One thing many people enjoy on holiday is exploring local craft shops and boutiques on the hunt for the perfect gift to take home. On Skye, you’ll find an endless choice of unique, locally made treasures to take back to family and friends (or maybe even just treat yourself). What’s more, most gift shops are owner run, so you’ll often get the chance to meet the maker and find out more about their craft.
Eilean Sionnach is located in the South of Skye. We love to showcase the talented makers and businesses we have right here on our doorstep, so here are just a few of our favourite places to head if you’re staying in the South of Skye.
With the tide dictating your day, you may be keeping an eye on the time when you venture off the island. So we’ve organised our shopping recommendations by area, so you can quickly head for the best places in the region you’re visiting that day.
Here are the shops and attractions that we recommend for your ‘to-do’ list.
Close to Eilean Sionnach
If you’re just taking a stroll off the island and back at low tide, you should manage to visit most highlights in the local area.
Top Picks
Floraidh Skye – offering a selection of beautiful and luxurious clothes, accessories and gifts.
Gaelic Whiskies and Gins – the gin in particular makes a great souvenir from your visit to Eilean Sionnach as it features the island on the label of the bottle!
Gaelic Whiskies – Isle of Skye Scotch whisky from Pràban na Linne Ltd (gaelicwhisky.com)
An Crubh – our local post office, shop and café. You can order your groceries in advance and we will bring them to the pier for you – just be sure to let us know in advance.
An Crùbh – Cafe, shop and venue in Sleat, Isle of Skye (ancrubh.com)
Other Recommendations
Gallery An Talla Dearg – owned by the Eilean Iairmain Hotel, the gallery showcases a variety of talented artists all summer long, so this is the place to head if you would like something original and unique to remember your visit by.
Gallery An Talla Dearg | Facebook
Torabhaig – Skye’s newest whisky distillery, Torabhaig, offers tours, refreshments, shopping and a spectacular view.
Further afield on the Sleat Peninsula
If you’re spending a little bit longer off the island, we still recommend staying local as there is so much to see and do right here on the Sleat Peninsula! Here are some of our favourite places to visit.
Top Picks
Nigel Grounds – Local artist Nigel’s work is focused on capturing the beauty of the Highlands in oil on canvas.
Maggie Zerafa – a creative and talented maker of beautiful, simple, natural ceramics, textiles and jewellery with a distinctive, tactile and magical style.
Aird Old Church Gallery – Peter McDermott’s dramatic watercolours and prints tell stories of the Highland landscape and weather.
https://www.airdoldchurchgallery.co.uk/
Other Recommendations
Ragamuffin Store – working with talented designers and crafts people from across Scotland, Ragamuffin is a treasure trove of beautiful, responsibly sourced items.
Home | RAGAMUFFIN (ragamuffinstore.com)
Skye Leather Shop – small cobbled items skilfully crafted over the years by two generations of the same family.
https://www.isleofskyeleather.com
Skyelark – A selection of gifts and crafts from Skye and beyond.
https://www.facebook.com/skyelarkgifts
Armadale Stores – Pick up a few more supplies when you are out and about for the day at our community run shop, offering a wide range of groceries and local produce.
(5) Armadale Stores | Facebook
Over the Sea!
If the boat trip to Eilean Sionnach isn’t long enough for you (well, it does only take a few minutes) you may want to get on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry and hop over to the mainland for the day. Whilst you’re there, be sure to visit Haggard Alley – a shop for Harry Potter enthusiasts! Mallaig is the stopping point for the Harry Potter Train (journey to Hogwarts) running between there Fort William throughout the summer months.
Haggard Alley – Harry Potter, Merchandise
Broadford Area
If you’re heading towards Broadford for the day, these days you may actually struggle to get past the shops! In years gone by visitors passed right through the small village on their way north to Portree. Nowadays, Broadford really does have something interesting to offer the visitor and it’s worth taking a wander around and exploring.
Top Picks
If you’re a bit of a magpie and shiny things catch your eye, you’ll be sure to get excited about ‘Love from Skye’ hand-crafted jewellery with a Celtic twist.
Love from Skye – Celtic jewellery made on the Isle of Skye
Broadford is also the home of Skye’s most famous brand, Skye Candles. They have recently opened a new visitor experience just a wee bit further north, on the outskirts of Portree but the original shop is also open. So whether you’re staying in the north or the south of the island, you’ll be able to pop in and surround yourself in their evocative scents of Scotland.
Isle of Skye Candle Co – Isle of Skye Candle Company (skyecandles.co.uk)
Isle of Skye Market Square
Just next to Co-op in Broadford. The thriving Market Square has been a welcome addition for tourists and locals alike and is a great place to visit for unique and interesting gifts, books, coffee & ice cream.
Other Recommendations
The Selkie Collective – A popular choice for locals, why don’t you also visit our eco-conscious zero waste shop and women’s community in Broadford?
Eco Shop | The Selkie Collective
Isle of Skye Smokehouse – It would be wrong to visit Skye without tasting some local produced. If you’re a fish eater, the Isleo of Skye Smokehouse is definitely the place to head. Here you can buy delicious smoked fish, hand-crafted by former Ritz and Gordon Ramsay chef John Corfield. Tasting and Tours bookable via AirBnB.
Isle of Skye Smokehouse – Isle of Skye Smokehouse
The Misty Bottle Breakish – a local, independent bottle shop offering a carefully curated selection of fine drams, bar snacks and beers if you fancy something different to sip on when you get back to the fireside.
Off the Island
Avoid the crowds of the north end of Skye and head over to the mainland for the day instead. A really fun way to go is across the old turntable ferry at Glenelg and then make a circuit back round to the Skye Bridge – a great day out with so much to see!
Top Picks
Chocolates of Glenshiel – owner Finlay MacDonald was just 16 when he set up the business and his chocolates are now stocked in high-end outlets all over Scotland. Visit the shop and café for a little piece of chocolate heaven in the Highlands.
https://www.chocolatesofglenshiel.com/meet-the-chocolatier
Strom, Kyle of Lochalsh – purveyors of all things wonderful to fill your life with joy! A friendly welcome awaits in this attractive little shop full of treasures you won’t want to go home without.
Other Recommendations
Home in the Highlands, Balmacara – a handpicked collection of home ware, gifts and clothing.
Home in the Highlands – Clothing & quality gifts for gorgeous homes (homeinhighlands.co.uk)
Unbelievable we know – but we still have a few dates left this summer! So if you fancy grabbing a last minute two night break in July or August, head straight to our availability calendar before the remaining dates get snapped up.
Adventure awaits!