The River Ness is the lifeblood that has supplied the beautiful city of Inverness for time Immemorial. It makes sense then, that the city's name translates into "on the mouth of the River Ness". This placement has allowed Inverness to be one of the most beautiful cities in all of Scotland, a country not short on idyllic pastures and natural wonders. A day spent in Inverness is one that would be hard to pass without gazing skyward or marveling at the sunset on the horizon.

Many people have begun to notice this same phenomenal scenery, however, and Inverness is swiftly becoming a full-fledged city. Inverness is currently ranked as the fastest growing city in all of Europe and its population is expected to jump almost forty percent higher within the next twenty years. If the people aren't strictly coming for the view they're most certainly interested in the fact that Inverness is also in the top five best places to live in Britain and the best city in Scotland according to most polls. A good portion of the city, however, comes for the fine schools in the city and as such the town has something of a college vibe that lends itself greatly to fun and merriment.

Inverness College is undoubtedly the major player in the city and its enrollment is fast approaching ten thousand. This acclaimed university draws students from all over Scotland and beyond and for good measure it boasts one of the most eclectic and wide-ranging curricula in Europe. The interesting thing about this school, though, and about a rather large portion of Inverness as well, is that the majority of the people in the city speak the Scottish Gaelic language. This is one of the hardest languages to spell, much less to say, and visitors to Inverness who aren't familiar with the dialect will immediately run into problems. The worst bit has to be the road signs. A tourist can ride into the city and quickly become confused as to whether Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis means construction up ahead or no through traffic. In this case it means that an elementary school is approaching.

As quaint as the city may be, however, don't rule it out as a necessary force in the lifeblood of Scotland. To be sure, the city is among the most technologically advanced in the United Kingdom thanks to the plethora of hi-tech companies that grace the city limits. Health Science is a particularly fruitful field for Inverness and this proves that the city is not stuck in the past but also doesn't follow major trends simply because it is expected to, choosing instead to go down its own route. To put it simply, Inverness is a wholly unique town that clearly marches to the beat of its own drum. After all, the city is among the most quickly growing in the world and yet it still manages to hold onto its identity with little to no trouble. The city clearly has an appropriate amount of respect for the traditions and lifestyles that allowed it to be here to this day and for that reason alone Inverness is worthy of the utmost respect.

Dialling the UK from Abroad

To dial the telephone and fax numbers shown from outside the UK, dial your international access code (check with your telecoms provider if you do not know what to dial), then 44, then the rest of the number except the zero shown in brackets.

Guest House & Hotel Owners

If you run a hotel, guest house or bed & breakfast and would like to be included in 4Hotels.co.uk's Hotel & Guest House Directory, please e-mail info@4hotels.co.uk.

Other accommodation close to Inverness: