Are you planning to take a winter holiday break at the Highlands? Don’t forget to spend some of your time to shop at Scottish shopping centers and stores. They are a great place to find unique items that you can give as a holiday gift.
Target the local handmade crafts and produce as they define the truly unique gifts of Scotland. But of course, you can find the popular shopping brands everyone’s well aware of. If you aren’t sure where to go, hire an Inverness taxi service and have your driver lead you to the right places.
From boutiques, galleries, shopping centers, and artisan workshops, all kinds of stores are available across Inverness City and the whole of the Highlands. Whatever your taste or budget is, you are sure to find somewhere where you can stock up on festive gifts.
Shopping in Inverness and the Highlands
While it’s densely populated during the holidays, Inverness is actually a small city with less than 60,000 people living in it. Because of its geographical features and tourist spots, at least 200,000people come to the city alone every year. It is also among the most visited cities in the whole United Kingdom.
Inverness is considered the capital of the Highlands so it will connect you to different shops in the region. The options are surprisingly good so it will be great for you to try when you come to visit.
Some are at a walking distance from each other, while some are farther apart. Either way, it’ll be beneficial to hire an Inverness taxi service to get you around the shops.
To make things easier for you, we’ve listed 10 of the best shops you should visit when you go on a winter holiday in Inverness City.
Top 10 Inverness City Shopping Spots
1. The Victorian Market
This century-old indoor market at the heart of Inverness City is an attractive piece of the shopping center that boasts an authentic Victorian architecture. The shops here are unique, with all Scott products in it plus other things.
The main entrance of the mall can be easily accessed through the market and Academy Street. The best feature of this mall is the original Victorian, the ornate iron, and the wooden domed roof.
2. Eastgate Shopping Centre
The Eastgate Shopping Center serves as Inverness City’s main shopping mall. It has 50 different shops on it plus 13 places to eat. All these are just under one roof.
3. Inverness High Street
If you want to walk through other shopping areas near the Eastgate Centre, Inverness High Street is where you should be.
Along this path are international and national chain stores. There are also a lot of Scottish shops and small other small businesses that offer interesting stuff. It’s definitely the best place to start exploring the city’s shopping scene.
4. Duncan Chisholm and Sons
Shopping in Inverness is never complete without a kilt, sporran or dirk, tartan, or tweed in your shopping bag. So if you are looking for a fancy, traditional Scott costume to bring home as a souvenir, Duncan Chisholm and Sons are the places to be.
5. Judith Glue
Orkney knitwear, handmade clothing, bags, prints, and pieces of jewelry unique to the Highlands are what you’ll find in this Judith Glue shop. There is an excellent range to choose from. There are also Scottish food products available here with free food tasting so you’ll have a good idea of what you should bring back home with you.
6. Piggy in the Middle
The shop for the kids. This shop is a dedicated boutique for the children with a wonderful consignment ethos. And while kids’ stuff is usually expensive, Piggy in the Middle has a wide range of affordable toys, clothing, equipment, and other stuff essential for babies and kids. So be sure to buy the kids back home a little surprise. After all, the holidays were made especially for them.
7. Castle Gallery
There are tons of original and unique art displayed here. The gallery is regularly refreshed and updated, with items including paintings, screenprints, sculpture, hand-crafted jewelry, and more. If you are an art geek, take one home for a memento of your Scotland holiday tour. Be careful with the items, though. You wouldn’t want to destroy something so precious.
8. Food Shopping
Food will always be a part of every shopping. If you are looking into trying some real Scott food, you will find a lot at the supermarkets and individual shops like the Holland, which sells award-winning Angelic Gluten Free products, or the Barrett in the Eastgate Centre.
In the Victorian market, there are a lot of food shops you can visit too and the variants aren’t limited to Scott delicacies only. You will find Asian and other specialty foods from other countries too at Church Street to Victory Global Food. With many traditional butchers, bakers, fishmongers, grocers and more, there really isn’t room in this guide to include all the delicious treats you can buy in the city, from Arbroath Smokies to haggis, or tablet to Scotch pies.
9. Highland House of Fraser
Here’s another kiltmaker that’s been around the Highlands for such a long time now. It also serves as a supplier of Highland dress. The Highland House of Fraser also has experts who can guide you in kilt-buying. It’s located at the west bank of River Ness so take advantage of the trip and side trip with your Inverness taxi driver to the museums too.
10. Leakey’s Second Hand Bookshop
No guide to shopping in Inverness would be complete without mentioning Leakey’s. It is an icon and a true Inverness legend. It is also the second-largest secondhand bookshop in Scotland. You will even be amazed at the vibe that comes with the book shopping experience as it is located in an old church and heated by a large wood-burning stove. It’s like you’ve transported to the olden times.
Leakey’s has a collection of thousands and thousands of different books. No matter what your interests, there will be something to appeal here and, for the bibliophile, it is likely you may spend hours perusing the shelves.
Final Words
There’s so much you can buy from the shops in Inverness. From bags to clothes; from traditional costumes to fashionable outfits; and don’t forget art, book, and food, too – you will surely find something nice to bring back home. You just need to tell your Inverness taxi driver what you want to buy.
Still, need a guide when you get there? Book with Inverness Taxis and discover the best shopping centers you shouldn’t miss during your holiday visit to the city.