Coming in at number one is an ancient and beautiful Scottish settlement.
Scotland’s “smallest cities” have been ranked from best to worst on a new Britain-wide list shared this week. On Monday, March 9, The Telegraph published a ranking of the 20 smallest cities across the nation, with a total of four Scottish destinations included on the roundup.
Coming in at number one for Scotland, and placing ninth on the overall list, is Stirling. Home to a population of around 38,000 people, the city was once the capital of Scotland and was previously among the major royal strongholds of the Kingdom of Scotland hundreds of years ago.
Stirling is today known for its various historic attractions and beautiful scenery, as well as its shops and restaurants. Its skyline is dominated by Stirling Castle, which is among the most historically and architecturally significant castles in the country that dates back to at least the 15th century.
Other top attractions in Stirling include the National Wallace Monument and the Stirling Old Town Jail. The former is a 67-metre tower atop a hill overlooking the city that commemorates Scottish hero Sir William Wallace, while the Stirling Old Town Jail offers tours where visitors can learn all about its fascinating and brutal history.
The Telegraph singled out Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument as highlights of the city, as well the Old Town Jail. Also praised was the the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, which is home to what is believed to be the oldest football in the world at almost 500 years old.
The newspaper wrote: “The castle is a centrepiece, and there’s a circular footpath along the old city walls with views across the Lowlands, up to the Highlands and over the rich agricultural lands of the Carse of Stirling. The other looming landmark is the National Wallace Monument.
“The world’s oldest football was discovered during an excavation project at the castle in the 1970s; the cowhide and pig’s bladder ball, which dates back to the 1540s, is on display at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum. The Old Town Jail is popular with families. Lumo will start a new direct service from London Euston to Stirling in the spring.”
The second-best small city in Scotland according to The Telegraph is Inverness, which has a population of around 48,000 and is the administrative centre for The Highland Council. Known as the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is another historic city that is known for its beautiful scenery and fascinating heritage.
Among the standout destinations in Inverness as stated by The Telegraph are the Inverness Botanic Gardens and Inverness Castle, which sits on a site where there has been a castle since 1057. The city was also praised for its various high-quality restaurants and pubs.
The Telegraph stated: “The Highlands are lovely, but when you’ve spent a week in the mountains or the bogs, there’s nothing nicer than arriving in Inverness. The town looks posher than it is, but you can always eat well, find a good pub, and the river walks are great. Until recently, aside from the Botanic Gardens and cathedral, there wasn’t much to ‘do’, but the recently opened Inverness Castle Experience is a good rainy-day option.
“An immersive, installation-led, self-guided tour of the north and south towers of what was never actually a traditional castle, it divulges stories about the city and region, from clans to colonialism, and witchcraft trials to modern-day tartan mills.”
Meanwhile, Scotland’s third-best small city according to the ranking is Perth along the banks of the River Tay. The city, which has a population of about 47,000, is known for its huge public parks, beautiful Georgian townhouses, historic cobbled streets, and breathtaking medieval spires.
The Telegraph praised Perth for its medieval walled layout, as well as its various narrow lanes and side streets that can be explored. The newspaper also singled out the Stone of Destiny as a highlight of the city, which can be found in the Perth Museum after it reopened in 2024 following a major £26.5 million redevelopment.
The fourth and final Scottish city to be included on The Telegraph’s ranking of Britain’s smallest cities is Dunfermline, which is located in Fife. Scotland’s newest city, Dunfermline was officially granted city status in 2022 and has a population of approximately 55,000 people.
The newspaper described the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum and Dunfermline Abbey and Palace as among Dunfermline’s standout attractions. The Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum tells the story of famous Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, while Dunfermline Abbey is the resting place of many of Scotland’s great kings and queens.
The full list of Britain’s 20 smallest cities ranked from worst to best can be found on The Telegraph website.
Scotland’s ‘smallest cities’ ranked from worst to best
- Stirling
- Inverness
- Perth
- Dunfermline