Best time to visit Scotland

We are often asked when is the best time to visit Scotland? Here's a few tips and recommendations about what to see and do throughout the seasons in Scotland.

SPRING

Spring can be the ideal time to visit as the days start to lengthen and nature comes back to life. Gardens and trees are very vibrant at this time of year, and it's too early for the dreaded midgies. Most of the main visitor attractions such as castles and distilleries will be open daily from Easter onwards throughout the spring and summer months.

Events - March & April

With events across Scotland, the Spring Garden Festival runs from 1 April to 31 May. In Moray you can enjoy magnificent displays in the gardens and woods at Brodie Castle which has over 100 types of daffodil.

• The Kingdom of Fife has its Whisky Festival (1 - 3 March 2024), while St Andrews hosts its annual StAnza: Scotland's International Poetry Festival (8 - 10 March 2024).
• The Scottish Grand National at Ayr Racecourse (20 April 2024) is a big event on the horse racing calendar.

Cawdor Castle - photo by Home Farm Bed & Breakfast in the Highlands

SUMMER

From May to September you will be able to attend Highland Games in dozens of locations across the country. The peak tourist season is June, July and August when the weather tends to be warmer and we have longer hours of daylight. Great for packing in extra time to do all the sightseeing you want. Late July to September is often the best time to see purple heather flowering on the hills.

Events - May and June

The Highland Gathering and Atholl Highlanders' Parade (25 - 26 May 2024) at Blair Castle in Perthshire is a sight not to be missed if you want to spot men in kilts!      
The Common Ridings provide an epic spectacle. These colourful equestrian festivals held every year from June to August in 11 towns of the Scottish Borders to celebrate the history of the Borders Reivers.

• The Spirit of Speyside whisky festival (1 - 6 May 2024) features tours, tastings and special events in dozens of distilleries around Moray and Aberdeenshire
• Historic Cromarty in the Highlands is home to the annual Crime & Thriller Festival from 3 - 5 May 2024.
• Hundreds of cyclists take to the roads for the Etape Loch Ness (28 April 2024) and for the Marie Curie Etape Caledonia (12 May 2024) around Pitlochry in Perthshire.
• The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is in Fort William (2–5 May 2024).
• The Cairngorms Nature Festival celebrates the natural heritage of this National Park with a variety of activities for all ages in May.
• Scotland's main annual agricultural show, The Royal Highland Show (20 - 23 June 2024) at Ingliston near Edinburgh, is one of the country's biggest events.
• The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival (22-23 June 2024) in picturesque Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, is always a colourful celebration of our maritime heritage.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo - photo by Arden Country House near Linlithgow

Events - July and August

The Highland Games are in full swing every weekend throughout the summer months. For more men in kilts, check out the Scottish Pipe Band Championships in Dumbarton on 27 July 2024 or the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow (16 - 17 August 2024).

• If you like the great outdoors, then the Scottish Game Fair (5 - 7 July 2024) is a popular event in the grounds of Scone Palace (Perthshire).
• The Scottish Transport Extravaganza with its Vintage Vehicle Rally (13 - 14 July 2024) is a unique event held at Glamis Castle for nearly 50 years.
• Golf fans can see the 152nd Open at Royal Troon in Ayrshire (14 - 21 July 2024)
• August sees the ever popular Edinburgh Military Tattoo (2 - 24 August 2024), Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2 - 26 August 2024).
• Every year the Nairn Book and Arts Festival (31 August - 8 September 2024) puts on a huge programme of events with a variety of top authors.

AUTUMN

Autumn reflections by Northlands B&B in Pitlochry

Autumn is a beautiful time for exploring nature especially if you enjoy seeing colourful displays of leaves. From mid September to November, the forests of Scotland become picture postcards. Perthshire is known as 'Big Tree Country' and it's spectacularly colourful in autumn, but don't overlook the Scottish Borders, Central Scotland, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands which also have some superb areas of forest.

Events - September and October

Throughout September you can get access to hundreds of fascinating buildings across Scotland which participate in the Doors Open Days programme.

• Celebrating Scotland's seafood, the Stranraer Oyster Festival takes place from 13 - 15 September 2024.
• Marathons don't get much more dramatic than the Loch Ness Marathon (29 September 2024), but you can also enter for The Dramathon (19 October 2024) if you can manage to get from one Speyside distillery to the next!
• Not to be missed is the annual World Porridge Making Championship (5 October 2024) in Carrbridge in the heart of the Cairngorms.
• The Enchanted Forest (3 October - 3 November 2024) is Scotland's premier light and sound event set in the autumnal splendour of Faskally Wood near Pitlochry, Perthshire.
• Gaelic is celebrated in competitions every year at the Royal National Mod which Oban will be hosting from 11 to 19 October 2024.

WINTER

Quirang mountains by Cuil Lodge B&B on the Isle of Skye

Winter is a quieter time for tourists so it's worth checking for off season rates and special offers. You can enjoy some fiery sunsets at this time of the year and cosy nights by a log fire. With darker skies you might just see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Why not do some Christmas shopping to get your friends and family some Scottish gifts? December/January is usually the start of the ski season and other snowsports which can last up to Easter time depending on the weather and the amount of snow.

Events - November & December

December sees a variety of winter illumination events at unique venues including Edinburgh Castle, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Brodie Castle in Moray. There are many local Christmas markets and craft fairs as well as larger events in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Then we celebrate at Hogmanay to see in the New Year with a few drams!

Events - January and February

• Snowdrop Festival (end January – mid March)
• Burns' Night is always celebrated on 25 January when we remember the national bard of Scotland with Burns Suppers of haggis, neeps and tatties, plus a dram or two of whisky.
• In Perthshire, the Winter Words literary festival takes place at Pitlochry Festival Theatre (8 - 11 February 2024) celebrating its 20th anniversary.
• Granite Noir (20 - 25 February 2024) is Aberdeen's crime fiction festival, while SPECTRA is Aberdeen's Festival of Light (8 - 11 February 2024) which cleverly illuminates the buildings of the Granite city.

It's always a good time to visit Scotland whatever time of year you choose      
so why not book your B&B now?!

Check out our 2024 Events pages which include Highland Games, Food & Drink Festivals, Book Festivals and Farmers Markets.