The city center is dominated by the picturesque Baronial turrets of Inverness Castle (invernesscastle.scot; adult/child £15/8), a pink-sandstone confection dating from the 1840s that replaced a medieval castle blown up by the Jacobites in 1746. The castle served as courthouse and prison until 2020, and reopened in 2025 after a regeneration project to create the city's top visitor attraction.
Gorgeous gardens and terraces surround the hilltop castle, just a short walk from the train station, with panoramic views south towards the Great Glen and north to the looming bulk of Ben Wyvis. Front and center is a statue depicting Flora MacDonald with her faithful collie dog Flossie, gazing west towards Skye where she helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape to France in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden.
Inside the castle, colorful installations and interactive experiences regale you with stories of Highland history and Gaelic culture, guided by the spirit of a seanchaidh (shan-uh-khee; Gaelic for a traditional storyteller) and culminating in a spectacular immersive fly-through of Highland landscapes.
