by Beth Mckinney

Created on: February 08, 2010   Last Updated: February 11, 2010

Scottish Castles offer access to history, tradition and other activities of interest to tourists. In Scotland, visitors can stand within a castle and see the room where their ancestors were born, or the battlefield where history turned. Some castles are architecturally inspiring, some are located near other attractions and some are still functioning as family homes. Any can be the highlight of a trip to Scotland, but several are especially popular.

Edinburgh Castle

“The Edinburgh Castle kindles Scottish pride,” writes Rick Steves,  author of 30 European travel  guidebooks and host of popular travel shows. This castle is open 7 days a week throughout the year and houses many important historic and cultural items. These include the Crown Jewels of Scotland, which are actually older than England’s, as well as the Stone of Scone, or Stone of Destiny. This is a 1200-year-old Scottish coronation stone that was returned to Scotland in 1996 after being in England for nearly 800 years. Costumed performers act out historic events throughout the year at Edinburgh Castle.

Since this castle is in Edinburgh, tourists can include many other activities in their vacation while visiting, such as Scotland’s Royal Mile, which connects the castle to the Royal Residence at Holyrood Palace. The road is packed with many other historic and cultural attractions such as the Scotch Whisky Heritage Center and several historic homes. Edinburgh also hosts many innovative cultural festivals throughout the year, including the famous Fringe Festival, which may be the biggest arts festival in the world.

Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle stands 250 feet above a lush forest on a naturally-formed monument of volcanic rock, as if the earth itself created a fortress.  The castle overlooks the River Forth and the bridge ‘Braveheart’ William Wallace gained victory over the English. Inside the castle, visitors can see the Regimental Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; many rooms have been accurately re-created.

Nearby, tourists can also visit renaissance manors such as Argyll’s Lodging and Mar’s Wark in the historic town of Stirling. However, its massive architecture and breathtaking position above steep cliffs are probably most of the reason tourists remember and recommend a visit to Stirling Castle.

Eilean Donan Castle

Eileen Donan Castle at twilight on the edge of its own island is one of the most beautiful images Scotland

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