Serviced Apartments in Inverness

Discover the best activities and attractions Inverness has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Ness Islands & River Ness Walks
The River Ness and its connected Ness Islands are Inverness’s green heart — a scenic riverside walk with footbridges, mature trees, and riverside benches that locals and visitors use for leisure, jogging and wildlife-watching. This parkland provides free, accessible outdoor recreation that supports physical and mental well‑being and draws tourists who then spend locally (cafés, boat tours, guides). It's special for its tranquil urban nature, views of Inverness Castle and easy access to boat trips and Loch Ness excursions, making it both a community asset and a gateway for wider Highland tourism.

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
This compact museum and gallery showcases Highland archaeology, history, natural history and contemporary Scottish art — including exhibits on Inverness’s role in Highland culture and nearby historic sites. It educates residents and visitors about local identity, supports cultural tourism, and provides jobs and learning opportunities (schools, volunteers, temporary exhibitions). Visitors value its focused, Highlands‑specific collections and interpretive displays that place Inverness in a broader Scottish and natural context.

Victorian Market & Eastgate Shopping Area
The Victorian Market — a charming, covered historic arcade of independent shops, crafts and cafés — together with the nearby Eastgate centre forms Inverness’s main shopping district. These retail hubs sustain small local businesses, artisans and hospitality outlets, keeping tourist spending within the city and supporting the town centre economy. What makes it special is the mix of traditional local producers (tartan, tweed, whisky/gift shops), independent boutiques and a preserved 19th‑century market atmosphere right in the city centre.

Eden Court Theatre & Arts Centre
Eden Court is the Highlands’ leading arts venue, offering theatre, cinema, music, dance and festivals year‑round — a cultural engine for the region. It supports local creative industries, provides a stage for Highland artists, and attracts touring productions that bring audiences (and spending) into Inverness. The venue is valued for its high-quality programming, film screenings, community outreach and as a cultural meeting place that helps define Inverness as more than a tourist stop — a regional arts hub.

The Mustard Seed (Riverside Restaurant)
Housed in a converted Victorian church on the banks of the River Ness, The Mustard Seed is a well‑loved restaurant offering modern Scottish cuisine with a focus on local produce. As a popular dining destination, it contributes to the hospitality sector, employs local staff and showcases Highland ingredients to visitors, reinforcing regional food tourism. Its unique riverside setting and adaptive reuse of historic architecture make it both a local favourite and a memorable culinary stop for visitors exploring Inverness.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Inverness, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Local Bus Network (Stagecoach Highlands and others) - Frequent local and regional bus services operate from Inverness Bus Station and stops across the city, providing city routes, services to surrounding towns and villages (including regular links to Culloden, Smithton, and the Black Isle) and evening/ Sunday coverage on key corridors.
- Rail Services (ScotRail and others) - Inverness railway station is the Highland rail hub with regular ScotRail services south to Perth and Glasgow/Edinburgh (via the Highland Main Line and other routes), and regional services to Aberdeen, Wick/Thurso (Far North Line) and Fort William.
- Caledonian Sleeper - Overnight sleeper train linking Inverness with London Euston (seasonal/timetable-dependent), providing an alternative for long-distance rail travel to the capital.
- Long-distance Coaches (Citylink and others) - Intercity coach services connect Inverness with major Scottish cities (e.g., Glasgow, Aberdeen) and towns across the Highlands; coaches are an important alternative where rail coverage is less frequent.
- Inverness Airport (public transport access) - Inverness Airport, north-east of the city, offers domestic and some international flights; it is served by scheduled airport buses and taxis linking the terminal to the city centre and rail station.
- Park & Ride and Bus Interchanges - Several park-and-ride sites and shuttle/bus interchanges around the city reduce city-centre car trips and provide connections to bus and rail services.
- Taxis and Ride-hailing - A full complement of licensed taxi firms, private hire vehicles and ride-hailing services provide on-demand local and regional travel, including airport transfers.

Major Highways
- A9 - Scotland’s main north–south trunk road linking Inverness south to Perth and the Central Belt and north to the Highlands and Caithness; key route for road journeys to and from Inverness.
- A96 - East–west trunk road connecting Inverness with Elgin and Aberdeen, the principal road link between Inverness and the north-east of Scotland.
- A82 - Major westbound route running along the Great Glen to Fort William and on to Glasgow, important for access to the western Highlands and tourist routes (Loch Ness, Glencoe).
- A835 - Westbound route providing access from Inverness toward Ullapool and ferry connections to the Outer Hebrides/West Coast.
- A862 / A9 spur routes - Regional arterial roads linking Inverness with nearby towns (e.g., Beauly, Dingwall, Nairn) and connecting to the wider trunk road network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle Network and Active Travel Routes - Inverness has a growing network of dedicated cycle lanes, segregated paths and shared-use paths within the city and on approaches (including routes linking the city centre with residential suburbs, Inverness Lochs and onward to Culloden and Nairn), integration with National Cycle Network routes and long-distance routes such as the Great Glen Way, plus cycle parking and ongoing active travel improvements promoted by Highland Council.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- A9 Dualling Programme (Transport Scotland) - Phased dualling and safety upgrades on sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness continue to reduce journey times, improve safety and capacity; several sections have been completed with further works planned.
- A96 Upgrading Programme - Long-term programme to upgrade/dual sections of the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, with route studies, option selections and staged delivery aimed at improving reliability and connectivity to the north-east.
- Inverness Station and Transport Interchange Enhancements - Projects to improve the rail station, bus interchange and pedestrian access (station gateway/transport hub concepts and smaller-scale upgrades) to create better integration between rail, bus, taxi and active travel modes.
- Active Travel and Cycling Investments - Ongoing Highland Council and Scottish Government-funded active travel schemes expanding segregated cycle lanes, pedestrian improvements, recreational/commuter routes and cycle parking to boost low-carbon commuting in and around Inverness.
- Airport and Air Route Development - Incremental terminal improvements and route development at Inverness Airport to support growing domestic and niche international connections, improving business and leisure connectivity.
- Rail Capacity and Resilience Works - Network Rail and train operator investments (track, signalling and infrastructure resilience works) on Highland routes to improve reliability and support future service enhancements, alongside rolling stock/timetable improvements (including Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail service upgrades).
- Park & Ride and Local Road Improvements - Expansion and upgrades to park-and-ride facilities, junction improvements and targeted local road schemes aimed at easing congestion into the city centre and improving access to growth areas.