Portree
Portree (/pɔːrˈtriː/; Scottish Gaelic: Port Rìgh, pronounced [pʰɔrˠʃt̪ˈɾiː]) is the largest town on, and capital of, the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It is the location for the only secondary school on the island, Portree High School. Public transport services are limited to buses.
Portree has a harbour, fringed by cliffs, with a pier designed 200 years ago by Thomas Telford.
Attractions in the town include the Aros centre which celebrates the island's Gaelic heritage. Further arts provision is made through arts organisation ATLAS Arts, a Creative Scotland regularly-funded organisation. The town also serves as a centre for tourists exploring the island.
It has everything a visitor could wish for – banks, churches, cafes and restaurants, a cinema at the Aros Centre, a swimming pool and library at the school, gift and book shops, a tourist information centre, petrol filling stations and supermarkets, one in the village and a larger one out on the Dunvegan Road.
There is a regular daily bus service from Portree’s Somerled Square to Inverness and Glasgow and a local service round Skye. There are also sight-seeing trips round the island by bus or car and boat trips from the pier.
The village hosts numerous annual events, such as the Portree Show, the Isle of Skye half marathon and the Islands largest event the Skye Highland Games drawing visitors and locals alike.
A visit to the tourist office before leaving Portree is advisable. It is well sign posted and staffed by helpfully well informed locals. They equip visitors with maps and printable directions to attractions throughout the island. They can even point out where to buy suitable wet weather gear should it become necessary.
The Royal Hotel is the site of MacNab's Inn, the last meeting place of Flora MacDonald and Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746.
The town plays host to the Isle of Skye's shinty club, Skye Camanachd. They play at Pairc nan Laoch above the town on the road to Struan.
Around 939 people (37.72% of the population) can speak Scottish Gaelic.
The A855 road leads north out of the town, passing through villages such as Achachork, Staffin and passes the rocky landscape of the Storr before reaching the landslip of the Quiraing.