County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in the Highlands
15 castles across the Scottish Highlands, from Eilean Donan's postcard island setting to the wild, cliff-edge ruins of the far north coast.
Map
Every castle on this list - 15 in total, 2 free to enter, 3 you can stay overnight in
Urquhart Castle
Highland
On Loch Ness; pre-booking advised in summer
Eilean Donan Castle
Highland
Open most of year; brief winter closure
Dunrobin Castle
Highland
Seasonal Apr-Oct; falconry displays
Dunvegan Castle
Highland
Seasonal Apr-Oct; gardens and seal boat trips
Inverness Castle (Inverness Castle Experience)
Highland
New attraction, fully opened February 2026; storyteller-led tours
Cawdor Castle
Highland
Seasonal May-Oct
Inverlochy Castle
Highland
Closed for conservation; viewable through protective fencing
Castle of Mey
Highland
Seasonal May-Sep; closes late July for royal visit
Armadale Castle, Gardens & Museum
Highland
Gardens and Museum of the Isles; open daily from March
Tulloch Castle Hotel
Highland
12th-century origins; Dingwall
Castle of Old Wick
Highland
Free; Norse-era tower on cliff-edge promontory
Inverlochy Castle Hotel
Highland
Victorian baronial mansion-castle near Fort William
Strome Castle
Highland
Ruin on Loch Carron shore; free, open at all times
Dornoch Castle Hotel
Highland
15th-century bishop's palace; noted whisky bar; trading normally
Castle Leod
Highland
~25 open days yearly plus private tours by arrangement