The Isle of Skye
Some of Scotland's most rugged, dramatic landscapes and natural wonders - like the Old Man of Storr, and the Fairy Pools pictured here - are on the Isle of Skye, the biggest of the Inner Hebrides. Its wildlife spotting opportunities include colonies of sea otters, seals and birds of prey. Visit its tiny, colorful villages, like Portree, the island capital, and see the oldest continually occupied castle in Scotland, Dunvegan, ancestral home of the clan Macleod. Get there by ferry from Mallaig near Fort William or by bridge from the Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast. The drive along the A87 to the Skye Bridge, especially along the shores of Loch Cluanie and past Eilean Donan Castle, (pictured at the top of this story) deserves the description of awesome. Find out what makes iconic Eilean Donan one of Scotland's top castles.
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The Shetlands
Shetland is an archipelago of islands about 50 miles northeast of Orkney and about 105 miles from the Scottish mainland. There are at least 100 islands in the group but only 16 of them are inhabited. The islands lie at the mid-point between the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. Get there by ferry or plane.
These are the ancient, subarctic landscapes where Scandinavia meets Britain. The largest settlement and capital of the islands is Lerwick. It's home to one of the UK's most colorful fire festivals - Up Helly Aa - a midwinter Viking themed event that ends with the launch of a burning Viking ship into the sea. You've no doubt heard of Fair Isle sweaters - named for one of the islands - and Shetland ponies. Yes, Shetland has both of those. But it also has some of the wildest, most dramatic landscapes marked by bizarre rock formations, crystal clear pools and spring fed waterfalls. It's a great place for wildlife watching - otters, seals, huge puffin colonies and all kinds of sea birds, walking, cycling, fishing and photography. And, if you are lucky, you may get to see the Northern Lights.
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Orkney
Orkney is an archipelago off the northeast coast of Scotland. The main island, alternatively called Orkney or Mainland, is about 45 miles from the ferry port on the Scottish mainland at Scrabster.
The islands are washed by the Gulf stream so milder in winter than you might expect for a place so far north. They are popular for hiking, shipwreck diving in Scapa Flow and wildlife watching.
But the main attraction for most visitors in the UNESCO World Heritage site, The Heart of Neolithic Orkney. It's a remarkable collection of monuments - standing stones, stone circles and chambered tombs and even a village, Skara Brae, uncovered from beneath the sand during a 19th century storm. The ruins on Orkney are more than 5,000 years old - older than the Pyramids - and their level of sophistication is shedding new light on how the British Isles were populated and civilized.
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Islay
Islay (pronounced AYE-la) Is the home of one Scotland's distinctive whisky types - peaty, smoky flavored single malts. There are eight working distilleries currently on the 25-mile-long island, each with their own secret springs and peat supplies. The oldest, Bowmore, founded in 1779, is open to visitors. Others on the island that you can visit include Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Kilchoman, Bunnahabhain, and Lagavulin.
The distilleries are the main reason for visiting this Hebridean island, a short flight from Glasgow or a slightly longer ferry trip off the West Coast of Scotland. Besides tours, and tastings, visitors are encouraged to approach whisky tastings like wine tasting, learning about all the qualities to look for. Depending upon how deep your pockets are, you might have a chance to dig peat, learn about whisky making or have your own privately labeled bottling. There is nothing quite like watching a sunset from an Islay beach while sipping whisky accompanied by shortbread and chocolate.