Inverness, a city in the Highlands of Scotland  is situated in some of the most beautiful countryside in the U.K.. The city, and surrounding area, are steeped in history, more often than not these places lay witness to a great deal of suffering and violence. Thankfully Inverness has a incredible number of tourist attractions (and the number is continually on the increase). In the paragraphs below I introduce 3 places to visit in Inverness Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, Inverness Castle and Beauly Priory:

Beauly Priory

Monks, from the Valliscaulian order, set up a community at Beauly Priory in the Thirteenth century. Unfortunately nobody has the ability to state the accurate date of the foundation of the settlement but it is commonly agreed that is was about the year 1230. During that time Sir John Bisset, whose lands were almagamated with the Fraser’s of Lovat, was the patron and landowner of Beauly. Bisset and the French monks are credited with the naming of Beauly, coming from the French for beautiful place (beau lieu). Sadly, Beauly Priory became derelict following the 1582 Reformation and the stone was stolen for the building of other local structures. Beauly Priory was passed into state hands in 1913 and the ruins are now cared for by the organization Historic Scotland.

Inverness Castle

Over the centuries there have been various structures on the site where you can now see Inverness Castle, some dating as far back as 1057. King Robert I, of Scotland, almost destroyed the first Inverness Castle. The castle which currently sits on the site was designed and constructed , in 1836, by William Burn. The magnificent castle, built of red sandstone, hold a prominent position atop a cliff looking down over the River Ness and the cathedral on the opposite side. King James I, of Scotland, conducted parliament at Inverness Castle in the year 1427, and called all the Northern Chieftains to attend. Alarmingly 3 of these chieftains were later executed for asserting an independent sovereignty.

Inverness Museum (& Art Gallery)

Found in Inverness town center is the newly refurbished Inverness Museum and Art Gallery which is well worth a visit especially if it is wet outside. At the museum visitors can investigate Scottish History and find out how the Highlands are connected with the rest of the world. You can also find out about the people of the Highlands, their culture and traditions. There are many different exhibitions featuring, costumes, textiles, fine arts, crafts, wildlife and archaeology.

If you are considering a vacation in the United Kingdom of Great Britain this year and you hope to spend a few days in Scotland, you may wish to think about spending a couple of days staying in Inverness. Finding Inverness hotel accommodation online is relatively easy as the majority of establishments have their own web site.  Hotels in Inverness, small hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts are always excellent and Scotland is well known for hospitality of the highest order, so you can be certain of have a wonderful time.