Depending on who you ask, there are between 1,000 and 3,000 castles north of Great Britain.
Scotland currently has more castles than any other country in the United Kingdom.
The number fluctuates so much because of what some consider a sound structure versus ruins.
While many of the stone structures have not been able to stand the test of time, a lot more has survived throughout the centuries than you’d think.
Journey along with us as we explore the highlands and beyond in order to seek out the most scenic fortresses in Scotland.
10 Most Beautiful Castles in Scotland
1. Dunrobin Castle
The largest of its kind in the Northern Highlands, Dunrobin Castle has 189 rooms that overlook the North Sea.
Even the walk-up is magical through the gardens.
What really adds to the legendary estate is that parts of the original fortress were integrated into the current structure.
The land was claimed by the Lord of Duffus in the early 1200s.
But when the first iteration of Dunrobin popped up, no one can be sure.
The medieval fort was first mentioned 200 years later.
Dunrobin Castle has been home to the Sutherland family for seven centuries.
Fortunately for tourists, the family has opened a portion of Dunrobin since the 70s.
2. Culzean Castle
Referred to as a masterpiece, Culzean Castle was ready to move in as of 1792.
The 10th Earl of Cassilis had the vision and hired Scotland’s highly accomplished architect Robert Adam to bring the plans to life.
After hands were exchanged a few times, the Kennedy family donated the estate after WWII to the government.
That gift came with a string attached.
The future president and Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower were to be given the top apartment.
He visited the castle four times.
This castle looks like one dreamed up by a fantasy writer.
It’s wide and has several different tier sizes.
Culzean Castle is L-shaped, which gives a sprawling effect over 643 acres.
Not only are there 10 main rooms, but the castle also comes equipped with servant quarters.
These days you can pretend to be part of the nobility and stay in a room.
Upkeep of the grounds is by the National Trust of Scotland.
3. Duart Castle
Sometime in the 1200s, Clan MacDougall built Duart Castle.
The following four centuries were full of action.
In particular, the 17th century saw battle and the eventual destruction of Duart.
Even though Sir John Maclean surrendered the estate, the Campbell clan took it apart and spread the stones out across the land.
Within the next 50 years, the whole place had been abandoned.
It wasn’t until 1911 that someone took an interest in seeing Duart in all its glory again.
Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean then purchased and started the rebuild.
Anyone wanting to see history in person can get quite a glimpse of the past here.
Available for viewing are the dungeon, kitchen, great hall, state bedroom, and sea room.
Don’t forget the roof access!
4. Balmoral Castle
In order to get closer to King Robert II, Sir William Drummond commissioned a castle in 1390.
It just so happened that the king had a hunting lodge nearby to the property owned by Drummond.
In the years following, the estate was passed around to a number of high-ranking people.
It wasn’t a royal property until Queen Victoria purchased it in the late 1840s, site unseen.
Unlike many of the Crown’s real estate holdings, Balmoral Castle was meant to be a private home for the family.
In fact, this was where Victoria spent much of her time after her husband died.
When the newlywed couple first purchased the castle, they had no idea how big their family would get.
So, many buildings were added over time.
Balmoral has been in the British royal family ever since.
Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to pass away here and the first to do so while visiting Scotland in almost 500 years.
5. Stirling Castle
One of the biggest and most culturally important castles in Scotland, Stirling has quite a reputation.
Befitting a castle of its age, there is a lot of drama behind these walls.
To start with, William Douglas was murdered here in 1452.
James II had invited the Earl of Douglas to the castle to help form an alliance.
The conversation ended in a bloody brawl and death.
Less than a century later, Mary Queen of Scots was born here and crowned nine months later.
Stirling Castle has long been considered the key to the kingdom of Scotland.
The land has been important to those living in the area since the Roman occupation.
Even King Arthur is associated with Stirling.
The castle itself is at least as old as 1110 when King Alexander I had a chapel constructed on the site.
In addition, the structure sits on Castle Hill, a 350 million-year-old collection of quartz-dolerite.
6. Lews Castle
Lews Castle started out as a country home for Sir James Matheson.
He became quite wealthy thanks to Opium going into China.
Matheson used his new-money status to purchase the entire Isle of Lewis.
Construction was completed in 1851 and it stayed in the family until 1923.
At that point, the grounds were given to the people of Stornoway Parish.
During WWII, Lews was the HQ for a naval squadron.
Following a brief stint as a school dorm, the castle sat exposed to the elements until 2011.
Then, a grant was given to convert the estate into a museum and more.
Lews Castle is free to tour.
7. Floors Castle
Seeing a castle is one thing, but experiencing it is another.
Stories have been told for years about a gardener who never left Floors Castle.
Or perhaps you can appreciate the other types of stories, such as when a movie was filmed here in the 80s.
Long before the interest in a castle, there was just a beautiful spot found by Duke John.
Floors Castle was built in the 1720s for the family and it continues to host a duke’s family to this day.
Currently, Floors belongs to the 11th Duke of Roxburghe.
There are three main buildings all connected by long hallways.
The towers make it feel much more dated than it actually is.
8. Edinburgh Castle
Castle Rock has been inhabited for thousands of years.
So, it’s about time a castle was constructed there in the 1000s.
Naturally, kings and queens have called Edinburgh Castle home since Malcolm III Canmore took up residence after it was built.
One popular example is Queen Margaret.
The chapel was put there by her son and represents the city’s longest-standing structure.
After she died at the castle in 1093, she was made a saint by the Catholic church.
The castle slowly stopped hosting royals and transitioned to a military estate in the 1600s.
Today, it’s more of a place to time travel than anything else.
9. Kilchurn Castle
Welcome to the oldest surviving garrison on Britain’s mainland.
That’s in large part due to the lack of excessive use.
Kilchurn not being needed as much for action is great for us today because we get to see a piece of history.
It wasn’t as appreciated by the military, who abandoned it by the end of the 18th century.
Kilchurn was built in the mid-1400s by Clan Campbell.
The castle has been around to see a lot of different families take control.
Luckily, Historic Environment Scotland has authority and opens Kilchurn up during the summer.
10. Drummond Castle
It took over a century for the Drummond family to put a structure on their land.
That building was a tower house, completed in 1490.
In 1605, the Lord Drummond of the day was elevated to Earl of Perth.
That promotion came with enough funds to expand the tower house to a full castle.
The 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby calls the castle home these days.
While you can’t tour it, you can get married in Drummond’s garden.
That might not sound as cool, but according to Historic Environment Scotland, this is the best example of formal gardens in all of the country.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the oldest castle in Scotland?
Sween Castle is the oldest that archeologists have been able to put a date on.
It was built in the 12th century and was active with inhabitants for half a millennium.
The castle overlooks Loch Sween and, in the present day, is part of Castle Sween Holiday Park.
Unfortunately, Sir Alexander MacDonald is the reason Sween is a park and not a living residence because of his efforts to obliterate it in the mid-1600s.
What is Scotland's most famous castle?
Edinburgh Castle is not only majestic to behold but adding the lore of an extinct volcano is always a bonus for local tourism.
Let’s not forget that this castle holds some pretty epic pieces of history, including the Crown Jewels.
All of that adds up to over 2 million people a year trekking up to Edinburgh to see the famous castle.
Does the royal family live in a Scottish castle?
While the United Kingdom’s king has an official residence at Buckingham Palace, he does have a home in Scotland as well.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse has housed royal family members for 500 years.
In fact, it was in Scotland’s Balmoral Castle where the late Queen Elizabeth II took her final breath.
What is the biggest castle in Scotland?
Not only is Edinburgh Castle the most visited, but it’s also the biggest.
Edinburgh is also fit for a king, at least it used to be.
The last ruling monarch to stay here was King Charles I, who spent the night before his coronation in 1633.
The castle itself encompasses over 35,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in the world.
Perhaps the enormity adds to the interest.
