IT is a charming fishing village, at the heart of which is the harbour where early each morning, the boats return with their catch and the fish markets hustle and bustle.
Visitors flock to Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife to soak up its atmosphere and now the scenic corner of the country has been named the number one 'trending beauty spot' for 2022.
It leads the way in a top 10 released by by HomeToGo, an online marketplace of holiday rentals, with the firm saying the pretty corner of the country has seen the most significant rise in interest online so far this year.
Describing it as "a lively fishing village characterised by colourful boats bobbing in the harbour and pretty streets lined by cottages with crow-stepped gables", HomeToGo say visitors "enjoy the artsy atmosphere at the village's independent galleries and quirky shops", as well as exploring the surrounding countryside along the Fife Coastal Path, and step back in time by visiting St Fillan's Cave and Kellie Castle.
In second place in the list is the idyllic Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay in Argyll and Bute, due not just to its beauty, but to "a packed calendar of food, book and folk festivals - with a golf course, the grand Colonsay House gardens, a remote microbrewery and two distilleries keeping visitors entertained in between gatherings".
Visitors are also advised to "watch for wild goats and rare birds on its heather-topped hills, and grey seals and dolphins off its sandy shores."
Dunkeld in Perth & Kinross makes up the top three, proving of interest to visitors thanks not only to its Cathedral, but its picture-perfect spot on the banks of the River Tay, where it is possible to "catch glimpses of red squirrels and beavers" at the Loch of the Lowes.
The rest of the top 10 features Millport in North Ayrshire, which proves "good things do come in small packages" and is the ideal location to explore on the Great Cumbrae circular bike route , with Braemar on Royal Deeside, nestled in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, in fifth place. One of Scotland's highest villages, Braemar makes the list thanks to being "perfect for hillwalking and mountain biking breaks, as well as ski trips" due to its proximity to Glenshee, and simply because of its "stunning terrain on all sides".
Rounding off the list is Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway; Cullen, Moray; Crail in Fife, Coldingham in the Scottish Borders and Brodick on Arran in North Ayrshire.
A HomeToGo spokeswoman said: "With searches for holiday accommodation in Scotland seeing a year-on-year increase of 82 per cent via hometogo.co.uk, ahead of Burns Night on January 25, HomeToGo has taken a deep dive into the data to reveal the top trending scenic Scottish destinations for travel in 2022..
"From the Hebrides to the Borders, these are the ten serene and scenic Scottish locations making a mark on itineraries for seaside staycations and countryside retreats this year.
"The list, created by the holiday rentals marketplace using a depth of internal search insight, shows the picturesque fishing village of Pittenweem in Fife soaring to the top spot."
The top 10 is revealed as separate data found more Brits are choosing to holiday in the UK this year rather than heading off in search of some sun, as the staycation trend that boomed outside of pandemic lockdowns continues.
A poll of more than 2,000 people found that 13% of Brits are planning to holiday closer to home this winter, compared with nine per cent planning to go abroad.
Research by car finance provider Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) found that 24% were planning a domestic road trip in the next few months as spring arrives, compared with 20% who hoped to jet off in search of sunshine abroad.
Mike Todd, CEO at VWFS UK, said: “Holidaymakers were swapping their passports for walking boots and picnic blankets when staycations took off again last summer, but I don’t believe many people expected domestic getaways to be quite so popular this winter.
“There are so many wonderful places to explore on these shores and even the great British weather isn’t stopping people enjoying a good old fashioned road trip.”
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