Oban
Oban today has a resident population of 8,500 and is the unofficial capital of the West Highlands - the "Gateway to the Isles" - however it has recently become better known as "The Seafood Capital of Scotland".
The panoramic views of the mountains, lochs and islands which have captivated artists, authors, composers, and poets for centuries are as striking now as they were when Dunollie Castle (the most norther outpost of the Dalriadic Scots) stood sentinel over the narrow entrance to the sheltered bay six hundred years ago. Now a ruin, Dunollie Castle is just one of many castles that you can visit in the area.
Oban is the focal town of the west coast of Scotland, arranged around a sheltered bay, busy with ferries and fishing boats, overlooked by the distinctive McCaig’s tower on top of the hill.
It is no surprise to find Oban in the 21st Century remains a magnet for travellers from all over the world. The town’s present-day popularity owes much to the Victorians, and as early as 1812, when the Comet steamship linked Oban with Glasgow, the town, which grew up around Oban Distillery, played host to intrepid travellers touring Staffa – the inspiration for Mendelssohn’s Hebridean Overture – and Iona – home of Scottish Christianity since St Columba stepped ashore in AD563.
Indeed, Oban had the royal seal of approval from Queen Victoria, who called it “one of the finest spots we have seen”, the town’s destiny as an endearingly enchanting holiday destination was as firmly set as the lava columns of Fingal’s Cave in Staffa