Inveraray Castle

You can purchase an admission ticket for the castle and gardens, or for the gardens only. Tours of the castle are self-guided, though guides stationed on each floor can answer questions. Inside, you’ll find tapestries, antique furnishings, china, silverware, and an impressive armory hall displaying more than 1,300 weapons, including muskets, axes, and dirks (a knife used by Scottish Highland soldiers).

Inveraray Castle is typically visited on tours from Glasgow, which usually stop at Oban, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond. Some excursions also cover castles in the Argyll and Bute region which include Kilchurn Castle and Castle Stalker. Multi-day tours of the Inner Hebrides (Skye, Islay, and Mull) and the Western Highlands also tend to stop at Inveraray Castle.

• There is a tea room, gift shop, and Wi-Fi at the site.

• Wear sturdy shoes if you plan on walking the grounds.

• Only the ground level of the castle is wheelchair-accessible. Paths leading to the castle and in the gardens are comprised of loose gravel and may be difficult for some travelers using wheelchairs to navigate.

The castle is situated on the banks of Loch Fyne, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) from Glasgow and 38 miles (61 kilometers) from Oban. Scottish Citylink run regular buses between Glasgow and Inveraray.

Inveraray Castle is open seasonally between April and October. Go in May to see carpets of bluebells alongside blooming rhododendrons and azaleas. July and August are the busiest months, with weekends attracting the biggest crowds. Come on a midweek morning for a quieter experience. Touring the castle takes approximately one hour.

In July, the castle hosts the Highland Games, an annual event that celebrates Scottish and Celtic culture. Listen to pipe bands playing traditional music, enjoy local Scottish food, and observe traditional track-and-field events such as t

This Gothic Revival castle is famous for its whimsical, fairytale-like exterior and picturesque setting. Constructed in the mid-1700s in the West Highlands near Loch Fyne, the castle is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Argyll, an influential Scottish noble family. Inveraray Castle is also known as a Downton Abbey filming location.

Yes. While the Scottish castle is open to the public, it remains a family home. The 13th Duke of Argyll and his family live in private apartments within the estate. Visitors can admire the State Dining Room, Tapestry Drawing Room, and Armoury Hall, all containing centuries-old relics and decorations.

Yes. The well-maintained gardens span 180 hectares. They are particularly popular in spring and early summer when daffodils, azaleas, and rhododendrons burst with color. There is also a 1.5-mile (2.5-kilometer) walking trail around the estate called the Dun Na Cuaiche Woodland Walk, renowned for its native conifers and panoramic views.

That depends. An hour is recommended for visiting the castle’s interior, which extends throughout three floors. If you’d like to spend more time roaming the historic estate on one of its designated walking trails, you’ll probably want to allot an additional hour. The gardens are typically open year-round.

Visits to Inveraray Castle tend to be self-guided. However, guided tours can be arranged on request via advanced bookings. Many private tour operators also offer excursions to Inveraray Castle as a popular day trip from Glasgow—it’s about a 90-minute drive by car, and tours generally offer private round-trip transportation.

No, although the two attractions can be reached on foot, the jail and courthouse are a 10- to 15-minute walk from Inveraray Castle. The nineteenth-century prison—where men, women, and children as young as seven were kept locked up—is now an interactive museum. Visitors can explore four floors of exhibits alongside costumed performers.