Isle of Skye, GB

A converted stone crofter's cottage on the shore of Loch Dunvegan that has been Skye's fine-dining anchor for over 40 years. It runs a set tasting menu rooted in island produce, and the rooms next door mean you don't have to drive after dinner. This is the place for a once-a-trip special meal in the northwest.

A tiny six-table room in the old fishing village of Stein with a focus on local waters, where the langoustine and scallops often come straight off the jetty. The seafood sharing platter is the order, and the setting on the Waternish shore is half the draw. A destination dinner for people who want the seafood version of the Skye splurge.

A 16th-century hunting lodge turned restaurant-with-rooms, roughly halfway between Portree and Dunvegan. The kitchen runs an ambitious tasting menu of foraged and local produce and is one of the most decorated in the Highlands. Go here when you want the cooking to be the event.

A small modern-Scottish restaurant perched above Portree harbour serving a concise set menu. It's the in-town fine-dining option, more relaxed and walkable than the rural destination spots. Good for a refined dinner without the long drive.

A snug quayside seafood restaurant in a 19th-century building by Portree harbour. The seafood platter is the order here, stacked with langoustine, mussels and scallops landed locally. It's the harbour-town seafood standby and fills up fast.

A bistro in the heart of Portree serving elevated Scottish comfort food in a rustic dining room. Expect dishes like Skye mutton and west-coast mussels rather than a tasting menu. A solid, central, sit-down dinner option in town.

A no-frills seafood takeaway and farm shop above Carbost where oysters are shucked in front of you and scallops cooked to order. It's a shed with outdoor benches, not a restaurant, and the oysters are the reason to come. Pair it with a Talisker visit just down the hill.

A specialty coffee shop and bakery in Portree that's become the town's go-to for proper coffee, sourdough and pastries. It's a daytime stop for breakfast or a pre-hike fuel-up rather than a sit-down meal. Expect a queue at peak times.

A roadside cafe in Broadford on the main road, handy as a southern-Skye stop for coffee and wood-fired pizza. It covers the Broadford gap between Portree and the Skye Bridge, with vegetarian and vegan options. A reliable refuel rather than a destination.

A loop through the Quiraing's landslip pinnacles and hidden plateaus on the northern Trotternish ridge, longer and rougher than the Storr. The full circuit runs about 6.8 km with narrow traverses across steep ground and a steep pull at the far end. Best for walkers comfortable with exposure and uneven footing.

A short, mostly flat walk from the Glen Brittle car park up alongside a chain of clear blue pools and small waterfalls below the Black Cuillin. It's easy in distance but the path is rocky and floods after rain. The easiest way to reach dramatic Cuillin scenery without a real climb.

A short coastal loop starting right from Portree harbour, following the shore below the cliffs and back. It's easy and quick, around 45 minutes, with views over the bay and out to Raasay. The walk to do when you're based in town and don't want to drive.

The big serious hill walk within reach, a 928m Munro standing apart from the main Cuillin ridge above Loch Slapin. The path is good lower down but turns to boulders, scree and light scrambling near the summit, with huge views over the Cuillin and out to Rum. A full mountain day for experienced, well-equipped walkers.

A low summit with arguably the finest view in Britain, looking straight down the Cuillin ridge curling around Loch Coruisk. The long approach from Sligachan is on a clear path, but the final climb is rough, rocky and pathless and needs care. A big day out for fit walkers who can navigate.

Skye's oldest working distillery, on the shore of Loch Harport below the Cuillin, running guided tours and tastings of its peppery, maritime single malt. The standard tour walks you through production and finishes with a tasting. The reliable anchor for the southwest, and right next to the Oyster Shed.

A small-boat trip from Elgol across to Loch Coruisk, the hidden sea loch ringed by the Cuillin, passing a seal colony on the way. You get time ashore at Coruisk before the return, with the dramatic ridge looming the whole trip. One of the best half-days on the island for non-hikers and families.

Wildlife boat trips straight from Portree harbour, specializing in getting close to white-tailed sea eagles, with seals, dolphins and porpoises common. Trips run around two hours along the Sound of Raasay. An easy, family-friendly outing that needs no driving if you're based in town.

A cluster of seven restored thatched blackhouses on the north Trotternish coast, recreating 19th-century crofting life with tools, furnishings and old croft records. It's a quick, low-key cultural stop with Flora MacDonald's grave just up the road. Good for a break from the scenery and for families.

A community visitor center on the edge of Portree with a cinema, a film exhibition about Skye's history, a cafe and a large indoor play area for kids. It's the practical wet-weather and family fallback when the hills are clagged in. Not a headline attraction, but the indoor option you'll be glad exists.

The jagged rock pinnacle that stands in for Skye on most postcards, rising above the Trotternish ridge north of Portree. A steady uphill path gets you among the pillars in under an hour, and most visitors put it first for good reason. Go for the rock formations and the view back over the Sound of Raasay.

A roadside viewpoint over a sea cliff whose vertical basalt columns resemble the pleats of a kilt, with the Mealt waterfall dropping straight off the edge into the sea. It's a five-minute stop from the car park rather than a walk. Easy to combine with the Quiraing and Staffin on a Trotternish loop.

The 800-year seat of Clan MacLeod and Scotland's oldest continuously inhabited castle, set on Loch Dunvegan with extensive gardens. The grounds mix formal walled gardens with wilder woodland and waterfall paths, and seal-colony boat trips run from the jetty. The island's main castle visit and a good rainy-day-resistant option.

A miniature landscape of conical grassy hills and little ponds just above Uig, capped by a rocky outcrop people call Castle Ewen. It's a short wander rather than a hike, with the oddly scaled-down terrain being the appeal. Quick and unusual, and easy to fold into a Trotternish drive.

An arched 19th-century stone bridge at Sligachan with the Cuillin rising behind it, one of the most-photographed spots on the island. There's local lore about the cold river water granting eternal beauty if you dip your face. A quick, free stop at the island's central crossroads.

The row of brightly painted houses curving around Portree's working harbour, the social and practical hub of the island. It's where the boat trips leave from and where most of the town's restaurants cluster. A natural base and an easy evening stroll.

A pale beach north of Dunvegan made of crushed maerl rather than true coral, which turns the shallows turquoise on a sunny day. A flat 25-minute walk along a farm track gets you there, with views across Loch Dunvegan. A gentler, lower-key alternative to the big ridge hikes.