Regions of Scotland: Discover the Diversity of the Highlands & Islands
Scotland is vast and varied. From the Highlands to the Borders, each region has its own distinct character. Here’s an overview of Scotland’s regions and what makes each one special.
Scotland’s Regions on a Map
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More InformationScotland’s Regions at a Glance
Aberdeenshire
Scotland’s wealthiest region stretches inland from the eastern city of Aberdeen. Fertile and steeped in ancient history, Aberdeen itself is known as the city of granite.
Argyll & Bute
Cultivated, with plenty of sights and beautiful nature parks. Just offshore lies Islay, an island where eight distilleries produce their famously peaty whisky.
Outer Hebrides
A remote island chain off Scotland’s west coast. If you want to experience the Gaelic language, this is the place – with magnificent sandy beaches and an ancient stone circle.
Ayrshire & Arran
The homeland of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, this region shines with coastal towns, castles and a strong Viking heritage. The Isle of Arran is also known as Scotland in miniature.
The Borders
The borderland with England was fiercely fought over for centuries. Traces of that struggle can still be seen in several of the region’s impressive cathedrals.
Dumfries & Galloway
In the southwest of Scotland, expansive forests, gentle hills and exciting coastlines stretch out beneath a uniquely dark, star-filled sky.
Dundee & Angus
Beyond the city of Dundee lies Angus, with its dramatic cliff scenery along the North Sea. For many travellers, this area is still undiscovered territory.
Fife
The old Kingdom of Fife on the Firth of Forth is densely packed with palaces, churches and ancient fishing villages.
Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley
The area around Glasgow, stretching south to where the old industrial heart once beat, captivates with a number of truly unique sights.
The Highlands
A land emptied of people – remote, and blessed with a magnificent landscape. Here you’ll find wonderful sandy beaches, cliffs and even unique sea caves to explore.
Inverness-shire
The heart of the Highlands. Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, the battlefield of Culloden, the Jacobite Steam Train known from the Harry Potter films, and much more.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
This nature park, centred on the famous Loch Lomond, is one of a kind. But the towns within it, like Stirling and Falkirk, are also well worth a visit.
The Lothians
The Lothians surround Edinburgh. Densely populated, the region is home to old towns, impressive castles and a strong connection to the North Sea.
Orkney
The Norse islands. Here you feel the Viking heritage more strongly than anywhere else, alongside ancient stone circles and monoliths, burial mounds and a Stone Age village to admire.
Perthshire
Perthshire is known as the land of trees, since large parts of Scotland’s forests survive here intact. Beneath its tall trees, it’s a fantastic place for hiking or mountain biking.
![Mike Pennington [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.myhighlands.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Some_of_the_Jarls_Squad_at_Norik_Up_Helly_Aa_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1728425.jpg.webp)
Shetland
Scotland’s northernmost tip, out in the middle of the Atlantic, feels almost Norwegian. It’s home to the Viking festival Up Helly Aa, and the world-famous Mousa Broch.
Scotland’s Most Beautiful Islands
Arran
Well sheltered in the Firth of Clyde, not far from Glasgow, the Isle of Arran is a popular day-trip destination, often described as Scotland in miniature.
Islay
The Scottish island of Islay is famous above all for its whisky. But it has far more to offer: culture, nature, festivals. Here’s the overview for planning a trip to Islay.
Isle of Skye
Probably Scotland’s most famous island. Here you’ll find some of the country’s best-known sights, including the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools and the Fairy Glen.
Isle of Mull
Here you can spot white-tailed eagles, golden eagles, buzzards and more, plus seals and, with a bit of luck, otters. Don’t miss the Isle of Iona, the centre of Scottish Christianity with its Celtic crosses.
Cities in Scotland
Edinburgh
What visitors can do in Scotland’s capital, which spots are especially worth seeing, and everything else worth knowing about Edinburgh – it’s all here.
Glasgow
Glasgow was once considered the murder capital of Western Europe. But that’s changed dramatically since the turn of the century. The once-troubled Glasgow has become Scotland’s most likeable city.
Dundee
Dundee is one of Scotland’s most underrated cities. Rooted in the traditions of whaling and jute-making, it has reinvented itself as the UK’s City of Design – and not just thanks to the brilliant V&A Dundee museum.
Dunoon
Dunoon is the largest town in Argyll and Bute – and yet hardly any tourists know it. That may be down to the fact that it’s still awkward to reach, either via a very long road route or by boat.
Aberdeen
Famous as the granite city floating on oil, Aberdeen is also a metropolis in the east that offers plenty of interesting sights for travellers to Scotland.
Fort William
The old garrison town of Fort William makes the ideal base for trips to nearby Ben Nevis, Glen Coe and the west coast. But there’s also plenty to discover in the town itself.
Inverness
The northernmost city in the UK, capital of the Highlands and gateway to the north of Scotland. Here’s what there is to see and experience in Inverness.
Perth
City, land, river – the Scottish city of Perth ties the three together like nowhere else. Find out why, and what there is to experience there.
St Andrews
St Andrews has given the Scots a great deal: a religious centre, the sport of golf, and many famous university graduates. Why a visit is worthwhile.
Stirling
Stirling is Scotland’s old royal city. Decisive battles were fought here, and it held the key to the Highlands. Its location and history make Stirling a fantastic day-trip destination.
