Tobermory

Tobermory is the postcard-perfect capital of the Isle of Mull in Scotland's Inner Hebrides — a harbor town whose brightly painted waterfront buildings create one of the most photographed streetscapes in Scotland. This small community of roughly seven hundred residents serves as the gateway to Mull's extraordinary wildlife and the sacred island of Iona.

The harbor, overlooked by the characteristic multi-colored buildings that appeared in the children's television series Balamory, provides anchorage in one of the most sheltered natural harbors in western Scotland. The surrounding waters host white-tailed eagles — Britain's largest bird of prey, reintroduced to Mull in the 1970s — and the marine environment supports populations of otters, dolphins, and basking sharks that make Mull one of the UK's premier wildlife destinations.

Iona, accessible by ferry from Mull's western coast, is the island where St. Columba founded a monastery in 563 AD that became the cradle of Christianity in Scotland and one of the most important religious sites in Western Europe. The restored Iona Abbey, the high crosses, and the island's profound atmosphere of spiritual tranquility continue to draw pilgrims from around the world.

Ambassador Cruise Line, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Tauck, and Windstar Cruises include Tobermory on Scottish and British Isles itineraries.

May through September provides the best conditions, with June offering the longest days and the best chance of calm seas for wildlife watching. Tobermory is Scotland at its most magnetic — a harbor of painted houses, a sea of eagles, and access to an island where Christianity took root in the British Isles over fourteen centuries ago.