Scotland is home to plenty of natural beauty with pretty villages and towns to be found from the Borders to the north.
But despite the Highlands regularly being included among the top tourist destinations in the UK, Fort William, the country’s outdoor capital, found itself being ranked as one of the worst places to visit in the UK.
Consumer magazine Which? asked almost 4,000 people about their experiences in different towns and cities around the country. Tourists ranked each location based on criteria including food and drink, ease of access, value for money, accommodation and more. While Fort William performed poorly in the survey, Edinburgh was ranked among the best places to visit in the UK.
With the Highland town’s reputation as a hub for activities such as mountain biking, hillwalking and more, we decided to ask Scotsman readers to share which towns they thought visitors should see.
Whether it’s because of beautiful scenery or historic sights, here are 26 of the best Scottish towns to visit as chosen by our readers.
5. Campbeltown
With three whisky distilleries available for visitors to explore, Campbeltown is one of the largest towns in Argyll. | AlexanderNikiforov - stock.adobe.com
6. Culross
Fans of Outlander will likely recognise the streets of Culross as it has appeared many times in the TV series. The historic burgh in Fife is the closest many visitors will get to stepping back into the 16th century in Scotland. | astar321 - stock.adobe.com
7. Dornoch
Highly recommended by Scotsman readers, Dornoch is a small historic town which is known for having a sunny climate due to its sheltered position ideal with its golden beaches. The town is also famed for its cathedral. | giumas - stock.adobe.com
8. Dumfries
Close to the border, Dumfries is a historic market town with a wide variety of shops and restaurants. It is also known for being the home of Robert Burns. | Jozef - stock.adobe.com