Oban is a town situated on the west coast of Scotland and is also known as the gateway to the isles. It’s a great place to use as a base to explore the isles but it also has a lot of things to offer within the town. In this blog post I am sharing with you how to get there by bus, where I stayed, and things to do within Oban and around.
How to get there
You can get a Citylink bus from Glasgow Buchanan Station which takes around 3 hours. I paid £26.90 return but the price can go up or down depending on how far in advance you book it.
Where to stay
You can stay in Backpacker Plus which is in an old church, from £24.50 in a shared dorm or £33.50 for a private ensuite room. Prices include free continental breakfast (cereal, toast, peanut butter, jam, butter, juice) and unlimited tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. It’s located about a 10-minute walk from the ferry terminal as well as the train and bus terminals. If you don’t want to stay overnight, you can also just go to Oban for a day trip from Glasgow by bus.
Things to do
McCaig’s Tower
Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds
Oban War and Peace Museum
Ganavan Sands
Oban Whisky Distillery
Pulpit Hill
Take the ferry to one of the isles (Kerrera, Lismore, Mull, Iona, Seil, etc) You can read my blog post about Isle of Mull and how to get around it without a car.
Oban is referred to as the seafood capital of Scotland so there are plenty of places to try out seafood and other dishes.
Check out the independent businesses for souvenirs and gifts
Dog Stone
Stop for some hot chocolate and cake at Oban Chocolate Company (Vegan options available)
Walk along the seafront and admire the views of the islands
Take a wildlife boat tour
Take a day trip to Inveraray
Have you visited Oban before? Let me know in the comments below if you any questions. You can follow me on Instagram @marisa.vogiatzi for daily travel content about solo and budget travel, travelling by public transport since I don’t drive, and content about working remotely as a digital nomad.
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