Town guide
Nairn food & drink
Moray Firth beach town with the famous Nairn dunes, championship golf and Cawdor Castle nearby
Nairn is a small coastal town on the Moray Firth, 25 minutes east of Inverness. It has one of the longest beaches in the Highlands — a wide arc of sand and dunes used by dog-walkers, kite-surfers and the occasional bottlenose dolphin pod which the Moray Firth supports. The town's two championship golf links (Nairn and Nairn Dunbar) draw a steady stream of visiting golfers through the season. Cawdor Castle — the one Shakespeare set Macbeth's third-act murder in, although the real castle post-dates the historical Macbeth by 300 years — is 10 minutes' drive south. The food scene is more developed than the size of the town would suggest: long-running independent restaurants, a strong gelateria, and the Nairn Farmers' Market in the town centre.
Full Highlands food & drink guide — distilleries, restaurants, where to stay, when to go.
- Long Moray Firth beach with dunes — dolphins seasonally
- Two championship golf links (Nairn and Nairn Dunbar)
- Cawdor Castle 10 min south — Shakespeare's Macbeth setting
- 25 minutes east of Inverness on the A96
Farmers markets in & near Nairn
Whisky distilleries near Nairn
Breweries near Nairn
Coming up in the next 14 days
See all →Whisky regions within reach of Nairn
Nairn sits within day-trip distance of several of Scotland's whisky regions. Each region has its own flavour profile and a full TasteSCOT guide.
Nairn food & drink FAQ
+What's the best farmers market in Nairn?
Inverness Farmers’ Market on Inverness (typically saturday). Next confirmed date: Saturday, 6 June 2026. We list every market within 30 km of Nairn on this page.
+Where can I taste whisky near Nairn?
3 distilleries within 30 km of Nairn are open to visitors. Benromach, Tomatin, Glenmorangie are the closest. Each has a full tour and tasting guide on its TasteSCOT page.
+When is the next food or drink festival in Nairn?
No festivals scheduled in Nairn or nearby in the near future. See our full 2026 festivals calendar for what's coming up across Scotland.
+Where should I stay in Nairn for a food and drink trip?
Use the accommodation map below to find hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of central Nairn. For multi-day Scottish food and drink trips, Nairn is a sensible base if you want access to 8 distilleries and 1 breweries we cover in the surrounding 30 km.
+What is Nairn known for in Scottish food and drink?
Long Moray Firth beach with dunes — dolphins seasonally. Two championship golf links (Nairn and Nairn Dunbar). Cawdor Castle 10 min south — Shakespeare's Macbeth setting. 25 minutes east of Inverness on the A96.
Where to stay near Nairn
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of central Nairn.
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