Historic Scotland is responsible for caring for and promoting Scotland’s historic environment, managing over 300 properties from castles to brochs, cairns to standing stones right across the country. Here are my favourite Historic Scotland places to visit.
> Become a Historic Scotland member by buying your membership online and check out the Explorer Pass.
1. Skara Brae, Orkney
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £9.50 for adults – book a slot online before you visit.
Skara Brae is one of the world’s best stone-age sites. Made up of nine identical houses built with nothing but stone and animal tools, complete with box beds and stone dressers and even luxuries such as indoor fires for heating – who were the residents of the 5000-year-old Skara Brae? Leaving behind just pots, jewellery and tools, little is known about who once lived in Skara Brae – or why they left the village behind.
2. Ring of Brodgar and The Stones of Stenness, Orkney
Free – no membership required.
How did the builders of the Ring of Brodgar measure a true circle 2500 years before Archimedes? How were giant stone slabs up to six meters high dragged from seven different quarries up to 10 miles away? How was a ditch 104 meters in length, ten meters wide and four meters deep dug by without the use of metal tools? Try and decide for yourself with a visit to the Ring of Brodgar.
Watch out for The Watchstone – one of the largest of the standing stones is right by the roadside – and in the dark, it is pretty intimidating when it appears suddenly in your headlights! The stone used to be one of a pair, marking the entrance to the Ring of Brodgar complex.
Historic Scotland on Orkney
> BUY: Looking to visit all of the Orkney Historic Scotland sites? The Orkney Explorer Pass will save you £20.
> Read more: how to visit Orkney
3. Blackness Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £7.50 for adults
Blackness Castle on the Firth of Forth is no pretty palace built for kings and queens, but a fortress, the defender of the Royal port of Linlithgow. Built in 1440 and fortified in the 1500s, the Castle has been the scene of a great battle with Cromwell’s New Model Army, loyal to Mary Queen of Scots and more recently the scene of the cruel treating of Jamie Outlander. It is also often called ‘the ship that never sailed’ due to its boat-like appearance from the sea, its location also makes for some stunning views of the river and across to Fife.
> Visit Blackness Castle
4. Caerlaverock Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £6.50 for adults
A unique triangular fortress, Caerlaverock Castle (Care-lav-er-rock) is surrounded by a moat, set amidst the pretty Dumfries countryside. A stronghold of the Maxwell family, the castle was abandoned in the 17th century and was besiged during the Wars of Independence.
The surrounding wetlands of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve attract a wide variety of bird species, including geese, swans, and other waterfowl.
> Visit Dumfries and Galloway.
5. Crichton Castle
Free. There is currently no visitor access inside the castle or stables.
Overlooking the River Tyne, the castle was originally built in the late 14th century by John de Crichton, a prominent nobleman. Over the centuries, it was expanded and modified by different owners, including the powerful Earl of Bothwell, James Hepburn, the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. One of Crichton Castle’s most distinctive features is its unique Italian-inspired diamond-patterned courtyard façade, added in the late 16th century by Francis Stewart, the 5th Earl of Bothwell.
6. Calanish Standing Stones
The Calanais Standing Stones are free to visit and open year-round.
Located near Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, the Calanais Standing Stones are one of Scotland’ best-preserved Neolithic monuments, erected 5000 years ago. The stones are 3000 years older than those at Stonehenge in England! The visitor centre at the Calanais site is currently closed for refurbishment and will open in 2026, the stones are free to visit.
> Visit the Outer Hebrides
> Visit more standing stones in Scotland
7. Dryburgh Abbey
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £7.50 for adults
The Scottish Borders are famous for its four 12th Century abbeys – Melrose, Jedburgh, Kelso and my favourite, Dryburgh, which sits on the banks of the River Tweed by St Boswells. The abbey is the final resting place of author Sir Walter Scott (10 points if you can name more than Waverley) and Field-Marshal Earl Haig who set up the Haig Poppy Fund. Both of these famous Scottish men loved the romantic surroundings of Dryburgh Abbey.
The Abbey is accessible from St Boswells by foot across the suspension footbridge.Really great coffee and lovely lunches are available at the Main Street Trading Company in St Boswells.
8. Dunfermline Abbey and Palace
Entrance to the Abbey and Palace are free but must be booked in advance to guarantee entry.
Dunfermline’s 12th-century abbey is where Scottish kings and queens were once laid to rest – including Robert the Bruce in 1329. Bruce’s heart might rest in Melrose, but his bones lie in Dunfermline Abbey. Elizabeth de Burgh, Robert’s wife who was also buried in the Abbey in 1327. Look out for the King Robert The Bruce carved into the Abbey’s tower. Next door to Dunfermline Abbey, the grand Dunfermline Palace was once a royal residence and birthplace of Kings including Charles I in 1600 – the last monarch to be born in Scotland.
9. Kisimul Castle
Kisimul Castle is closed until further notice to allow for conservation works.
Kisimul Castle is located on a rocky island in Castlebay, off the coast of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Nicknamed the “Castle in the Sea,” it was a stronghold of Clan MacNeil for over 700 years. Built in the 15th century, it was restored by American architect Robert Lister MacNeil, a descendant of the clan. The castle is now Historic Environment Scotland, and you can normally take a short boat trip across to explore but is Kisimul Castle is closed until further notice to allow for conservation works. Instead not hire a sea kayak and take a trip out to the castle yourself?
10. Lochranza Castle, the Isle of Arran
Free to visit
At the northern tip of the Isle of Arran is Loch Ranza, on which sits the mysterious Lochranza Castle. Was it built by Dougall MacSween owner of Scotland’s oldest standing castle – Castle Sween? Why did he convert an older Hall House to this impressive tower? Why did he need a castle on Arran?Lochranza Castle is open 1 Apr to 30 Sept: Daily, 9.30am to 5.30pm, closed 1 Oct to 31 March and is free to visit.
11. Threave Castle
Due to access restrictions in place as a precautionary measure during high level masonry inspections, there is currently no visitor access to the castle.
Perched out on an island, Threave Castle is a tower house only accessible by boat across the River Dee near Castle Douglas. The castle was built by Archibald ‘the Grim’ the formidable Lord of Galloway in 1369 as a stronghold for the Black Douglases, and stands 30m tall!
One of Threave Castle’s most notable historical events was its siege in 1455 by King James II of Scotland. As part of his campaign to crush the Black Douglases, the king deployed one of Scotland’s earliest artillery bombardments against the castle. Despite its formidable defenses, the fortress eventually fell, marking the end of Douglas power in the region.
> Visit Threave Castle
12. Kilchurn Castle
Kilchurn Castle is currently closed for conservation works
One of Scotland’s most photograhed castles, Kilchurn Castle is located on the banks of Loch Awe in Argyll. The castle was built in mid-15th century by Sir Colin Campbell, the first Lord of Glenorchy, and was a stronghold for Clan Campbell for over 200 years. In the 17th. century, barracks were added to turn the castle into a military garrison. housing government troops during the Jacobite uprising. The castle was struck by lightning and abandoned in the 18th century.
13. Tantallon Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £7.50 for adults
Tantallon Castle sits on a dramatic cliff face just south of North Berwick in East Lothian. Dating from the 1300s and having weathered three sieges, the castle is Scotland’s last great surviving medieval castle. Tantallon was a built by the powerful Red Douglas family, who were often in conflict with the Scottish Crown and the castle was left in its current state by Oliver Cromwell who bombarded it in 1651, whilst it was abandoned after his visit, he still failed to bring down the formidable 50ft high red sandstone curtain wall.
14. Urquhart Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £14.50 for adults, £13 in advance
On the banks of the Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle is one of the largest castles in Scotland to visit. The Grant Tower, the largest surviving structure, is the centrepiece of Urquhart Castle and has a fantastic view of the loch – why not try and spot Nessie?
The castle was built in the 13th century and changed hands multiple times between the Scots and the English, enduring numerous battles and sieges. In 1296, the English captured the castle, but it was later reclaimed by the Scots under Robert the Bruce. In 1692, government forces deliberately destroyed parts of the castle to prevent it from being used by Jacobite rebels, leaving it in ruins.
15. Broughty Castle
Free to visit
Broughty Castle is located on the banks of the River Tay in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee. Built in 1496 by the Gray family and in the 1575 the castle was captured by English forces as part of the “Rough Wooing,” when Henry VIII attempted to force a marriage between his son Edward and the young Mary, Queen of Scots. The castle was modified in the 19th century for millitary uses, guarding the entrance to the River Tay and Dundee.
More Historic Scotland places to visit:
16. Edinburgh Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £22 for adults, £19.50 in advance
Dominating the skyline of Edinburgh from Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle dates from the 12th century to became a key military base. Visit the Crown Jewels of Scotland and St. Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh. The castle also houses the National War Museum of Scotland and is the site of the famous One O’Clock Gun, fired daily.
17. Hermitage Castle
Free with Historic Scotland membership, otherwise £8.50 for adults.
Hermitage Castle is located in the Scottish Borders near the village of Newcastleton, was built in the 13th century by Sir Thomas de Soulis – and is forbidding, almost sinister in its appearance. The castle is pretty remote and was once the home of the powerful and ruthless de Soulis family, who were later accused of treason, leading to the castle’s seizure. The castle was also home of notorious “Black” Lord William de Soulis, whose alleged cruel acts are still the stuff of local legend.
18. Machrie Moor Standing Stones
The Machrie Moor Standing Stones are free to visit and open year-round.
The Machrie Moor Standing Stones are located on the Isle of Arran in Scotland, date back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, the stones are believed to have been erected between 3000 and 1500 BC. With two large stone circles, with some stones reaching up to 2 meters in height, the site also contains several burial cairns.
19. Kilmartin Glen
Kilmartin Glen is free to visit
Kilmartin Glen is located in Argyll and is home to over 500 ancient monuments, including standing stones, stone circles, burial cairns, rock carvings, and prehistoric fortifications, all dating back to between 5,000 and 3,000 years ago. Some of the most famous features of Kilmartin Glen is the Kilmartin Standing Stones, Dunadd Hill Fort, once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Dalriada, and many early Christian monuments, such as the carved cross slabs. Kilmartin Glen is a designated National Scenic Area and is managed by Historic Environment Scotland.
20. Holyrood Abbey
Access to Holyrood Abbey is through the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland.
Holyrood Abbey is located at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, was originally founded in 1128 by King David I, as a Benedictine monastery. The abbey’s name, Holyrood, comes from the Holy Cross. In the 16th century, the abbey suffered considerable damage during the Protestant Reformation, which led to the dissolution of monasteries in Scotland. The abbey is home to the tombs of several Scottish monarchs, including King Robert II. The Abbey is located next to the modern Palace of Holyroodhouse.
> Want more history? 20 of the best National Trust for Scotland places to visit.
Love from Scotland x