Top 5 Things to do on Islay

Five best things to on Islay, Scotland

You spend that last week before your holidays tying up all your tasks. Then you start to pack the car, have those niggles with your travelling partner(s)- ‘did I switch the iron off, have you left food for the cat, you did lock the back door, didn’t you?….’ and you are finally on your way to the ferry. As you leave the clunk of the ferry ramp behind, the stunning Hebridean island of Islay unfolds before your eyes and all those worries start to fade away as you breathe in the fresh sea air. So the only thing that potentially needing thinking about is…’what shall we see and do on our holiday?’ Well, you need not worry as we have done the leg work for you and created your very own, bespoke top 5 things to do on Islay.

Islay Sea Adventures

Step on board a 38ft Revenge Charter with Islay Sea Adventures at the marina of Port Ellen and soak up the view of Islay and its marine life. For those fishers amongst you can book fishing trips and those with a more daring disposition you can arrange to go diving and view some of the 97 wrecks off the coast off Islay.

Whisky Distillery Tours

No trip to Islay would be complete without visiting at least one of their eight prestigious whisky distilleries. This unique island produces some of the strongest flavoured Single Malt Whiskies in Scotland.

The Museum Of Islay Life

This quaint little church house in Port Charlotte many items reflecting the history of Islay with around 2,000 objects from a variety of subjects. The Museum of Islay Life exhibits items from Mesolithic times to recent including artefacts found from archaeological investigations and rooms displaying how the inside of a croft would have once looked.

Islay Beaches

You come to an island and you expect a beach or at least the sea! The Islay coastline spans 130 miles and hosts some the worlds most scenic beaches. Here you can also observe some of Islay’s wildlife including seals, and many species of bird. For some wild swimming you can choose from the following safest beaches to take a dip if you dare!: Laggan Bay, Loch Gruinart and Loch Indaal.

The Isle of Jura

If you fancy a trip across the water it is a skip, hop and a jump where you can visit the equally stunning Isle of Jura, Islay’s neighbouring island. Simply board the ferry for a 15 minute crossing that separates the two islands and prepare to be wowed! People on this island are outnumbered by deer, with only 180 of the two-legged variety and 5,000 of the four-legged!

Whatever you choose to do, rest assured that here at Islay Cottages you can return to the most relaxing and cosy accommodation in one of our cottages or our stunning Georgian Kilchoman house. You will not want to leave! Find more great things to do during your stay with our Islay Guide.