I always wondered why they had painted a part of Stirling castle yellow, to me is just didn't make sense. That is until I visited what I now know to be the Great Hall and I found out that the colour it was painted is as close a replica they could get to the original colour as possible. They matched it from fragments they found when doing restoration work. A great day out for locals, visitors and tourists alike. Enjoy a guided tour and fantastic views from high atop Stirling. Entry is a little prices but you can get a combined ticket for the castle and the jail which is more cost effective. read more

It's pricey, (unless you live within the boudaries of old stirling city, then it's free), but I still love Stirling Castle. The great hall's my favourite, and hopefully when they get round to restoring the rest of the place, it'll be just as fantastic. A good day out for all the family. read more

Like a smaller Edinburgh Castle, definitely worth a visit. There was more to look at here than I thought there was. Gardens in the Castle are impressive and views even more so. Fair bit of history to the place so make sure you've plenty of time to see it all. Make sure to look behind all the doors you never know what you might find! read more

We had a great time here, it's a bit more quiet and intimate than Edinburgh castle. It's smaller as well but it has more charm to it. What's nice is there are short guided tours every hour and our guide, Ross, was super cheerful, knowledgable and you could tell he has a love for history. Really beautiful views and rich with history. Definetly recommend read more

Late May 2018: Enjoyed it. Did a free tour which was very informative. Not a huge fan of the reenactors (but the kids might like) as the spaces by themselves are pretty amazing. Loved walking around, in and about the castle grounds. History is cool! I say do this as a start of your Scotland trip (short train ride and walk from Edinburgh) and perhaps a warm up to Edinburgh Castle (ask about the Explorer Pass - works great with other sites you might want to see). read more

Good historical experience. This castle has tho ya to view for all the generations. The new additions stick out like a sore thumb. Great place to visit in a great town/city. read more

I spent a rainy Thanksgiving holiday at Stirling Castle. Not exactly the same as a big family gathering with turkey and pumpkin pie, but as an American ex-pat in the UK it was something really nice to do on the day. There were rainbows galore to be seen at the foothills of the Highlands near the Wallace Monument and the views of those areas from the various levels of the castle were breathtaking. Even in the wind and rain, it was great to walk high along the castle's stone walls. The Palace portion is being renovated, so that wasn't open, but the Grand Hall is superb and the history of the Chapel Royal was quite fascinating. I really enjoyed my day at Stirling and had I had more time I would've explored even more. read more

We have spent the past 4 days in Scotland and have visited numerous castles, abbeys and other historic attractions, most of which were magnificent! The only disappointment we had was Stirling Castle, which was tremendously over rated and over priced. A majestic structure, but the interior was a great letdown. Both the Great Hall and the Chapel/Cathedral were massive sterile rooms virtually empty. Very few original furnishings were in place, but rather chintzy, tacky replicas. Also, a large wing of the castle was being renovated. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time here! read more

This is an extremely cool castle! It has 90% of the cool-ness of Edinburgh Castle, with about 15% of the people! If you are ever within a 2-hr drive of Stirling Castle, it is a must-see! read more

Stirling Castle is fabulous. We had the luck to visit on the anniversary of the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, a fact which the very friendly girl working at the gift shop told me. In fact, all the castle staff were extremely friendly, helpful and seemed genuinely excited that we were there. We certainly had a blast exploring the place- the audio guides are definitely worth it as you really can go at your own pace. The Great Hall has been incredibly restored to its XVIth century grandeur. The royal apartments were in pretty bad shape but I heard they were being renovated as well. Admission comes with admission to Argyll's Lodging, a XVII century mansion down the road from the castle. I would recommend this as well as it provides a lovely architectural contrast. read more

I have come to Stirling Castle since I was a wee lad now I am taking my kids here. They love it! The castle like me gets older but it is aging gracefully and in fact has gotten better over time. Very easy to get to; fun to tour for 2 hours or all day; parking not too bad. read more

Great day out, nicer quieter, cheaper alternative to Edinburgh castle with amazing views in the evening of stirling

Not as well known internationally as it's neighbor in Edinburgh, Stirling Castle serves up exactly the same level of visual and historical grandeur. I don't have much to add to what David R said, except that it's much quieter here than at Edinburgh, and thus easier to take your time and take it all in. Well worth a visit, especially as it's so close to the William Wallace Monument, Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn. read more

What a beautiful, medieval castle! Proudly stands at the top of a hill with stunning views of the countryside and a graveyard with the plushest green grass I've ever stepped on. Ended up here on a sunny day, lost my scarf, and the kind folks from the security department at Stirling castle posted it back to my home address in london! The best staff and a must-see castle - better than Edinburgh castle or the one by Loch Ness read more

This was our favorite castle in Scotland, outranking both Edinburgh and Urquhart. They've done an amazing job with renovations and reconstruction, giving a real authentic feel without being overdone. There is SO much to see! You could really spend more than a day here to see it all. This is a wonderful place for kids, too, with lots of interactive displays as well as the run-for-all costumed, period characters. The free guided tours are very informative. read more

Now before I start I need to tell you that adult entry to the castle is £14.50 but as members of Historic Scotland we get in for free! Hooray, we just recouped £29 of our annual fee joint fee of £82.18 (you can get two adults and up to six children for £86.93, concession £70.30 a year). Anyway even at the full walk-in price it's pretty good value for money as once you're in all the other attractions are free. Stirling Castle is impressive, a real proper castle including a renaissance palace, royal chapel and great hall resplendent in its yellow/golden finish. Throughout a series of exhibitions provides information about the castle's history and the cast of characters, kings, queens, knights and courtiers who lived there. Look out for the interactive screen depicting life-size the excavated skeleton of a knight. The palace has been restored to its appearance in the mid 16th century in the reign of James V and Margaret Tudor and it is stunning. The rooms are enhanced by costumed characters who will answer any questions and provide a bit of living history. The restoration includes recreations of the Stirling Heads, a collection of brightly painted carved ceiling panels, and the fabulous tapestries depicting the Hunting of the Unicorn. The Great Hall has been saved from its latter existence as army barracks and brought back to its original splendour, look out for the minstrels and trumpeters galleries. The Chapel Royal is as it would have been for the visit of Charles I in 1633, the last visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch until Queen Victoria over two centuries later. There is a dedicated series of rooms catering for children with informative, but engaging and entertaining interactive exhibits - the virtual court jester has a good line in bad jokes! Children will also love the kitchen tableau. The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum which this confirmed pacifist found a lot more interesting than I had expected. If all this history is making you hungry and/or thirsty, there is a coffee and cake stand in the main courtyard and the Unicorn Cafe near the entrance. Reminiscent of the type of classy cafe found in major museums the Unicorn is not the cheapest food, but it is good quality. I had something called a calabrese which was a substantial portion of toasted layered wraps with chicken, salami and salad. This managed the clever trick of being both moist and crispy, and tasty. I accompanied it with a portion of puy lentil salad which was absolutely delicious. Along with the advertised lentils were roasted beetroot, roasted carrot and nutty tasting little seeds marinated in a flavoursome dressing. Children's lunch boxes are available. You could easily spend a few hours exploring the whole site including the beautiful gardens. The staff are welcoming and helpful and you might be lucky and arrive in time to take advantage of one of the free guided tours. read more

This was by far the best Castle in Scotland. Everything was very majestic and hands-on. The town of Stirling is also the best place i've been so far! The vibe and atmosphere of the castle was very majestic! You were able to go into all the places within the castle walls and there was tourguides everywhere to help with any questions about the history of this wonderful castle. Overall , great place! read more

stirling castle was the site of the coronation of mary queen of scots in 1543 after she had spent most of her childhood in this perfect castle atop an extinct volcano in central scotland - first used in the 11th century to ward off invaders due to its commanding/strategic position apart from being a royal home/castle the site is also the regimental hq/barracks of the famous argyll + sutherland highlanders - the 'thin red line' which repelled the russians at the crimean war it has witnessed much of scotland's royal history - being a favourite residence of the stuart kings drive all the way up castle hill and park on the castle esplanade alternative is a long walk up from the station :( read more

This place is well worth a visit Its histroic scotland so free to its member and english heritage members. Parking is just outside the castle though we parked a few streets away and walked up as there was no parking spaces at the castle itself as it gets pretty busy It has some really interesting sites here. There is a place inside where they complete tapestries The views from the battlements of the surronding area are fantastic The kitchens are set out as you would have seen them in medival days with books of recipes and infromation set up the chapel royal which has some exhibit of paintings on when we went There is an interesting regimental musuem in the kings old building which has display of solidering in the regiment through the ages with some great swords and things that would have been taken into battle. The great hall is wonderully displayed and you can imagine a great banquet going on there with the king at the head of the tables The palace is great with kings and queens lodings there was a guided tour when we went but I think this part is currently closed The cafe here was pretty expensive for what you got. There is a nice whiskey shop which had a sale on when we went so some bargain whiskey to be had read more

Full of history and well worth a visit. Robert the Bruce, William Wallace - need I say more?

The highlight of the castle are the recreation of the kitchens, with lifelike figures and fascinating dishes from the time as well as the social history of what it was actually like to work in the kitchens. A hard life indeed! The castle also puts on lots of medieval dispays over the summer period. The great hall has been beautifully restored inside and the outside painted to the colour it originallly would have been and the bright yellow can be seen from miles away. A great family day out and one for the history buffs too. read more

Great castle and town to visit...I managed to visit many castles on my trip to Scotland. Stirling was my favorite. I love the town and the history. The views were amazing. You also need to hit the William Wallace memorial. read more

Stirling Castle is a beautiful castle in an incredible city. Less expensive than other castles in the area, Stirling castle is an incredible place to checkout fantastic views of Stirling as well as learn some fun history on one of the tours. The recent(ish) renovations seems to be spot on in that they preserved the history of the castle without taking of the historical feel from the environment. The Castle has redone some of the beautiful wooden ornate ceilings and the result is stunning. The galleries in the castle are entertaining and informative. The staff is wonderful, the castle is great... If you are looking for a castle to visit, I would easily pick this one over many other castles in Scotland (though it certainly feels like you can't really go wrong). read more

although i quite enjoyed the guided tour around the castle ( i quite enjoy a bit of local history), but i had taken my 2 grand kids who are aged 5 and 6. they found it rather boring. the only part they enjoyed was running around playing in the gardens (which were immaculately kept), the gift shop (for obvious reasons) and getting their pictures taken in the big fancy chairs in the dining room (they looked like royalty sat in them). we went on a day that had free entry, so i wasn't too upset that the kids didn't have a great time. the gift shop was surprisingly reasonably priced, well most of it anyway. i would like to take them back again but i'll have to wait till they are a bit older and appreciate it more. you get an amazing view from up there. definitely worth a visit but not with small children. read more

Fantastic! Especially since the renovation. Stirling castle is a must see if you are travelling through central scotland and certainly if you are even vaguely interested in Scottish history. In its hay day stirling castle was arguably the most important castle in Scotland and is certainly one of the most dramatic, perched atop a cliff with fantastic views in all directions. The castle has undergone a recent renovation and having gone many times before and a few times after I have to say that they have made it even better (it was already a great castle to visit). Highly recommend! read more

Overrated and overpriced. Poorly signposted, so you're never sure where you are or what you've missed. The map even misses a few things. Visit only if you are in Stirling for William Wallace. Nice views. read more

Stirling castle is a wonderful place to visit. The castle is situated on top of a volcanic crag and the views from the castle walls are just magnificent. There are four main buildings (dating back to the original castle 12 Century) within the castle with a number of other newer buildings. My personal favourite so the Royal Palace with its fine stonework and gothic detail, although the other buildings are nice too. The place is full of history and you couldn't possibly take it all in on one day, you'll see this as you notice the different styles of statues, stone carving and architecture scattered about the grounds. For the sheer volume of history it's worth visiting. They have a nice little gift shop and café and if the weathers kind you can sit outside on the café terrace with wonderful views of the hills and Wallace Monument. The prices are reasonable for 2 adults and 2 kids it cost £26 plus I had to pay £4 for 4-8 hours parking and the café and gift shops prices are just like most other attractions like this. All in all it was a very interesting day out we spend almost 8 hours wondering about trying to soak it all in. read more

This castle gives you amazing views over the city and is much the same layout as Edinburgh castle. However they have done up some of the buildings and to me it has taken away some of the charm of the rooms. One room has been turned into a room suitable for wedding receptions and I think this has taken away from the charm of the place. Also while I was there they were doing up another part of the castle which I really wanted to go into. For me Stirling castle doesn't fit into my view of how castles should be it is very spread out but it is still very interesting and worth a visit. read more

The castle is a must visit. It houses the museum of the Argyll and Sutherland highlanders one of Scotlands greatest regiments. Entry to the museum is included in your caslte enterance fees. The great hall was recently renovated and houses a replica of the throne of scotland, rather plain though. The castle is steeped in history and it is from here that Robert the Bruce led the scots to victory at nearby Bannockburn. Lots to see and do, well worth a visit. read more

Stirling castle offers a great day out for the family, there is a ghost walk which is scary and also very fun. The gift shop has some nice gifts but is maybe slightly over priced. The museum in the castle is very nice and interesting, The castle is also used for charity dinners and also been known to host concerts in the castle grounds providing a stunnig backdrop. read more

Please be aware that the palace (the main part of the castle) is currently closed for refurbishment. That isn't made clear when you pay for your (expensive) tickets. Until it re-opens I wouldn't recommend a visit. read more

Stirling Castle is a great day out. Fantastic views, loads of things to see and good food. There was a pube in my salad, however, so I recommend you bring a picnic. read more

No visit to Stirling is complete without a visit to Stirling Castle. I might be biased being a local but it is far superior to Edinburgh castle. The Castle was the residence for many of the Scottish Kings right up until James VI (I of England). Mary Queen of Scots was crowned in the Castle and her son James VI was baptised in the Chapel Royal. The Chapel Royal is currently closed because it is being done up in the same way that the kitchens have been - it will show what it was like in days gone by. The kitchens have been refurbished in recent years and now show what it would have been like when the kitchen was full of staff and in 'full flow' cooking for the royals and their guests. There are many areas of the Castle to visit and a great day can be spent exploring them. There are picnic areas in various spots throughout the Castle so you can sit and eat your own picnic at them. There is also a cafe which for a tourist place is reasonably priced. You can wander the Castle at your own pace or you can join one of the free guided tours. There is also a children's trail and an audio guide is also available (sure this audio is available in different languages). The guided tours are great and the guides have a very good knowledge of the Castle and it's history. The gift shop sells a variety of souveniers, gifts, whisky and other Scottish goods. The prices are fairly reasonable. The Castle is also home to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum. A visit to this is a must and it is interesting to see the history of the marvellous regiment. Please note however that due to it's location some parts of the Castle are not accessible for people with walking difficulties or in a wheelchair. read more

My ten year old (English) daughter loves this place. I think She has an interest in her Scottish roots and the history that seems to ooze from the walls of the castle really does inspire you. If you are visiting Scotland, or indeed are lucky enough to live there, you really must bring your children here. It is quite an expensive day out for a big family but well worth it. read more

fantastic place to visit if you have a few hours to kill fantastic views of Sterling Bridge etc

the views all around are wonderful you can see for miles especially on a clear and sunny day, can see why they built the castle there. good day out for family read more