5 Best Castles in Scotland to Visit

There are about 3,000 castles in Scotland. In this article, I have described the 5 most interesting of them in my opinion. Meet the country of kilts!

Scotland is a land of winds, rocky mountains, amazing islands and ancient castles. Once visiting this country, you will never remain indifferent to it, and the sound of bagpipes will echo back in your thoughts. But what do we know about this country? In addition to bagpipes, kilts and whiskey, there are a lot of incredible places to visit, which we will introduce you today.

1. Dunnottar Castle

When planning a vacation in Scotland, it is impossible to leave aside Dunnottar Castle, whose history dates back to the 7th century. The fortifications are located at the top of the cliff, and initially there was only one way to the castle - along a narrow and dangerous path connected with a system of caves. Several centuries later, the fortress became the seat of kings and the administrative center of Scotland. Also at the top of the cliff is the first Christian church, where the Britons converted to Christianity.

Now the history of the castle is overgrown with a large number of legends, many visitors come in search of ghosts, the most famous of which can be safely called the ghost of the green lady.

2. Stirling Castle

In the northern region of Scotland, at the top of an extinct volcano, there is one of the most famous castles in Great Britain - Stirling Castle. No one knows exactly when the castle was built, but already in the 12th century it was of great strategic importance.

Visitors have the opportunity to see all the halls of the castle, see unique paintings, as well as the largest medieval hall in Scotland - the Parliament Hall, with a total length of 42 meters!

3. Holyrood Palace

In the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, there is an equally famous building - the residence of Elizabeth II, Holyrood Palace. Translated from English, the name of the palace sounds like "holy cross" and for many years has been passed on as a legacy from one monarch to another. Also, now the residence is used by the Queen of Great Britain during official visits, the rest of the time the facility is open to tourists.

In Holyroodhouse, you can see the royal apartments, the throne room, the exposition of the Order of the Thistle and much more.

4. Skun Palace

Not far from the town of Perth, there is another incredible attraction - Skun Palace. Skoon Abbey is one of the most important sites in the history of Scotland. The castle is currently owned by the 8th Earl of Mansfield, William David Murray, who inherited the palace in 1971. But before this place was a gathering center for the Picts, and there was also an early Christian church on this site.

In 1808, the castle was almost completely rebuilt and is now a unique example of Georgian architecture. Today, the palace and the palace park are open to the public, the state rooms display fine collections of furniture, ceramics, ivory carvings, Dresden and Sèvres porcelain. A copy of the Skunsky stone is installed on a hill in the park.

5. Kildrummy Castle

Kildrummy Castle - one of the most luxurious sights in Scotland, was built in 1250, and gained worldwide fame after the release of the movie "Braveheart". The castle was built in the shape of the letter “D”, for many years it was the center of the struggle between the Scottish and British troops.

In 1898, the castle became the property of James Ogston, who worked on the restoration of buildings throughout his life, and also built a guest house opposite the castle. The main work of James was the creation of a huge garden with numerous waterfalls, which for several centuries has attracted tourists in Britain and around the world. Alpine and Asian plants, rare species of oaks and maples, and much more grow in the Garden of Eden.

Summing up, Scotland is worth visiting not only for the sake of seeing men in plaid kilts with bagpipes in their hands, but also because a huge number of historical and natural attractions are concentrated in a fairly small area.