As a local, I've visited many of Scotland's castles. There are 4 that tourists shouldn't miss — and one that I'd skip.

Every clip I've visited Stirling Castle, I've recovered it to beryllium little crowded than different celebrated castles, for illustration Edinburgh. I besides emotion that a summons to Stirling includes a guided tour.

Stirling has an absorbing interior. The Great Hall — Scotland's largest medieval banquet hallway — has been restored to look arsenic it did during the 1500s.

Other parts of the castle person been moreover much afloat furnished successful Renaissance style, including the luxurious queen's bedchamber and soul hall, which is covered successful hand-woven recreations of famed, historical tapestries.

Outside, visitors tin respect views of the metropolis and besides rotation the beautifully manicured Queen Anne Gardens.

Just 20 minutes northbound of Stirling is my favourite spot: Doune Castle.

Doune is best-known arsenic a filming tract successful "Outlander," "Game of Thrones," and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

Along pinch its onscreen fame, Doune is nosy to explore. Arriving present feels for illustration stepping straight into the medieval period. Time has taken its toll connected the fortress, pinch parts of the masonry having crumbled distant — but what remains is well-maintained.

I'm not usually a instrumentality of an audio guide, but Doune Castle's offering (which is included successful the summons price) is fantastic, pinch stars from "Outlander" and "Monty Python" lending their voices to it.

Located connected the slope of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle was erstwhile 1 of Scotland's biggest castles.

Though it's now an open-air ruin, what remains is still incredibly atmospheric, and the tract offers beautiful views complete the iconic loch.

A small complete an hour's thrust from Urquhart and conscionable 15 minutes from the Skye Bridge is Eilean Donan Castle, which was a filming tract for "Highlander."

I wouldn't urge this 1 to history buffs since the interior is mostly modern, but the castle's mounting is perfectly spectacular: It's surrounded by scenic mountains and built connected a mini land wherever 3 lochs meet.

Although Edinburgh Castle looks awesome perched atop Castle Rock successful the halfway of the metropolis — and it's peculiarly beautiful erstwhile viewed from Princes Street Gardens aliases the Vennel — I recovered the wrong to beryllium a letdown erstwhile I past visited past year.

Because the castle is 1 of Scotland's astir celebrated tourer attractions, it felt unpleasantly busy. After waiting successful a 20-minute statement to spot the Crown Jewels, I recovered the crown, sword, and scepter to beryllium underwhelming.

Plus, anyone hoping to spot the Stone of Destiny — upon which monarchs are still crowned — will beryllium disappointed. I was sad to study that the historical artifact of sandstone was moved to the Perth Museum successful 2024.

I besides recovered very small accusation connected placards astir the castle's history, and I wished to person learned much astir what mundane life looked for illustration wrong its walls. Instead, a subject depository makes up a ample portion of the interior.

This communicative was primitively published connected September 20, 2025, and astir precocious updated connected August 28, 2026.