Scotland Now’s Alexander Smail spent the day in the historic town.
20:30, 24 Mar 2026
‘I visited Scotland’s best place to live and everyone said the same thing’
Scotland’s “best places to live” in 2026 were recently crowned, with eight destinations across the country singled out. On On Friday, March 20, The Sunday Times published its annual Best Places to Live guide, with experts from the newspaper naming 72 locations across the UK that are a cut above the rest.
The regional winner for Scotland on The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live guide for 2026 is the town of Linlithgow in West Lothian. Situated approximately just 20 miles from Edinburgh and 30 miles from Glasgow, Linlithgow was noted as a good choice for commuters and families.
On Monday, March 23, Scotland Now’s Alexander Smail travelled from Edinburgh to spend the day in Linlithgow. During his time in the town, he visited some of the shops along its medieval high street, sampled food and drink from a couple of its most popular eateries, and spent some time at its most iconic tourist attractions.
Alexander was also able to speak to some of the people who live and work in Linlithgow, and ask them about life in the town and their thoughts on it being named Scotland’s best place to live. Continue reading for Alexander’s full thoughts on his day out in Linlithgow.
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When Linlithgow was named the best place to live in Scotland for 2026 by The Sunday Times, I have to admit I was very curious. I am embarrassed to say I had never properly visited the historic town and, with it earning such a prestigious title, now seemed like the perfect time to correct that.
First thing on Monday morning, I made my way to Edinburgh Waverley to catch a train to Linlithgow and find out if it deserves all of the hype. The first thing I noticed, before even setting foot in the town, was just how close it was to Edinburgh—with the train taking barely 20 minutes—and I could immediately tell why it is a top choice amongst commuters.
I hadn’t yet had a coffee, so my first priority after getting off the train and walking down the quiet green lane from the station was to find a café where I could sit down and plan out the day ahead. After a short walk, I came across White Dove Coffee Roasters in the centre of town.
My coffee and croissant at White Dove Coffee Roasters(Image: Alexander Smail)
I ordered a cappuccino and a croissant, before taking a set by the window and admiring the views out over the daffodils in front of the café. The croissant and coffee were fine, nothing mind-blowing, but what really impressed me was just how friendly the staff were—having a wee chat with many of the customers as they brought them their food and drink.
Before heading off, I was able to chat with barista and supervisor at White Dove Coffee Roasters Christie McNab. Born and raised in Linlithgow, she told me what life in the town is like and what her reaction to it being named the best place in Scotland to live was.
Christie McNab (Image: Alexander Smail)
McNab commented: “I’ve been here my whole life, so 22 years. My favourite part of living in Linlithgow is probably the community. It’s quite hard to walk down the street and not see someone that you know. You’re always seeing somebody and saying hi to them. And I think also, as well, the support for small businesses is great in Linlithgow too.”
She also told me about one of Linlithgow’s oldest traditions that she takes part in every year, describing it as one of the best aspects of living in the town. The Linlithgow Marches, which dates back hundreds of years, sees a parade of locals tour the boundaries Linlithgow in a formal procession.
McNab added: “The tradition was they marched around the borders of the town to say ‘this is our town’. And that’s, like, a massive thing in Linlithgow. And the town totally lights up on that day, and I think that makes Linlithgow.
“I actually take part in it, I’m the Linlithgow Town Piper. So I go and wake everyone up in the morning playing bagpipes around the town. So it’s really nice. It’s a lovely day and it’s just nice to be here.”
After I had fuelled up, it was time to properly begin my Linlithgow adventure. I think the best way to get a feel for a town is to walk along its high street, so that is exactly what I did.
Linlithgow’s High Street was singled out as a highlight of the town by The Sunday Times, who described it as “medieval” and praised the wide variety of independent shops dotted around. I am happy to say that it did not disappoint, and I really was taken aback by the huge variety of goods on offer.
It wasn’t long at all before I came across a shop that piqued my interest—Low Port Music. I hadn’t expected to find a record shop in a relatively small town like Linlithgow, and it wasn’t a small shop either—with stacks upon stacks of albums from all different genres and time periods.
Chris Corry(Image: Alexander Smail)
I had a full day ahead of me, so I didn’t have time to spend hours combing through music, but I was also able to speak with owner of Low Port Music Chris Corry. He told me more about Linlithgow, and what it is about the town that he thought clinched it the title of Scotland’s best place to live.
Corry, 56, said: “I’ve been in Linlithgow for seven years, moved up because my wife’s from here. Started the shop just coming up on five years ago. It’s friendly, lots going on. Very supportive local community that support the High Street and support the events. Just a nice place to live and work, really.
“Obviously I am biased, but I’m not surprised it was named the best place to live. There’s a lot going on, we’ve got the palace, the canal.
READ MORE: The eight ‘best places to live in Scotland’ named in the 2026 Sunday Times guide
“I mean, there’s probably many places that are very nice to live in as well, and everyone will probably say the same thing. But we’re very fortunate where we are. I think it’s just known as a friendly town. So when you come, you might come as a stranger. But I think you go feeling like a friend.”
Corry mentioned Linlithgow Palace as one of the town’s highlights, and so it seemed like the perfect place to head next. The ruined palace, which was once among the main residences of Scottish monarchs in the 15th and 16th centuries and is known as the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, is today a visitor attraction run by Historic Environment Scotland.
Walking up the old fashioned lane to the castle, I really got the sense that I was stepping back in time. That was until I looked up and saw the dazzling gold spire atop the neighbouring St Michaels Church, which always catches my eye when I pass through Linlithgow on the train.
St Michaels Church(Image: Alexander Smail)
I didn’t head out on a full tour of the palace, but even just being in the courtyard was an amazing experience. Looking up and around all of the stonework and architecture, it made me think about the people from all walks of life throughout the centuries who would have been in the same place I was standing.
Before I headed back down to the town centre, I wanted to see what the inside of St Michaels Church looked like. Somehow, it was just as beautiful as the exterior and its shiny gold spire—if not even more so—with its impressive architecture and stained glass windows.
I also spoke with volunteer Crawford Flint, who has been living in Linlithgow since 1988. As a longtime resident, he was able to tell me a bit about what aspects of the town have changed over the years and what has remained the same.
Flint, 61, said: “We’ve lived here nearly 30 odd years, I was fortunate because I had a family connection here. My grandparents and great grandparents and great great grandparents and all that, they all come from Linlithgow.
Crawford Flint(Image: Alexander Smail)
“I wasn’t that surprised that it was named the best place to live, because it is great and there’s loads to do, and the people are great. There’s loads of community involvement, we’ve got a cracking High Street with loads of different independent shops and all that sort of stuff, so we are very fortunate.”
“We’re sitting in the church just now, we’ve got the palace, so from a tourism point of view it’s absolutely great. It’s quite a bustling wee—well it’s not that wee now—but it’s quite a bustling town. We’ve got loads of traditions, we’ve got loads of people that uphold the traditions.”
He continued: “We have things like Riding the Marches, which is our big traditional day and that’s been going for hundreds of years. The whole town comes out, schools are off for the day, it’s a massive parade.
“There’s also decent parks, it’s great for the kids. The academy has got the best results of all the schools in the council. So that pushes prices up, it’s not cheap to buy here. I’ve been here 40 years, it wasn’t that cheap when I moved and it’s really, really not cheap now.”
With McNab, Corry, and Flint all mentioning that the community is one of the best aspects of Linlithgow, I made my way over to the headquarters of the Linlithgow Community Development Trust, which is a community organisation formed by local residents that aims to make life in the town as enjoyable as possible, and spoke to circular economy projects manager Lindsey Campbell and hub coordinator Elaine Dunning.
Campbell, 46, said: “I’ve lived here for 21 years and I started working in Linlithgow in 2019. I like the community feel, I like the fact that there’s lots to do in terms of community interest groups. I think it really feels like a community, it has something to offer everyone.”
Lindsey Campbell and Elaine Dunning(Image: Alexander Smail)
Dunning, 64, who has lived in Linlithgow for more than 30 years added: “I’ve spent most of my working life working away from Linlithgow so this is my first job really in the community so it’s been really good to get to know all about all the different groups and what goes on in here as well and to meet some local people.”
Campbell continued: “The Linlithgow Community Development Trust was created by people within the community to make Linlithgow a better place to live and work and visit as well.
“We’ve got circular economy projects, which comprises a tool sharing library, a community-run repair shop, and a community shed, as well as a textile up-cycling group. Then the other stream is active travel stream, so that’s encouraging people to travel more sustainably and actively.”
While by this point I had gotten a pretty good feel for Linlithgow’s community, history, shopping, and food and drink, I hadn’t yet taken a look at its natural beauty. The nearby 370-hectare Beecraigs Country Park is one of the top leisure and recreational parks in Scotland, and though it was almost an hour out of town on foot, it gave me an opportunity to walk along the town’s famous canal.
The walk to Beecraigs Country Park(Image: Alexander Smail)
Compared to the bustling High Street, the path along the water offered a perfect contrast and I can imagine it is a great place to clear your head or walk your dog. With the soft sounds of flowing water and the calming chirping of birds, it was truly idyllic.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tired by the time I reached Beecraigs Country Park, but the trek was definitely worth it. The grey skies put a damper on the views a little bit, though thankfully it didn’t rain, but I was still treated to a surprising variety of vistas around the park during my hike—from moody forests to rolling hills.
I also ducked into the park’s visitor centre for a bottle of water, and was able to get a quick look at some of its facilities. There is a small area near reception that looks ideal for children to learn and play, while there are also information boards dotted around the area that give more information about the history and geography of the park.
Beecraigs Country Park(Image: Alexander Smail)
Before I knew it, the day had gotten away from me and it was almost time to head home. I almost couldn’t believe how much time had passed as I walked back into the centre of town, though I also couldn’t believe just how much I had squeezed in.
After the lengthy walk to and from Beecraigs Country Park, I had worked up quite an appetite. When I got back into the centre of Linlithgow, I headed into the Aran café for a well-earned lunch.
The café, which is located up a flight of stairs, is cosy and charming. I ordered a misty lemonade and a bowl of parsnip and apple soup. The latter piqued my interest as I had never tried that combination of flavours before, and I’m glad I did because it as it was exactly what I needed after my hike.
My lunch at Aran(Image: Alexander Smail)
Before I got on the train back to Edinburgh, I was able to nip into one more shop that had caught my eye earlier in the day. Far From the Madding Crowd is a deceptively large independent bookstore that sells all manner of fiction and non-fiction titles, as well as various gifts and children’s toys.
I’m glad I made the time to check out Far From the Madding Crowd, because it gave me the chance to speak with bookseller Jennifer Melville. Her words echoed that of everyone else I had spoken to, while she also shared her own thoughts on what makes Linlithgow unique.
Melville, 54, said: “We moved to Linlithgow about 14 years ago, and we love it here. We moved out of Edinburgh when the kids were babies. It’s a great place to raise a family.
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“I’m delighted for the town and for everybody who works really hard to do things for the community. I think it’s just a really nice place where people do put the time and effort in, so it’s nice to see it getting recognised.
“I think it’s probably the community above everything else, because, obviously, we’re blessed to have things like the palace and it’s a beautiful setting and we’ve got nature all around us. But people actually put in time and effort for things like the Community Development Trust. So that’s what I think makes Linlithgow such a nice place.
“I think it’s a mix of how nice it is in itself—it reminds me of when I was growing up many years ago and it doesn’t seem to have been taken over—but at the same time, it’s got lots going on. There’s lots of things happening, there’s events and concerts.
Jennifer Melville(Image: Alexander Smail)
After a full day walking around Linlithgow and meeting its residents, it was now time to go home. As the train pulled away, all I could think was how much I loved every second of my day out.
If there is one thing that stood out to me after speaking to so many different people in Linlithgow, it is that they were pretty much all in agreement. Everyone singled out the community, and they all agreed that they weren’t surprised when the town was named the best place to live in Scotland. After spending a full day in Linlithgow, I can’t say I’m surprised either.