Since the 6th century Inverness has been the principle city in the rugged midst of the Scottish highlands, rising in pretty church spires and red-brick facades from the cold banks of the River Ness. It’s a place of traditional pubs complete with roaring fires, home to the soaring sandstone Inverness Castle, and one of the country’s best Titanic museums.
All around town, the acclaimed backcountry of the Great Glen rises in hills and snow-tipped mountain ridges, representing one of the most celebrated outdoorsy destinations in the country; a veritable playground for canoers, hikers, bikers and wild campers looking to taste the cold breezes of the north, or seek the legendary Loch Ness Monster in its mythical home.
But while wild and remote even for a Scottish city, as any Inverness tourist guide will tell you, this spot on the Moray Firth still has a modern edge. For one it’s hailed as one of the most liveable spots on all of the Islands, while it’s steadily been edging towards economic boom in recent years, attracting students and workers from across Europe to its research institutions and all-new medical enterprises.