Glamis Castle is a beautiful castle in Angus, Scotland, that is currently lived in by Simon Bowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, who succeeded to the earldom in 2016. Therefore, no photos of the castle were allowed during the tour. Pictures were allowed in the waiting area prior to the tour as well as in a room at the end of the tour. There was plenty of information provided on the history of the family and castle. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Mother) lived here, and her daughter, Princess Margaret, was born at Glamis Castle. It was also home to Queen Elizabeth II. This castle was the inspiration for William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Overall, the castle, gardens, and grounds were well maintained. When we got to the castle, we had to stand in a line to get in. The weather was on and off drizzly. However, the tour was well worth the wait. There is a gift shop and coffee shop. Glamis Castle has many beautiful gardens accessible to the public and are not a part of the tour. Weddings and other events are held at Glamis Castle. read more

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This was a nice photogenic castle to visit, on the exterior anyway as no photos were allowed inside. It's located in the countryside about 30 minutes to the north of the town of Dundee. It was the childhood home of the late Queen Elizabeth. The grounds around the castle are open and well maintained as there is nothing else in the vicinity of the castle. Our tour group also had a nice little soup and sandwich lunch here in their on-site restaurant. read more

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An absolutely beautiful castle with a grand long entrance leading to the castle itself. You pay for your tickets when you first go through the gates at the little ticket box. You can see some cows and other animals along that route as well. Lots of history at this place I can't even begin to tell you. The entire castle is not tourable as part of it is lived in. I really did like the food area, the food was actually really good. There was indoor and outdoor seating. The prices were also quite affordable. The restrooms were also really clean and nice. A trip to this castle is a lot of fun for you and your loved ones or even if you want to go alone. The grounds are enormous and stretch on for days! (Exaggerating). It was very relaxing. If you keep walking past the castle you will come along a couple of different gardens that are lovely in their own way and very well kept. One thing I did notice that in my opinion was a bit of an eyesore and might be there for a reason was when you look at the castle coming from the main entrance, there is some sort of reddish vine shrub thing growing along the wall that takes away from the beauty of the castle....they should cut it down. read more

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Lovely place to visit in Angus. The tour of Glamis Castle is very interesting and informative, especially the strong connection to the Queen Mother. There is so much history in this castle, and it's believed a lot of rooms still haven't been discovered! The gardens are also tremendous to walk around- a vast range of trees, plants, and shrubs. On a nice day, there are few nicer places to enjoy a picnic. There is a good gift shop and a café as well, which did disappoint me slightly. Overall, a fairly expensive tour, but an excellent insight into the Royal family and the history of the area. read more

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What can I say, I love castles, ruins even better! However, Glamis castle is far from being a ruin, as it is a lived in and well cared for fairy tale castle in the midst of Angus beautiful countryside, not far from Perth or St Andrews. Entrance fee start from £8 and I am sure that there are deals on all the time that you can get your hands on for your benefit. Check out their web site! The driveway from the main gate to the castle is a long one. If you get there by foot, be aware that it will take you a while to walk down the straight path. The view from the path towards the castle is amazing and you will think you have ended up in a fairy tale where the princess will be looking out of one of the turret windows, waving and letting her hair down :-) Anyway, at the back of the castle you will find some newly build houses containing a large gift shop, coffee shop and farmhouse. On the nearby fenced grassland linger highland cows with several adjacent walkways into the woods and to the walled garden with a a few fountains. In the castle you will find the main restaurant with good quality food and lots of space. I can imagine that in the summer this place can be pretty busy. Castle tours start every half an hour and they wont let you roam on your own, what is understandable considering all the treasures on display. Don't forget that one part is still lived in. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. The Castle was also the childhood home of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, best known as the Queen Mother. Her daughter, Princess Margaret, was born there. You can see the royal connections and will hear about the Lyon family history. What was my favourite room ? I guess, the banquet hall. The interior and wall decorations were one of a kind and you are surrounded by unimaginative riches. Also the chapel that contains amazing artwork, with one of a kind painting protected by glass, untouchable. There are lots of events on at Glamis during the year, so hope you will enjoy them too. Summer is here! read more

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Scott and I took a week off work together and decided to travel down the East coast from Aberdeen to Dundee, stopping off at a few of our favourite scenic spots. Tuesday afternoon led us via Stonehaven (check it out in the Summertime guys - the views out over the North Sea are something special) down towards the village of Glamis - to visit the castle - at the heart of Angus. As everyone who has ever visited Glamis Castle will confirm, the entrance to the grounds is marked by a large memorial-gateway bearing the Queen Mother's coat of arms at the centre. My words fail to do this image justice, as this really is a magnificent entrance to the castle's gorgeous grounds. Driving through the gates, we were greeted by a female colleague who took our payment (£22 for the two of us - they accept cash or card) and provided us with our map along with two wristbands. The wristbands allowed entry to the grounds and tours of the castle. We pulled into the car park which lies adjacent to the castle and found a space quite easily - though I imagine this will be a challenge on busier days! Our first thought was to check out the tour but, with twenty minutes to wait before the next one set off, we decided to have a browse around the gift shop and gardens. The gift shop offers the usual selection of clothing, confectionery and quality merchandise you would expect in a tourist hotspot, though I was most impressed with the locally sourced honey which - for someone who has a sweet-tooth and love for natural produce - was a nice touch. We were fortunate in the sense that we got - what felt like - the hottest day of the year so far (on the east coast) as it meant we had the opportunity to take a little wander around the courtyard in the sunshine. The gardens appear - as a sea of green - to stretch into the distance, only contained by the wall of trees on the perimeter and dotted with a variety of sculptures and fountains - there's even a resident highland cattle population to the rear of the castle. It gave us a chance to escape and enjoy something other than city life, though be prepared to get eaten alive by midges - I'd even advise bringing some repellant for the journey. Onto the tour! We climbed up some stairs into the waiting area where we were met by another member of staff. Everyone here is friendly; it's incredible. Five minutes passed and we set off with our youthful tour guide through a series of hallways, rooms, hidden doors, crypts and even the Queen Mother's refurbished apartments. Scott and I spent the best part of an hour gazing in wonder at the paintings, books, porcelain, tapestries and some of the most ornate architecture that I've ever seen. It was rather fascinating looking at a host of artefacts that are - with no doubt - more valuable than the collective possessions I own. I know for a fact that my boyfriend had his eye on a solid silver galleon in the dining room! ;) The castle represents everything that I love about Scotland; the history of violence, nobility, art... I could continue this list for hours (with an increased Yelp word count) and cannot fault our tour guide in the execution of her role. She was knowledgeable and kept us entertained throughout the duration of the tour. It's definitely worth a look if you get a chance! read more

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Another 1 of our favorite castles in Scotland! Ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore for over 600 years & is also the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (tough life, huh?) Mary Queen of Scots is reported to have paid a week-long visit to Glamis Castle. It is said she showed great favour to the family - perhaps as a way of making amends for her father's wickedness to Lady Janet Douglas, who was burnt at the stake as the result of a trumped-up charge brought about by the King James V The castle itself is another of those touted to be the setting for Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' but unlike others who claim this fame, Glamis is probably the correct spot..... Evidence - is referred to specifically :- "Glamis thou art" "and yet woulds't wrongly win: thou'dst have great Glamis" It is popularly believed that Duncan was murdered here by Macbeth ( History lesson over ) Today, Glamis hosts a plethora of events including weddings, seasonal parties, as well as the annual Strathmore Highland Games Tours are of the guided variety & our tour leader could not have been more pleasant & entertaining. Walking us through lavish rooms, pointing out specific pieces & telling stories about the artwork on the walls of the Royal Family. I love it when my mind is enriched as well as my eyes! And if this weren't enough to tempt you, Glamis is also into conservation! Not only do they use produce from their very own gardens in their kitchens but they have an extensive wildlife conservation program for Red Squirrels and Bumblebees Let's also not forget the cute-as-a-button Highland Cows that live right behind the car park - huge field of delightfully adorable long-haired cows munching away their leafy greens You would be remiss to give Glamis a pass One last FYI so you don't get caught looking like a bigger tourist than you prob already do, it's pronounced Glams - NOT Gla-miss read more

We went here for a wedding & it was great. The castle is set in beautiful grounds & the gardens are just lovely, especially the Italian garden. The staff are just fantastic & are great with kids answering their questions at their level of understanding. We had a guided tour which was really interesting, especially the 'ghost' stories! It was great for the kids to. The kids loved all of the suits of armour & animals. We also ate while we were there & the food was lovely. For the kids they ate their dinner in the 'dungeon' with the 'dragon' The staff were so good at making it interesting & fun for them. The castle is self is lovely & looks really beautiful when it's all lit up at night. We plan to go back the next time we are in that area as the kids just loved it & always ask to go back. They have loads of different events throughout the year. Well worth a visit. read more

Legend has it that this castle holds a terrible secret, to know of which is to court insanity. A monster, born of royal blood, is said to have been hidden in the castle, perhaps in a secret chamber. Once, the staff hung scarves from each of the windows; then, checking outside, they found several windows without scarves. Staff are rumoured to have been paid exorbitant amounts of money to KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT. Lovely scenery, great for long walks. read more

Very interesting tour; grounds and gift shop are also wonderful. Baby Highland cows too! Highly recommend bringing a picnic and enjoying the grounds after a tour. read more

Very enjoyable day out at this lovely castle with great gardens. Staff very helpful and knowledgeable, food good although a bit pricey but thats what you expect in all of these historic homes. The guided tour was not rushed so we got a good chance to look around and take in the sights and history of each room. read more