Stirling Castle

Now before I start I need to tell you that adult entry to the castle is £14.50 but as members of Historic Scotland we get in for free! Hooray, we just recouped £29 of our annual fee joint fee of £82.18 (you can get two adults and up to six children for £86.93, concession £70.30 a year). Anyway even at the full walk-​in price it’s pretty good value for money as once you’re in all the other attractions are free.
Stirling Castle is impressive, a real proper castle including a renaissance palace, royal chapel and great hall resplendent in its yellow/​golden finish. Throughout a series of exhibitions provides information about the castle’s history and the cast of characters, kings, queens, knights and courtiers who lived there. Look out for the interactive screen depicting life-​size the excavated skeleton of a knight.
The palace has been restored to its appearance in the mid 16^th century in the reign of James V and Margaret Tudor and it is stunning. The rooms are enhanced by costumed characters who will answer any questions and provide a bit of living history. The restoration includes recreations of the Stirling Heads, a collection of brightly painted carved ceiling panels, and the fabulous tapestries depicting the Hunting of the Unicorn.
The Great Hall has been saved from its latter existence as army barracks and brought back to its original splendour, look out for the minstrels and trumpeters galleries.
The Chapel Royal is as it would have been for the visit of Charles I in 1633, the last visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch until Queen Victoria over two centuries later.
There is a dedicated series of rooms catering for children with informative, but engaging and entertaining interactive exhibits — the virtual court jester has a good line in bad jokes! Children will also love the kitchen tableau.
The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum which this confirmed pacifist found a lot more interesting than I had expected.
If all this history is making you hungry and/​or thirsty, there is a coffee and cake stand in the main courtyard and the Unicorn Café near the entrance. Reminiscent of the type of classy café found in major museums the Unicorn is not the cheapest food, but it is good quality. I had something called a calabrese which was a substantial portion of toasted layered wraps with chicken, salami and salad. This managed the clever trick of being both moist and crispy, and tasty. I accompanied it with a portion of puy lentil salad which was absolutely delicious. Along with the advertised lentils were roasted beetroot, roasted carrot and nutty tasting little seeds marinated in a flavoursome dressing. Children’s lunch boxes are available.
You could easily spend a few hours exploring the whole site including the beautiful gardens. The staff are welcoming and helpful and you might be lucky and arrive in time to take advantage of one of the free guided tours.

You get the Full castle experience, even complete with guides dressed in period clothes. We had a great time. Definitely worth a visit. It had been upgraded considerably since I had seen in when I lived in Scotland. So glad we went back.

Good points about going in April… not that busy and can explore with ease. Bad points. the weather… it was raining and a lot of the tour is outside.
I did enjoy my day here as there is a lot of history but I do think the entrance fee is very over priced. £14 something. I would definitely recommend the free guided tour to get your monies worth. Our tour guide was very well informed and happy to answer additional questions our group had.
The army owned the castle for a while until the 1960s so there are artifacts and letters from battles and world wars to look at in the military museum on site.

I got a chance to visit this on March 5^th of 2016, one of the 2 castles I was able to visit. We arrived late in the afternoon about an hour and a half before closing on a very cold afternoon. The wind blew hard through the queens courtyard, but It didn’t stop me from admiring everything I could.
I got to walk through the ancient walls, and hear the whispers of the past, and imagine what life was like back then. It was lovely to see the unicorn project, and interact with the Queen and King as the actors in the restored part of the Castle embraced their parts.
This is a beautiful Castle, so much MORE than Edinburgh’s, though not a Ruin as I expected.
Do get the temporary membership if you’re planning on visiting more than one or 2 of the historic places, you will save yourself money.

Stirling Castle is a beautiful castle in an incredible city. Less expensive than other castles in the area, Stirling castle is an incredible place to checkout fantastic views of Stirling as well as learn some fun history on one of the tours. The recent (ish) renovations seems to be spot on in that they preserved the history of the castle without taking of the historical feel from the environment. The Castle has redone some of the beautiful wooden ornate ceilings and the result is stunning. The galleries in the castle are entertaining and informative. The staff is wonderful, the castle is great… If you are looking for a castle to visit, I would easily pick this one over many other castles in Scotland (though it certainly feels like you can’t really go wrong).

We all know there is a plethera of castles to see and explore in Scotland,
some free (and in ruin) some over the top on price. Stirling castles one of the good ones. Not overly pricey and plenty to explore as a couple or with the family Great views are always a bonus

Great day out, nicer quieter, cheaper alternative to Edinburgh castle with amazing views in the evening of stirling

Stirling Castle is a great day out. Fantastic views, loads of things to see and good food. There was a pube in my salad, however, so I recommend you bring a picnic.

Visited April 2015: «2 places enriched with history for the price of one: Stirling Castle and Argyle Home»
We went through most of the rooms, except the military areas and the tapestry studios. We purchased our tickets online, and it make things go smoother at the ticket counter. Definitely utilize your map, to maximize your time. We went through the castle exhibition first, which provided you with a timeline of the castle and its occupants. Looking over the walled garden of Queen Ann, and seeing the ruins of the Garden party and how this portion of the world has changed over the centuries, was mind-​blowing. The galleries are a must along with the chapel. I LOVE ornate ceilings, and this castle had it all for me. You also have to check out the gargoyles. There’s also a vast cemetery next door for individuals who enjoy genealogy, or admiring gravestones. The Argylle home is also a must to visit. It doesn’t take long to go through either.

This is an extremely cool castle! It has 90% of the cool-​ness of Edinburgh Castle, with about 15% of the people! If you are ever within a 2-​hr drive of Stirling Castle, it is a must-​see!

Nice castle and I’ve been to several. The reason I gave it high stars? Not overcrowded like the one I’ve been to in other places. Don’t expect it to have a bunch of furnished rooms like Blair Castle, Cawdor or Edinburgh Castle. Most of the areas are empty, but that’s a good thing for me. It is a bit overpriced, but it’s worth a visit if you are taking pictures. The view up there is beautiful, and you can even see the William Wallace Monument from a distance. The staff members are dressed in costume telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots. Lots of photo opportunities since it’s not crowded. A nice visit to the pub below the castle is a must! There’s a creepy looking statue in there.

I hate to say this, but I was kind of disappointed with Stirling Castle. A lot of it is really, really gorgeous, but what they’ve done with a refurbished wing with painfully bright, whimsical colours and images is ghastly. I appreciate the gritty dirtiness of history, and the preservation of buildings as they were, not the amusement park theme they must have been going for. That left a really bad taste in my mouth for this castle, which is really too bad with such a rich history. I kind of felt like I was in a museum geared towards 5 year olds. Not to mention the fact that the building’s exterior sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the beautiful dark stone of the original castle.
The other parts of the castle that have been re-​done to look just as they had were really quite beautiful. The grounds are gorgeous and the view is astounding. I recommend it for a visit, but be advised: wear sunglasses in the fun-​house wing.

Stunning, well preserved Scottish castle — a major attraction on many day bus tours.
I visited Stirling Castle as part of a 1-​day bus tour through the highlands that departed from Edinburgh. We were give 2 hours to explore the castle — which is plenty.
From Wikipedia: «Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Most of the principal buildings of the castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defenses fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542.»
Be aware that the castle is very impressive from the outside of the buildings and walls (see photos), but that there is almost no authentic furniture left on the inside. As a compensation you will be treated to the very interesting museum/​exhibition of the Highlanders Regiment. From the castle hill you have absolutely stunning views of the Scottish landscape and surrounding towns — including the William Wallace Monument on an opposite hill. If you have enough time left, walk down from the castle hill into the scenic, historic town of Stirling.
Amenities include several toilets, a shop, and a rather nice café.
And DON’T FORGET the breathtaking historic cemetery that is adjacent to the castle (see photos). It’s just a few minutes walk down from the castle, and will be very much worth your time.

What a fantastic place a totally restored castle palace. these folk lived in luxury. The place would require a whole army to take its perched up on top of a rock with sheer rock faces hundreds of feet high .The restored rooms are gorgeous and the great hall is the largest in Europe. I was bowled over with the castle and the views to the Highlands and over Bannockburn Battlefield.

Delightful day trip to the city of Striling and the Castle. The Castle was extraordinary but I’m always a bit sad to see how much cleanup they’ve done or redone to the Castles. Sometimes I feel like all the restoration takes away from the historical essence of the spaces. If you’ve ever been to the Abbey in Leeds I’m more of a fan of seeing these types of ruins. It’s a grand castle and the view is exceptional but I’m not sure I’d ever make the trip back.
We also did the tour and it didn’t show us the entire grounds-​we saw a very small portion in just 40−50m.
After the tour we peeked in the tapestry making studio which was pretty cool. I could have done without everyone in costume though.

Ein Riegses Schloss doch etwas fade.

Got in for free, so can’t speak to the cost, but a visit to Stirling + and its castle was a decent half-​day trip while in Edinburgh. It’s well-​preserved, has a lot of exhibits, tours, and interpreters, and takes the perfect amount of time to explore — not too little so it’s boring (sorry, Edinburgh), but not so much that it’s overwhelming. What I, an American who thinks a building from the early 1800s is waaaay old, expected a good castle experience to be.

Auch in meinen Augen eine der schönsten Burgen bzw. Schlösser in Schottland. Zum einen die Lage und zum anderen die Gebäude. Die Museen sind jetzt nicht so der Hammer, da gibt es bestimmt bessere Ausstellungen.

Sitrling Castle is massive and really impressive.
We caught up with a guided tour that was just getting started. The tour guide was super friendly, very knowledgeable, and had awesome plaid pants. It was interesting to hear the history of Stirling, including the role played by famous Scots like William Wallace. The guide’s Scottish wit was a nice addition to the historical anecdotes. While describing a row of statues, he commented, «See the woman with the large bosom and the scowl on her face? Clearly an Englishwoman.»
The hour-​long tour didn’t take us into every nook and cranny of the castle, but instead the guide hit all the high points, gave us some direction, and instilled a great knowledge base with which to explore on our own. There are some amazing panoramic views from the top, especially if you go around the Wall Walk.
Stirling Castle is a must-​see attraction if you’re anywhere near this part of Scotland.

Ok. So I may be a bit biased as I was taken here on a date, a first date to be exact. (Now listen up boys, know your audience. My suitor knows I am into castles, history and pretty views, so he took me here. Needless to say, I am seeing him again.)
Moving on to the actual castle. There isn’t much I can say on the subject other than it is a amazing testament to the patience of historians who have lovingly recreated Stirling Castle to look like it did during the medieval period. It show an interesting peek at Scottish History, especially where the crown is concerned.
Add to the grandeur the structure itself are the views from the grounds. Seriously, the landscape surrounding the castle looks as if it was lifted from a Turner painting. Green, lush, and pretty much close to perfect, it is worth the price of admission just for the view. Truly spectacular.

So pretty… and free with our Explorer Passport.
After leaving Edinburgh in our friend’s family van, we had to take in some of the sights on the way to Perth. Normally I fall asleep in cars (except when driving – obviously), so I can’t tell you how long it took to get here. All’s I know is that I was supposed to leave all my luggage in a van full of windows as I explored a castle. My friend’s wedding dress was draped on the seat. I was so sure we were asking for it. Can you tell I’m not very trusting?
An ice cream cart near the entrance… That’s the first thing I see… but I’m here for scones. With all the clotted cream I can fit on a plate. Again. As I sit with a bride who is trying to fit into a dress, I should try to restrain myself. But I don’t. Did I mention I can scoop as much as I thought could reasonably fit on my scone? I get another Americano and wait for the tour to start.
Wait for the tour to start. I have never been anywhere where people are just so passionate about their jobs. While my husband left midway to go take photos outside, I wandered around with our friends taking in the history. Beautiful and different structures. This guy (I should have remembered his name) was explaining to us about family crests. He then spotted a vistor’s hat and showed how this Spanish Crest was then incorporated into someone else’s family crest (I should have listened harder to this too).
While going through Mary of Guise’s bedroom, we listened to a «chambermaid» speak of the going ons of the castle. She then told us about how Henry the VIII vied for her hand, but instead she married James V… then she said she had to stop gossiping with us from the New Lands and get back to work. Never broke character. Amazing.
After taking selfies in the gardens, we took some time in the gift shop. Our friend’s mother bought a necklace, I bought some postcards and stamps (how convenient to have stamps… now I need a mailbox). On to the next castle!

Visite du fameux château de Stirling :)
Magnifiquement bien restauré et entretenu, il recèle de recoins et couloirs cachés pour notre plus grand plaisir. Découvrez aussi des panoramas magnifiques à 360° sur la ville de Stirling et des champs et montagnes avoisinants :)

Wer Schottische Geschichte liebt ist hier richtig:-) Zeit braucht es schon, denn der Rundgang bietet viel. Ich habe sogar das essen und trinken vergessen:-(Das Castle wurde renoviert und vor 2 Jahren wieder eröffnet. Ein gute Sache, vorallem die kompetenten Führer überzeugen:-) Mir persönlich hat es gefallen und ich denke das Eintrittsgeld war es wert!

A must see on a visit to Scotland.
I recommend taking a guided tour (included with the price of admission) of the castle. The tour guide did a superb job explaining:
–the history of Stirling Castle
–the importance of Stirling Castle in the Wars of Scottish Independence
–what Robert the Bruce did in the Wars to become the greatest Scot ever
–what life was like in the different eras (ie, jesters were often used as spies in the medieval era)
Honestly I didn’t know what to expect before I went to Scotland. A visit to Stirling Castle is part of how Scotland became my new favorite place to visit in all the world.

Ce château bien entretenu est devenu un attrait touristique évident. Vous devrez lutter pour vos photos, les légions de bus y déversant des régiments entiers de touristes des quatre coins de la planète. Ce château n’ayant pas sombré en ruines, vous pourrez y découvrir les nombreuses salles et expositions censées vous présenter l’histoire des lieux. Bonne découverte !

Schottland, die Highlands, die Menschen, die Geschichte. Faszinierend.

Wie schon beschrieben eins der schönsten Castles in Schottland!
Unbedingt zu empfehlen die Audiotour! Die ist wirklich sehr gut gemacht!
Man sieht förmlich den Kopf kommen ;)

Magnifique et magique. un peuple fier de son histoire et de son passé. William Wallace, héros de la résitance aux anglais, magnifié par le film Braveheart, est omniprésent dans tout le pays.

Ein unglaublich schönes Gemäuer.
Die Geschichte ist sehr spannend und es werden in vielen Sprachen Audioführungen angeboten.
Ich habe mich in der Zeit teilweise zurückversetzt gefühlt.
Ich konnte als ich an der Stelle vor den «Spielwiesen» oben auf der Burg stand förmlich vorstellen wie es damals ausgesehen haben muss.
Und erst die unglaubliche Aussicht, meine gute.
Ein Besuch lohnt sich allemal.

Lieu magnifique et chargé d’histoire avec la fameuse bataille de Stirling en 1297, qui fait partie de la quête d’indépendance des Ecossais emmenés par William Wallace.

Comme un peu partout en Ecosse, leurs chateaux sont splendides! Une vue magnifique, tout une histoire… Bref j’adore!!!

Schliesse mich Knopp42 an. Es IST m.E. das schönste Castle Schottlands und allein die Geschichtsträchtigkeit dieses Ortes hebt es aus allen anderen hervor. Der Eintritt haut zwar mächtig rein aber ein Besuch hier ist unvermeidbar. Man fühlt sich schon fast zurückversetzt in die Zeiten von Robert the Bruce und William Wallace! Hier lebt die Schlacht von Bannockburn nochmal im Geiste auf und das was es für das schottische Volk bis heute bedeutet. Die Traditionen und die Kultur der Schotten baut zum beachtlichen Teil darauf auf und das merkt man hier auch!
MUST HAVE, mehr sag ich nich

Leider habe ich es nicht geschafft, einmal ins Castle zu gehen, obwohl einmal im Jahr kostenloser Eintritt ist. Die Aussicht von dort oben au Stirling ist jedenfalls schon alle Mühe wert, den Berg hinaufzugehen! Oder sich Bruce (eine große Statue) mal genauer anzusehen. Stirling Castle hat eine lange Geschichte und wurde gebaut, noch bevor es das Schloss in Edinburgh gab. Stirling Castle war sogar ein Modell für Edinburgh Castle. Ich denke, es lohnt sich auf jeden Fall, sich mal Stirling Castle anzusehen, und sei es nur von außen!