Perth Youth Hostel

Perth is known as Scotland's Fair City and was once the country's capital. For centuries, royalty called Perth home, filling the area with grand architecture, rolling estates, ornate palaces and historic castles. The city's also rich with creative arts, from the round Fergusson Gallery in a former water tower and the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, to cultural festivals throughout the year. There are dramatic landscapes to explore too, with the Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park and the Grampian Mountains surrounding the town.

At hostels in Perth, you can expect free Wi-Fi and parking, with some also including a free breakfast. There are places to stay that have outdoor spaces and an on-site bar with live music through the week, so you can socialise and meet people from around the world. Stay in a Perth hostel in a traditional 18th-century inn with bare stone walls and cosy open fires or, during the summer months, book modern rooms or entire flats at Perth College.

Perth's historical centre is its heart, but there are also other districts to explore. Tucked in the north east corner of town is George Street, where quirky shops sell everything from olives to fabrics and vintage treasures, alongside tea rooms and galleries. Close by are the peaceful banks of the River Tay, Scotland's longest river, which is renowned for its salmon. Further into Perthshire, you'll find yourself surrounded by the rolling countryside and dramatic five hills of Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park.

Thanks to the city's regal past, there's lots to visit. At the fortress of the 16th-century Black Watch Castle, you can step inside for its collections of historic uniforms and weapons. Stop by the grand Scone Palace to wander the grounds with the strutting peacocks and see where Scotland's kings (including the real Macbeth) were crowned at the Stone of Destiny. In May, Perth's Festival of the Arts brings a variety of music from jazz to opera, as well as comedy, while the Winter Festivals include events like the Chinese New Year parade.

The easiest way to explore the small town of Perth is on foot or by hiring a bike. There are also regular local buses and a train station in the city for getting to and from smaller stations in Perthshire and larger cities like Dundee and Glasgow. If you're flying in, the nearest airport is Edinburgh Airport (1.5 hours away by train), and there are also flights from London into Dundee Airport (1 hour away by bus and train).