Perth is known for its art galleries, the most notable of which are the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, whose collections and exhibitions reflect and celebrate the varied history and culture of the area, and the Fergusson Gallery, hosting a vast collection of works by this influential 20th century British artist. The city's art scene doesn't just exist indoors, however - the River Tay Public Art Trail leads visitors on a walking tour of the riverbank, discovering a range of imaginative installations along the way.
Perth also has an impressive range of castles, the best-known of which is the ancestral home of the Black Watch, Balhousie Castle and museum. Located in the city centre, this popular attraction hosts a museum exploring Scotland's oldest Highland regiment and an excellent cafe.
A little further out of town is the impressive Scone Palace, a splendid and ornate building set in extensive gardens and grounds. The significance of the palace in Scottish history is hard to overstate, having been a gathering place of the Picts, built on the site of an early Christian church and at one point the home of the legendary Stone of Scone (or Stone of Destiny). Also just outside the city is Huntingtower Castle, a quirky building where Mary Queen of Scots stayed during the Chasebout Raid, and where the Ruthven treasures were once hidden. Elcho Castle is a fortified mansion and one of the best-surviving examples of a 16th-century tower house in Scotland.
Religious buildings feature heavily in the city's skyline, including St Ninian's cathedral, named after Scotland's first saint. 12th-century St John's Kirk, gothic sandstone-constructed St Paul's church and 19th century neo-gothic St Mary's monastery are each architecturally impressive in their own ways, intriguing and uniquely steeped in history.
Further attractions we highly recommend visiting include Fair Maid's House, which these days contains the Royal Geographical Society's visitor and education centre packed with interactive exhibits about our planet, and Stanley Mills, where the 200-year history of this enormous cotton mill complex is just waiting to be discovered.
If you're looking for an evening of cultural entertainment, see what's on the programme at Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre.