8 reasons to visit Scotland in 2026

Think you’ve already ‘done’ Scotland? Well, in the words of the stirring national anthem Flower of Scotland, it’s time to think again as in 2026 as there are a heaving shortbread tin of new attractions, thrilling experiences, global spectaculars and innovative ways to see Scotland in a very different light.

It’s time to tuck into these tartan treats – which reason catches your eye the most?

Glasgow turned on the style staging the wildly successful Commonwealth Games in 2014 and this year welcomes them again after saving the day when the scheduled Australian hosts pulled out. From 23 July–2 August 3,000 athletes take to the track, water and the court over 11 days and 10 sports. For the first time, the six Para Sports will be fully integrated into the main Games. Cheer on local favourites like athletics stars Jake Wightman and Megan Keith.

Tickets are on sale now for the four venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the Emirates Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), including The Hydro, SEC Armadillo, and SEC Centre. Prices are much keener than for the FIFA World Cup in summer, so why not plan a few days checking out multiple events?

More information: glasgow2026.com

Inverness Castle swirls in tall tales of Jacobite heroes, but has long been shut off, serving as a court. It re-opens to the public in 2026 as the totally reimagined and reinvented Inverness Castle Experience. The voices of the seanchaidh (storyteller) guides you through the South Tower Experience with a ‘sensory experience’ helping bring the city and the country to life. Don’t miss the North Tower Cèilidh Rooms and Gallery too for a deep dive into Highland culture, including a section on Scottish rock superstars Runrig. You’ll have to visit to find out if they mention that monster. The Spirits of the Highlands in the West Tower explores the world of Scottish whisky.

Afterwards, enjoy local produce at The Saltire Bistro and North Tower Bar. The views from the terrace open up the city and surrounding hills.

More information: invernesscastle.scot

Covid looked like it had killed off the Tomb of the Eagles, Orkney’s wildly popular family-run prehistoric site, and the unique experience of exploring the depths of the Isbister Chambered Cairn (its official name) on a wee wheeled trolley. The passionate family behind the burial tomb and the local community had other ideas, though, and April sees its archaeological treasures re-open under an innovative community ownership model. Expect an upgraded visitor experience with a new viewing platform, revamped visitor centre and guided walks surging you back 5,000 years. The tomb sits in a spectacular spot on rugged cliffs gazing back to the mainland, so make time for a ramble along with the local seabirds.

A big year beckons for whisky lovers. Sweep in for an Outer Hebridean beach landing as Barra’s £12 million distillery finally opens in 2026, with tours, a visitor centre, café, and shop. Another newbie is environmentally-friendly Eden Mill Distillery, with its gin, whisky and charcuterie boards served in the spectacular Lookout Cocktail Bar; the golf simulator is a nod to nearby St Andrews. Just up the road in Angus, Glencadam Distillery celebrates two centuries of conjuring up whisky with a sparkling new visitor centre. A dram at the whisky bar in one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries is de rigueur. An essential for Outlander fans lies south at Galloway Distillery, Dumfries and Galloway, backed by lead actor Sam Heughan, with gin and vodka, as well as whisky.

More information: isleofbarradistillers.com / edenmill.com / glencadamwhisky.com

Scotland’s bountiful nature is a tonic in itself. But now you can take your chill to the next level with the ‘HotBoat’, Taymouth Marina’s floating sauna. Drifting below lofty Munro mountains on the UK’s first floating wood-fired sauna on Loch Tay is a sublime experience. Enjoy a bracing dip, then get all coorie (Scots cosy) inside: many a Scandinavian wellness guru swears by the hot/cold combo and outdoor saunas are a craze currently sweeping Scotland. You can even play your own tunes with their Bluetooth sound system. Takes groups of up to half a dozen for a unique cruise through Perthshire.

More information: taymouthmarina.com

Forget Stonehenge. All eyes in 2026 are on even older stone circle in Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, with the much-needed revamped Calanais Standing Stones Visitor Centre. A whopping £10.1 million has been spent illuminating this prehistoric site in new ways with a state-of-the-art visitor hub that gets to the heart of the theories we have of how Calanais was used. Vault back 5,000 years through the circle (in reality more of a cross shape), then buy the t-shirt in the shop and scone in the café. The stones lie in a special spot peering out over shimmering sea and moorland.

More information: calanais.org

Dundee, a designated UNESCO City of Design, sees not one but two massive exhibitions come to the V&A Dundee in 2026. Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show is a UK-exclusive exhibition running from 3 April 2026 to 17 January 2027 that sweeps through the history of fashion shows, from late 19th-century glamour, right through today’s multimedia shared events, with lashings of beautiful outfits and memorabilia. Then the Design & Disability Exhibition from 4 June 2026–2 May 2027 takes a pioneering dive into the social history of design and disability. The remit covers Disabled-led design, art, architecture, fashion and photography, with 170 objects spread across the themes of ‘Visibility, Tools and Living’, giving space to voices not often heard in more mainstream galleries and museums. Make sure to explore the permanent gallery too, which showcases Scotland’s world-class heritage of design, from Charles Rennie Mackintosh to the Forth Bridge.

More information: vam.ac.uk/dundee