All the United Kingdom Scotland

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Scotland

743 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Scotland

Updated September 1, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Aberdeen
  2. Aberdeenshire
  3. Anstruther
  4. Argyll And Bute
  5. Ayr
  6. Beauly
  7. Birnam
  8. Blantyre
  9. Bowmore
  10. Broxburn
  11. Comrie
  12. Crail
  13. Crieff
  14. Dailly
  15. Dalmally
  16. Dumfries And Galloway
  17. Dunbar
  18. Dunblane
  19. Dundee
  20. Dunfermline
  21. Dunmore
  22. Dunure
  23. East Ayrshire
  24. East Lothian
  25. Edinburgh
  26. Elgin
  27. Eyemouth
  28. Falkirk
  29. Forres
  30. Fraserburgh
  31. Glasgow
  32. Glencoe
  33. Glenfinnan
  34. Glentrool
  35. Highland
  36. Holywood
  37. Inverkeithing
  38. Inverness
  39. Isle Of Islay
  40. Isle Of Skye
  41. Johnstone
  42. Kilmartin
  43. Kirriemuir
  44. Lendalfoot
  45. Lerwick
  46. Linlithgow
  47. Melrose
  48. Millport
  49. Moffat
  50. Musselburgh
  51. Nairn
  52. North Berwick
  53. Orkney
  54. Outer Hebrides
  55. Paisley
  56. Peebles
  57. Perth
  58. Perth And Kinross
  59. Port Charlotte
  60. Prestonpans
  61. Renfrewshire
  62. Rosehearty
  63. Saddell
  64. Saint Andrews
  65. Scottish Borders
  66. Shetland Islands
  67. Stirling
  68. Stonehaven
  69. Strichen
  70. Wallyford
  71. Wanlockhead
  72. West Dunbartonshire
  73. Wigtown

Unusual Attractions in Scotland

See All 743 Things To Do in Scotland

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Scotland

See all 18 Places to Eat in Scotland
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Hidden Edinburgh

Crowds clog Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the main artery between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. The road is dotted with stores selling Nessie trinkets and lined with bagpipers and street performers pulling off dazzling tricks. But look beyond the tartan tourist traps, and you’ll discover tucked-away gardens, remnants of the city’s medieval past, and much more.

View Itinerary

Explore Scotland

History & Culture 158
Architecture 107
Art 65
Ruins 62
History 59
Monuments 46
Castles 45
Statues 44

Scotland Leaderboard

Recent Scotland Activity

Stories About Scotland

The Cù Sith, an otherworldly hound of Scottish folklore, and its Irish counterpart the Cù Sidhe are sometimes described as green, the color associated with magic—and misfortune.

Death as a Dog: The Cù Sith of Scotland

The spectral, terrifying dog of Scottish folklore has inspired many a nightmare for centuries—and likely for millennia.
by Emma Cieslik
For some 4,500 years, Stonehenge has attracted and fascinated humans—now it turns out the Altar Stone, at its center, is from Scotland.

Stonehenge Has a Scottish Heart

Long thought to be from Wales, the monument's Altar Stone is from northern Scotland, nearly 500 miles away.
by Roxanne Hoorn

Podcast: Stone of Destiny

An unassuming rock in a Scottish bar may have quite a royal history.
by The Podcast Team

Imbolc, Groundhog Day, and Brigantia All Celebrate the Coming Spring

Whatever you call it, early February's cross-quarter day reconnects us with ancient astronomical timekeeping traditions.
by Rebecca Boyle
The Tomnaverie Stone Circle is a dramatic megalithic monument devoted to the Moon. A large recumbent stone, arranged between two smaller, upright stones, is visible just to the left of the image’s center.

Scotland's Ancient Stone Circles Mark Our Deep Connection to the Moon

Unlike Sun-focused Stonehenge and other megalithic monuments, Tomnaverie and similar stone circles hint at the Moon's importance to ancient people.
by Rebecca Boyle
Stretching between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Scottish witch trials were among Europe’s longest and most deadly.

Isobel Gowdie and the Untold History of the Scottish Witch Trials

Some experts estimate as many as 3,000 people were accused and executed for witchcraft in Scotland.
by Sarah Durn
There are so many reasons to take stone skimming seriously.

Stone Skimming Is a World Champion Sport—And a Model for Spaceships

What to know if you want to skip a rock over 200 feet. Or fly to space.
by Ella Benson Easton
The Cailleach shrine can determine if locals have a good year or not.

Moving Stones Has a Magical Effect at This Secret Shrine in Scotland

Don't let the Cailleach curse your autumn.
by Daniela Castillo Gómez

Lists Featuring Scotland

Callanish Standing Stones.
A close up photo of several stones in one of the larger circles.
Lundin Links Standing Stones.
Ring of Brodgar

7 of Scotland’s Most Enchanting Standing Stones

These ancient monuments have captivated the imagination for thousands of years.

7

Including Callanish Stones, Machrie Moor Standing Stones, and Lundin Links Standing Stones

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
Oh, hello!
Little Spotted Kiwi

10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

Unique experiences from Nairobi to Chiang Mai.

12

Including Cat Island, Elephant Nature Park , and India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels

Bolivia’s Witch Market
Dubrovnik Maskeron
The Statue of St. Anthony’s Pig
The Guardhouse Monkey

15 Unlikely Places to Re-Up Your Luck

Luck be a... llama fetus?

15

Including Bolivia's Witch Market, Dubrovnik Maskeron, and Statue of St. Anthony's Pig

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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