Inverness has several tourist attractions including The Museum & Art Gallery, the Castle Battlements & Viewpoint, St Andrew's Cathedral, Botanic Gardens and the picturesque Ness Islands which are ideal for a stroll around the river. Explore the sights on an open top bus tour.

'Nessie' herself lives only a few miles from Inverness. Enjoy one of the award-winning Jacobite Cruises on Loch Ness and look for the monster on the underwater sonar. The village of Drumnadrochit is situated 16 miles from Inverness with several restaurants and pubs, as well as two very good 'Loch Ness Monster' Exhibitions. You can also step back in time to visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle. It's now possible to walk or cycle right around the whole of Loch Ness.

Discover Scotland's answer to Route 66 on the popular 500-mile loop around the North of Scotland. The coastal scenery and wildlife can be stunning. Look out for castles, lighthouses, distilleries and artisan craft shops. Make sure you sample some of the local seafood.

Culloden Battlefield is just 5 miles outside Inverness city centre and is a must for anyone visiting the Highlands as it is the site of the last battle to be fought on British soil. There is a large Exhibition Centre which explains all the history. Walk around the battlefield and see the clan grave markers to soak up the atmosphere.

Enjoy a walk by the Caledonian Canal which is not far from Arrandale Apartment and Inverness city centre. Designed by Thomas Telford, it was a major feat of engineering which connects Inverness on the east coast with Fort William on the west coast. The Canal's visitor centre at Fort Augustus (south Loch Ness) explains how it was constructed from 1803 to 1822. Look out for yachts going up and down on the many locks.

Fort George is one of the finest examples of military engineering in Scotland. Just a few miles outside Inverness, it was built on the coastline after the Battle of Culloden to protect the area from any further rebellions. Today it is still used by the Army and houses an excellent Military Museum. It's also a good place to spot dolphins out in the Moray Firth.

Cawdor Castle, ancient home of the Thanes of Cawdor (Campbells), is 15 minutes drive from Inverness. Open May to October, the castle and gardens are picturesque. The castle dates from the 14th century and was originally built around a Holly Tree. There are also woodland walks and a golf course on the estate.

Fairytale Dunrobin Castle dates back to the 1300s and is still home to the Duke of Sutherland. This French-style castle by the sea has beautiful gardens and falconry displays. Just over an hour's drive from Inverness on the North Coast 500, it also has its own railway station.

The Cairngorm mountains reach over 1000 metres and offer a natural playground for walkers and climbers. Skiing is usually possible in the winter. The area also has watersport facilities on scenic Loch Morlich, plenty of fishing and woodland walks. There are lots of whisky distilleries and even a steam railway, or you might want to see the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd.

The Highland Wildlife Park is a 105-hectare safari park and zoo near Kingussie, one hour's drive south of Inverness. Owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, it has a breeding programme for endangered species. Adults and children enjoy seeing the polar bears, tigers, monkeys and snow leopards. You can also learn about Scottish wildlife including red squirrels, pine martens, capercaillie and red deer.

Whisky is Scotland's biggest export and you can see how its made in distilleries around Speyside and the Highlands. Many distilleries offer guided tours and tastings with a wee dram.

Situated at Newtonmore in the Cairngorms, this was Britain's first open air museum. This unique setting gives visitors a chance to see how Highland people lived and worked from the 1700s up until the 1950s. Explore a variety of 30 historical buildings which have been furnished as they would have been in days gone by. Walk through the 1700s township to the old 1930s working croft. Regular events for children and demonstrations of how life used to be.