With its rolling hills, winding rivers, quaint towns and breathtaking ancient architecture, Scotland's landscape looks like it has jumped straight out of a storybook.
The northern country is peppered with picturesque villages nestled between mountainous terrain and larger cities that are almost too cute to be real.
From countryside escapes to city hideaways and seaside havens, Scotland's villages offer something for everyone, whether you are just visiting or live locally.
Earlier this year, I took a trip to Aberlour in the heart of the Highlands, Speyside, and I immediately felt as if I had stepped inside a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale or the set of The Holiday.
That being said, here's a list of the prettiest, most movie-set-worthy villages Scotland has to offer, so that you can experience Caledonia's magic.
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© Getty ImagesThe charming seaside town is the capital of the Isle of Mull
Tobermory, Isle of Mull
Arguably the most colourful harbour in all of Great Britain, Tobermory is so whimsical that its rainbow row of waterfront buildings inspired the popular BBC children's TV series Balamory and provided it with its iconic backdrop.
The charming seaside town is the capital of the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides and its only burgh (Scottish for municipality).
The dramatic natural scenery, coupled with the splash of colour against the grey harbour skies and its historic past, makes it extremely worthy of movie set status - so much so that it was also used as the primary filming location for the 1971 film When Eight Bells Toll.
Where to stay: Tobermory Hotel
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© Getty ImagesOutlander was filmed in Culross
Culross, Fife
One of Scotland’s best-preserved 17th-century villages, Culross truly feels like stepping onto a historical film set.
Featuring cobbled lanes, an ochre-hued palace, and atmospheric narrow alleyways, the village has been used regularly as a set for the period drama Outlander, starring Catriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.
Famed for its remarkable preservation of the village's 17th-century features, Culross is well known by locals and visitors for its rich history as a coal and salt trading port and its importance during the Scottish witch trials, where women were tried for witchcraft in what is now the square's Town House.
Top Tip: Wear flat shoes - the historic cobbled causeways are beautiful but tricky in heels!
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© Getty ImagesPlockton features unusual palm trees
Plockton, Highlands
Often coined the Jewel of the Highlands, this adorable village sits on a sheltered bay where out-of-character palm trees border the edge of Loch Carron.
A painter's dream, the calm sea and row of periodic stone cottages make it the ideal spot to film features and TV shows.
The little haven is so revered by directors that it has been chosen as a location for many a set, including the BBC series Hamish Macbeth, the 1973 film The Wicker Man and the 2007 film Mister Lonely.
Where to eat: The Croft Cafe
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© Getty ImagesIt was the set for Balamory and films like Made of Honour
Portree, Isle of Skye
The perfect setting for a fantasy flick of a cosy small-town drama, Portree's pastel-coloured houses that curve around a deep natural harbour are famously idyllic.
Backed by dramatic cliffs and Skye’s rugged peaks, the rainbow buildings reflect off the water of the Sea of the Hebrides, making the place postcard picture perfect.
Behind the row of colour, a brown stone parish church stands watch, and a pier designed by Thomas Telford hems the harbour.
It has served as a set for many productions, including films like Made of Honour.
Where to stay: The Portree Hotel
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© Getty ImagesThe Scottish TV show Take the High Road is filmed here
Luss, Loch Lomond
Classic stone cottages, immaculate flower gardens, and serene lake views give Luss an irresistible, whimsical charm.
Every corner looks like it belongs in a romantic film, and with its historic ties as the ancestral home of the Clan Colquhoun, it doubles as a perfect movie set backdrop.
The village's charming streets, 19th-century parish church, and surrounding natural scenery have already been claimed by the Scottish TV show Take the High Road, which regularly films against its rolling hills.
Where to stay: The Lodge on Loch Lomond
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© Universal Images Group via GettyCrovie is the smallest and most remote of the Buchan cliff-foot fishing villages
Crovie, Aberdeenshire
A tiny, breathtaking village clinging to a narrow ledge between the North Sea and the area's cliff, Crovie is unlike anything else you've seen before.
With just a single line of cottages facing the water, this little Scottish corner has nailed the dramatic beauty of a cinematic cliffside scene.
Dating back to the 18th century, Crovie is the smallest and most remote of the Buchan cliff-foot fishing villages.
Its unique and photogenic location, coupled with its lack of vehicle access, requiring locals to use wheelbarrows for transport, cemented its status as one of Europe's best-preserved fishing villages.
As if that wasn't enough, it is also rumoured to have inspired Lewis Grassic Gibbon to pen details of the setting for the village of Gamrie in Sunset Song.
Top tip: Go on foot as the village is car-free
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© Getty ImagesNo Time To Die filmed scenes here
Portnahaven, Isle of Islay
Quiet, whitewashed and framed by light reflecting off the wild Atlantic, Portnahaven provides an unbeatable backdrop for a film set against the coast.
Alongside the village's picturesque cottages and famous zigzag harbour wall, another massive draw to the area is its resident wildlife and local grey seals.
Where to eat: An Tigh Seinnse
