How many days in Inverness

It depends what else you want to see while in the area and whether you will have a car or will be relying on public transport. Culloden is doable by public transport, but to get out and see the highlands you will need either a tour such as Rabbies or a rental car. There is not much to see in Inverness itself. It's a working town with services needed by those of us living more remotely. Not very pretty or touristy. Although there is a really good antiquarian bookshop (Leakey's) in an old church.

I like Inverness town itself more than most it seems, but I agree that it depends on what else in the area you want to do. The town itself has a lovely walking path along the river, a town center that we found charming (with the bookshop mentioned as well as an underrated Inverness Cathedral), and some great pubs for traditional music. While you might not venture out of the way to see Inverness by itself apart from the transport links to other nearby attractions, in my mind it is easily worth a day and night by itself even if I'm probably in the minority on that.

It is mainly a good jumping off / transport point for Loch Ness / Urquhart Castle, Culloden, Cawdor Castle, Clava Cairns, and further afield destinations such as Dunrobin Castle (north to Golspie), John O' Groats and the more charming Ducansby Head, the seaside town of Nairn, or Aviemore and the Cairngorms. A car is helpful for most of these sites (and may be essential for some).

In short, I think you could enjoy either 2 or 3 nights there with ease. Either way you can't lose, Scotland is a gem.

"...and some great pubs for traditional music."

Steve (or anyone else), do you have any specific pubs in Inverness that you would recommend for traditional music?

Agree with Steve on all his points for Inverness. I too am not in the majority of opinion that the city doesn’t have much to offer. I also enjoyed the riverside walk, visiting the Leakeys book store, the local church with all that history (even found some relatives buried in the church cemetery).

For trad music in Inverness, try Gellions Pub or MacGregors. I had a great time at Gellions but I’ve heard MacGregors was also good.

For dinner, you can’t go wrong with The Mustard Seed - reservations recommended

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Inverness, it's just not a place that I think of as being particularly touristy. If I had limited time in Scotland there are places I would rather spend that time than in Inverness. But as a base for visiting other places in the Highlands it's great. And the Mustard Seed is a fab restaurant.

Jacqui (Skyegirl)

Thank you all for your suggestions! Linda, how exciting to find familial ancestors!, Thank you for the pub/music suggestions. Suggestions on who or when to book a tour to Culloden, Loch Ness, etc? I see several, but not sure what the best way to go is as we are using train travel entire trip.

Misssb78. I toured with Rabbies 1) out of Inverness on the 1 day Culloden, etc tour; and 2) out of Edinburgh on the 4 day Isle of Skye, Western Highlands tour. Both were exceptional.

https://www.rabbies.com/en