For 650 years, Glamis Castle has been on a grand journey through Scottish history, from inspiring famous playwrights to welcoming royalty. Glamis has been the ancestral seat to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since King Robert II granted the Thanage of Glamis to Sir John Lyon in 1372. Once host to Mary, Queen of Scots, Glamis is said to have inspired one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Macbeth.
Glamis also has a deep connection to today’s Royal Family as it was the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and birthplace of HRH Princess Margaret.
Entrance Fees (Groups 20+ pax)
Glamis Castle has been the ancestral seat to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372, inspiration for Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and birthplace of HRH The Princess Margaret.
Tour duration
Guided tours commence approximately every 15 minutes (subject to availability) from 10am – 4.15pm. The average tour of the castle takes around 50 minutes. Please allow additional time to explore the gardens & grounds.
Your ticket permits admission from 10am where you can gain access to one guided castle tour and then explore our gardens & grounds, Castle Kitchen Restaurant and Pavilion Gift Shop for the duration of the day. Tour times can be allocated upon your arrival on the day to suit your plans.
What to expect
Visitors will follow in the footsteps of Mary, Queen of Scots, James V, Bonnie Dundee, the Old Jacobite Pretender to the throne, James VIII, the ill-fated Janet Douglas and of course tell the story of the bitter-sweet life of Mary Eleanor Bowes.
Guide books can be purchased before starting the self-guided tour. Printed translations in several languages are also available.
Due to the nature of the building, there is no lift and there are many stone steps to negotiate on the tour.
We do ask that no photographs be taken inside of the castle when you visit.
Car parking is included in the admission ticket.
Opening times:
Daily from 19th March – 31st October 2025: 10am – 5pm (last tour at 4.30pm)
Due to a Private Event, the last tour is 3.30pm on 29th April.
Thursday – Sunday from 1st November – 14th December 2025: 10am – 4pm (last tour at 3.30pm)
Must be pre-booked
No complimentary policy for tour leaders
