Northeast Scotland

The centrepiece of Dundee's revitalised waterfront is this stunning building designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Opened in late 2018, it houses an outpost of London's Victoria & Albert Museum of art and design with exhibitions showcasing the work of Scottish designers past and present, from famous names such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh to modern creatives such as fashion designer Holly Fulton, alongside the best of art and design from around the world.

The mysterious Aberlemno stones are among Scotland's finest Pictish carved stones. By the roadside there are three 7th- to 9th-century slabs with various symbols, including the z-rod and double disc; in the churchyard at the bottom of the hill there's a magnificent 8th-century­ stone displaying a Celtic cross, interlace decoration, entwined beasts and, on the reverse, scenes of the Battle of Nechtansmere (where the Picts vanquished the Northumbrians in 685). The site is 5 miles northeast of Forfar, on the B9134.

Neutral decor enriched with splashes of berry purple create an understated atmosphere in which accomplished chef Adam Newth presents gorgeous and colourful confections using fresh and foraged local produce – dishes such as monkfish cheeks with salad of capers, pecans and pomegranate seeds, or pork belly with confit beetroot and toffee apple syrup, delight the eye as much as the palate.

Visiting a distillery can be memorable, but only hardcore malthounds will want to go to more than one or two. Here are the top five whisky sights in the area.

• Aberlour Has an excellent, detailed tour with a proper tasting session. It's on the main street in Aberlour.
• Glenfarclas Small, friendly and independent, Glenfarclas is 5 miles south of Aberlour on the Grantown road; the last tour leaves 90 minutes before closing. The in-depth Connoisseur's Tour (Fridays only, July to September) is £40.
• Glenfiddich It's big and busy, but handiest for Dufftown and foreign languages are available. The standard tour (£10) starts with an overblown video, but it's fun and informative. The in-depth half-day Pioneer's Tour (£95) must be prebooked.
• Macallan Macallan opened a new distillery and visitor centre in 2018. The 1¾-hour tours (maximum group of 10) should be prebooked. Lovely location 1 mile west of Craigellachie.
• Speyside Cooperage Here you can see the fascinating art of barrel-making in action. It's a mile from Craigellachie on the Dufftown road.

The biannual Spirit of Speyside whisky festival in Dufftown has a number of great events. It takes place in early May and late September; both accommodation and events should be booked well ahead.

Based in a historic icehouse that used to store ice for preserving local salmon catches, this wildlife centre is one of the best land-based dolphin-spotting places in the country. The indoor attractions include feeds from nearby wildlife cameras, a 'dry dive' audiovisual experience that takes you beneath the waves of the Moray Firth, and a pleasant cafe. Outdoors, you can watch for dolphins, seals and other marine creatures at the mouth of the River Spey, or join a guided wildlife walk.

The fascinating Scottish Lighthouse Museum provides an insight into the network of lights that have safeguarded the Scottish coast for over 100 years, and the men and women who built and maintained them (plus a sobering fact – that all the world’s lighthouses are to be decommissioned by 1 January 2080). A guided tour takes you to the top of the old Kinnaird Head lighthouse, built on top of a converted 16th-century castle.