Standing proud on Scotland’s west coast—just an hour’s drive south from Glasgow—is the majestic Culzean Castle. A jewel of Ayrshire, this perfectly-preserved 18th century castle is an awe-inspiring place to explore when you visit Scotland. With a rich history, wide open grounds to explore, and regal interiors to wander, this is one of the most staggeringly beautiful historic places on Scotland’s coast.
This is your complete guide to Culzean Castle, from the story of its history to all the practical details you need in order to make a rich and wonderful day of exploring this grand Scottish castle.
The History of Culzean Castle
Construction of Culzean Castle began in 1777 and was completed in 1792, designed by renowned neoclassical Scottish architect Robert Adam (Adam was also responsible for the impressive Syon House in West London and the truly iconic Pulteney Bridge in Bath).
Adam oversaw the construction of Culzean Castle for David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassilis, who desired a grand seat for his earldom. The castle’s official website describes the castle, under the earl’s vision, as opulent and flamboyant, and these words couldn’t be more appropriate. There is a grandiosity to the castle and its grounds that borders on the absurd. Culzean Castle is pure pageantry, and it is all the more stunning for it.
In 1945, Kennedy’s descendants handed the castle over to the National Trust for Scotland, and today it is a popular destination for day-trips. Its location—perched atop the cliffs of Ayrshire—and its staggering grounds, decorated with exotic plants and flowers, make for a perfect place to spend a day breathing the fresh sea air and enjoying the beauty of both mother nature and human design.
When You Visit Culzean Castle
The unique thing about Culzean Castle is the way it has been presented for guests. The first thing you see upon arriving is not the great castle itself, but rather a courtyard bordered with several buildings for you to explore at your leisure. This is the Culzean Country Park Visitor Centre, and the buildings include:
- A restaurant/cafe in the old castle stables (Home Farm Kitchen)
- A gift shop that sells local arts and crafts (Home Farm Shop)
- Public toilets
- A beautiful second-hand bookshop
Many visitors chose to grab lunch or a coffee at the Home Farm Kitchen in order to fuel up for the short coastal walk over the the castle. Once you’re ready to head out, you wander past the Home Farm Shop and step out onto a path that takes you past the Home Farm Second-Hand Bookshop.
This bookshop is impressive in its size, occupying a beautiful old stone building. Bookcases line the walls and tables are decorated with books in the centre of the room. These bookcases are organised into your standard fiction and nonfiction, but interestingly the fiction sections are also divided into hardcovers and paperbacks by women and men. We’ve never seen gender segregation in bookshops before, and it’s certainly an odd choice, but you do you, shop.
The coastal walk to Culzean Castle takes around ten minutes, but you’ll be tempted to stop and take in the sights and sounds of the sea and woodland. Breathe the sea air, listen to the birds, say hi to passing visitors, and wander at your own pace.
The moment you reach the castle itself is a jaw-dropping one. The path will take you to a stone archway supported by short stone towers, and this archway perfectly frames the castle in all its opulence. Beyond the arch is a stone bridge that overlooks the castle’s impressive and colourful garden.
Once you’ve crossed the bridge, you’ll find the Coach House Gallery to your right and the grand castle to your left, with the wide open ocean spread out ahead of you. The gallery is open 11am—4pm and offers original artwork for sale at a range of affordable prices.
The castle itself offers visitors two options: a guided tour (these are at specific times every few hours—ask at reception for details as soon as you enter) or a self-tour. Choosing the self-tour simply means you are free to wander the house at your own pace, taking your time to admire the artwork, furniture, and decor. A guided tour will provide you with plenty of historical facts and details about everything you see as you explore.
Culzean Castle is divided into several floors with all the lavishly-decorated rooms you would expect to find in a flamboyant old castle: a library, drawing room, dining room, bedrooms with four-posted beds, a servants’ kitchen, and a grand staircase at its heart.
Beyond the castle’s reception area, the first room you’ll enter is the drawing room, and while it’s not unusual for rooms like this one—especially in European castles—to be decorated with medieval weaponry and suits of armour, Culzean Castle is unique in how its drawing room walls are lined with what must surely be hundreds of flintlock pistols. It’s unique and a little alarming, depending on your persuasion.
While on one side of the castle, you have the blue of the ocean, on the other you have the green of the gardens. You can stick close to the castle and admire the decorative canons that stand beside it, then trace the length of the castle and smell the myriad flowers which line the paths. At the end of one path, you’ll find an orangery which you’re free to pop into and explore.
Getting to Culzean Castle
The nearest large city to Culzean Castle is Glasgow, and getting to the castle grounds from there takes an hour by car. It’s a very easy and stress-free drive along a mix of motorways and main roads.
If you’re taking public transport, things are unfortunately a little more complicated. You can take a ScotRail train from Glasgow Central to Ayr (the closes town to Culzean Castle), and from there you can hop on the 60 bus, which will take thirty minutes to arrive at Glenside. Finally, you’ll need to walk half a mile (15 minutes) to arrive at the Culzean Country Park Visitor Centre.
Culzean Castle is open every day between 10:30am and 4:30pm (last entry is at 4:00pm).
Entry prices are £20 for adults, £12 for children, and £48.50 for a family ticket.
Note: Culzean Castle is a National Trust for Scotland property. Visitors with National Trust membership cards can enter for free.