Skye is the island that Scotland keeps for itself — a place of such concentrated beauty that it can feel almost unreal, as if the landscape has been arranged for maximum effect.

The Cuillin ridge is the centrepiece — a jagged line of gabbro peaks that dominates the southern half of the island and offers some of the finest ridge walking in Britain. But Skye is not only for climbers. The Trotternish peninsula in the north has the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr, two of the most photographed landscapes in Scotland, and the Fairy Pools in the south are among the most beautiful natural swimming spots in Europe.

The island has a strong Gaelic culture — the Gaelic college at Sabhal Mor Ostaig is one of the most important in Scotland — and a food scene that has grown considerably in recent years, with several restaurants now drawing visitors from across the country.

Bella Via designs Skye itineraries that combine the dramatic landscapes with the quieter pleasures — a stay in a converted croft house, a morning at the Fairy Pools before the crowds arrive, an evening at a distillery on the shores of Loch Harport.

Skye rewards those who arrive early, stay late and resist the temptation to see everything in a day. We will help you find the version of it that stays with you.