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.
21. Queensferry
Sitting in the shadow of the Forth Bridges, there are plenty of historic attractions in the area including the Forth Railway Bridge which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. | vichie81 - stock.adobe.com
22. St Andrews
Already having been chosen as a favourite town among tourists, Scotsman readers agree that St Andrews is well worth visiting. | susanne2688 - stock.adobe.com
23. Stonehaven
Another seaside town, Stonehaven is located in Aberdeenshire. It is known for its busy working harbour, the Stonehaven Tolbooth Museum and Dunnottar Castle. In addition, it is home to one of Scotland’s best fish and chip shops. | Jim - stock.adobe.com
24. Stornoway
The largest town in the Western Isles, Stornoway has plenty on offer for visitors including a number of places to eat, historic attractions and plenty of accommodation options. | Lena - stock.adobe.com