Although only part of the palace is restored for the tour, the grandeur is hard to miss. The royal…read morechapel is stunning. The formal garden is meticulously tended. All the volunteer guides are friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. The palace and the shops in the surrounding area are well worth a visit.

First a warning - NEVER and I mean NEVER refer to Falkland Palace as a mere castle, it is a Royal…read morePalace and once you take a tour inside you'll understand why. It was once used as a grand hunting lodge by the Stuarts, Mary Queen of Scots spent many a day riding up in the nearby Lomond Hills in her youth before being imprisoned by her sister Queen Elizabeth I and later executed. Because Mary & her mother Mary Guise were both Catholics the chapel is the only Catholic chapel inside of a British palace and it is well preserved (& still used on occasion I believe) as is the entire palace, it takes about an hour for the tour of the interior and you'll learn quite a bit about British history, the Stuarts, and art along the way, sorry no photographs are allowed to be taken inside. The Gardens are imo just as interesting & worth viewing too, again set aside an hour to do it justice, you see one of the world's oldest grass tennis courts and you'll even be able to play a game of draughts if you like. Bring your camera because you are allowed to take as many photographs in the gardens as you like. After your tour enjoy a peaceful walk around the village of Falkland which is one of the most historically preserved villages in all of Great Britain due to measures taken in the late 1800s by the community, with recent awards for "Britain in Bloom", "Beautiful Scotland", and the Gold Medal in "Entente Florale". You'll feel like you are walking back in time without a care in the world.

A recently opened property for Historic Scotland, this is a really interesting place to visit. The…read moreinteractive displays are superb with lots for kids to get involved in - including a water feature like no other! This is a restoration in a scenic location right on the banks of the River Tay. Unfortunately no coffee shop but there were picnic tables overlooking the river.

We were on the way back south and had some extra time. This place looked interesting, has an…read moreimportant place in history and some grounds for some small walks. There was a bit of a line to get in, but was moving fast. Carpark is close to the palace and included in your entrance fee (for the grounds only or the combo with the palace). At the time we visited there was a happening going on. Some fitness celebrity meeting kids and parents. Along with a "Mini" promotion. A long line for both of that...but no bother for us. No line for the palace, which we were interested in. It is worth going inside. The history of the Scone Palace is long and colourful. As the centre of the Scottish realm, Scone became the focus of struggles for power. Macbeth and his mortal enemy, Malcolm, whose father had been killed by MacBeth's forces, both ruled here in the 11th century. I'm very much hooked on the history of Scotland, especially the history of Robert The Bruce. In 1306, Robert the Bruce was dramatically crowned here with the blood of his rival, Red Comyn, whom he had killed in a church, still fresh on his hands. There's too much to tell about Scones history here. Best to read it or come visit. In 1803, the 3rd Earl of Mansfield began rebuilding the medieval house as a gothic palace. The Mansfield family continue to live here today, preserving the Palace of Scone and its surrounding estate as a unique living testament to Scotland's heritage. It has very interesting rooms and exhibits and helpful staff with more information. Really worth a visit. The grounds are wonderful. There are busier areas like the Stone of Scone and the chapel. And then the small but tricky Murray Star Maze (big fun). If you head south from the maze, you will find a nice little trail that makes a circle (across the street) back to the palace. Pretty, easy and very empty and quiet. We - and our Bulldog - loved it. Souvenir shops, restaurant, toilets. All on the grounds as well. All in all a very nice visit. Perfect to learn more about Scotlands history and to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet on the grounds.

Scone Palace was my favorite castle in Scotland, and I saw a lot of castles. Constructed in the…read more12th century, it is famous as the place where they crowned the King of Scots. As we came in the Winter off-season we didn't have the opportunity to go inside since they weren't giving tours. Even with that fact, it was still so scenic and so magical that it was still worth the stop. I guess since it was free admission to just walk around that is okay too! After a hazy, rainy morning the skies opened up and a rainbow appeared over the castle. We couldn't believe our eyes the sight of this beauty. The photo I took doesn't even begin to do it justice. The grounds were pristine and we loved seeing the highland cattle with their long mops of hair covering their eyes. I would love to come back when I can actually see the interior as I'm sure it'd be beautiful as well.

Came here with our English Bulldog to spend a nice afternoon. And indeed we did…read more The earliest known part of the present castle dates from 1269. In 1740 the 2nd Duke began his transformation of the medieval castle into a Georgian house. A remodel to the exterior of the castle happened in the 1860s/70s. Later on architects Jamie Troughton and Hugh Broughton constructed a new exhibition hall known as the Banvie Hall. And that's now how the Castle stands here until today. We did book the admission to the Park and Grounds online and saved some money. There were a good number of visitors, but no problem finding a parking space - there's plenty of it only a short stroll from the castle. Admission with 9.50£ was a very fair deal. We were just in time to listen to the bagpipes, which were played hourly (until a certain time). Very nice - we love bagpipes. And to sit there on the bench, listening and with the Blair Castle in the background was just a wonderful moment. Then we went to the Deer Park, watching the wildlife. Then through the woods and Diana's Grove. A nice trail through the forest, with some nice creeks and a beautiful little bridge. Then onto St. Bride's Kirk. From there to the Blair Castle Gardens. Then back again to the Castle. Suprisingly few visitors along the paths. Really wonderful grounds here. Nice walks - nice nature and landscape. The Castle is pretty and the park offers nice ways and paths to spend some hours here. Also of course a restaurant, a shop, a nice playground and toilets. We really had a great time here. Dogs allowed on the grounds was a great thing. A real good visit, well worth the fair-priced admission.

Great visit of the Blair Castle located in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in…read morePerthshire. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, though the current (12th) Duke, Bruce Murray, lives in South Africa. The castle stands in Glen Garry, and commands a strategic position on the main route (A9 road) through the central Scottish Highlands. It has many interesting signs of masonry as the 6th Duke George was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Falkland Palace was once the favoured retreat of Stuart Kings and Queens and boast visitors such as…read moreMary Queen of Scots. We visited thePalace on an open day which was a bonus as entry was free. However it was well worth the visit and we would not have minded an admission charge. There are some grounds to visit but the main house itself is in good repair with rooms decorated in a period manner which gives an excellent historic overview of what life was like. On the day we visited there were guides dressed in period costumes giving talks in many of the rooms. There was also additional activities in the grounds for children. I found the palace very interesting and intriguing again you could make more of a day of it if you take a picnic. I would also recommend looking out for an open day (free entry is always good) or when additional activities are arranged as it give a full day experience.

beautiful place to visit in abeautiful little town…read moreunfortunatly the palace gardens are mega expensive to visit and it can be difficult to navigate the driving through the narrow streets up to the palce but thats part of the fun

If you've ever wondered what life in an Iron Age crannog was like, this is the place to visit! The…read morecrannog is a great place to sit on a cold day when the fire is lit, and there's always plenty going on in the other display areas, from fire-making and wood-turning demonstrations to cloth dying and bread-making. It's a fantastic educational resource and entirely run by archaeologists who are not only knowledgable, but passionate about their work and keen to share with visitors. They even have some genuine dug-out canoes that you can take out on the loch! Since the mid-1990s when the archaeologists working on the remains of crannogs in Loch Tay decided to build one as an exercise in experimental archaeology, the centre has been the primary source of funding for all further archaeology in the loch, until they were finally granted some core funding as a recognised museum in 2019. This will enable them to expand and improve the small museum and displays and improve the visitor experience. A fantastic place to visit, especially if you bring kids. They'll love it.

I was so glad this was included in our tour. I had a marvelous time touring the center and…read moreexperiencing hands on what it was like to live and work in a crannog. Rachel, our museum guide, was so informative and funny. There were hands on displays about woodworking, weaving and spinning, cooking and making bread. There's a lower section with replica log boats. The crannog replica itself and learning how they were built was simply fascinating. All through our tour of Scotland, I was able to recognize other crannog sites based on what I learned at the center. This was certainly a fascinating part of Scottish history.

We entered a very rough road to get to the Castle .I entered in the front door to a snide remark by…read morethe curator ,when I had a difficult time getting in the door ... he said push . I guess you need some porridge- brain food :? He said . As we went to Pay he didn't have change for a twenty . We had to rummage for change . He wasn't prepared for the day with change. I thought the man would give us some insights on the construction, history, and points of interests of the actual Castle . Instead we got a tirade of a slanted view of Scotland's early history, with a political undertone. I felt it unnecessary and unprofessional as a Curator. The actual Castle itself was a enjoyable time. Prominent people who had stay there was of great interest to me . So, Great Architecture... Not so Great Customer Service. Could improve with some Warmth and Actual information on the Castle itself .

Castle Menzies is not one of the well known castles in Scotland and you might want to visit other…read morecastles first before you make your way to this tucked away beauty. However, if you like castles in general and are of an exploring nature, then this is a nice castle to visit. You will need a car as the location is quite remote. I only found it by accident when driving through the Perthsire countrysite and surrounding area of Pitlochry. The grounds are covered by wilderness and there are no fancy gardens to walk around. The property I believe is still privately owned or part of a trust. I payed £7 entry as far as I can remember. Children and Seniors pay a bit less. It was build in the 16th century by Clan Menzies and has been in their hands for over 400 years. One of the Menzies married the daughter of the Earl of Atholl and I can imagine that this enhanced their families prospects in the world of Nobility and Power struggles. The lower floors served as the living and working quaters for the castle personell and the higher you climb (up the stairs) the warmer it gets (you must imagine this place is located in the middle of nowhere and subject to cold winds and other weather related forces of nature). From the outside the castles looks small, but you will notice that there are lots of floors and each floor has a long room and several other smaller rooms (hidden away from prying eyes) and tower rooms (which served the nobility as bedrooms). Some rooms are so small you might wonder how people fit in there or even shared this room with others. Personally I do not want to know about the general hygene during these times :-) You might be interested that Bonny Prince Charlie (one of Scotlands pretender) stayed there for two nights whilst on his way to the famous battle of Culloden. You will even be able to see his "Death mask" in one of the upstairs rooms, besides others. There are leftover relics from previous centuries, like swords and papers, still kept in tact for the purpose of enticing young and old visitors with historic "know how". If you wonder what a death mask is, this is now your chance to see one "live" and explore. I heard that they do weddings in the Victorian style build room and I also had a peak. This room is very nicely decorated and would suit any purpose that requires a romantic and idylic backgorund for over 30 guests. I think its called the Dewar room. And after a long afternoon of wandering around the castle halls we stopped at the castle's tea room on the ground floor. This is a very nice tea room decorated with old fashioned decor, good prices for coffee, tea and cakes. The food choices are minimal, but the quatlity of food/snacks that they serve is very good. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Enjoy!

On a rainy day on our Perthshire holiday we decided to head to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition &…read moreGarden in Birnam for some indoor fun with our 1 year old. I have to be honest I wasn't expecting much, but I was proved wrong. This is a really lovely place that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to visitors with little ones. The exhibition is housed in Birnam's Arts & Conference Centre. Outside is a lovely garden with sculptures of the animals that Beatrix made famous through her books. Inside is a lovely gift shop with Beatrix Potter themed goods, and a great range of non-Potter related cards, books, gifts, toys, and trinkets... Downstairs is the exhibition area. This is relatively small compared to other exhibitions/museums, but it's appeal for us was the great range of play activities for the little ones. From drawing and colouring on blackboards and at old school desks, to playing shop, playing with puzzles, dressing up, and reading books - this was a great way to spend an afternoon with our little one. I feel this is really geared towards younger kids under 8, but was just perfect for our inquisitive 1 year old. Upstairs is the Foyer Cafe, where we enjoyed some lovely coffees. The staff here were really lovely too!

A lovely place to go adult and child alike! Personally, I love Peter Rabbit, Miss Tiggywinkle etc…read moreand this museum is a real tribute to 'Miss Potter', There is a large ish shop selling lovely books and other memorabilia. The 'museum' itself is quite small, yet informative and very hands on for the kids. There are also clothes for the kids to dress up in. Beatrix Potter took holidays in Dalguise in Perthshire (now a PGL centre) before her family changed their holiday destination to the Lakes.