The Scottish Highlands has been named among the best travel destinations in the world to visit in 2023.

Leading travel publisher Rough Guide named the region in its list of the 23 best places to visit after consulting its readers and picking the brains of its editors and local travel experts around the world.

The hotly-anticipated list features places such as Antarctica, Oaxaca in Mexico, Pensacola in Florida, Bohol Island in the Philippines, Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and Zagori in Greece.

Two other UK spots were also named on the list alongside The Scottish Highlands in Leeds and Pembrokeshire in Wales.

Describing The Scottish Highlands as “a landscape of lochs, rivers, mountains and glens”, judges named it as “the ideal destination if you’re looking to recharge and satisfy cravings for fresh air and glorious walks”.

Inverness is described as “a great springboard for your exploration of more remote areas”, with prospective visitors encouraged not to miss “the dramatic Cairngorm mountains”, the “legend-steeped Loch Ness” and the “scenic” West Highland Railway.

Amy Hopkins, Head of Content Rough Guides said: "We recently ran a survey, asking our readers to tell us about their travel plans for next year, and were blown away by their appetite for visiting Scotland! Almost 50% of our readers told us they want to explore the Scottish Highlands next year, while a quarter are keen to visit Scottish islands. 

“Scotland simply had to be placed on our list of must-visit destinations for 2023. Our readers love outdoor adventure, independent travel and exploring remote places, so it's no surprise they are hankering for Scotland. We've even declared travel to Scotland as one of our key travel trends for next year."