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Whisky distillery
Laphroaig Distillery
South-coast distillery at the head of Loch Laphroaig near Port Ellen, with tours and experiences.
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A mini guide to
Islay: things to do
Places worth your time in Islay
Top places
Things to do in Islay
Landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints in and around the area.
Whisky distillery
Lagavulin Distillery
Distillery in the village of Lagavulin, founded by John Johnston in 1816; tours are booked through Malts.com.
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Whisky distillery
Ardbeg Distillery
Distillery on the south coast, established in 1815, east of Lagavulin.
Whisky distillery
Bowmore Distillery
Distillery on the shore of Loch Indaal in Bowmore, the island's main village.
Church
Kilarrow Parish Church
Round Church of Scotland parish church overlooking and serving Bowmore.
Whisky distillery
Kilchoman Distillery
Independent, family-run farm distillery in the north-west, close to Machir Bay.
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Beach
Machir Bay
Long sandy bay on the west coast of the Rinns, a few hundred metres from Kilchoman.
Whisky distillery
Bruichladdich Distillery
Rinns distillery first built in 1881 and reopened in 2001; it also makes The Botanist gin.
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Museum
Museum of Islay Life
Objects, photographs and stories of island life from prehistory on; open weekdays from April to September.
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Whisky distillery
Caol Ila Distillery
Distillery near Port Askaig, on Islay since 1846, with views across the Sound of Islay to Jura.
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Whisky distillery
Bunnahabhain Distillery
Distillery founded in 1881 north of Port Askaig; the village was built to house its workers.
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Whisky distillery
Ardnahoe Distillery
Newer distillery in the north-east corner of Islay, with tours, tastings and an accessibility guide.
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Historic site
Finlaggan
Island in Loch Finlaggan that was the centre of the Lords of the Isles, about 4 km west of Port Askaig.
Mill
Islay Woollen Mill
Category A listed woollen mill near Bridgend.
High cross
Kildalton Cross
High cross carved in the 700s and still standing where it was first raised, with Bible scenes on its shaft.
Ruined castle
Dunyvaig Castle
Ruined castle on Lagavulin Bay, once a naval base of the Lords of the Isles.
Nature reserve
RSPB Loch Gruinart
RSPB reserve with two trails and hides; Greenland barnacle and white-fronted geese, corncrakes, hen harriers and otters.
Nature reserve
RSPB The Oa
Sea cliffs, moorland and heath in the south-west, where golden eagles are seen all year; dogs on short leads 1 April to 15 August.
Islay and Jura
More areas to explore
Photo credits
- Islay (area photo): Dorcas Sinclair, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Laphroaig Distillery: Bjarne Henning Kvaal…, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lagavulin Distillery: Eberhard Kaiser, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Ardbeg Distillery: Rappilio, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bowmore Distillery: Mick Garatt, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kilarrow Parish Church: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kilchoman Distillery: David Hallett, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Machir Bay: Mary and Angus Hogg, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bruichladdich Distillery: The Crabbit Photographer, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Caol Ila Distillery: Peter Church, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bunnahabhain Distillery: Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ardnahoe Distillery: Andrew Abbott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Finlaggan: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Islay Woollen Mill: Patrick Mackie, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kildalton Cross: Tom Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dunyvaig Castle: Alasdair MacNeill, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- RSPB Loch Gruinart: Camster, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- RSPB The Oa: Peter Fairhurst, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Jura: Gordon Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Islay and Jura