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This world famous castle wears the nation’s history. Here you’ll find the Scottish Crown, Sword and Sceptre, and the legendary Stone of Destiny. The Royal Mile treads a straightish but diverting path from the Castle to Holyrood-house (see Edinburgh Castle) .

Presiding over the nation’s capital, the castle is Scotland’s pre-eminent sight, a truly inspirational historical and cultural landmark (see Edinburgh Castle) .

With access to one of the best views in Edinburgh, the food could easily take second place. But The Tower doesn’t rest on its laurels, and continues to prepare simple Scottish dishes with carefully sourced ingredients – from oysters, mussels and scallops, to a hearty Aberdeen Angus steak (see The Tower) .

A wonderfully theatrical setting in the Secret Garden room. Game and seafood dominate the menu, while the 900-strong wine list carries a reputation of its own (see The Witchery by the Castle) .

With a menu that reflects the crossover of a French-trained local chef, Milo’s reputation is set to rocket. From high teas to the finest à la carte dinner, the fantastic meals are served in a tiny restaurant overlooking the harbour.

You don’t establish a restaurant in the remotest corner of Skye, win every award going and continue to run it to wild acclaim for 20 years without doing something right. Shirley and Eddy Spear do it perfectly in this old croft house, presenting local, fresh, simple, delicious food, cooked superbly. Make sure you book – an international trail leads here (see Three Chimneys) .

Funky arts centre with bistrobar. The best music venue in the northeast region. Live bands play at weekends.

Ever popular, its one-time ordinary pubness rapidly becoming exotic: big old mirrors, a mix of ages, drinks in pint pots and cheap lunches.

Ancient geology scarred Scotland, and the Great Glen is its deepest cut, a swath that splits the land in two. A course of water runs through this great valley, forming charismatic lochs, such as notorious Loch Ness (see Loch Ness and the Great Glen) .

Ice Age glaciers gouged out a deep trench along a split in the land mass of Scotland, and the resulting valley is known today as the Great Glen. Loch Ness is its cause célèbre , with arresting views, the mystery of its reclusive monster and the evocative ruins of Urquhart Castle. Do not eschew a visit to the great loch! (see Loch Ness and the Great Glen)

Probably Scotland’s most charismatic loch, this deep body of water is a major draw because of the scenic splendour of the Great Glen, Urquhart Castle and the as-yet-unexplained sightings of monster Nessie (see Loch Ness and the Great Glen) .

The largest surface of fresh water in Scotland, Loch Lomond’s beauty is celebrated in literature, song and legend. Now the country’s first National Park, in conjunction with the Trossachs, the loch is revered for its islands, lofty hills and shoreside leisure facilities.

A rugged mountain range gathered into gorgeous scenery through which the twisting main road seems to creep submissively. A favourite skiing, mountaineering and walking area, and infamous for the terrible 1692 massacre of clan MacDonald (see Glencoe) .

To Dickens this was “a burial ground of a race of giants”, and, indeed, there is something ominous in the raw terrain of this region. It is a magnificent, sublime landscape, chilled by the history of the bloody 1692 massacre (see Glencoe) .

No one manages to drive past this castle without leaping for their camera. Small, beautiful and magical, the restored 13th-century fortress of clan Macrae stands on an island in magnificent scenery on the road to Skye (see Eilean Donan Castle) .

A city in name but a bustling town by nature, Inverness is redeemed from the blight of its shamefully dull modern architecture by the majestic red sandstone castle (now the court house), fine old houses and the beauty of the River Ness. Inverness Museum and Art Gallery invites “hands on the Highland Heritage” (but you have to leave the artifacts behind), and the Aquadome is a fun-packed swimming centre. The Islands Walk is sublimely peaceful.

Mountainous, misty and magical, Skye is an island of dramatic scenery, with an ancient castle, an idolized distillery and plenty more attractions (see Isle of Skye) .

A long sliver of a loch, twisting sinuously through forested hills. The magnificent ruins of Kilchurn Castle (begun 1440) stand at one end and testify to the stormy past of clan Campbell. Take the southern road for the best scenery, and don’t be in a hurry. Close by is the defunct but preserved Bonawe Iron Foundry.

Although geographically one island, the northern half is called Lewis and the southern half, Harris. Together, they are world-famous for producing tweed. One thing you absolutely must see in Lewis is the spectacular 4,500-year-old stone circle of Calanish, which resonates with a deep sense of spirituality. Arnol has an engaging traditional “black-house” (blackened by smoke) and Carloway a fine stone fort. Harris is more mountainous. Drive the “Golden Road” for the best scenery, and stop at Luskentyre beach, where you could imagine you were in Australia.

The “Fair City”, as it is known, is attractively situated on the tree-lined River Tay. Despite a complicated oneway system, its streets are a delight of smalltime shops, and it is one of Scotland’s prime spots for browsing and buying. Though it does not boast any notable historical buildings itself, Perth makes a great centre for touring many others found within a short drive. A lovely walk takes you up to a folly on Kinnoull Hill and from here the views are stupendous.

The “Granite City” has beautiful buildings, year-round floral displays and a long beach fringed with entertainments, including the Beach Leisure Centre and the Satrosphere, a science discovery complex. Provost Skene’s House (once home of a 17th-century provost, or mayor, of Aberdeen) is the oldest building, dating from 1545, while Marischal College is one of the world’s largest granite edifices. The Maritime Museum (charting the nautical world from ship-building to ship wrecks) is outstanding, as is the Art Gallery, which mixes temporary contemporary shows with a collection spanning the 18th–20th centuries.

A royal residence since 1372, this is a magical castle (see Glamis Castle) . A mass of towers and turrets, ancient treasures and a link with Shakespeare’s Macbeth – could you ask for any more in a castle?

This peninsula – with its rugged mountains, pretty villages and what is one of the most delightful roads in the country, ending in a parade of white sand – is as lyrical in nature as it is in name. Acharacle is a famed den of musicians (try the hall or Glenuig Inn), while Glenmore is home to a Natural History Centre with a “living building”. Wild deer sometimes graze on its roof. From Kilchoan you can catch a ferry to Tobermory on Mull.

This small isle encapsulates all the charm of the Hebrides: scintillating beaches, the culture of the Gaels, tranquillity and road-priority to sheep. No matter how you arrive, it will make a deep impression: planes land on the sands of Cockle Beach, while ferries sail into a delightful bay where the 11th-century Kisimul Castle poses on an island of its own. A soothing place to unwind.

By virtue of its age, design and deep-water moat (one of only two remaining in Scotland), this is a remarkable medieval castle. Built around 1098 in the days of Norse occupation, it was restyled in the 13th century and fitted with high curtain walls and drum towers. Its circular courtyard is a curious feature and unique in Scotland. Bute itself is a mere 35-minute crossing from Wemyss Bay – north of Largs on the A78 – to Rothesay Bay; an even shorter crossing is from Colintraive to Rhubodach, on the north coast of the island.

Originally a Viking keep before the Dukes of Hamilton claimed it, this 13th-century fortified tower was extended by Oliver Cromwell and then transformed into a stately home in Victorian times. The last Hamilton moved out only in 1957. A solid red sandstone building with fanciful trimmings, it contains a noted collection of silver, porcelain and paintings. The gardens are beautifully maintained (try to catch the rhododendrons in spring bloom), as are the woodland trails. The main ferry to Arran (just under an hour) is from Ardrossan, on the mainland coast, just north of Irvine.