Edinburgh has been named one of the top locations in the UK for a city break, while Fort William has once again found itself among the country’s lowest rated tourist spots.
Regaining its title as one of the “worst towns to visit” in the UK, the Highland destination apparently fell short of visitor expectations according to new research.
Consumer magazine Which? surveyed more than 3,000 people about city breaks they had taken around the UK over the past two years, asking about their experiences in various towns and cities around the UK.
Each destination was then given an overall score based on factors including attractiveness, food and drink, value for money, cultural sights and more.
Broken down by size, Edinburgh was ranked as the best overall in Scotland as well as the best large city with a score of 82%. It was then followed by St Andrews, which received five-stars for its food and drink scene and an overall score of 80%, earning it a spot among the best “small UK cities” for a short break.
As for medium sized cities, Dundee is the only to have been named by Which, earning a score of 73% — which isn’t far behind Glasgow’s 76% rating overall.
As for the “outdoor capital of the UK”, Fort William only received a score of 56% from visitors, which is the second lowest rating overall, coming just ahead of Bournemouth which earned 55%.
With that in mind, here are the 9 best and worst places to visit in Scotland according to tourists — including Fort William.
5. Oban
Stirling is then closely followed in the rankings by Oban. With a score of 75%, visitors ranked the town highly for food and drink, accommodation, attractiveness and value for money. | Adobe Stock
6. Dundee
The only medium sized Scottish city to be featured on Which’s ranking is Dundee, which holds a score of 73% from tourists. With four stars almost across the board when it comes to accommodation, cultural sights, ease of getting around, and crowds, it earned five stars for value for money, but slightly less for food and drink options and attractiveness. | Adobe Stock
7. Inverness
Another popular tourist destination in Scotland, Inverness was awarded an overall score of 69%. This saw it receive four stars for accommodation, lack of crowds, attractiveness and value for money, but three stars for food and drink, shopping, ease of getting around and parking, and — surprisingly — just two stars for cultural sights. | Getty Images / Canva
8. Aberdeen
Also among Scotland’s largest cities is Aberdeen which falls behind Edinburgh and Glasgow with a score of just 60% — making it among the worst places in Scotland to visit according to Which’s survey. It ranked well for accommodation and lack of crowds, earning three stars for food and drink, shopping, attractiveness and value for money, but just two stars for cultural sights and ease of getting around. | Adobe Stock