On this 1 hour tour, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds as you travel back through the centuries to discover the history and culture of Oban. Your local, expert guide will bring the gateway to the Isles to life through tales, traditions and stories. From world famous firework fiascos to distilleries and the iconic McCaigs Tower, the history of Oban is just waiting to be discovered!

Argyll & the Isles

Oban Walking Tour

Take a journey into the subterranean world of Cruachan Power Station and discover the cavernous machine hall and power-generating turbines hidden deep within Ben Cruachan mountain.

Cruachan Hollow Mountain

Inside, design inspired by astrology, art and mythology dazzles. See a map of the stars on the ceiling of the Marble Hall. Take the spiral staircase to what is believed to be the world’s first domestic heated swimming pool. This house is filled with innovations – from an early telephone system to our Victorian passenger lift.

Mount Stuart House

The Hill House is considered to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s domestic masterpiece. Commissioned by Glasgow book publisher Walter Blackie, up-and-coming architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and artist Margaret Macdonald worked collaboratively to create almost everything you see here, from the building itself to the furniture and textiles.

The Hill House

Oban is one of the smallest whisky makers in Scotland. And that’s key to the character of our products. When expansion isn’t an option and the volume we’re able to produce is limited, we stand on quality, authenticity, and heritage. 

Oban Distillery 

Step through the doors of Inveraray Jail and step back in time to a 19th century prison. Experience what life was like for the real men, women and children– some as young as seven – who were tried and locked up there. Explore the atmospheric historic buildings at your leisure and meet the costumes characters who animate the past in this unique living museum.

Inveraray Jail

The west coast of Scotland is a pretty incredible place. Wildlife and wildlife lovers alike flock to the Hebrides; the coastlines are a haven of natural wilderness, the skies filled with the cry of sea birds and in the seas lurk enigmatic and wondrous creatures. Within the waters around these shores whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks can be spotted. 

The Hebridean Whale Trail

For true drama visit Benmore Botanic Garden, renowned for its fine collections of rhododendrons and conifers grown to immense stature in a mountain landscape. Benmore's 120 acres are home to a world-famous collection of plants from regions ranging from the Himalaya, China and Japan to North and South America. Other Garden features include:

Benmore Botanic Garden

Come and experience Scotland from a different perspective. We run regular scheduled public trips in the spring/summer season. Our boat can also be hired privately with skipper and crew for a day, or half a day  We offer a comfortable, stable boat with outdoor & warm indoor seating for all 12 passengers, a toilet, and complementary tea, coffee & local Helensburgh tablet.

Boat Trips Helensburgh

Punches of colour, tasty vegetables and a succession of seasonal plants make this a classic garden with a vibrant feel. Geilston is typical of the small country estates on the banks of the Clyde, and has offered a tranquil haven for over 200 years. The kitchen garden springs to life in April and May. Geilston is celebrated for its landscaping, which harmonises nature and cultivation.

Geilston Garden

Iona Abbey is an abbey located on the island of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic community by St. Columba, when Iona was part of the Kingdom of Dál Riata. 

Iona Abbey

This exotic splash of wilderness is a Himalayan-style glen, set in the gentle hills of Argyll. The sparkling waters of the Crarae Burn form the centrepiece for a woody paradise of rocky gorges, wooden bridges and thickets of maple, birch and evergreens, blending with sprays of flowers.

Crarae Garden

Step back in time and discover Scotland’s rural history at Auchindrain, the most complete and well-preserved example of a Scottish Highland farm township. Vividly imagine life in the old Highlands as you walk through the settlement and see how ordinary people lived and worked. Step into the restored longhouses, see the objects of everyday life and learn about the past inhabitants. Explore the byres, stables and fields to understand how groups of families worked the land in common. Uncover a fascinating, long-vanished Scottish way of life deep in the hills of Argyll.

Auchindrain 

Our island tours allow you to discover up to three beautiful and diverse Inner Hebridean Islands – Mull, Iona and Staffa – on a day trip from Oban. Tours operate from March 2022 to October 2022.

Island Day Tours - West Coast Day Tours

Kilmartin Museum has re-opened its doors! Young and old, experts or the simply curious now have the opportunity to explore the rich and dramatic history of this special area of Scotland. 
The Museum’s new visitor experiences offer you the chance to journey back through 12,000 years, bringing our ancestors’ stories to life in bold and captivating ways.

Kilmartin Museum

Enjoy a day out in Argyll with hundreds of things to see, do and explore. From pristine beaches and historic castles, to atmospheric woodland walks and adrenaline-pumping watersports, there's plenty for everyone to get involved in and enjoy.