South of Scotland Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities Guide

recommended places to visit and things to do in the South of Scotland


Brodick Castle

Isle of Arran

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • ceramics
  • -
  • fashion
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

Enjoy a new, interactive visitor experience in the castle, including a Victorian arcade and extensive gardens and woodland

  • something different!
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history

one of Scotland's earliest visitor attractions. Curiosity has attracted travellers to Gretna Green since the middle of the 19th Century

  • historic house
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • literature

retaining much of its 18th Century character with many personal relics belonging to Burns including manuscripts and entertaining letters

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • ceramics
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

an architectural jewel with an extraordinary collection of Chippendale furniture and numerous objets d'art, stunning gardens and children's adventure playground

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • ceramics
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • needlecraft
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

the largest inhabited castle in Scotland with a fine collection of artefacts and recently restored tapestries. The Victorian gardens boast outstanding herbaceous borders. The modern tapestry garden and fruit cage add a contemporary slant to the garden

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • literature
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

home of Sir Walter Scott, famous Victorian novelist, with a large library of rare volumes, weapons and armour with lovely grounds down to the Tweed

Arran Aromatics

Isle of Arran

  • something different!
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • visitor centre

watch the production line at work from a wide variety of scented items. There is also a soap making and candle making shop where visitors can experiment with their own creations

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

18th century town house, bought in 1901 by E A Hornel, the renowned artist. He added an art gallery and a studio overlooking the fascinating garden with Japanese influences

  • fortress
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • limited opening
  • -
  • Historic Scotland
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • visitor centre
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history

the epitome of the medieval stronghold with a wide moat, twin-towered gatehouse and lofty battlements. Learn all about its turbulent history as a castle caught up in border conflicts

  • nature reserve
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

open, coastal landscape and wide skies are full of the sights and sounds of nature – and very little else. Bring your own picnics

  • place of worship
  • -
  • ruin
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • Historic Scotland
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

a remarkably compete medieval ruin with remains of fine plaster and paintwork. Burial place of Sir Walter Scott and Field-Marshal Earl Haig

  • place of worship
  • -
  • ruin
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • Historic Scotland
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • military history
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

awesome, eerie ruin, known as “the guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Britain” with a family quiz and stunning walks down to the river

  • museum
  • -
  • place of worship
  • -
  • ruin
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

the remaining broken shell is pure Gothic with famous stonework - look out for the pig gargoyle playing the bagpipes. Robert The Bruce's heart buried here

  • nature reserve
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • visitor centre
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

breathtaking scenery and beautiful wildlife for all its visitors. There are a variety of different wildlife habitats and nature trails

Traquair House

Innerleithen

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • royalty
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

dating back to 1107, and visited by 27 Scottish Kings and Queens Traquair with a magnificent maze and many children's facilities

  • historic house
  • -
  • natural landscape
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • walking

magnificent cliff-top castle, designed by Robert Adam, surrounded by woods, beaches, secret follies and play parks

  • place of worship
  • -
  • ruin
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • visitor centre
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

the abbey ruins are spread over a magnificent sloping site. The visitor centre and shop has an excellent exhibition and viewing area on its upper floor

  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • local history
  • -
  • maritime heritage
  • -
  • social history

housed in a vast former shipyard building, this museum explores Scotland's importance to maritime history, with several floating exhibits

  • historic house
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history

thatched cottage, former home of shoemaker John Davidson, said to be the inspiration for Robert Burns' character "Souter Johnnie"

  • historic house
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history

home of one of the most influential Victorian thinkers with many artefacts from his early years and his large collection of books

Show more