Looking for the latest Scotland news? Whether you’re planning a Scotland holiday, a weekend break or you’re simply keeping an eye on the latest openings and events, you’re in the right place.
You’ll find fresh travel, tourism and Scotland news every day – new hotels, restaurant openings, distillery experiences, exhibitions, cultural events and visitor attractions.
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The Birnam Inn opens in Dunkeld — a new pub from the team behind the Taybank
The Birnam Inn opened on 3 April on Perth Road in Birnam, Dunkeld, as a pop-up pub run by Fraser Potter and the team behind the Taybank.
The inn is part of the much larger project to restore and fully reopen the historic Birnam Hotel, a Baronial-style landmark opposite the famous Beatrix Potter Garden, with all takings from the bar will feeding directly into the ongoing renovation works.
Find out more and follow progress at thebirnamhotel.com.
Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show — V&A Dundee (open until 17 January 2027)
V&A Dundee’s major 2026 exhibition opened on 3 April, charting 125 years of fashion show history in its UK debut.
Across 350 objects, including original garments, film, photography and stage props, visitors can trace the catwalk’s evolution from private 19th-century salons to today’s live-streamed spectacles, with landmark pieces from Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Dior, Vivienne Westwood and Charles Jeffrey among others.
Scotland’s own place in fashion history runs through the show, from Dior’s 1955 Glasgow and Gleneagles presentations to contemporary Scottish runway designers. Tickets are £7–£16, with a £2 discount for advance booking; children and members go free.
Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (Imaginate) 2026 – tickets on sale now
Tickets for the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival went on general sale on Wednesday 25th March 2026.
Running 30 May to 7 June under new Festival Director Adjjima Na Patalung, the 2026 programme brings 15 productions from 9 countries to Edinburgh, spanning circus, dance, music, puppetry and theatre.
Edinburgh Tradfest 2026 – full programme announced for May festival (1-11 May)
Edinburgh Tradfest has confirmed its full 2026 programme, running 1–11 May across the Traverse Theatre, Cameo Cinema and Scottish Storytelling Centre.
The festival opens with RURA and special guests Astro Bloc at Potterrow, and highlights include a world premiere documentary on trad musician Jimmy Hutchison, the Scottish premiere of Celtic Utopia (featuring Lankum and The Mary Wallopers), plus ceilidhs, workshops and storytelling sessions.
Tickets are on sale now. Book at edinburghtradfest.com
Edinburgh Science Festival 2026 — full programme on sale (4–19 April)
The Edinburgh Science Festival’s full 2026 programme is now on sale under the theme ‘Going Global’. The two-week festival (4–19 April) includes headliners Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, and wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin, both at the Usher Hall on 12 April.
The programme opens on 2 April with a panel chaired by former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon celebrating women in Scottish science.
Family favourites at the National Museum of Scotland include Dig Up a Dinosaur and CSI workshops, while Dynamic Earth runs its own month-long programme with Planetarium Lates and a ‘Cretaceous Cocktails’ evening.
Browse and book at edinburghscience.co.uk
RSA New Contemporaries 2026 – emerging art and architecture at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (28 March – 22 April)
The Royal Scottish Academy’s annual showcase of Scotland’s most promising new graduates opens this Saturday on The Mound.
Now in its seventeenth year and landing during the RSA’s bicentenary, the 2026 edition features 64 artists and architects selected from degree shows across Scotland’s art schools, working in everything from painting and sculpture to film, printmaking and installation.
Entry is free, and there’s a ticketed artist’s tour on Thursday 27 March led by exhibition convenor Michael Visocchi RSA.
Find out more and plan your visit
Barbie Comes to Glasgow This Summer
Barbie: The Exhibition makes its Scottish debut at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, running from 13 June to 18 October 2026.
The exhibition invites visitors to trace the evolution of Barbie from her debut in 1959 to the present day, featuring more than 250 objects, from rare early dolls to fashion, vehicles, and playsets, inluding a rare, original, hand-painted Number 1 Barbie from 1959.
Other highlights include the first bendable Barbie, a unique Talking Barbie prototype, and the Totally Hair Barbie from 1992. the 1971 Sunset Malibu Barbie and the 1985 Day to Night Barbie, whose pink work suit could be transformed into an evening gown.
Barbie: The Exhibition runs at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from 13 June – 18 October 2026. Tickets can be purchased online at glasgowlife.org.uk/barbie.
Shetland Folk Festival 2026 – full programme and local artist line-up announced, 30 April–3 May 2026
The Shetland Folk Festival has just launched its concert programme as well as its local artist line-up, with early membership holders getting the first chance to buy tickets on Monday 16th March for the festival weekend running 30th April to 3rd May.
Fifteen visiting acts representing nine different nations are confirmed, including a large contingent from the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Book tickets for Shetland Folk Festival
Queen Elizabeth II’s Private Apartments at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Open to Visitors for the First Time
The private apartments used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the Palace of Holyroodhouse will open to the public for the first time (1 May – 10 September 2026) as part of a special exhibition marking the centenary of the late Queen’s birth.
Visitors will be able to access rooms normally closed to the public, including the Dressing Room, Sitting Room and Royal Breakfast Room in the palace’s 17th‑century east wing.
Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Dunoon announces its first-ever food and drink festival
A brand-new event is coming to the Cowal peninsula this summer. Taste Dunoon is scheduled for 25–26 July, organised by Dunoon Presents. The programme will include talks, tastings, cooking demonstrations and workshops, as well as a dedicated Taste Dunoon Trail.
Find out more about Taste Dunoon
Nuart Aberdeen 2026 – ‘Poetry in the Streets’ theme confirmed for April street art festival
The internationally recognised street art festival Nuart Aberdeen has announced its 2026 theme – ‘Poetry in the Streets’ with a programme of new large-scale public murals and artist interventions across the city.
The Biba Story: 1964–1975 — definitive fashion retrospective now open at Dovecot Studios Edinburgh
The only exhibition to date dedicated to the full history of cult British fashion label Biba, drawn from founder Barbara Hulanicki’s personal archive. Over 100 items on display including rare garments, original press books and archival materials, all personally selected by Hulanicki, aged 88. Tickets are £12.50 adults / £10.50 concessions.
Find out more and book tickets.
Fèis Ìle 2026 – 22–31 May, tickets on sale from 28 March 2026
The 40th anniversary edition of Islay’s whisky festival – Fèis Ìle runs from Friday 22 May to Sunday 31 May 2026. Ticket sales open from 28 March, with event details live on 20 March.
The festival has extended this year with a new second Sunday, with Laggan Bay Distillery and Islay Ales taking on the final day for the first time.
Find out more and join the mailing list at feisile.co.uk.
New hotels in Scotland
Dun Aluinn opens near Aberfeldy as a nine-bedroom Highland hotel
Dun Aluinn, a restored Victorian country house set on 5.5 acres above the River Tay near Aberfeldy in Perthshire, has opened this month as a fully staffed nine-bedroom boutique hotel, welcoming individual guests for the first time having previously operated as an exclusive-use hire venue.
Designed by co-owner and architect Susie Whyte in a pared-back, contemporary style, free of curtains, tartan and hunting trophies, the nine rooms are each named after local trees and include features such as a Japanese cedar soaking tub and a steam room.
Head Chef John Christie leads an evening three-course dinner served each night, with breakfast included. Rooms start from £495 per night.
Find out more and book at dunaluinn.com.
Ardbeg House on Islay named The Times best place to stay in the UK and Scotland 2026
Ardbeg House, a boutique 12-room whisky hotel in Port Ellen on Islay has been named the overall winner of The Times and The Sunday Times Best Places to Stay 2026 list for both Scotland and the UK.
Designed by Russell Sage Studio (the same team behind the Fife Arms), the 12 rooms are Islay theme, with even a hidden miniature bottle of Ardbeg whisky concealed in each room.
Stays include a distillery tour or tasting, breakfast and access to the Islay Bar, which pours more than 100 whiskies including exclusive Ardbeg expressions unavailable anywhere else.
Book Ardbeg House
Cromlix confirms reopening on 15 May 2026 after major transformation
Andy Murray’s Cromlix hotel near Dunblane has confirmed it will remain closed until 15 May 2026 following the most substantial transformation since the Murrays took ownership in 2013.
The renovations include a new glass-fronted 80-cover main restaurant with a living sedum roof and circular entrance, a separate fine dining restaurant, a new wellness cottage, and three new suites. The main restaurant will serve produce grown in the hotel’s own kitchen garden.
If Cromlix has been on your wish list, May 2026 is the time. Find out more.
Si! Spa opens at The Waterside — West Kilbride, Ayrshire
The Waterside Hotel on the Ayrshire coast has launched Si! Spa, a new seafront wellness offering with thermal experiences and spa break packages.
The spa opens as part of the hotel’s wider £3 million renovation, which also includes 17 new sea-view rooms with New England-style suites, super-king beds and views to the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran.
One of the most scenic spa settings in lowland Scotland. Find out more.
Scotland Food and Restaurant News
Pizza Pilgrims is bringing its Neapolitan-style pizza to Glasgow — the Edinburgh favourite opens on West Nile Street on 27 April
Pizza Pilgrims is set to open its first Glasgow restaurant on 27 April at 19 West Nile Street, following the success of its Edinburgh debut on Rose Street last year. The new 359 sq m pizzeria seats 107 guests indoors and 12 outside, with interiors inspired by the back streets of Naples — an open kitchen, market-stall banquette and walls layered with murals and fly posters.
The menu centres on the brand’s signature 72-hour double-fermented Neapolitan dough and will be led by general manager Antimo Buonocore, who is relocating from London. A soft launch runs from 20–24 April with 50% off the bill, and 1,000 free slices are being given away on Wednesday 22 April from midday.
Book a table at pizzapilgrims.co.uk.
Five Scottish restaurants named in Condé Nast Traveller’s best new UK openings for 2026
Scotland has taken five places in Condé Nast Traveller’s annual list of the best new UK restaurant openings, published today.
Four of the five are in Edinburgh: Moss, Nishiki, Norah and Vinette, which joined the Michelin Guide just three months after opening last October).
Glasgow’s Corner Shop, from Conor McGeady, Matthew Mustard and Gary McKernan, completes the Scottish contingent.
The full list is at cntraveller.com.
Onde opens at Nardini’s in Largs on 3 April – a new champagne and seafood restaurant on the Ayrshire coast from chef Chris Spence
A new restaurant is taking over the Nardini’s building on the Largs seafront from 3 April, filling the site formerly occupied by Tony Macaroni.
Onde, named from the Italian word for waves, comes from chef Chris Spence and is built squarely around the Firth of Clyde: daily seafood from local boats and west coast suppliers, hand-made pasta including lobster ravioli and crab linguine, Cumbrae rock oysters, langoustines on ice and whole wood-roasted sea bream.
In a nod to the iconic Nardini’s itself, the dessert list includes a Nardini Knickerbocker Glory.
Sugo Pasta Opens Second Glasgow Restaurant – West End
Glasgow’s much-loved fresh pasta restaurant opened its second city location on the 5th March 2026, taking over the former Zizzi site on Cresswell Lane near Ashton Lane.
The new venue seats 160 covers and serves Sugo’s core menu of 10 pasta dishes, inspired by regions across Italy and made fresh daily, on a walk-in only basis. As part of the launch, Sugo is introducing pasta specials exclusive to each restaurant, in addition to its regular programme of limited dishes.
8 Cresswell Lane, Glasgow G12 8AA – visit sugopasta.co.uk
Falls by Orry Shand – Royal Deeside’s Most Anticipated New Restaurant Opening This Summer
Scotland’s former National Chef of the Year, Orry Shand, has announced his debut independent restaurant at the Falls of Feugh site near Banchory — a riverside beauty spot in Royal Deeside that will reopen this summer following a £500,000 interior transformation.
The restaurant, now named Falls by Orry Shand, will serve a 12–15 course tasting menu blending Scottish ingredients with Nordic and classic French influences, open Wednesday to Saturday evenings.
Shand also makes his TV debut on BBC’s Great British Menu this week, representing Scotland and Aberdeenshire.
Find out more about Falls by Orry Shand
Nishiki – Edinburgh’s first Japanese izakaya and sake bar now open in the West End
Edinburgh’s first Japanese izakaya restaurant and one of Scotland’s first dedicated sake bars, from the team behind Yamato.
The 40-cover Japandi-designed space serves all-day dining from breakfast through dinner, with a menu of sharing plates, sushi, and noodles alongside a curated sake list, shochu cocktails, and Japanese whiskies.
Love everything Japanese? book a table
Eve’s Court opens at Papple Steading, East Lothian – farm restaurant and wine bar, now open
A new restaurant, wine bar and café has opened at Papple Steading near Haddington in East Lothian, completing the long-running restoration of this 19th-century model farm.
Eve’s Court, named in tribute to Lady Eve Balfour, founder of the Soil Association, was developed with input from chef and consultant Scott Smith of Blank Plate Creative, formerly of Fhior in Edinburgh, with kitchen operations led by Chris O’Connor, previously head chef at The Pompadour at the Caledonian.
The seasonal menu focuses on organic and locally sourced produce including greens from Phantassie and shellfish landed at Musselburgh.
Currently open Thursday to Monday, with extended seven-day opening and a Sunday roast launching from mid-February. It’s a 45-minute drive from Edinburgh and already filling up — booking is recommended.
The Boston Bar opens in Edinburgh’s Old Town – Niddry Street, February 2026
Edinburgh’s Old Town has a new late-night local. The Boston Bar has taken over the former Globe Bar on Niddry Street, retaining the building’s character, a series of low-level rooms and two large arches, while transforming it into a series of cosy snugs inspired by traditional Irish bars.
Expect live music, sports, weekly quiz nights, live Irish comedy on Tuesdays and trad sessions in the pipeline. There’s a 3am licence on Fridays and Saturdays, making it one of the Old Town’s best options for a late one.
Eleven Fifty Five opens in Glasgow – Argyle Street, 26 February 2026
One of Glasgow’s most anticipated openings in years, Eleven Fifty Five is the new restaurant from chef Peter McKenna and maître d’ Kevin Dow, the duo behind the much-loved The Gannet, which closed on Hogmanay 2025 after a decade on the same Argyle Street site.
The new 52-cover restaurant draws on Irish snugs and Parisian bistrots in its redesigned space, with a menu rooted in Scottish produce and Irish influence. Open for dinner Monday–Saturday and lunch Thursday–Saturday. If you were a Gannet regular, this is essential.
Eleanore relaunches as a neighbourhood bistro — Edinburgh, 26 February 2026
Roberta Hall-McCarron’s Michelin-listed restaurant Eleanore reopens today after a month-long refurbishment, and it’s a significant shift.
The evening tasting menu is gone, replaced by a more relaxed, accessible bistro-style format, a two- or three-course set menu with snacks including oysters with rhubarb ponzu, ox cheek croquettes and, on Sundays, a special lunch menu developed across her three Leith restaurants: Eleanore, The Little Chartroom and Ardfern.
Hendersons opens its first Glasgow restaurant
Edinburgh institution Hendersons – one of Scotland’s most celebrated vegetarian restaurants, with roots going back to 1962 – has crossed the country and opened its first Glasgow branch.
The Glasgow restaurant follows the same philosophy as the Edinburgh original: seasonal, plant-centred cooking served throughout the day, with a drinks programme to match. A significant moment for Glasgow’s vegetarian and vegan dining scene.
Whisky, distillery and drink news
The Dalmore Distillery reopens to visitors on 27 April — private experiences and personalised tours available now to book
The Dalmore on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands is set to reopen to visitors on 27 April following a multi-year renovation, with all tours and tastings now conducted as private, fully personalised experiences arranged directly with the distillery. Priority booking opens to members of The Dalmore Guild — a free-to-join membership — from 25 March. Join The Dalmore Guild and register for priority booking.
Stannergill Distillery – tours and bar confirmed to open at Easter on the North Coast 500
The distillery itself opened in November 2025 inside the restored 1818 Castletown Mill – a heritage landmark on the NC500. Created by the founders of Dunnet Bay Distillers (Rock Rose Gin) visitor tours, bar, and tasting experiences are confirmed for launch at Easter 2026.
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2026 – tickets on sale now
Tickets are now on general sale for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, running 29 April to 4 May 2026 across more than 50 Speyside distilleries.
Now in its 27th year, the festival features over 600 events across six days including tastings, masterclasses, distillery tours and experiences, making it one of the world’s great whisky gatherings.
A notable first for 2026: Speyburn Distillery is opening its doors to visitors for the very first time as part of the programme. Cardhu Distillery, with its long history of women in whisky-making, is also among the highlights.
Find out more and book your tickets.
Blackwoods Brand Home opened on the Clyde Coast on 12 February 2026
Blackwoods Gin & Vodka has opened its new brand home adjacent to Ardgowan Whisky Distillery on the Clyde Coast, offering a dedicated visitor experience from 12 February 2026.
The venue runs tours, cocktail masterclasses and gin-making events, giving visitors a hands-on look at the brand’s Nordic-inspired production.
A worthwhile addition to the Clyde Coast’s growing drinks tourism trail and easily combined with a visit to Ardgowan next door.
Upcoming events and festivals across Scotland
Scotland hosts a wide range of events and festivals throughout the year, from major cultural celebrations to smaller local and seasonal events.
> Discover all of the events in Scotland in November 2025 in my complete guide to whats on.
How often is this page updated?
New openings, events and projects are added as they are confirmed, making it a reliable source for what’s new in Scotland.
Kate – Love from Scotland x