If you are planning to visit Scotland to discover its beautiful towns and some of the best scenic mountain roads in the world, then driving to Inveraray is a must!

You will find yourself stopping every 5 mins on one of those parking spots every couple of miles to take pictures and soak in the beauty of the small lakes and enormous mountains and valleys.

You can combine a day trip to both Inveraray and Oban on the same day as Inveraray lies pretty much halfway from Glasgow to Oban.

Oban is a beautiful seaside town often referred to as the seafood capital of Scotland and built around the famous Oban Whiskey Distillery.

The small town of Inveraray is set up like a fairy town, everything within walking distance and very good facilities for parking your car. Parking is free from October to March every year and for the rest of the year you only pay a reasonable amount within a short walking distance of the historic high street leading to the Loch Fyne waterfront.

There are plenty of bed and breakfasts on the main street and plenty of independent shops including gift shops and world famous Loch Fyne Whiskies shop. Inveraray jail has also been converted into a museum and a popular tourist attraction with a souvenir shop.

The town gives off a feeling of cosiness set with beautiful views of the Loch Fyne and the surrounding mountains. An art shop called Stable Gallery is definitely worth paying a visit as they store a rich collection of paintings by talented independent artists.

Inveraray Castle – Home of Duke and Duchess of Argyll

Inveraray Castle is one of the top tourist attractions of Inverary. The romantic highland home of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll is situated above Loch Fyne and is open for visitors from around the world.

The castle is managed more like a family home than a museum as the Duke and Duchess still reside in the castle. However, they take great pride in the friendly atmosphere they have tried to create. There are both self-guided and guided tours of the castle available. The tour takes approximately 1 hour.

A tour of the Inveraray castle will take you back through the history, wonderful furniture on display and the anecdotes of the family past and present.

The Inveraray Castle has recently opened its gardens for everyone to enjoy. The garden is particularly beautiful in spring with carpets of bluebells and daffodils, and the rhododendrons and azaleas can be seen blooming in May and June.

However, whatever the time of the year, the Inveraray Castle offers a fantastic day out or in as you may call it, and is worth every bit of time you are willing to spend there.

One of the highlights is the Tea Room in the castle that is personally run by the Duchess, the tea room boasts fabulous food mainly using locally sourced Scottish ingredients and scones, soups and quiches made daily in the castle. The castle gift shop also boasts each item personally chosen by the Duchess and her team with a unique range of Scottish gifts.

Visitors to the Inveraray Castle can go on several beautiful scenic walks that set off from the castle and enjoy spectacular views from the Dun na Cruaiche. On a bright sunny day, you can see miles over Loch Fyne and a stunning view of the town of Inveraray.

The Armada Canon in Inveraray Castle

This fine bronze cannon is believed to have been cast by Benevenuto Cellini around 1545 for Francis I of France whose monogram, CI and cognizance, a salamander it bears.

The gun was captured by the Italians at Padua and put on the vessel contributed to the Spanish Armada Fleet by the State of Tuscany, Grand Duchy of Florence.

The gun was removed by the second Duke of Argyll in 1740 from the wrecked galleon in Tobermorey Bay, Isle of Mull.

Inveraray village and Inveraray Castle Image Gallery