Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This picturesque castle, built in 1220, holds the title of the most photographed castle in Scotland.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Resize
    La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland1,747 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    To visit
    A very touristy castle, but worth seeing. Paid parking, paid entry, paid visit to the castle (but not obligatory). The view is very nice, as is the visit itself (small circuit in the different rooms). The castle is period, but completely renovated, with certain decorations, such as the kitchen. For me, the rooms are too modern, but different eras are represented. Shop with local products, snacks near the entrance or even something to eat near the 1st parking lot, you are spoiled for choice
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 5, 2024
  • Anna T
    14 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Grounds and Scenery
    Fantastic views of the castle on a beautiful, sunny day in Scotland. The tickets to tour inside the castle were a bit expensive, so if you are on a budget, you can completely skip it. Inside, most of the decor contains pictures of the family of the castle's current owner. It was okay, but not worth the 12 or so pounds.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 20, 2024
  • Andrew Jones
    London, United Kingdom683 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Picturesque castle
    The castle and its surroundings are a sight to behold and very picturesque. The inside of the castle is less noteworthy and entry is on the slightly pricey side (around ÂŁ12 each when we visited). Nevertheless, really glad we visited.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 4, 2024
  • Dobby
    Nashville, Tennessee334 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breathtaking
    Worth. The. Hype. The Eilean Donan Castle was breathtaking. To see a castle on its own little island on the sea was just incredible. We stopped and did the whole tour walk around and took many pictures. You’ve got to make this a stop on your trip.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 28, 2024
  • David A
    Collado Villalba, Spain57 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A walk through history
    When it came time to decide which castles we would visit, we put this one on the list because it was in the area we were going to see. I only knew that it had appeared in some movies and I was not at all expecting the good condition it is in. Perfectly renovated without losing the essence of what it was. Now weddings are celebrated that have to be a spectacle. It is impressive to see the castle from the edge of the parking lot. Highly recommended and at a good price. I recommend that you take the audio guide because it tells many interesting details. If you are planning a visit to the area, it is a must-stop.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 22, 2024
  • heklaran
    Akureyri, Iceland20 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice to see inside and out!
    Very cute and fun to see! Not expensive to go and you have options of no guide, audio guide or a tour guide! It is great and very nice to walk around and see everything, the whole place has been set up and feels lived in. Nice to look around in amd head to the gift shops, one is inside of the café and has food related items that are very fun to look over and try some.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 4, 2024
  • Sandra H
    Thompsonville, Michigan349 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stroll around Eilean Donan Castle
    We stopped by for a visit with our guide on the way to the Isle of Skye for the day. We decided to skip a tour of the interior, but instead walked around taking pictures and enjoying a visit to the gift shop. Definitely a place that you should arrive earlier in the day. By the time we left the parking lot was filling up quickly. Loads of tour buses too. But still worth time time even if to admire this iconic castle from the outside.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 4, 2024
  • No S
    37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Our old wish came true
    It may be typical, but we grew up on the Highlander movie, so we wanted to visit here for a long time. Unfortunately, you can't take pictures inside the buildings, but it's also true that there isn't too much inside. But it was still great experience.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 5, 2024
  • novelita13
    Nerac, France11,324 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    beautiful
    beautiful castle which allows for beautiful outdoor photos. Despite negative reviews for the interior, I personally liked it, rich in architecture and beautiful. photo prohibited inside. 12 pounds sterling entry and add 3 more if you want the audio guide in your language. nice discovery
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written June 5, 2024
  • JFWhite
    Moncton, Canada8,166 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Castle!
    Very interested castle to visit that has a lot of history. Very well maintained castle. There is actually still a family that resides here occasionnally, but their side is not opened to the public. Great jib restoring and upkeeping this beautiful place!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 23, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,670 reviews
Excellent
2,956
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Tash C
Glasgow, UK128 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Friends
This castle is quaint and unassuming from the outside. There’s lots of parking but it does get full very quickly from when it opens. It cost £3 to park for a couple of hours.
ÂŁ12 a ticket for the castle gives you access to the entire building. Inside, the fully restored castle is amazing. It has plenty of memorabilia from the MacCrea and MacLennan clans and was really fascinating. Both inside and outside were well maintained. The inside of the castle is not wheelchair accessible though and some of the hallways are quite tight.
There was a cafe, gift shop and toilets on site.
Well worth a visit.
Written August 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Koldo K
Madrid, Spain2,667 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Business
I was recently visiting this castle whose visit does not disappoint at all.
It is advisable to arrive early because the parking (paid as in almost all attractions in Scotland) usually fills up and to avoid wasting time, it is better to save it.
Tickets are purchased directly at the box office or from the machine.
They have audio guides.
The rooms are very well decorated and tell the story of life in the castle.
It was the castle where numerous films were filmed.
The reflection of the castle in the water is impressive.
There is a page where you can see the surveillance cameras that focus on the castle and which has a delay of approximately one minute.
It is not allowed to carry backpacks inside the castle.!!
You can also visit the area around the building, but be careful as it is moss and slippery...
Greetings
Google
Written August 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DadandCab
Coffs Harbour, Australia1,328 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
A spectacular location, well worth a visit. The castle grounds and the building are relatively small so its best to try and avoid busy times as the rooms can get quite full of people. There is some history and background, public rooms, bedrooms and kitchens on display. For a smaller fee you can roam the gardens and bridge without going in. Its also an easy walk from the small township of Dornie where there’s a couple of pubs for before or after visit refreshment although there is a cafe and shop at the castle. Last entrance in through the castle doors is 5pm.
Written June 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jessica O
7 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
Beautiful castle but I recommend the site start using timed entries. Way too many people in very small rooms. Couldn’t read the information and felt very rushed. Car park is also chaotic, would recommend implementing a one-way in/put system, especially since you must pay an additional fee to park.
Written September 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leone L
Siena, Italy24 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
Castle located in a very scenic and really beautiful location. However, the structure was almost entirely rebuilt around the 1920s. The interior shows the relics of the family that bought the ruin and then renovated it and still lives there in a portion of the castle. The full visit costs ÂŁ12 + 3 of parking + 3 of audio guide. This price is not worth it. I would suggest taking a quick tour from the outside and enjoying the view of the lakes and castle
Automatically translated
Written August 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tim P
Dubai, United Arab Emirates179 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
It’s a scam. Fake castle. No toilets. Rude staff. Charging people £3 to park at 4.59pm when it’s free after 5pm. Putting up car park full sign at 5pm because they dont like people parking for free. Avoid like the plague.
Written August 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Klaus-Dieter de Marné
Grafing, Germany5,717 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Family
Eilean Donan Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Donnain) is a lowland castle near Dornie, a small village in Scotland. The name itself means “Donan’s Island” and refers to the St. Donnán von Eigg, a Celtic martyr from the 6th century. ==References== Eilean Donan Castle is located on Loch Duich in the western Scottish Highlands. The castle is located on a small headland, which becomes a tiny tidal island at high tide. It can then only be reached by a stone footbridge. The castle is the ancestral home of the Scottish clan of the Macrae.

Disney Land is a .. against. Expensive admission incl. parking (if you could get one ..), long lines in front of the ticket office, busloads with noisy tourists from all over the world. Pictures taken from the outside - continued.
Automatically translated
Written September 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gs450qpa
Muirhead, UK69 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Solo
Castle and surrounding land is picture perfect with ample pay and display parking.

There is a couple of great wee tourist shops and a cafe to eat in serving hot and cold food which was quite expensive but it is a much visited tourist spot so this is to be expected.

Really disappointed that on arrival I saw the sign saying “cash only” especially as there is no ATM on sight. This unfortunately meant no visit to the castle itself. I saw a few people turning away for the same reason.

I did cross the bridge after 6pm for free and walked around the castle grounds which were impressive.

A real shame you can’t pay by card, especially these days that’s quite unusual.
Written September 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jim S
75 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Family
A well known castle which in reality is a huge disappointment. It’s incredibly expensive to visit. A walk around the exterior costs over £3 and takes a few minutes if done slowly. The cost if entry to the building is £12 for an adult! It’s effectively a castle rebuilt in the 20th century (including pebble dashing). Oh and what you don’t see in the pictures is the visitor centre full of the usual tacky tartan crud. Save your money and visit a proper castle.
Written May 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dana S
3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Friends
If you’re not a MacRae there is literally NO point in paying money to go inside. Their family photos from like, the last 30 years are literally all over the place. Truly nothing to see inside. Get your pics from the outside and move on.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Eilean Donan Castle - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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