A mini guide to

Iona and the Ross of Mull: things to do

Places worth your time in Iona and the Ross of Mull

Top places

Things to do in Iona and the Ross of Mull

Landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints in and around the area.

Abbey

Benedictine abbey founded around 1200 on the site of St Columba's monastery; its museum holds early medieval carved stones and crosses.

Ruined nunnery

Ruins of an Augustinian nunnery founded in the early 1200s, next to the village; among the most complete in Scotland.

Chapel

Twelfth-century chapel beside the abbey, restored along with it and part of the Iona monastic scheduled monument.

Carved cross

Finely carved 15th-century cross beside the medieval street of the dead, where pilgrims from the boats stopped to pray.

Island and sea cave

Uninhabited island of basalt columns; Fingal's Cave inspired Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture. Reached only by boat trip.

Natural arches

Natural rock arches below the cliffs of the Ross of Mull, west of Carsaig Bay; a long, rough coastal walk.

Mull and Iona

Tobermory harbour, Duart Castle, Calgary Bay and boat trips to the Treshnish Isles

Iona and the Ross of Mull (area photo): Lisa Stevens from Sutton Coldfield, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Iona Abbey: Akela NDE (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, source
Iona Nunnery: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
St Oran's Chapel: Keith Laverack, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Staffa and Fingal's Cave: Sally Hackney, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Carsaig Arches: Hopgrove james, Public domain, source
Tobermory and Mull: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits

Official pages we opened while writing and checking this page. Details change, so check with the venue or operator before you travel.

Place names and map positions: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Wikidata (CC0). See credits.

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