If you want to step back in time and escape modern life, this waterside village may be just the ticket. As soon as you set foot on the steep cobbled streets that wind through palaces and cottages restored to their former 16th and 17th century glory, you’ll understand why it’s considered one of Scotland’s most picturesque villages.
It was considered so beautiful in fact, it became the backdrop for hit TV series and films, like Outlander and Captain America. But Culross in Fife is much more than that, it’s a history lesson in 3D. As you pass the whitewashed, red-tiled buildings, you get a feel of its intricate past as a Scottish burgh, and former thriving port.
With stunning views over the River Forth and plenty of nearby beaches to explore, this historic burgh envelops you in a sense of quiet, even though it’s just an hour’s drive from one of the world’s top-ranked cities, Edinburgh.
One of the most prominent buildings, Culross Palace, pays homage to the booming coal mining industry during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Built by wealthy coal merchant George Bruce, who constructed the first coal mine in the world to extend under the sea, you can now explore its tiny rooms, connecting passageways and luscious gardens.
Even the cobbled streets in the village reveal details about its historic society. One famed alley, Back Causeway, was built with a raised central aisle that was thought to be used by noblemen to separate them from the ‘commoners’.
This leads behind the Town House, where, despite its magnificent architecture, hides a sombre reminder of the past, where suspected witches were tried and held while they awaited execution.
Culross is now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, which described it as Scotland’s “most complete example of a burgh of the 17th and 18th centuries”.
Visitors can choose between boutique bed and breakfasts, cottage guesthouses, or larger hotels in nearby towns, although to really experience the tranquil atmosphere of Culross with its estimated 400 residents, it’s best to stay in the centre.
It is just 26 miles from Edinburgh, which was ranked the 13th best city in the world in Time Out’s annual survey, the second highest UK city behind London, which was in fifth place.
The capital city was also the only UK city to make Time Out’s ranking for the best cities in the world for culture.