There are no large towns on the island, but the villages Portree, Broadford, Dunvegan, Kyleakin, Uig and Edinbane all cater to tourists. Portree, famous for its scenic harbour, is the largest of these, though it is rivalled in popularity by Dunvegan because of the 13th century Dunvegan Castle.

Mother Nature aside, castles are, in fact, the main appeal of Skye as a tourist destination. Dunvegan Castle is the only intact such, but the island is otherwise littered with ruins of former Scottish clan strongholds. Of these Armadale Castle is the most noteworthy, as its gardens are maintained and houses the Museum of the Isles. Two other castle ruins are situated nearby, and another one may be found near the village of Kyleakin.