What Is There to Do in Inverness? A Backpackers' Budget Travel Guide
- Jay
- Apr 3
- 9 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
If you're headed to the Scottish Highlands as a backpacker, chances are your trip will take you through the city of Inverness, often called the capital of the Scottish Highlands. While a natural stop on your way to big destinations like Loch Ness, the the Isle of Skye, the Cairngorm Mountains and beyond, it also makes a great base for travellers, with riverside walks, great places to eat and drink, and even a a newly refurbished Castle.
Whether you're staying for a night before heading further into the more remote parts of the Highlands or staying for a few days, you'll be charmed by this small, walkable city with a welcoming feel, and there's plenty for backpackers to pack into a trip to Inverness.
Contents
Where Should I Stay in Inverness as a Backpacker?
For a proper, social, affordable backpackers experience while you visit Inverness, your best option is Inverness Student Hotel - located just moments from the city centre and with an unbeatable view overlooking the river and skyline, you can enjoy its cosy lounges, well-equipped kitchen, and friendly atmosphere with a social vibe from just £27.50 per night in 2026.
I've spent many a great evening meeting other travellers and playing card games in the lounge, while the friendly staff are often more than happy to take backpackers for a night out around the city's lively pubs, or join you for a riverside walk along the banks of the River Ness, with its scenic river path starting just outside the hostel.
There's warm showers, bike storage, free tea and coffee to be enjoyed, and an all-round fuzzy, warm vibe to the hostel that you won't forget.
What Can You Do in Inverness for Free?
Browse Leakey's Bookshop
Even if you don't buy anything (and with reasonable prices and an unbeatable selection of second hand books, you might struggle), it's worth visiting just to see the building that hosts Leakey's Bookshop, a church dating all the way back to the year 1649. The seemingly endless rows of antique tomes and affordable volumes have sat in place of church pews since 1979, and is Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. Located on Church Street in the City Centre, you won't want to miss a visit.
Explore Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
The city's popular free museum focuses on Highland history, including the Jacobites, local culture, geology, and wildlife, while the art gallery hosts rotating exhibitions from local and national artists. It’s not a huge museum, but it’s well put together and worth visiting if the weather is bad or if you want to learn more about the history and culture of the Highlands without spending any money.
Visit St Andrew's Cathedral
Sitting on the banks of the River Ness a stone's throw from the city centre, Inverness Cathedral was built in the 19th century and is one of the most northerly cathedrals in Britain, and you'll see its spires popping through the trees from the windows of Inverness Student Hotel. The cathedral is free to enter (though donations are welcome), and backpackers can head inside to check out the stained glass windows, stone carvings, and architecture. Even if you don’t go inside, it’s worth walking past as part of a pleasant riverside walk (see the section below for details).
Check out the Victorian Market
With a newly restored street food hall, the Victorian Market has become one of Inverness's most popular attractions in the past few years. A visit feels a little like stepping back to the 19th century mixed in with the conveniences modern high street, with oldy-worldy shops selling everything from antiques to jewellery, souvenirs to flat whites and stalls in the food market serving up international cuisine. Easily found nestled in between the main streets of the city, it's well worth a visit.
Are There Scenic Walks in Inverness?
Yes! From the city centre, you can take a wonderfully scenic walk along the River Ness starting from behind the Old High Church next to Leakey's Bookshop. Head south (take a left along the river) towards the City Centre while taking in views of Inverness Castle, before continuing along onto the start of the world-famous Great Glen Way hiking trail (just keep following the river!).
Before long, you'll pass the Uilebheist Distillery & Brewery, where you can stop in for a wee dram of whisky or some craft beer made in house! If you continue along the river you'll eventually reach the Ness Islands, a popular walking spot in the middle of the river with bridges criss-crossing back-and-forth. Be sure to look out for the big wooden Nessie carving, and for the best timing visit in the early evening to catch the sunset - the path along the river is all lit, including with cute fairy lights along the islands in the evening.
You can wander back up the same route to be in town within 20-30 minutes, with the whole walk taking less than 2 hours.
What Historic Places Can You Visit in Inverness?
Inverness Castle
Inverness Castle sits on a hill above the River Ness and is one of the main landmarks in Inverness. It's unmissable as part of the city's skyline, best viewed from the bridge located at the bottom of the High Street. The current building is 19th century and has recently been renovated, but there has been a castle on this site since medieval times. Even if you don’t go inside the castle experience, you can walk around the outside and visit the viewpoint for free, which gives one of the best views over the city.
Head inside to explore immersive exhibits that use projections, soundscapes, and lighting to tell tales of the Highlands, featuring themes like Pictish stones, tartan, and the Highland Clearances, as well as epic views from the panoramic rooftop. Tickets for the exhibitions start from £14 when booked online in 2026.
Old High Church & Cemetery
The oldest church in Inverness is a unique building peering out over the River Ness, and easily accessed from Church Street in the city centre. The building itself dates back to the 18th century, but the site has been used for religious purposes for much longer, and some of the city's most prominent people are buried in the neighbouring cemetery.
The site is historically relevant as a place for executions following the Jacobite Rebellions seeking to put a Catholic King back on the throne of Scotland in 1746.
Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns
Located just outside Inverness, Culloden Battlefield is one of the most important historic sites in Scotland. This is where the Battle of Culloden took place in 1746, the final battle of the Jacobite uprising, which effectively ended the traditional Highland clan system and changed Highland culture forever. Today, visitors can walk around the battlefield, see the clan memorial stones, and follow the paths across the moor where the battle took place. Tickets to visit the battlefield start from £12.50 in 2026.
A short distance from Culloden, Clava Cairns is a prehistoric burial site that dates back around 4,000 years to the Bronze Age. The site includes stone circles, passage graves, and burial cairns, and gives an insight into some of the earliest human history in the Highlands. It’s a quiet and atmospheric place, surrounded by woodland and fields.
You can take the Stagecoach 1B Bus from Inverness City Centre to Culloden for £2 each way and several times throughout the day - explore the timetables here.
Can You Do Loch Ness as a Day Trip From Inverness?
The quick answer is yes, but an important question to add to that is should you do it as a day trip? While Loch Ness is closely located to Inverness, there is a great deal of things to do as a backpacker on the Loch itself, and the two are best treated as separate destinations if you have the time to explore both, discover incredible scenic views, hikes, historic sites, social hostels and more.
If you can afford the time, adding on a a stay at Lochside Hostel on Loch Ness is the perfect way to explore the area properly, with its own beach, kayak hire, daily social events and group hikes, and plenty more. Check out our guide to staying on Loch Ness here:
How Do You Get to Loch Ness from Inverness and How Much Does it Cost in 2026?
With public transport, you can take a direct bus to all of the major tourist attractions around Loch Ness, and to the most social and affordable hostel on the shores of the Loch, Lochside Hostel in Alltsigh.
In 2026, a new bus ticketing scheme reduce the cost of a single ticket from over £12 to just £2 - this applies across almost all of the Scottish Highlands.
For a long time, the only bus service to destinations on Loch Ness Citylink, whose 917 bus travels from Inverness to the Isle of Skye twice a day in each direction via Drumnadrochit, and Alltsigh, and the 919 bus travels regularly throughout the daytime from Inverness to Fort William via the major tourist destinations of Drumnadrochit, Alltsigh and Fort Augustus.
As of April 2026, all-electric bus company Ember have launched a competing route that travels from Inverness to Fort William, with stops also in Drumnadrochit, Alltsigh and Fort Augustus. All of the aforementioned locations have hostel accommodation available during the spring, summer and autumn months (March-October). Both Citylink and Ember run their routes in each direction throughout the day, with Ember buses running slightly later into the night.
Both of these bus routes are included in the £2 bus fare scheme. You can compare the latest bus prices and times on Omio:
Where Can You Eat & Drink Affordably in Inverness?
It's highly recommended to try out the great selection of food and drink now on offer at the Victorian Market Food Hall - with everything from local Scottish food, to Indian cuisine, vegan West Asian street food, pizza and more. If you're staying a couple of days, you can easily come back a couple of times
What Are the Best Pubs for Backpackers in Inverness?
Make sure to stop at the Black Isle Brewery Bar in the City Centre, where local organic beer and cider is brewed just over the bridge a few miles away, and fresh sourdough pizza is available at a reasonable price. You can enjoy their rooftop secret garden on both sunny and rainy days thanks to heaters and sheds (yes, sheds) that you can drink in! For craft beer, the prices are very reasonable and there's a great selection too.
Just across the street you'll find the famous Hootananny bar, where traditional music is played nightly throughout the summer, and you may even get the chance to take part in a traditional Ceilidh (Scottish Folk Dance).
If you're wanting to experience a night out the Highlands way, Inverness offers you the best chance to drink pints with the locals - Church Street roars with revellers every weekend, and you'll find great live music at the Highlander Pub and MacGregor's. You'll soon hear about the local kick-ons spot, Johnny Foxes, open into the early hours and serving up pints of Guinness with musicians fighting to keep control of an often rowdy crowd.
Is Inverness Expensive for Backpackers in 2026?
Inverness is generally more affordable than Scotland’s bigger cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow, but it’s not exactly “cheap.” Budget dorm accommodation, such as a stay at Inverness Student Hotel, starts from £27.50 per night, while meals in cafés or pubs can cost between £8-18.
Transport is well priced with the new £2 single bus ticket scheme as of 2026, and many of the key attractions — like walking along the River Ness, the Ness Islands, or exploring historic sites like Inverness Castle’s grounds — are free and in walking distance, which helps backpackers keep costs down.
For backpackers planning day trips, Inverness can get pricier if you take guided tours or visit paid attractions like we've mentioned here to Culloden Battlefield or Loch Ness. With some planning, it’s entirely possible to spend a few days in Inverness and the surrounding area without breaking the bank, making it a solid choice for budget-conscious travellers.
Final Tips for Backpackers Visiting Inverness
Book a stay at Inverness Student Hotel for the best balance of social and affordable backpackers accommodation.
Pack in visits to Leakey's Bookshop, Inverness Museum, St. Andrew's Cathedral and The Victorian Market for a free day out in the city.
Take a visit to Church Street in the evenings to experience Highland nightlife and live music at an affordable price.
Consider an overnight stay on Loch Ness if you can to make the most of the attractions - it's better to consider Inverness and Loch Ness as two separate backpacking destinations.
If you fancy a day trip, Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns are unmissable parts of Scottish history just a short £2 bus ride away.
Main Image Copyright: Robin Canfield on Unsplash
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