's modern European fare in a former church on the riverbank.
Quality Scottish food in a contemporary setting.
Small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare
Good place for an early evening meal, gets great reviews.
La Tortilla
Tapas bar with rustic decor.
Cosy family-run restaurant, mainly serving pasta and pizza, and antipasti sharing platters. Daily lunch specials on blackboard.
A high quality bakehouse and coffee shop serving fresh food and pastries.
Live Celtic music most nights. Good trad food and inexpensive.
A bar with rooms run by Black Isle Brewery. They have a dozen beers on tap from their own organic brewery and some others, and serve good pizza from a wood-fired oven. Family- and dog-friendly.
Reliable JD Wetherspoon with decent meals and rooms.
Cosy wine bar with cheese, meat and veggie platters.
Independent brewery producing a range of organic beers, with bars in Inverness (above) and Fort William, plus rooms.
On a warm summer's evening, this inn on the northeast shore of Loch Ness is a particularly pleasant place to linger over a beer. Good trad pub food.
Established in 1841. Offers a wide variety of beers on tap and live music 7 days a week. Walk-ins only.
Basic but comfy hostel run by Black Isle Brewery and open year-round. Very central, some street noise.
Large modern hostel open all year. Excellent facilities: internet, laundry, some small rooms en-suite.
Clean informal hostel in a Victorian house, open all year. There's also a self-catering apartment.
Camping and caravan site open Easter to mid-Sep. Cleanliness varies. It's a pleasant 20-min walk along the river to town centre.
Mid-range hotel opened in 1856 and still feels like a trad Highland railway hotel. Some street noise, but decent dining and service.
Comfortable accommodation in a quiet setting, no children. The owners are friendly and helpful.
Restful small B&B, open Feb-Dec.
Hospitable trad B&B in a substantial ivy-clad Victorian villa.
The rooms are beautiful and the owners are friendly and helpful. Assistance dogs only.
Reliable mid-range chain hotel, very central, pricy for what you get.
Pleasant hotel with restaurant and bar half a mile east of town centre.
Glowing reviews for this riverside hotel in a 19th-century mansion.
Smart riverside hotel with brasserie.
Wonderful country house hotel: bun craobh means "near the tree", which doesn't much help you find it. The original house of 1505 was tiny, then the present mansion was built in 1621 in baronial style. In 1745 its owners the Forbes backed the government against Bonnie Prince Charlie but received scant thanks and went bust. A happier development in the 19th century was that the bone manure factory closed down. The house passed to politician Sir Malcolm Rifkin (b 1946) who converted it into a hotel in 1986. It earns top scores from guests and is often a wedding venue.
Upscale hotel by the golf course, great reviews for comfort and service.
By road
Take your time, the roads north of Perth are in good repair but mostly undivided, with few safe overtaking stretches and plenty of speed cameras.
By train
Inverness has trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow (direct every couple of hours or change at Perth, 4 hours), from Aberdeen (every two hours, 2 hr 15 min), from Kyle of Lochalsh for Skye (four per day,…
By bus
Buses run every hour or so from Edinburgh and Glasgow via Perth and Aviemore. The main operators are Citylink, Parks of Hamilton, Megabus and Ember Electric Buses.
By boat
Inverness port has freight but no passenger vessels. Cruise ships often dock at Invergordon, 20 miles north.
By taxi
Operators include Inverness Taxis (+44 1463 222222), A2B (+44 1463 807060), Capital (+44 1463 808080) and Inverness Premier Taxis (+44 1463 800223).
By bike
You don't need one in town, but bike is a good way to reach Loch Ness, and the sights around Culloden. Inverness Bike Hire are based at 12A Church Street. Open daily 9AM-11PM.
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Inverness, Highland · Regional · INV
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