With Edinburgh Castle, the slopes of Glencoe, and the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond on offer, is it any wonder that visitors flock to Scotland? The country is seeing a tourism boom with almost four million international visitors arriving in 2023, an increase of 15 per cent on pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands are the most popular destinations and both have suffered negative effects. Short-term let rules that require operators to apply for a licence can cost thousands of pounds.
Those renting out properties suggest this has pushed up holiday accommodation fees in the capital. Hotel prices are also high. Highlands residents, meanwhile, have faced clogged roads , littering and parking areas filled with motorhomes.
However, there are parts of Scotland that tend to be overlooked by tourists, but that still have plenty of appeal. When visiting these destinations, you won’t be putting a strain on rural communities. As a Scot, I feel there is as much, if not more, to see in these places than in the tourist hot spots.
Here are six of my favourite places away from Scotland’s most typical holiday trails. The Isle of Jura Nearby Islay may be better known by whiskey lovers, but Jura’s wild, rugged landscape has its own appeal. Red deer far outnumber the island’s inhabitants (approximately 5,000 versus around 200).
With few people around, Jura offers a feeling of getting away from it all. George Orwell even stayed here while writing 1984 . There are mountain walks and whirlpools, as well as distilleries to visit.
The Isle of Jura Distillery runs daily tours (£15), and you can also visit the Deer Island rum distillery, and the Lussa Gin Distillery . Where to stay Doubles at The Jura Hotel from £160 per night, including breakfast. A culinary highlight The Antlers Bistro at Craighouse serves sandwiches, fish and chips, all day breakfast and roast dinners.
How to get there A five-minute ferry crossing from Islay to Jura runs all year round. From April until September you can also catch a ferry from Tayvallich , on the mainland. North East 250 The North Coast 500 has become a victim of its own success, with reports of clogged roads and struggling infrastructure.
The circular North East 250 is the perfect alternative, and showcases the whisky of Speyside, the mountains of the Cairngorms, and the windswept Aberdeenshire coastline. Where to stay The route is perhaps best enjoyed in a campervan, and Camperceilidh Campers have rentals from £1,280 per week. If you are looking to base yourself in one place, Door to the Shore luxury eco-pod in Fraserburgh is designed like an upturned boat and is just metres from the sea.
Prices start from £223 for two people, for two nights. The Boat Inn in Aboyne has 16 beautifully designed rooms, starting at £130 for a double, and a beer garden to enjoy in the light evenings. A culinary highlight The Michelin-recommended Fish Shop in Ballater serves some of the region’s spectacular produce, such as north coast lobster with chilli, garlic and chervil, or Aberdeenshire beef with Cafe dé Paris butter.
How to get there You can fly direct to Aberdeen from airports elsewhere in the UK, including Gatwick, Luton or Heathrow, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham or Bristol. Scotrail goes direct to Aberdeen from Glasgow Queen Street or Edinburgh Waverley, and you can travel direct from King’s Cross with London North Eastern through York and Darlington. Glasgow South Side Some of the best food in the nation can be found in the vibrant, culturally diverse, and artistic neighbourhoods of Glasgow’s South Side .
Around the picturesque Queen’s Park, which on a clear day offers views across the city to the Campsie Fells, you will find a cornucopia of culinary delights, from the weekly changing menu at Big Counter , to the small batch gelato at La Gelatessa , with flavours such as cranachan and Vietnamese salted coffee. Burn that off at the Burrell Collection Museum , which has Ming vases, Roman sculpture, Egyptian pottery and pieces from artists such as Manet and Cézanne. Don’t miss the Discovering Degas exhibition, which is on until the end of September.
Where to stay This is primarily a residential area, so you’re probably best off staying in the city centre. The House of Gods opened in April, with doubles from £119 per night. A culinary highlight There are almost too many to pick from, but standouts include Lobo , seven21 and Two Eight Seven .
How to get there Trains to Queen’s Park station leave from Glasgow Central and take just six minutes. Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper, Scotrail and the TransPennine Express serve Glasgow Central. The Isle of Harris If it wasn’t for the chill in the air, you might think the Isle of Harris was in the tropics, with its glorious beaches and piercingly blue water.
But with a wet suit and a pinch of bravery, you might enjoy swimming in the Outer Hebrides just as much as in Barbados. Inland, you’ll find An Cliseam, the highest mountain in the Outer Hebrides, at 799 metres, Neolithic and Norse settlements, medieval churches and windswept fields of Highland Coos. Where to stay Stay in an Iron Age Tower at The Broch on Borve Lodge Estate , starting at £1,760 per week.
The Hotel Hebrides has modern rooms from £150 per double. A culinary highlight Enjoy an interactive fine dining experience At Flavour in Tarbert , where you are given the story of how each ingredient was sourced. Expect dishes such as hand-foraged wild garlic soup and Isle of Lewis squid ceviche.
How to get there You can catch a ferry from Uig to the main town of Tarbert . Badenoch The Cairngorms is one of the least-visited national parks in the UK (around 1.92 million annually) , despite being its largest.
Most tourists head to Aviemore, but the wider Badenoch area is far less known. Badenoch takes in a large region of the national park, and includes towns like Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore and Kingussie. It is also an outdoor enthusiasts dream, with acres of mountains, lochs, forests and waterfalls to explore.
Visit Cairngorms has put together a three-day itinerary featuring cycling and walking routes, music and stories celebrating Scottish culture. Where to stay The McInnes House hotel in Kingussie has doubles from £140. A culinary highlight Cafe Bistro in Kingussy is well worth a stop for traditional Scottish fare, including haunch of venison, fillet of salmon and, of course, haggis.
How to get there Scotrail connects the area with Inverness and the Central Belt, plus the Caledonian Sleeper serves Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore and Kingussie. Dumfries and Galloway The Highlands tend to hog the attention, but the lowlands are equally stunning. Dumfries & Galloway is hugely underappreciated.
It has a breathtaking shoreline of undulating beaches and rocky coves, and acres of forest and green spaces. Galloway Forest Park is a Dark Skies site, so it has some of the UK’s best stargazing opportunities. Where to stay Enjoy ocean views at the maximalist Dunskey Estate – Saltwater Chronicles Lodge, a three-bedroom home that sits in a glen of bluebells and wide open skies.
It is available from £200 a night through Sawdays . A culinary highlight Try The Globe Inn , in Dumfries, for a cosy meal of roasted salt-aged duck or cod with lemongrass and tomato veloute, followed by a dram or two. How to get there Local buses connect villages and towns, and you can get to Stranraer, Dumfries, Gretna Green and Lockerbie from Carlisle or Glasgow by train.
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