Argyll and Bute is the county in the south west of Scotland and stretches from the Mull of Kintyre in the south, Loch Lomond in the East to Oban in the north. It includes many of the islands of the Inner Hebrides as well and they are also referred to as the Southern Hebrides. Some of the islands in this group are Mull, Islay, Jura, Colonsay, Tiree and Coll and there are many uninhabited islands with a rich history.

The most important towns in Argyll and Bute are the historic town of Inveraray, which is still the seat of the Duke of Argyll with his castle a mile from the city centre. Inveraray is also home to Inveraray Jail, a famous tourist attraction. Oban, which is the major transport hub of west Scotland. Oban has an interesting centre with lots of shops and the important ferry terminal make Oban one of the busiest places in this part of Scotland. Remarkable is the location of the distillery in the town centre. It was there before the city expanded in the 1900's to its present size. From here ferries leave to many of the Hebridean Isles. Other towns of importance are Dunoon, Helensburgh and Campbeltown, many years ago the whisky capital of Scotland. Famous loch's are loch Fyne, loch Awe and loch Etive. The beautiful peninsula of Kintyre starts at the picturesque village of Tarbert. A few miles from Tarbert the ferry terminals of Kennacraig and Tayinloan can be found for trips to the islands of Islay and Gigha.