The 23 most beautiful Scottish islands to visit
You don’t have to go abroad for an idyllic island getaway. Feast your eyes on these beautiful Scottish isles
We love relaxing on gorgeous beaches, soaking up the beauty of the world’s best natural landscapes and learning about different cultures.
But you don’t always have to travel long distances for exciting experiences as we’ve got a wealth of stunning beaches, amazing landscapes and interesting traditions right here in the UK.
Cornwall, the Isle of Wight, the Jurassic Coast and the Isles of Scilly are home to some of our favourite British beaches, but for really remote landscapes, unique food and drink tastings and fascinating heritage, there is nowhere quite like the Scottish islands.
There are over 900 offshore isles to explore, grouped into four main clusters: the northernmost Shetland Islands, the Neolithic Orkneys and the Inner and Outer Hebrides - famous for their white-sand beaches and brilliant outdoor activities.
Visitors will also find islands in Scotland's inlets and firths and on its iconic freshwater lochs (just watch out for mythical monsters!). Yet somehow, Scotland's beautiful islands are still one of Britain’s best-kept secrets.
To make things easier, we’ve narrowed down our favourite Scottish islands and all of their best bits, with how you can visit, whether you love a spot of island hopping, travelling in luxury or you're after an eco-friendly escape.
There are some incredible trips to explore the Scottish islands this year. You could join TV weather star Carol Kirkwood on a boutique cruise that visits the islands of Eigg, Skye and Iona in May, as well as enjoy drinks and a talk from the Scotswoman. Or explore Mull and its pretty town of Tobermory with broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark in October. The trip combines some Highland highlights, including the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Urquhart Castle.
For something that takes in a dozen Scottish islands, hop on an expedition ship and feel like a real explorer as you venture to the Inner and Outer Hebrides in May 2023 or spring 2024. The small cruise ship will take you to the Treshnish Isles, Gigha, St Kilda and other islands that are often missed by tourists.
Prefer to stick to one island? Take the ferry to Mull from Oban and make the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa your base. There are indulgent spa treatments to try, the town of Tobermory is just half an hour away and you can enjoy a day trip to the island of Staffa, where porpoises and whales are often spotted.
Mull
Located in western Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, the Isle of Mull is the fourth-largest Scottish island, known for its white-tailed sea eagles, the 700-year-old Duart Castle and the colourful houses that line the waterfront of Tobermory.
This town, which is the largest on Mull and the inspiration for CBeebies’ Balamory, is sprinkled with pubs, eateries, specialist shops and nature trails.
Explore the Isle of Mull on an exclusive cruise with Scottish broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark in October. You'll sail through lochs on a yacht-style ship and experience a train journey that passes on the Glenfinnan Viaduct during the six-day break.
Alternatively, you can go island hopping in the Hebrides on an expedition cruise, where you will explore various islands and have time to discover picturesque Tobermory on Mull over 11 days, with departures in spring 2023 and 2024.
Or explore Mull during an incredible boutique cruise around the Highlands and islands of Scotland with TV weather star Carol Kirkwood in May. The eight-day cruise includes the chance to get to know the celebrity Scotswoman as you make your way to the likes of Skye, Eigg, Loch Ness and Oban.
If you'd rather check in to a hotel on Mull, you can get the ferry from Oban and stay at the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa for a blissful island escape. There are spa treatments, afternoon tea and gorgeous views, plus an excellent two-night package from Good Housekeeping Holidays.
Colonsay
Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides is well worth visiting for its intriguing archaeological sites and glorious beaches.
There is evidence of a population on Colonsay going back as far as 7,000 B.C.E and you can spot signs of its long history all over the island. There are Iron Age forts and duns dotting the landscape, and even an entire abandoned village, the eerie but enchanting Riasg Buidhe.
There are also various soft sandy beaches to add to Colonsay’s appeal. The biggest and most well-known is Kiloran Bay, a crescent of golden sand that stretches over a mile, where you might spot adventurous surfers out on the Atlantic waves.
You can visit Colonsay on Good Housekeeping’s 11-day island-hopping cruise in May 2023 and April and May 2024. It will also take you to see the amazing birdlife, taste authentic whisky and visit freshwater lakes in the likes of Iona, Arran and St Kilda.
Treshnish Isles
The Treshnish Isles are a group of distinctive volcanic islands lying west of the Isle of Mull.
These uninhabited isles and skerries (rocky islets) are home to a wealth of wildlife, from colonies of kittiwakes to razorbills, guillemots and Atlantic grey seals.
But the real stars of the Treshnish Isles are the cute puffins that nest here. The best time to see these friendly little birds is from mid-April until early August. The puffins have little fear of humans, so it’s possible to watch them up close as they go about their business.
The Treshnish Isles are a stop on Good Housekeeping’s 11-day Hebridean island-hopping tour in May 2023 and April and May 2024. You'll travel on the Scandi-style Ms Spitsbergen, an environmentally progressive vessel that was designed to explore small islands.
Islay
Islay - also known as the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’ - is Scotland's whisky isle, where you can sip single malts in one of nine working distilleries.
It’s also the perfect spot for bird watchers, who will be keen to see the beautiful hen harriers up on Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve and the large flocks of wild geese who visit the isle every winter on their long journey to Canada.
Top tip: it’s pronounced 'eye-lah'.
You can visit Islay on a UK cruise with Good Housekeeping in May, June, July and August 2023. You'll also stop in Stornaway, Iona, St Kilda, as well as the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall and Fishguard in Pembrokeshire.
Alternatively, discover Islay during an Inner and Outer Hebrides cruise on an expedition ship in May 2023 or spring 2024. You'll spend 11 days getting to know the wildlife, whiskies and scenery o the Islay, Mull, Arran and more.
Eigg
Although tiny Eigg is only home to 90 people, its community is also made up of marine animals and birdlife, including gorgeous Atlantic seals, minke whales, dolphins, porpoises and a variety of seabirds.
On Eigg you can climb Britain’s largest pitchstone ridge, watch eagles fly over dreamy white sand beaches and learn about the world’s first renewably powered electricity grid, plus it’s just a short sail to the town of Inverie in Loch Nevis, where you can have a drink at the most remote pub in the British Isles.
Visit Eigg on a luxury cruise with Good Housekeeping, where you'll meet Scotswoman Carol Kirkwood, who will tell you about her TV career and join you for a question and answer session and drinks. You'll also Oban, Loch Nevis and the Isle of Skye on this cruise in May.
Alternatively, visit tiny Eigg on a Hebrides cruise that takes you to a variety of small islands as you take in the nature and wildlife of the isles in May 2023 or spring 2024.
Arran
One of Scotland’s most popular islands, Arran packs in the culture. Time your visit to check out one of the many cultural festivals held on the island and make sure to taste the local cheese, beer and oatcakes.
You can also while away the hours admiring artworks inspired by the island scenery at Arran Art Gallery, or taking in the magnificent period furniture, waterfall and woodlands of Brodick Castle.
Other fun activities on Arran include seeing the early Christian carvings in King’s Caves, or a walk from Arran Brewery to Glen Rosa, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Goatfell range’s scraggy peaks.
Arran is the first stop on Good Housekeeping's 11-day Hebrides cruise in May 2023 and spring 2024. It then takes you to Islay, Gigha, Iona, St Kilda, Lewis, Mull and Colonsay.
Shiant Isles
Privately owned since 1937, this tiny archipelago is in the middle of the Minch, the strait of water between the Outer Hebrides and Skye.
The Shiant Isles are one of the greatest bird havens in the world, with so many birds that ornithologists find it almost impossible to count them. According to their very best guesses, the Shiant Isles are home to around two per cent of all the puffins in the world, as well as thousands of guillemots and razorbills.
Keen birdwatchers can explore this archipelago on Good Housekeeping’s tour of the Hebrides in May 2023 and spring 2024. You'll also visit St Kilda and Isle of Lewis.
Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris are two real Scottish heritage islands. You’ll still hear Gaelic spoken on the streets of Stornoway, the island’s main town, and you can browse hand-woven Harris tweed clothing in the shops - perhaps what the area is most famous for.
Archaeology buffs will love the mysterious Neolithic landing stones at Callanish, which are even older than Stonehenge, and at the ancient blackhouse villages you can experience the unique Gaelic farming system of crofting.
You can visit Lewis during a cruise along the unique coastline of the British Isles between May and August 2023.
Alternatively, explore Lewis when you stop at Stornaway on an 11-day cruise around the Hebrides in May 2023 or spring 2024.
Skye
The Isle of Skye is on everyone’s bucket list, and with less foreign travel on the cards this year, we think now’s the perfect time to make the trip. Skye offers spectacular sunsets over the mountains and into the sea, delicious seafood with a French twist in the Michelin-starred Loch Bay and magical hikes around the otherworldly Fairy Glen.
Portree, the isle’s capital, has a lovely harbour fringed by dramatic cliffs which is great to stroll around - a walk up to the Apothecary’s Tower offers a view that’s simply not to be missed.
Visit Skye during an eight-day cruise on a yacht-style ship, where you'll also be joined by TV weather star Carol Kirkwood, explore Oban and discover Eilean Donan Castle. The cruise departs in May 2023.
Iona
Iona is a little island off the coast of the Inner Hebridean isle of Mull in. Only three miles long, tiny Iona has a population of around 170 permanent residents. Despite being such a small place, Iona has a long and illustrious history - it’s known as the last resting place of some 50 Scottish Kings and for being ‘The Cradle of Christianity’ in Scotland.
It’s a great place to hop to on the ferry for a day trip from nearby Mull. You can spend a few hours here taking in the white shell-sand beaches, looking for cute gifts in local craft shops, or visiting the many historic religious monuments, like the Benedictine Abbey.
You can visit little Iona on Good Housekeeping’s 11-day Hebrides cruise, which takes you to the Inner and Outer Hebrides. You'll sip whisky, visit charming towns and spot beautiful birds.
Eriska
To arrive at this private tidal island on Scotland’s West Coast you have to cross a rattling wooden-decked bridge at low tide. But it’s worth it. The views across Loch Linnhe and its maze of small islands are spectacular, and the blue-green hills of Appin to the North and Morvern to the South stand proud in the distance.
There are also 300 acres of private gardens on Eriska, a gorgeous coastline, wildlife including deer, otters and badgers, and a Victorian mansion which was renovated into a luxury hotel and spa. Stay for pampering, sports and leisure, and walks through the secluded grounds.
Read Good Housekeeping's review and book a stay at the Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island.
Gigha
Tiny Gigha (pronounced 'Gee'a') is the 'Good Isle' of the Hebrides, and is owned by the islanders themselves. The community here has been growing since the island was bought by its inhabitants back in 2002.
With a warm microclimate, Gigha is perfect for holidays taking in the sandy beaches and clear turquoise seas. Achamore House, set in over 50 acres of woodland gardens, has a renowned Rhododendron and Camellia Collection and exotic plants that are beautiful year-round.
Experience island hopping in the Hebrides with Good Housekeeping this May or spring 2024. You'll explore Gigha, Islay, Arran and more.
Inchconnachan
Another of Loch Lomond’s islands, Inchconnachan is in the Trossachs National Park and has an especially unusual feature: it’s home to a population of wallabies - yes, those cute marsupials native to Australia and Papua New Guinea!
It turns out the eccentric Lady Arran was fond of exotic animals and introduced them to Loch Lomond, where she grew up. You can visit the island on a ferry from Luss and stay at the old coaching inn, The Winnock (the hotel on our Scottish steam break), which has been welcoming weary travellers passing through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs for centuries.
Fair Isle
One of the craftiest of the Shetland Islands, Fair Isle’s past is interwoven with a rich history of wool, textiles, and the inimitable Fair Isle technique. Fair Isle knits, with their classic geometric patterns, were made famous by the royal family in the 20s and are still popular today.
Fair Isle is also the most geographically remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom. But don’t let that put you off - there are flights to the isle each weekday and a ferry from Shetland will take you there in around 2.5 hours, weather permitting.
Once you’ve made the journey, you’ll be rewarded with stunning coastal walks and a wonderful sense of rural tranquillity that comes with being so far from the mainland.
Orkney
We’ve all heard of Orkney crab. Well, there’s nowhere you can have it fresher than here, in a restaurant on the craggy cliffs of Orkney’s wild Atlantic Coast. But there’s plenty more to do on Orkey.
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site to see the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar and the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae - where remarkable dwellings appeared from beneath the sand dunes in a storm just 150 years ago. Interestingly, Gaelic was never spoken in Orkney, and locals - who speak a distinctive dialect of the Scots language - are called Orcadians.
Inchmurrin
Inchmurrin in Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles. Now covered in woodland, it used to be a deer park owned by the Dukes of Montrose and features the atmospheric ruins of a castle.
Stay in self-catering accommodation on Inchmurrin to enjoy swims from one of its many pretty beaches and visits to the highly rated Inchmurrin bar and restaurant.
Hirta
Although Hirta is a UNESCO double World Heritage Site and the 'jewel in the crown' of the National Trust for Scotland, a visit to the remote St Kilda archipelago is totally dependent on the weather - which is what makes it feel all the more dramatic.
The islands are the stunning remains of a volcanic crater, where thousands of seabirds like to nest. It’s also a spot known for sightings of minke whales. But it’s difficult to live on this exposed island. Although Hirta was inhabited for over 5,000 years, the remote island community all self-evacuated in 1930. Want to know more? Head to the tiny St Kilda museum.
Jura
Jura gets its name from the ancient Norse word for 'deer', so it’s no surprise this narrow Southern Hebridean island is one of the wildest places in Scotland, where the 200-odd inhabitants are outnumbered by the local deer.
Jura is a walker’s paradise and the west of the island is especially unspoilt - featuring wealth of wildlife, stunning views and a sense of total peace. It’s probably why George Orwell chose Jura as the place to finish writing his bestselling novel 1984.
Muck
The Isle of Muck is part of the Small Isles, off the west coast of Scotland, along with the neighbouring islands of Canna, Eigg, and Rum. It’s the smallest of the four and one of the smallest inhabited islands in Scotland. But despite this, there’s plenty on offer for visitors to little Muck.
It’s a wonderful island to escape to for a relaxing weekend and is popular with families, wildlife enthusiasts, walkers, and anyone who enjoys the great outdoors.
Muck boasts stretches of white sandy beaches, secluded bays, and an impressive range of wildlife, including porpoises, whales, seals, otters, eagles, puffins and more.
Tiree
The most western island in the Inner Hebrides, Tiree offers tranquillity, clean air, and an almost completely flat landscape, perfect for gentle walks with unobstructed sea views.
Tiree is also one of the sunniest of the Scottish islands. In fact, it’s one of the sunniest places in the UK. This makes it great for walks along the beach, where you can stop to paddle in sloping sea pools or admire the many types of birds flying overhead.
It can be a windy place too, but there are plenty of snug accommodation options where you can cosy up with a glass of whisky and admire the landscapes from your window.
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