Bridge of Allan, a historic Victorian spa town just north of Stirling, has been named the "prettiest to visit" by travel experts at Travelness. The town was praised for its lush woodland scenery and wide selection of food and drink venues, described as "a good place to waste a few days or hours."
Travelness Top Pick
On Sunday, August 16, Travelness published a list of the "24 prettiest Scottish villages and small towns to visit," rounding up settlements with smaller populations and a more peaceful ambience than many popular destinations. Bridge of Allan topped the list, situated under the Wallace Monument and along the Allan Water river.
The town is known for its beauty spots and scenic walks, including the Darn Walk, an ancient path linking to Dunblane, and Lecropt Kirk, a Gothic revival style church. Travelness singled out Bridge of Allan for its food and drink, with numerous restaurants, cafés, and pubs. Scotland Now's Alexander Smail previously visited and praised HAVN Bakery as a highlight.
Why Bridge of Allan Wins
Travelness stated: "My final entry is bigger than most other places we’ve featured so far, with a population of around 5,500 people. Most places on this list are known for their outdoor escapades, with loads of opportunities for hiking, cycling and wandering.
"And although there’s lots of that on offer in and around Bridge of Allan, it’s best to explore the town by eating and drinking in its cafes, bars and restaurants. If you prefer lazing around towns rather than enjoying outdoor adventures, you’ll probably love Bridge of Allan. It’s pretty, welcoming and friendly, and it’s a good place to waste a few days or hours."
Runner-Up: Lossiemouth
Second on the list is Lossiemouth, a coastal town in Moray, often called the 'Riviera of the North' for its sandy beaches and coastal scenery. The town has two beaches, East and West, flanking its harbour, and is noted for its ice cream and fish and chip shops, including Miele's of Lossie and The Lossie Chip Shop.
Travelness wrote: "One of my top under-the-radar picks on this list, nowhere near enough people know about Lossiemouth. But more people should. And now, you do. I only visited Lossiemouth to visit a friend. I hadn’t heard of the place either, so I was massively surprised by how lovely it is.
"Another little fishing town, Lossiemouth is in Moray, bordering Aberdeenshire, and close to Elgin. It’s pretty far from most other places we’ve featured on this list, so if you’re exploring the more northerly parts of Scotland’s east coast, head towards it. In Lossiemouth, you’ll find two great beaches, lots of dunes, plenty of friendly faces, and a really pretty town.
"It’s a relatively popular spot for locals on family day trips, so there are lots of places to stuff your face full of ice cream and fish and chips."
