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    Stirling Castle

    4.5 (128 reviews)
    Closed 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

    Stirling Castle Photos

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    Casey R.

    Absolutely stunning and worth the walk from the train to visit! The town of Stirling is beautiful and quaint. Lots of little shops to look in as you walk the street up....up.... and up to Stirling Castle. The view of the country side from the castle are breathtaking. The immense amount of history is humbling as you think through the many battles that have taken place in this area. Well worth the visit friends!

    The Wallace monument in view from the castle.
    Howard L.

    Stirling Castle is a castle that originated in the 12th century and has been used as the Scottish royal residence over the centuries. Naturally, it sits strategically atop a big hill with steep cliffs and there are great views to be had from the castle.  We had an informative and entertaining 45 minute guided tour.  I particularly liked the kitchen exhibit showing how things were done back in the day and even recipes.  I also enjoyed seeing The Great Hall.  One of the buildings is golden yellowish in contrast to the typical dark soot stained exterior of the other buildings.  It is intended to show the original color of the castle when it was originally built, and the entire castle would indeed have been a stunning site to behold.  On the outside grounds there is also a majestic statue of Robert the Bruce as well as a Jacobite warrior. Thumbs up and an historic must see if in the Glasgow area!

    PatrickJ T.

    We saw many a castle during our summer cruise of the United Kingdom. Stirling Castle in Scotland was one of the most impressive ones we visited. Wowza!! What a beautiful sight as you approach Stirling Castle from faraway. It sits atop Castle Rock and looks amazing!! So much history at Stirling Castle. You could spend all day here learning so much history of the castle and Scotland in general. Unfortunately, we only had a few hours to spare. We learned some history while exploring this incredible castle. The views of the land around and below the castle are beautiful! Stirling Castle is my personal favorite among all the castles we visited in Scotland. Probably because of how incredible it looks and all the history related to Stirling Castle and Scotland. Simply wonderful!

    Patrick D.

    Stirling Castle has been an important part of the Highlands and Lowlands historical heritage'. From the very high of a volcanic outcrop, this amazing castle guarded the lowest crossing point of the River Forth. Today, many Scotts view the castle as a great symbol of Scottish independence and national pride. Fans of the movies can visit Stirling Castle, the site of the famous Battle of Stirling Bridge, and the National Wallace Monument. You really can immerse yourself in the history of the rebellion, and discover the landscapes that served as the backdrop for Braveheart.

    Sara G.

    Stirling Castle, perched majestically on top Castle Hill, is evidence for Scotland's architectural evolution. Initially constructed in the 12th century, this fortress has undergone significant modifications through to the 1600s, resulting in a stunning unification of many architectural styles, including Romanesque, Renaissance, Gothic Revival, and Scottish Baronial architecture. The castle's Renaissance influences are evident in the splendid Royal Palace, built by James V. I thought I was in Rome. In contrast, the Gothic Revival elements are shown in the Great Hall, restored in the late 19th century. It has the typical soaring arches and medieval structures. The Scottish Baronial style is evident in the castle's defense walls and fortifications. There are many layers to explore here. I can tell why this castle is a treasured part of Scotland.

    Rooftop statue with gold crown
    Dan C.

    Stunning Highland Views. View of the monument to William Wallace. Great tour guide loaded with historical information about the castle and its role in the reigns of the Stewart/Stuart dynasty. Actually sat in the chapel where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned - at 9 months of age. Too much history to fit into a Yelp review. I recommend the Stirling Castle website for more info.

    The great hall
    Lisa F.

    Lovely castle ! Go early at opening and you will feel like you the only people there ! A lot of it was recreated and "most likely looked like this" kind of visit Be sure to visit the great hall .. it was Christmas and they had an enormous fresh tree !!

    Anita W.

    Loved everything about this castle! I have some mobility issues and it was pretty easily walkable. Some inclines and stairs but not too bad! I absolutely recommend this to anyone considering visiting. The surrounding area is lovely as well.

    Tracie M.

    Incredible castle with so much wonderful history. Easy to self navigate with lots of signage to guide you. The gardens were especially beautiful

    Bruce Statue
    Abby A.

    There are many castles to see and experience in Scotland, but Stirling Castle was our favorite. Since we had a rental car, it was not easy to navigate to the castle (very tight and twisting roads), even though it can be seen for miles around, and you will have to pay for parking upon arrival. We spent 3 hours at the castle, and paid for the recorded guide so we could go at our own pace. The performers in the castle make the experience very special, and are very friendly, answering all your questions while remaining in character. Be sure to take your time and walk the battlements to enjoy the incredible view of the Wallace Monument and the beautiful gardens on site. There is also a fantastic military exhibit in another building on the grounds that my husband really enjoyed. Since we arrived right at opening to get parking, we had lunch after our tour at the café on the grounds, that had great prices, food made on the premises, friendly service, and plenty of seating. We shared a sandwich and a piece of fabulous chocolate malted cake with coffee to end our visit.

    Jason V.

    You won't find many castles as exquisitely maintained as the one overlooking the town of Stirling. Originally built sometime in the 12th century, most of the remaining buildings were rebuilt during the Renaissance years, but I'm sure centuries of additional preservation and restoration have been devoted to keeping this prominent palace looking as it would have centuries ago. At least externally. Within, you'll find a delicate balance of modern and medieval, walking a tightrope between accurately representing castle life, and presenting this information via both historical and modern context. There are several "galleries" within this living museum, some taking the form of dioramas depicting various functions of castle life. One that stands out in my mind, more than six years later, is the re-enactment/recreation of the great kitchens that operated here, keeping the nobility and peasantry alike fed and healthy. Others include a walkthrough of the private quarters of the aristocracy, complete with heraldic tapestries, suits of armor, and exquisite, ornate bedchambers large enough to host a banquet themselves! There's also the battlements, the dungeons, and the expansive grounds spread across the entirely of the rocky promontory, which include a massive cemetery (itself worth a tour of its own!), and the nearby Beheading Stone. Truly, any fan of medieval architecture will have no end of things to satisfy their interests and curiosities here. Absolutely worth the price of admission for fans of Scottish history, Middle Age enthusiasts, and D&D nerds (such as myself) alike!

    Bridget H.

    I went to Stirling Castle during a tour on my way to Loch Lomond. This is a beautiful castle and we had a loving view of the countryside. They have free tours at the castle that is great if you want to know the history of the castle. If you have more than an hour, I would do the guided tour and then go and explore on your own. If you only have an hour, I would skip the free guided tour and go out on your own. You will not see everything if you do only the guided tour.

    Stirling Castle
    Ardis B.

    What a beautiful place! The castle had so many different places to explore. It also had several fun interactive areas for kids to explore. The gardens were beautiful and all the museums were very informative and compelling. We spent about 3 1/2 hours here, but we could have stayed even longer if we had time. There was a nice cafe, snack bar, and several gift shops.

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    Amazing castle. Russell our tour guide was so much fun! Prefer this castle over Edinburgh castle.

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    Stirling Castle Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Stirling Castle

    From that point on, there were many times when this castle changed hands - between the Scots and the English.

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    Common Ground Games

    Common Ground Games

    4.0(1 review)
    0.3 mi

    We were super excited to find a game shop while traveling across Scotland. We had seen some video…read moregame shops but no hobby shops. We love board games, MTG, table top games, Warhammer, and more. It was nice to find somewhere that felt like home! Starting from the outside, this shop is a bit hard to locate but luckily they have a gorgeous geek friendly mural on the outside walkway! You are greeted by all of your favorite sci-fi and video game characters which instantly puts you in a great mood! When you enter there are two separate rooms divided by a kitchen. The left room has plenty of tables to play whatever games you wish. May it be noted that we found out afterwards that you are supposed to pay to use a table! They also have a shelving unit full of games available to test. We played a few games and really enjoyed them. On the right is the actual shop which is fully stocked with games of all types. We even found a Minecraft Card game in both English and German as a souvenir for my little brother. The kitchen has an assortment of beverages and foods available for purchase. Sadly I have a wheat allergy and dairy allergy as well as being a vegetarian so I settled on some plain hot tea. My partner however, had a Haggis grilled cheese and he seemed quite pleased by it! The staff is very welcoming and friendly. Appears to be run by a family. The other customers were also very friendly and a few even came up to talk to us about the games we were playing. Overall this is a very well stocked and welcoming game shop. Definitely recommend if you enjoy these types of games! Would have been 5 stars had I of been able to eat anything there. ;)

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    Common Ground Games
    Common Ground Games
    Common Ground Games

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    Stirling Fringe Festival

    Stirling Fringe Festival

    4.0(1 review)
    0.3 mi

    Stirling Fringe Festival is like the Edinburgh Fringe's bashful little cousin; young, eager and…read morejust finding its feet in the comedy-arts festival world. Whilst just finished its second successful year, Stirling Fringe Festival is certainly holding its own as an annual event in Stirling, creating a good-spirited buzz around the city whilst involving local independent businesses. - Think Loving Food Truck serving up their delicious street food concoctions while a local band play their hand-penned tunes in the background. This was just one of the events over the 9-day extravaganza. The result is a pleasant slice of the best of what Stirling's got to offer. So this year brought music, performance art, musical theatre and even an evening of Parisian Indulgence. I do not know what a night of Parisian Indulging entails but I imagine it was a relaxed affair with gypsy jazz chords and an abundance of red wine. Seriously, though, for a festival in its second year, Stirling Fringe is shining bright. Whilst hosting stage to names like Daniel Sloss, at the heart of the festival there is real community, with plenty of workshops and groups to get stuck in to. And if you're keen to help out with the planning and organising of the festival, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. Stirling Fringe may be a young 'un in the festival industry but I've seen it grow from its first year to its second year and, hopefully, it'll continue to flourish. Of course, it isn't the Edinburgh Fringe, nor does it try to be, but that's testament to Stirling's size; it has done a wonderful job of catering to Stirling's creative community and slots in just nicely alongside the rest of the city's happenings. A huge well done to Barry and the Stirling Fringe team who made this year's festival such a success. Next year...Get yourself a programme, hop on a train, and enjoy!

    Smith Art Gallery & Museum

    Smith Art Gallery & Museum

    4.0(4 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Almost four years in Stirling and I've only just visited this place. Thoroughly ashamed! Whilst I'd…read moreheard a little about the museum, it seemed a little out of the way from the city centre. (It's not, it's a five minute walk from the Albert Halls and ten from the castle!) Today was a fleeting but entertaining day at the museum, with a quick caffeine stop at the cafe and a whisk around the museum. The building itself is large and historical. It's certainly nice to look at and has a traditional museum feel without seeming out-dated. We were headed straight for the cafe to start when we were welcomed by a friendly cat. - Yes, a cat! Not just any cat but Oswald, the museum's resident cat! Yes, he actually lives there! He would often pop in to the museum when he lived nearby and when his owner's moved, Oswald got so sad that they brought him back to where he truly belonged. - The museum! Talk about a welcome! Purr! The cafe makes for a pleasant stop for tea and coffee and service was fast and friendly. I can't comment on the food since I didn't eat but the cakes looked lovely and they even had a few gluten free options available. There's also some small replica war-time recipe/ration/sewing guide books for sale by the cafe which are cheap and kitsch. They certainly caught my eye! Whilst we didn't have a great deal of time to wander round the museum itself on this occasion, everything we laid eyes on was interesting. I particularly liked the old Stirling cinema chairs and posters. I'd definitely like to spend some more time in here and soak it all in a bit more. I especially love the fact that they feature local artists! Staff were so welcoming and knowledgeable, telling us the history of the museum and the story of Oswald the cat. With free admission, it's definitely worth a visit if you're in Stirling. If only to meet Oswald!

    Although the Museum is quite messy (there's lot of pieces everywhere), you end up undestanding the…read morewhole history Stirling, its most important people and the legends. The best thing of the Museum is its staff. They are very helpful and friendly. Even one of them offered himself to guide us through the exhibition. I will return to the Museum to visit it again, even though it doesn't have Free Wifi....

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    Smith Art Gallery & Museum

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    Mediterranea Restaurant - Chicken taouk on top, moussaka on bottom

    Mediterranea Restaurant

    4.6(15 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    ££

    We got the Greek salad, chicken taouk, moussaka and a pitcher of sangria. Everything was very tasty…read moreand the presentation attractive. The service was very good and the owner very friendly. (The sangria was a little weak, though, but we would definitely go back.)

    This was a wee night out to the lovely city of Stirling on an UYE visit to this fabulous restaurant…read morechosen and kindly organised by fellow Yelper Nicola C. She did a cracking job and it was a great introduction for a meal out in Stirling. I'm not a biggest fan of Mediterranean food but I do enjoy certain aspects to it and I'm always up for trying different flavours and foods. There was seven of us in total and I was unsure what to go for so an excellent mutual decision was made to go for the Chef's Selection for £14.95 each, which allowed you to try lots of options from their menu. This was a brilliant idea so if there was something I wasn't too keen on there was someone else happy to munch in, so nothing went to waste. There was so many courses, I forgot how many there was that it felt like a never ending amount of food came to our table. It was awesome! My favourite was the wee cheeky side order I had of halloumi but make sure you get the lutza halloumi as it comes with pork medallions. Yum! The chorizo was the best I've ever tasted, I'm not the greatest fan but the way it was cooked made it really tasty. We had falafel, chicken wings, lamb kofte, olives, hummus, lots of pita bread, Greek gyros and baba ghanoush. By the last course though I had to force myself, I think I may have had too many helpings of pita and hummus. Ooops! But is tasted so goooood. It's an alternative meal out with good quality food and the staff are lovely. We did have a few waits in between courses but then it's a popular restaurant but with good company and banter it didn't seem so bad. Thanks again to Nicola C. and look forward to the next Stirling UYE. Nudge nudge, wink wink! Hehe!

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    Mediterranea Restaurant - Greek salad

    Greek salad

    Mediterranea Restaurant
    Mediterranea Restaurant

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    Albert Halls

    Albert Halls

    3.8(5 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    ££

    I've been to the Albert Halls on serveral occasions, most recently playing a private event as a…read moreband in the lesser hall upstairs.The venue itself is extremely versatile and, in the past, I'd attended several wedding fairs for work and left impressed with just how well the building suited the event and how lovely staff were.There's the large, main hall downstairs and the adaquately-sezed lesser hall upstairs. Whilst it's not the sort of place I'd find myself in for a night of music, as it mainly caters to tribute acts, there's occasionally some great acts booked that aren't quie suited to the Tolbooth music venue in town. When we found out we were going to be fed at the private event, we had no idea what to expect but were pleasantly surprised when the in-house Henderson's Bistro served up delicious offerings of Balmoral Chicken for main course. Delightful! Whilst Albert Halls doesn't quite have the personality or quaintness of other venues in town, it's certainly a good size and is extremely versatile. And you can't go wrong if you need a catered event!

    I have only been to this venue to see a live music performance and to be honest it's not very well…read moresuited for the job. The sound didn't carry particularly well. There was no proper bar, a folding table with a limited choice of drinks was all that was on offer. There were no drinks allowed in the main hall so you couldn't enjoy a drink while watching the band which was a bit of an inconvenience. However, the venue was quite nice in itself and would maybe be better suited to another type of performance.

    Vue Stirling

    Vue Stirling

    3.7(6 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Amazing cinema! Come here all the time for watching movies with family. Great value for money…read more 100% would recommend if you are planning to watch a movie on the big screen! :)

    I haven't reviewed Vue?! I could've sworn I'd graced my local cinema with those three yellow stars…read more These days, I'm spending a whole lot more time here. So, a review (a real one, not one I'd imagined) was inevitable. The quality of films shown at this cinema has improved in recent months. Prior to this, we were often disappointed with what was on offer. On more than one occasion in the past, we've had to travel to the Falkirk Cineworld or head up to The Macrobert cinema on the university campus to see a film, since it wasn't shown here. Lately, Vue's been showing all the films we've wanted to see. We're cinema night-hawks; no queues, no chitter-chatter several rows ahead, no awkward manoeuvres as you attempt to get to the bathroom mid-film. - Just you and the movie. In fact, on several occasions we've had the screen to ourselves. Which makes us wonder, why did Vue bring back the late night showings when there doesn't seem to be a need for it in Stirling? Regardless, I love the late night showings. - Thank you, Vue! It's a 3.5 from me. I do think better of this cinema than I did before. Staff are always friendly, but it is expensive and if you book online there's a 10% charge added, as opposed to Cineworld's 10% saving when you book online. I do hope the late showings stick around!

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    Vue Stirling

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    Stirling Castle - castles - Updated May 2026

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