Perth
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Perth is a city in Perth and Kinross in North East Scotland, with a population in 2016 of 47,430. It stands at a point where the River Tay channels between hills, turns sharply and becomes tidal and navigable. It lost its "city" status in the late 20th century but local signage remained in denial about this until 2012 when Perth's status was restored. Its chief attraction is Scone Palace.
Understand
You think you've reached the Highlands as you approach the ridge south of town, but it's just a spur of the Ochils, with the true boundary another ten miles north. Nevertheless it does make Perth a "Gateway to the Highlands", an over-used tourist phrase but well justified here. Cattle drovers, traders and warriors all came this way, following the Tay valley to the lowest point it could be forded. Medieval Scottish kings did the same: they didn't have a fixed capital but their usual abode was "Saint John's Town" at nearby Scone - that name lives on in the local football team St Johnstone. The writer Sir Walter Scott wove the royal dynastic intrigues and adventures into his novel The Fair Maid of Perth, and the place became known as "The Fair City". Perth in Western Australia takes its name from here, as do Perth, Ontario and Perth, Tasmania.
Visit Scotland iCentre is the tourist information office, at 45 High Street. It's open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM.
Get in
By plane
Edinburgh Airport (EDI IATA) is usually best choice for its connections across Europe and within UK. It's 50 miles (80 km) south of Perth, and west of Edinburgh city so with a hire car you turn onto M90 and avoid city traffic. Jet 747 bus runs from the airport to Inverkeithing for the train, or to Halbeath for an onward bus. Otherwise take the tram from the airport to Edinburgh Haymarket for trains and buses towards Perth.
Glasgow Airport (GLA IATA) has a similar range of flights. It's 70 miles (120 km) southwest of Perth, but west of Glasgow so you have to cross city traffic. Take the airport bus to Buchanan Bus Station in city centre then train or bus to Perth.
Dundee Airport (DND IATA) is closer but only has flights from Stansted, London City and Belfast City.
Perth's own airfield at Scone north of town has no commercial flights, though it's busy with private aviation and flight training.
By train
- Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain
Trains run to Perth from Glasgow Queen Street (High Level) hourly via Stirling (one hour), from Edinburgh hourly via Fife (80 min) plus others changing at Stirling, from Aberdeen hourly via Dundee (90 min), and from Inverness every hour or two via Aviemore (2 hr 15 min).
There is one direct daytime train from London Kings Cross, taking six hours to Perth via York, Newcastle and Edinburgh, and continuing to Inverness, but it's usually more convenient to change in Edinburgh.
Caledonian Sleeper trains run overnight Su-F from London Euston. The Highland Sleeper for Inverness leaves around 9PM and reaches Perth before 6AM, so you'll be woken by 5AM and ejected onto a cold platform with no public transport or amenities available. The return train picks up around 11:30PM to reach Euston for 8AM. You might prefer to take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston towards midnight, and change to a day train in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Returning south, you need to leave Perth around 9PM to join the southbound Lowland Sleeper at Glasgow Central near midnight, and reach Euston shortly after 7AM.
1 Perth Railway Station is at the southwest edge of city centre on Leonard St. The station is staffed and fully accessible by wheelchair. There are two entrances, both of which allow car parking. The ticket office, newsagent and café are between platforms 2 and 3. The original main concourse was between the current platforms 4 and 7 and the station was covered by a large overall roof, which still exists in a reduced form. At one time there were nine platforms as the station served a leash of branch lines across the county.
By bus
Perth bus station is on Leonard Street, 200 yards north of the railway station.
Megabus and Citylink buses run from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. There are buses to Oban from May until October. Megabus does not call at the bus station: it drops you at Broxden service area at the A9 / M90 junction, which has a frequent Park & Ride bus into town.
Megabus and National Express Bus NX590 (daytime) / 592 (overnight) takes 11 hours from London Victoria via Carlisle and Glasgow to Perth, continuing to Aberdeen (another 2 hr). The overnight bus also calls at London Heathrow.
By car
From Edinburgh and the east side of England follow M90; from Glasgow and the Midlands follow M80 onto M9 / A9; from Dundee and Aberdeen follow A90 west.
The historic Edinburgh to John O'Groats road passed through Perth but the modern A9 is now a bypass to the west. There's a Park & Ride at Broxden roundabout where the M90 terminates onto A9. There's another on A94 at Scone but you're less likely to approach that way.
Get around
Walking will get you round city centre and out to Branklyn Garden.
By bus: Stagecoach are the main operator, no surprise as the company was founded and maintains its headquarters here. For the football ground take Bus 15 (for Crieff) or 23 (for Aberfeldy). For Scone Palace take Bus 3 (circular) or 58 (for Blairgowrie M-F only). For Falkland Palace take Bus 36 towards Glenrothes.
Taxis are plentiful around town, with ranks outside the station, the Caledonian Cinema and next to Tesco Metro on South Street. Local firms include Ace Taxis +44 1738 444000, A & B Taxis +44 1738 446688 and Thistle Taxis +44 1738 441122.
Car hire: you don't need a car in town, but you will to explore rural Perthshire. There's several agencies, mostly clustered at Inveralmond near the north end of the city bypass. Europcar have a base on Glasgow St 200 yards north of the railway station.
See
- 1 Scone Palace, Scone PH2 6BD (2 miles north of Perth off A93), ☏ +44 1738 552300, visits@scone-palace.co.uk. Apr-Oct daily 10AM-5:30PM. From the 9th century Scone was the centre of a Pictish kingdom and the traditional crowning place of kings upon its "Stone of Destiny" or "Stone of Scone". An Abbey and abbott's palace stood here from the 12th century but were destroyed in the Reformation, so only a few stumps of masonry and the title "palace" remain of this. The building you see nowadays is an imposing Victorian mansion, with a replica of the Stone - the original is in Perth Museum. The Palace has an extensive collection of 17th- and 18th-century ivory in the State Dining Rooms, 18th-century French furniture, porcelain, and Queen Victoria's' boudoir. It's set in an extensive park, often used for events, and the autumn colours are glorious. Nov-Mar the palace is closed but the grounds can still be visited. Adult £18.50, conc £16.50, child £12.50.
- 2 Perth Museum, St John's Place PH1 5SZ, ☏ +44 1738 632488. F-W 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-7PM. Opened in 2024, this tells the city's story and houses the Stone of Destiny or "Stone of Scone". The Stone of Destiny exhibition requires a free timed ticket which can be booked 2 weeks in advance. Free, charges for temporary exhibitions.
- St John's Kirk, St John's Place PH1 5SZ (next to museum), ☏ +44 1738 633192. May-Sep M-Sa 10AM-5PM. This is Perth's oldest building, dating back to 1159, but what you see now is 15th- to 19th-century reconstruction. Note the 15th-century brass candelabrum, but other medieval treasures are now in Perth Museum. Church of Scotland services are held Su 9:30AM and W 1PM.
- 3 Perth Art Gallery, 78 George Street PH1 5LB, ☏ +44 1738 783400. M F Sa 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-7PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Art by modern Scottish artists including Joan Eardley and Sir William MacTaggart, the colourists JD Fergusson and Margaret Morris and 16th and 17th century European art. Free.
- Fair Maid's House (Royal Scottish Geographical Society), 15-19 North Port PH1 5LU (next to Art Gallery). Apr-Oct Th-Sa (plus M F in July & Aug) Tu-Sa 1-4:30PM. The oldest surviving secular building in Perth, parts of the structure date back from 1475. The building was fictionalised by Sir Walter Scott as the home of Catherine Glover, title character of The Fair Maid of Perth. It's now the offices of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society; in summer the visitor centre puts on exhibitions about their work. Donation.
- 4 St Ninian's Cathedral, North Methven Street PH1 5PP, ☏ +44 1738 632053. M-Th 9AM-12:30PM, Su 10AM-1PM. The Episcopal or Anglican Church was revived in Scotland in the 19th century as part of the "Oxford Movement". This cathedral was built by Butterfield and opened in 1850, with further work continuing into the 20th century.
- 5 Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle, Hay Street PH1 5HR, ☏ +44 1738 638152. Daily Apr-Oct 9:30AM-4:30PM, Nov-Mar 10AM-4PM. Military history of the 42nd / 73rd Highland Regiments, which amalgamated in 1881 to form the Black Watch. They wore dark plaid, but the name probably arose from Gaelic Am Freiceadan Dubh, the hostile "black watch" of government forces over the Highlanders. They saw action in Egypt, South Africa, two World Wars, and modern conflicts; in 2006 they merged with five other regiments to become the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The castle dates from 1422 but was entirely rebuilt in the 1860s, and refurbished as a museum in the 21st century, with paintings, medals, uniforms and weapons on display. Adult £12, conc £9, child £5.
- 6 Branklyn Garden, 116 Dundee Road PH2 7BB, ☏ +44 1738 625535. Apr-Oct daily 10AM-5PM. Hillside west-facing garden run by National Trust for Scotland. It was developed in the 1920s by John and Dorothy Renton to complement their Arts & Crafts house, with plants from all over the world. Standouts are the rhododendrons, alpines, herbaceous and peat-garden plants. Adult £8.50, conc £7, child £5, NTS / NT free.
- 7 Elcho Castle, Rhynd PH2 8QQ (off A912.), ☏ +44 1738 639998. Apr-Sep F-Tu 10AM-4PM. Z-plan tower house built around 1560, it's been uninhabited for 200 years yet saved from becoming derelict, so it's one of the best examples of its kind. Most of the interior can be accessed though some floors have collapsed. See also the 16th-century dovecot. Adult £7.50, conc £6, child £4.50, HS free.
- 8 Huntingtower, Castle Brae PH1 3JL, ☏ +44 1738 627231. Apr-Sep daily 10AM-4:30PM, Oct-Mar Sa-W 10AM-4PM. Twin bastions, the east tower is maybe 14th century, the adjacent west tower is 15th century, and a bridge enabled defenders to scuttle between the two. A 16th century Great Hall has long gone, as have the defensive outer walls. It was owned by the Ruthven family until one treasonous plot too many against James VI, who seized it and put them to the sword. Adult £7.50, conc £6, child £4.50, HS free.
- 9 Dunsinane is the 1020 ft / 310 m hill that Birnam Wood marched upon, according to Shakespeare's Macbeth. Its summit has the remains of a late Iron Age hillfort, badly mucked about by bungling Victorian antiquarians. Follow B953 then ascend from the north by Collace.
- Bandirran Stone Circle is in the woods just before the Collace turn-off. Eight of an original ten are visible, the tallest about 1.5 high.
Do
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- 1 Perth Playhouse, 6 Murray Street PH1 5PJ, ☏ +44 1738 623126. Seven-screen cinema in 1933 Art Deco building. Standard releases.
- 2 Perth Leisure Pool, Glasgow Road PH2 0HZ, ☏ +44 1738 454654. M-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Has training and leisure pools, flumes, slides and an outdoor lagoon.
- Dewars, Glover Street PH2 0TH (next to Leisure Pool), ☏ +44 1738 454700. Daily 9AM-6PM. Curling and ice-skating centre. The city no longer hosts an ice-hockey team.
- Golf courses in town are North Inch, King James VI and Craigie Hill. A few miles east is Murrayshall. Noah's Ark driving range remains open though the rest of that leisure facility has closed down.
- 3 Kinnoull Hill is the abrupt 728-ft (222-m) hill east of the city, around which the river makes a tight left-hand turn. Walk or off-road bike to the top for good views over the city and county. Just east of the summit, Kinnoull Tower is an 18th century folly teetering on the cliff edge. Kinfauns Castle east of Kinnoull Hill is privately owned and can't be visited.
- 4 Moncreiffe Hill is the ridge south of the river and city that makes visitors think they've reached the Highlands, as the M90 climbs from lowland fields towards bluffs and woods. At 732 ft (223 m) it's almost the same height as Kinnoull on the other side of the river, but the views are restricted by the trees until you reach the top. Reach it along Rhynd Road off A912 near M90 jcn 10. Elcho Castle is further down this lane.
- Football: St Johnstone FC (aka "The Saints") play soccer in the Premiership, Scotland's top tier. Their home ground (capacity 10,700) is McDiarmid Park on Crieff Rd PH1 2SJ, two miles northwest of the centre. Take any bus along Crieff Rd A85.
- 5 Perth Racecourse, Old Scone PH2 6BB, ☏ +44 1738 551597. National Hunt horse-racing course, with jumps races April to Sept.
- Fingask Follies are cabaret. Their next season is 26 April to 5 May 2024 at Fingask Castle 10 miles east of Perth.
- Scottish Game Fair is held at Scone Palace. It has clay pigeon shooting, gun dogs, fishing, ferreting and falconry, plus exhibitions, children's activities, lots of eating and drinking places, and of course plenty of marketing of the relevant equipment. The next Fair is 5-7 July 2024.
- Rewind is a music festival at Scone Palace in mid-July, with the next on 19-21 July 2024.
- Perth Highland Games are held in August at Scone Palace, with the next on Su 11 Aug 2024.
Work
There is potential for picking up summer work in the many restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions, and the rural areas need labour picking fruit or vegetables. Jobs in town are in retail or hospitality and don't pay great wages. The biggest employers are Scottish and Southern Energy, Perth and Kinross Council and Aviva Insurance.
Buy
- Farmers Market is held first Saturday of every month except Jan, with an extra market third Sat in Dec. It's in King Edward St and High St 09:00-14:00.
- Cairn O’Mohr Fruit Wines, East Inchmichael, Errol PH2 7SP, ☏ +44 1821 642781. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12:30-5PM. The wines are made from local berries, flowers and leaves, all with distinctive flavours, juicy and aromatic. Tours (Apr-Oct: W Sa Su) £7.50, children free..
Eat
- Deans, 77 Kinnoull Street PH1 5EZ, ☏ +44 1738 643377. W-Sa noon-2:30PM, 6-8:30PM; Su noon-6PM. Modern Scottish cooking to a consistently high standard.
- 63 Tay Street, 63 Tay Street PH2 6NN, ☏ +44 1738 441451. W 6-9PM; Th-Sa noon-1:45PM, 6-9PM. Great food, extensive wine list. It's a small place and rightly popular so you'd better book.
- Bothy Perth, 33 Kinnoull Street PH1 5EN, ☏ +44 1738 449792. W Th Su noon-10PM, F Sa noon-11:30PM. Bistro with traditional Scottish and European dishes, the haggis earns especial praise.
- Manzil, 13 York Place PH2 8EP, ☏ +44 1738 446333. Daily 5-10PM. Indian restaurant, the buffet is popular but has limited veggie options.
- Cafe Tabou, 4 St John's Place PH1 5SZ, ☏ +44 1738 446698. M-Th 10AM-3PM, 5-9PM, F Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-8PM. A good value French restaurant in town centre, consistent high standards.
- La Serie A, 26 Kinnoull Street PH1 5EX, ☏ +44 1738 631456. W-Su 4:30-9PM. Good food at very reasonable prices, nowadays just a takeaway.
- Jade Garden, 14 Scott Street PH1 5EJ (within St John's Shopping Centre), ☏ +44 1738 622254. Tu-Sa noon-2PM, 5PM-midnight; Su 5PM-midnight. Popular Chinese restaurant, also offers Indonesian and Thai.
- Paco's, 3 Mill Street PH1 5HZ, ☏ +44 1738 622290. Daily noon-9PM. "American themed" they call themselves, but it's more quirky than that. The food usually pleases: pastas, pizzas, seafood, Mexican dishes, burgers and steaks.
- Mae Ping, 161 South Street PH2 8NY, ☏ +44 1738 633090. M W-Sa 5:30-9:30PM. Usually get good reviews for its Thai food.
- Café Breizh, 28 High Street PH1 5TQ, ☏ +44 1738 444427. M Tu 5-9PM, W-Su noon-9PM. Breizh is Brittany, but it's excellent French cuisine not particularly influenced by that region.
- The Mexican, 24-26 Atholl Street PH1 5NP, ☏ +44 1738 447878. W-Sa 5-8:30PM. Good Mexican, menu also has Cajun and Texmex dishes.
- Tabla Indian Restaurant, 173 South Street PH2 8NY, ☏ +44 1738 444630. Tu-Su 4-10PM. Tablas are hand drums. This place has a wide-ranging menu and gets consistently great reviews for its food.
Drink
- The Venue, 38 St John Street PH1 5SH, ☏ +44 1738 210777. M-W noon-midnight, Th-Su noon-3AM. Cocktail bar rather than a pub, with comfy sofas and a great selection of spirits. Try the Scottish tapas. Live music some nights.
- The Capital Asset, 26 Tay Street PH1 5LQ, ☏ +44 1738 2580457. M-Sa 8AM-midnight, Su 8AM-7PM. Reliable JD Wetherspoon in a former bank on riverside.
- Kirkside Bar, 9 St John's Place PH1 5SZ, ☏ +44 1738 626344. Daily noon-midnight. Nice cosy little pub in the town centre, good prices. Run by same group as Greyfriars.
- Ormonds Bar, 273 High Street PH1 5QN, ☏ +44 1738 621631. Daily 11AM-11:30PM. Friendly no-nonsense pub with a nice beer garden. It's named for Willie Ormond (1927-1984) who played with distinction for Hibernian, but is best known as St Johnstone FC's most successful manager and then 1973-77 as manager of Scotland.
- Greyfriars Bar, 15 South Street PH2 8PG, ☏ +44 1738 633036. Tu 4-11PM, W-Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-9PM. Nice wee pub with cask conditioned ales.
- The Foundry, 3 Murray Street PH1 5PJ, ☏ +44 1738 636863. Su-W 11AM-11PM, Th-Sa 11AM-12:30PM. Built on the site of the old Perth Foundry, and next to the Playhouse. A Belhaven pub, decent beer, dog-friendly.
- The Twa Tams, 79 Scott Street PH2 8JR, ☏ +44 1738 580948. M-W 2-11PM, Th-Su 2PM-12:30AM. Fun place but not for a quiet chat, there's live music most nights.
- Sandeman, 14 Kinnoull Street PH1 5EZ, ☏ +44 1738 443944. M-W 11AM-11PM, Th-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-11PM. This handsome building is the former Sandeman Library, converted into a modern pub. Nice for a drink but the food is worth a miss.
- That Bar / Loft Nightclub, 145 South Street PH2 8NY, ☏ +44 7720 696969. W Th Su 7PM-2AM, F Sa 1PM-3AM. The lounge bar is the antechamber and liquoring-up place for the nightclub upstairs, gets a lot of hen and stag parties.
- Old Ship Inn, 31 High Street PH1 5TJ, ☏ +44 1738 624929. Su-Tu noon-10PM, W Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. The smallest pub in Perth, in an alley off High Street. Human- and dog-friendly.
- Cullach Brewing and tap room is at 50 Princes St, open W-F 4-11PM, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-9PM.
- Lindores Abbey is a scrappy ruin on the south bank of Tay, across the boundary into Fife, but it's now home to a whisky distillery. Tours available.
Sleep
- 1 Perth Youth Hostel, Crieff Road PH1 2GA (within UHI along A85), ☏ +44 1738 877800. Student accommodation for UHI so it's only available mid-June to end of Aug. Single or double rooms, no dorm, but some facilities shared. Clean and friendly. Assistance dogs only. Double (room only) £50.
- 2 Rosebank Guest House, 53 Dunkeld Road PH1 5RP (Main road a mile north of centre), ☏ +44 1738 621737. Pleasant welcoming B&B in a 19th century villa, good reviews for comfort, service and cleanliness.
- Queen's Hotel, Leonard Street PH2 8HB (at railway station), ☏ +44 1738 442222. This tired old hotel is closed for refurbishment, not a day too soon, until June 2024.
- Parklands Hotel, 2 St Leonard's Bank PH2 8EB (50 yards east of railway station), ☏ +44 1738 622451. Friendly comfy place at the edge of South Inch park. B&B double £130.
- 3 Salutation Hotel, 34 South Street PH2 8PH, ☏ +44 1738 630066. Showing its age, and some rooms not accessible with restricted mobility, but clean and comfy. B&B double £145.
- Mercure Perth Hotel (City Mills), West Mill Street PH1 5PQ (100 yards south of cathedral), ☏ +44 1738 481607. Housed in a 15th-century watermill, you can still watch the water trickling through the original water wheel from the garden, reception area and bar. Pleasant gardens and a medieval function room. Comfort and service reflect a slick chain offering. Limited hotel free parking, late arrivals often have to use the public pay and display. B&B double £170.
- Premier Inn, Mill Street PH1 5HZ (by art gallery), ☏ +44 333 321 9347. Reliable mid-price chain. B&B double £180.
- 4 Lovat Hotel, Glasgow Road PH2 0LT, ☏ +44 1738 718670. New owners in 2019 took over a right mess. They've much improved comfort and service but reviews are mixed. B&B double £90.
- 5 Travelodge Perth Central, 18 Dundee Road PH2 7AB, ☏ +44 871 559 1838. Basic but good value for an overnight stop. B&B double £100.
- 6 Sunbank House Hotel, 50 Dundee Road PH2 7BA, ☏ +44 1738 479888. Smart hotel built in 1853, in its own grounds near Branklyn Gardens. Gets great reviews for comfort, service, cleanliness and location. B&B double £130.
- 7 Perth Skylodge, Perth Airport, Scone PH2 6PL, ☏ +44 1738 555700. Basic but comfy hotel at the airfield 4 miles east of town centre, limited bus service so you need your own transport. B&B double £60.
- 8 Murrayshall Country Estate, Murrayshall Rd, Scone PH2 7PH, ☏ +44 1738 551171. Upscale hotel, spa and golf resort. B&B double £180.
- 9 Ballathie House, Kinclaven, Stanley PH1 4QN, ☏ +44 1250 883268, email@ballathiehousehotel.com. Splendid place built in 1880 for aristocratic Dundrearies to shoot fish in the adjacent Tay. Mixture of modern and traditional decor in the main house, riverside annexe and lodge. Scottish cuisine to a high standard. B&B double £130.
- 10 Leonardo Boutique Huntingtower Hotel, Crieff Road PH1 3JT (four miles NW of centre), ☏ +44 1738 583771. Country house hotel, clean, spacious and welcoming. Dog-friendly. B&B double £150.
Stay safe
Perth is mostly safe even at night.
Connect
Perth has 4G from all UK carriers. As of March 2021, 5G has not reached this area.
Go next
- Go east to rejuvenated Dundee, then explore the coast towards Aberdeen.
- Southwest brings you via Gleneagles to Stirling.
- The Highlands start a few miles north at Birnam. The road leads through Pitlochry and Blair Atholl then climbs over the bleak moor to Aviemore.
- The road west also enters the Highlands at Crieff.
| Routes through Perth |
merges with  /  ← |
N  S |
→ Dunfermline → Edinburgh |
| Inverness ← Cairngorms (West) ← Birnam ← | NW  SW |
→ Dunblane → Glasgow |
| Crianlarich ← Crieff ← | W  E |
→ merges with  / |
| merges with ← |
SW  NE |
→ Dundee → Aberdeen via dual carriageway |
| Aberdeen via Cairngorms (East) ← Blairgowrie & Rattray ← | N  S |
→ ENDS AT SMEATON'S BRIDGE |