Inner Hebrides, Archipelago in Highland and Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
The Inner Hebrides are an island group of 36 inhabited landmasses and many smaller uninhabited rocks scattered along the western coast of Scotland. The islands lie between the mainland and the Outer Hebrides, stretching from Skye in the north to Islay in the south.
Vikings ruled these waters from the 9th century until 1266, when the Treaty of Perth handed the islands to Scotland. Later, many of the landmasses served as strongholds for Scottish clans competing for influence.
Residents still use Gaelic place names in daily conversation and many island children learn the language at school. Several islands host regular music and dance gatherings where fiddle and accordion lead the tunes.
Ferries connect most inhabited islands to each other and to the Scottish mainland, though Skye is reachable by a fixed bridge. The best visiting time falls in spring and summer when days grow longer and weather settles.
On Staffa, hexagonal basalt columns form a natural cave known as Fingal's Cave, where the sea echoes against the walls. Composer Felix Mendelssohn visited in 1829 and afterward wrote his Hebrides Overture.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
