Private Castle Tours of Scotland

15+ Years Experience

tailored luxury tours

Your own personal luxury castle tour

Throughout history, there have been well over two thousand castles built in Scotland (quite a lot for our wee patch of land) each more steeped in beauty and legend than the last!

Our Private Castle Tours offer you a chance to experience Scotland’s world-famous castles in comfort and class, with a personal guide and driver to help you explore the tales and significant sites along the way.

Castle Tours in Scotland

If you aren’t sure exactly what castles you would like to see as part of a castle tour of Scotland, the travel experts at Braw Scottish Tours are always happy to offer some advice.

That’s why we are going to tell you about some of the most popular castles in Scotland, to help you narrow down which ones you may like to see on your Scottish vacation.

Inveraray Castle

Inveraray Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, the head of the powerful Clan Campbell, one of Scotland’s most influential clans. Visitors to the castle can learn about the family’s role in Scottish and British history, including their participation in the Jacobite uprisings and their influence in shaping the region.

The castle is known for its beautiful interior and is surrounded by landscape gardens and the picturesque Loch Fyne and Argyll mountains.

Edinburgh Castle

If you’ve heard of any Scottish castles already, then Edinburgh Castle is likely one of them. Edinburgh Castle is one of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks, perched atop Castle Rock in the heart of Edinburgh. The castle is one of oldest fortified places in Europe, being inhabited since at least the Iron Age.

Edinburgh Castle is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering guided tours, historical reenactments, and interactive exhibits. From the castle, you can also expect breathtaking panoramic views of Edinburgh, Leith and the Firth of Forth.

Dunnottar Castle

William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots, the Marquis of Montrose, and the future King Charles II have graced the Castle with their presence.

Most famously though, it was at Dunnottar Castle that a small garrison held out against the might of Cromwell’s army for eight months and saved the Scottish Crown Jewels, the ‘Honours of Scotland’, from destruction.

Balmoral Castle

Amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside and Balmoral Estate is located about midway between the villages of Braemar and Ballater. It is easy to understand why it became a favorite holiday retreat of the Royal family. Purchased by Prince Albert in 1852 for Queen Victoria, the Estate has been the Scottish holiday home of the Royal Family ever since.

The Castle itself has an interesting story, as it is not the original building that Prince Albert bought. It was decided that the old building was not adequate for the Royal Family’s needs so another one was built on the grounds nearby. The process took 4 years, and the new Castle was completed in 1856. The old building was demolished and a commemorative stone on the grounds of the estate marks the location of its front door.

Glamis Castle

Glamis Castle is a living, breathing monument to Scottish heritage, hospitality, and enjoyment for all. The family home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Glamis Castle is the legendary setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and the birthplace of Princess Margaret.

As soon as you enter the Queen Mother Gates at Glamis and see the Castle’s turrets and towers nestled at the end of the mile-long drive, you can’t fail to be impressed by its majesty.

Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most romantic castles in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by water, rugged mountains, and the stunning Highland scenery. The picture opportunities are simply breathtaking. Eilean Donan is a gateway to the Isle of Skye, making it an excellent stop if you are planning on visiting the Scottish isles.

Heading inside of the castle is also a fantastic experience, with the Banqueting Hall, kitchen, and family bedrooms providing a glimpse into life in the castle through the centuries.

Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle is located in the city of Stirling and offers stunning views of the River Forth and surrounding Scottish countryside. When you’re finished enjoying the panoramic views, visiting the castle itself is an extraordinary experience. Stirling Castle played a vital role in Scottish history and showcases stunning medieval and Renaissance architecture, The Royal Palace at Stirling Castle is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in the British Isles.

Stirling is known as the “Gateway to the Highlands,” making the castle an excellent starting point for a tour of the Scottish Highlands. So is Stirling Castle worth visiting? We would say absolutely!

Dunrobin Castle

Dunrobin Castle is the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands with 189 rooms and is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland.

The Castle, which resembles a French chateâu with its towering conical spires, has seen the architectural influences of Sir Charles Barry, who designed London’s Houses of Parliament, and Scotland’s own Sir Robert Lorimer. The Castle was used as a naval hospital during the First World War and as a boys’ boarding school from 1965 to 1972.

Doune Castle

Doune Castle is a 14th century medieval stronghold situated near the River Teith, a strategic position which made it a key administrative and defensive site. Doune Castle is unusual for its time because it was built largely as a single cohesive structure rather than being expanded in stages. The castle is open to the public, and visitors can explore its well-preserved rooms, staircases, and battlements.

The castle has gained fame in popular culture for being used as a filming location for Winterfell in the pilot episode of Game of Thrones, and served as Castle Leoch in Outlander, the seat of Clan MacKenzie.

FAQ’s From Our Castle Tours in Scotland

Here’s a list of some frequently asked questions from our guests:

What is the most visited castle in Scotland?

The most visited castle in Scotland is Edinburgh Castle, with over 1 million visitors annually, making it one of the biggest tourist attractions in Scotland.

You can walk freely around the castle and enjoy fine views of Edinburgh. However, you do need to pay if you wish to enter walled precincts and buildings.

Can you spend a night in a castle in Scotland?

Can you imagine what it would be like to stay overnight in a castle in Scotland? Staying in a fortress that’s centuries old, with fascinating stories of Scottish clans, battles and legends.

Thankfully you don’t need to just imagine, because you can stay in a castle overnight in Scotland! Some ancient castles in Scotland have been converted into luxurious castle hotels, offering high end rooms, while maintaining historic charm.

What castles are free to visit in Scotland?

Although a lot of castles in Scotland charge entry fees, there are several castles you can visit free of charge in Scotland. Here’s a list of some castles you can visit for free in Scotland:

Craigmillar Castle Grounds
Castle Campbell Grounds
Dunstaffnage Castle Grounds
Dundonald Castle Grounds
Tantallon Castle Ruins
Kildrummy Castle Grounds

Our Clients Loved Their Private Tour Experience

Fantastic tour Company! We booked a tour thru Braw for Ireland, Scotland and England. We had a fantastic time! From the moment they picked us up from the airport we felt well taken care of! The local guides were great! Very knowledgeable about all the local history for all the places we saw! We toured the Cliffs Moher and Dover, we saw the Coswolts, spent time in the Scottish Highlands, saw amazing castles and ruins. We arrived in London a few days before the Jubilee and got to see London in all its splendor Braw took care of all the accommodations and purchasing the tickets to all our adventures in all three countries! Our accommodations were wonderful! We stayed in large hotels, a manor house, boutique hotels, breakfast was included, made starting our day so much easier. I highly recommend this company for your next trip! I will definitely be using them again.

Diane W★★★★★

Great tour, great tour guide! Touring the Highlands was an amazing experience thanks to Braw’s expertise and the time they spent helping us design an itinerary that met the needs and interests of 6 55+ adults. On day one, Martine, our driver, picked us up with a warm smile and we were on our way! Martine is fun, knowledgeable, competent and flexible. Each day, she provided options outside our planned itinerary to ensure we were able to make the best of our time. We enjoyed her stories, her humor, and the care and concern she showed to make our visit interesting and meaningful. I would recommend Braw (and Martine) to anyone.

Eileen J★★★★★

Great tour of Ireland and Scotland! Our two-week tour of Scotland and Ireland was fabulous. The trip was planned in great detail according to our interests and requests. We really enjoyed the lodging choices. Callum was an excellent tour guide and driver. He was very knowledgeable and he carefully tended to all of the details and made things easy for us. He took great care of us for two weeks and he was always very helpful and kept us on time. He tailored the tour to our interests along the way and he always kept us smiling. We would highly recommend Callum and Braw Scottish Tours. They were great!

Joe★★★★★

Customized Itineraries for Age Diverse Groups. My 76 year old mother, teenage son and myself did a five day tour around the Scottish highlands with Braw. Our guide/driver, Tony, was fantastic. He took care to ensure my mother had the assistance he needed while finding options that would appeal to my teenage son. I really didn’t have a specific agenda when initially planning the trip so I requested Braw put together a standard itinerary. After getting to know the group, Tony suggested some alterations to the itinerary that involved activities specific to our group’s interests. He also made some suggestions along the way to efficiently use our time and maximize our experience. I highly recommend Braw Tours!

Heather M★★★★★

Our Braw Scottish Tour definitely exceeded our expectations. The itinerary included all the “must sees” we had scheduled, and each day brought a well paced, new adventure. Our driver/guide, John, was professional, knowledgeable and very well attuned to our particular interests and needs. We felt the trip was well planned and good value for the services provided. In addition, all communication with the office staff, both pre and post trip, was thoughtful and timely. We would travel with Braw Scottish Tours again.

Ann M★★★★★

Braw Scottish Tours is the best! My husband and I booked Braw for an 11-night tour of Scotland and they far exceeded our very high expectations. And we were incredibly lucky that Callum was our driver guide. Callum was attentive to our needs, took us off the beaten track to some beautiful spots, and is knowledgeable, funny, and ready to change plans on a moment’s notice. We are older travelers, so Callum’s flexibility to our need for a mid-tour day off or a later start to the day was perfect. Braw booked my husband in for a round of golf, so his trip was complete, and I got my fill of castles, museums, historical sites, and the glorious Scottish highlands. Heather and Jack made the personalized itinerary planning a breeze. We can’t wait to go back to Scotland, and we will be calling Braw Tours when we do!

Barbara Connery★★★★★

Spent a week in Scotland. I basically planned what I wanted and Braw took care to make it happen…flawlessly…I might have done things a bit differently but they did everything I chose…we had a driver, Callum, totally wonderful helpful, kind, knowledgeable and a great driver on some pretty scary roads…the hotels were amazing..the meals included were lovely….I highly recommend the company and of course Callum.

Helena Louzonis★★★★★

The tour provided by Braw Scottish Tours went well beyond all expectations. It was informative, fun, and we were able to see many unique areas throughout Scotland. While preparing for the trip, Heather was responsive to our questions and kept us up to date on all of our travel requirements. John was very accommodating, knowledgeable, perceptive, and entertaining. . If you are interested in a private tour experience, Braw Scottish Tours is an excellent choice!

Maureen Pococke★★★★★

Create Your Perfect Castle Tour Of Scotland

All our castle tours are completely customizable and tailor-made to suit you and your group’s needs and wants. Our tour experts can make recommendations and help you plan each and every step of your castle tour experience while transporting you safely in the comfort of our luxury vehicles.

Get in touch by filling out the form below and start planning your perfect castle vacation today!