Iona Travel Guide

 mtncorg Says:  Housed in the old Abbey Infirmary is a magnificent collection of early Christian carved stonework. Here you will find the original St John's Cross which was removed to here after a couple of windfalls. St Oran's Cross takes up much of the back area while many of the carved... 

 mtncorg Says:  Some of the most magnificent Celtic Christian sculpture can be found here on Iona. Originally there were over 360 crosses on the island but time has taken its toll on most. You will find three - well, one original, one replica and one stump - standing in front of the main... 

 mtncorg Says:  Beautifully restored and excellently presented, the Iona Abbey dates to 1203, though it was enlarged and renovated over the next 300 years until the Reformation ended the days of Iona as a destination for pilgrims. The pilgrims brought wealth to the island, a wealth that... 

 mtncorg Says:  This is the Street of the Dead. It is a cobble stoned medieval lane that leads from the Abbey to Reilig Odhrain - the cemetery. The original street went beyond to near where the present ferry terminal is at a place called teh Port nam Mairtear (Port of the Dead). The old... 

 mtncorg Says:  Lying in the middle of the Reilig Odhrain, St Oran's Chapel was built as a family burial chapel for Somerled or his son Reginald - both Lords of the Isles - back in the mid 12th century. Somerled developed a generous sized kingdom reaching from Skye to the Isle of Man. He... 

 mtncorg Says:  This main cemetery on Iona is the final resting spot for the Lords of the Isles. There are some 60 kings buried here from Norway, Ireland, France and Scotland, as well. Most of the early Christian grave slabs have been removed to protect them, but as a result, the names of... 

 mtncorg Says:  Commissioned by the clan chief of the Macleans and erected about 1500, this elegant cross stands some three meters high. The cross was carved from one stone and stood at the intersection of the Sraid nam Marbh (Street of the Dead) and a road coming from the port. Pilgrims on... 

 mtncorg Says:  The Nunnery has been in ruins since the Reformation, but you can get an idea of the scale of earlier operations. There is a nicely maintained garden flowering in the middle of it all. You will also find the ruin of the old parish church on the north side of the nunnery - a... 

 globetrott Says:  A large part of the old monastery was rebuilt and restored again recently and it is really interesting to walk around the cloisters and imagine what the life was there plenty of centuries ago in the high time of this christian out-post.You may walk around Iona and the old... 

 mtncorg Says:  Iona is another island and in Scotland, that means Caledonia MacBrayne. For 3.85 pounds you can get a round trip ticket from Fionnphort on Mull over to Iona. Everyone goes as a foot passenger on this little boat. The seas can get a little wild on the ride across the Sound of... 

 globetrott Says:  When visiting Iona you have to leave your car in Fionnphort at a large car-parking directely at the port. A small ferry takes you that short distance between Fionnphort in the Island of Mull and the island of Iona and it runs almost all day to and fro on a regular basis.That... 

 globetrott Says:  Staffa is quite an unique island and a natural wonder and a visit there could easily be combined with a tour to Iona. In fact many of the tours to Iona will be offered in combination with Staffa and Lunga, a nearby bird-sanctuary on a small island.The island of Staffa... 

 globetrott Says:  Tobermory is a nice village at the isle of Mull, that you may easily combine with a visit to the island of Iona. When driving by car you will need about 1,5 hours, because the roads are mostly single track roads.Tobermory is a village with just 650 inhabitants but still it... 

 globetrott Says:  Fingal's cave is certainly the biggest tourist-attraction of the island of Staffa : Just imagine a cave that has the size of a big concert-hall and in fact most of the smaller tourist-boats will be able to land and dock INside that cave. The famous composer Felix Mendelson... 

 tvor Says:  there is a liqueur made on the Isle of Mull called Columba Cream. It's sold in the Abbey giftshop and probably the other gift shops on Iona as well. It is a mixture of fresh cream, Scottish honey and Scotch whisky. No additives or preservatives. You can taste each of the...