I’ve previously whizzed past this underrated UK city. It was a mistake

September 9, 2026 — 5:00amStanding by the turrets of Inverness Castle – spellbound by the bucolic panoramas, bagpipes sounding in the streets below – memories of my school literature classes begin to bubble.We were studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth in which the titular character, inspired by the prophecies of three witches, murders King Duncan at Inverness Castle. That didn’t actually happen here – Shakespeare loved blurring fact and fiction – but plenty else did.Inverness Castle has had multiple rebuilds over the centuries.iStockThis stronghold, which crowns a cliff above the River Ness, has witnessed multiple sieges and rebuilds since the 11th century, as rival clans and monarchs sought control. Robert the Bruce and Mary, Queen of Scots, were among those to recognise the strategic value of Inverness (“mouth of the River Ness” in Scottish Gaelic).Dubbed “the capital of the Highlands”, it’s a half-hour drive from Loch Ness and the springboard for the North Coast 500, one of the world’s great touring routes, which winds 800 breathtaking kilometres around Scotland’s top end.Having previously whizzed through Inverness, I linger this time to savour the city’s charms, which include strolls on the Ness Islands, an idyllic cluster of tree-shaded nature reserves sprinkling the river, and boat trips on the Moray Firth, an inlet of the North Sea with resident bottlenose dolphins.Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletterGet exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.Inverness, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. iStockThe Inverness Castle Experience explores the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands. The Inverness Castle Experience gives visitors an opportunity to absorb the city’s delightful setting and explore Highland history and culture.The castle, rebuilt in the 19th century as a prison and courthouse (justice was served here until 2020), now contains high-tech visuals, hands-on installations and evocative tapestries with audio by a seanchaidh (traditional Gaelic storyteller). Outside, hardy Highland plants tuft a landscaped esplanade and there’s terrace seating for the castle’s Saltire Bistro.You’ll find more refreshments in Inverness’ compact city centre, from hip coffee shop-bakeries like Birch and Kali to the Victorian Market, a covered arcade and food hall rejuvenated in 2022. I have a delicious $40 two-course lunch of Scottish mussels and a steak and ale pie at Number 27 Bar & Kitchen, a sword’s throw from the castle.There are fabulous views of Inverness and its surrounds from Inverness Castle.iStockTapas-sized takes on classic Scottish dishes are served at MacGregor’s in Inverness.Steve McKennaRollicking evenings are had at MacGregor’s, an award-winning establishment run by elite fiddle player Bruce MacGregor. Expect toe-tapping tunes and heart-stirring Highland tales with feisty cocktails and tapas-sized takes on Scottish classics such as haggis, cullen skink and cranachan, or Angus beef burgers named after iconic Scots such as William Wallace and Robert Burns.MacGregor and his staff proudly sport kilts, one of the quintessential Highland items the British government tried to ban following the Battle of Culloden, which raged on Inverness’ outskirts in 1746, crushing the Jacobite Rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie. You can tour the site of the last pitched battle fought on British soil then hit Fort George, a mammoth fortress later built to guard the Moray Firth.Also rousing the spirits in Inverness is Uile-bheist Distillery & Brewery, which channels the River Ness to power its “brew-stillery”, the first of its type in Scotland. Sample craft beers and whiskies, and peruse the walls and labels flaunting fantastical creatures from Scottish folklore by Australian illustrator Ken Taylor.Whisky fans will be tempted by Speyside, a picturesque region, an hour by car from Inverness, home to about one-third of Scotland’s 150-plus distilleries.Trains link Inverness with the nearby village Muir of Ord, where The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery offers tours, classes and drams-and-dessert pairings.Alternative outings from Inverness include the rose-pink, fairytale Brodie Castle and the castle and gardens of Cawdor, another place steeped in Shakespearean legend.Besides the road-tripping possibilities, you could book a multi-night, small-ship cruise along the Caledonian Canal, which slithers 100 kilometres to Fort William on Scotland’s other (west) coast. Whichever direction you head in, you’ll leave Inverness on a high.THE DETAILSFLYQatar flies to London from Sydney and Melbourne via Doha with onward connections to Inverness. You could also fly to Edinburgh and take a scenic 3½-hour train ride to Inverness. See qatarairways.com; scotrail.co.ukSTAYAttached to Uile-bheist Distillery & Brewery, Glen Mhor Hotel has rooms and self-catering apartments from around £75 ($151). Across the river, Ness Walk Hotel is a stylish boutique option from about £134 ($270). See glen-mhor.com; nesswalk.comMOREinvernesscastle.scot; visitscotland.com; visitbritain.comThe writer travelled as a guest of Visit Scotland and Visit Britain.Steve McKenna is based in the UK, but is usually drawn to sunnier climes. He has a special affection for Mediterranean Europe, south-east Asia and Latin America.From our partners