Falkland Palace & Garden

Falkland Palace & Garden

Falkland Palace & Garden
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksCastlesGardens
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Set in the heart of Falkland conservation village, and surrounded by extensive gardens, this partly restored Renaissance palace is the perfect place to while away an afternoon. Certificate of Excellence 2014 Winner Falkland Palace Part of the Palace is in ruins but the original and reconstructed rooms are packed with 17th-century Flemish tapestries, elaborate painted ceilings and antique furnishings. The beautiful, tranquil grounds are worth a visit alone. They are home to the oldest Real or Royal tennis court in Britain, built for King James the V. The grounds also include ruins of the 12th century Castle of Falkland, extensive gardens designed by Percy Cane and an ancient Orchard with a wild flower meadow. Please note the Shop, Palace & Gardens are open 1 March to 31 October.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Susan S
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fife gem
    We'd walked Falkland Estate a few times but never the Palace. Rectified now, and well worth the visit. So much more to see than we thought, guides knowledge was excellent and informative, beautiful architecture, furniture and tapestries and outside there are gardens, orchard and walks. We love finding little gems like this. Go and enjoy for yourselves!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 May 2024
  • Anne M
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Hidden Gem
    This was one of the very best palaces we have been too and I will tell you why: the hospitality in Scotland is amazing and visiting the palace, garden, and gift shop was exceptional. In every room we went into there was a guide to personally answer any questions we had. They were friendly and knowledgeable. The gardens were beautifully kept and a unique sight. It smelled amazing and taking in all the visual majesty made one truly feel what the royals of the past must have felt. If you want this feeling visit Faulkland palace and gardens.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 18 May 2024
  • Caninecaper
    London, United Kingdom293 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting visit
    You could feel the history in the place. We couldn’t access all areas as they were filming that day. The guides were very knowledgeable, although trying to get away from one lady was a challenge! The gardens are lovely to walk round. It is only a small place compared to others but well worth it.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 June 2024
  • Dawn W
    17 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely place to visit!
    Lovely place to visit, the palace was lovely, gardens just gorgeous, and the staff all very helpful and friendly. In the palace you can just look around yourself but there are also guides in the rooms if you have any questions, totally up to you, can tailor your visit with as little or as much info as you want. Really enjoyed our visit.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 July 2024
  • cls827
    Mesa, Arizona102 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Made our trip extra special
    This place is fantastic rain or shine. Taylor, Lindsay and Debbie, where I got my Outlander shawl (still SO excited to have) were beyond wonderful. Made for an amazing and memorable part of our trip to Scotland. Highly recommend this place. And for any Outlander fans...this town is better than the paid tour we took. Scotland...We LOVE you! The people of Scotland are the friendliest people on the planet! Can't wait to return.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 July 2024
  • sarah
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful visit thanks to friendly staff and volunteers
    Many friendly volunteers told us interesting facts about the kings, the keeper, and the history of Falkland Palace. By far the best visit to a castle we had all summer! Also really appreciated that my four teenage kids and I counted as a 1-parent family, even with my oldest son being 16. In all other castles we had to pay for an extra adult.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 July 2024
  • Jaxmg61
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Local history brought to life
    I recently visited with my teenage granddaughter's and have to say that it was so interesting. The place was brought to life by the guides, Christine, Souxsie & Margaret, who did an excellent job of keeping my teenagers engaged. They all told their stories of the palace's history with enthusiasm, & a great deal of humour. A most enjoyable experience for us all . Thank you.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 August 2024
  • Ann G
    Exeter, United Kingdom18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extremely worth a visit.
    Amazing place. I could have spent all day there but only went late afternoon. I will return next time I’m up that way. The information give by staff plus costumes was 1st class.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 11 August 2024
  • Alannah
    Delaware7 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    beautiful
    Falkland Palace & Garden is a nice spot to explore Scotland's royal history, but it doesn’t quite wow. The Renaissance architecture and lovely gardens are beautiful, and the real tennis court is a fun historical feature. However, the entry fee feels a bit high for what you get, especially with limited access to some areas. The staff are friendly, but the historical info could be more engaging. The charming town of Falkland adds to the experience, though parking can be tricky. Overall, it’s worth a visit for history fans.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 September 2024
  • JDL
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An amazing experience from arrival to departure.
    Staff are so welcoming and knowledgable. They took their time to answer questions and showed a genuine interest in the Palace and its history. We also spoke with the gardeners who were fabulous and told us about what plants would have been here when it was a royal palace. The quality of the building’s presentation is outstanding. Many of the tapestries, freezes and painting are original and you really feel immersed in history. Finding out it is still a family home out of season blew my mind. Don’t just visit the palace and leave though, the village is just as amazing and so worth a walk around.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 September 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles884 reviews
Excellent
527
Very good
292
Average
45
Poor
12
Terrible
9

mcmonScotland
Girvan, UK805 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Couples
A weekday visit on a rainy day.
Not very busy and plenty of time to really look around the display rooms and ask the knowledgeable staff some good questions. The staff were helpful, friendly, and happy/able to take the time to talk about the palace and answer our questions.
It’s an interesting mix of a Victorian re-imagination of a medieval palace, some areas used by the Marquis, and a couple rooms that have been more authentically restored to a medieval state.
We kept to the interior areas and gave the wet gardens a miss on our visit so it only took about an hour. The shop was well stocked with reasonably priced items for souvenirs and gifts.
Overall, a great visit and worth a return in the better weather.
Written 22 October 2021
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.

mcmonScotland
Girvan, UK805 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Couples
A weekday visit on a rainy day.
Not very busy and plenty of time to really look around the display rooms and ask the knowledgeable staff some good questions. The staff were helpful, friendly, and happy/able to take the time to talk about the palace and answer our questions.
It’s an interesting mix of a Victorian re-imagination of a medieval palace, some areas used by the Marquis, and a couple rooms that have been more authentically restored to a medieval state.
We kept to the interior areas and gave the wet gardens a miss on our visit so it only took about an hour. The shop was well stocked with reasonably priced items for souvenirs and gifts.
Overall, a great visit and worth a return in the better weather.
Written 22 October 2021
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.

Carmenda
Denver, CO740 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Friends
This is one of the most perfectly maintained sites I’ve visited; the care and outstanding conservation efforts, are evident in every item and section of the palace. This is a self guided tour, but the palace staff is so knowledgeable and does a wonderful job with their historical accounts of each room. This is a lived in palace, so it feels physically warm and it’s so clean; no dust or cobwebs to be seen about. The number of Kings and Queens that have lived or stayed there is a who’s who of royalty! There are some incredible portraits and family photos, that really helps to put the history of the palace in perspective. There’s a good amount of vertiginous stair climbing, so I recommend comfortable shoes and caution. Many wonderful well preserved artifacts and displays. There’s a great gift shop and toilet facilities. Not suitable for small children. I’d say it takes about 2 hours or more, to fully enjoy this site. You’re even allowed to leave for breakfast or lunch, and return to the site with your ticket. This palace, right in the heart of this amazing village, is definitely worth a visit. I highly recommend it.
Written 28 September 2022
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.

Jason D
Jackson, MI32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
Falkland Palace is must see if you're visiting Scotland. The palace has some of the best furniture, artwork, and guides of anyplace in Scotland. The guides made the palace come to life with their stories. Some of the furniture dated from the 1500s and was in immaculate condition. They also had several floor to ceiling portraits of Charles I, Charles II, and several other key figures in history that were truly stunning. My only complaint was they don't allow pictures in the castle so I couldn't take the experience home with me. A must see if you're visiting Scotland.
Written 19 March 2020
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.

LogieBaird
Kirkcaldy, UK72 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Friends
Well worth a visit! Very atmospheric, with some beautiful restoration work. The guides are great at conjuring up the intrigue, plots and politics of the Stuart monarchs who stayed at the Palace.
Standing on the oldest tennis court in the world where Mary Queen of Scots played real tennis, is quite something. Particularly heartening to hear that the court is still used for Real Tennis.
We visited in the afternoon, after a walk up East Lomond in the morning. A Grand Day Out!
Written 20 June 2021
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.
Hi, and thanks very much for your 5 star review! I will pass on your comments to the volunteer guides who will be delighted to hear you enjoyed meeting them. With best wishes
Written 5 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

victoria B
Lincolnshire, UK587 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
The Palace is like a fairy tale castle which is in the centre of the pretty village of Falkland.

It was restored from a ruined state by the wealthy Marquis of Bute in the late nineteenth century. The descendants from his younger son, the Crichton-Stuarts still live there.

The paintings are mainly very good quality nineteenth century reproductions but there are genuine Jacobean beds and tapestries. Partly ruined and partly in tact, the place is beautiful and atmospheric.

There is a good shop, toilets and pretty gardens. No cafe when I visited but there are plenty of places in the village.

There is no car park, but roadside parking is available outside and in the village.
Written 9 November 2021
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.

John Muirhead
Dundee, UK85 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Friends
Visited Falkland Palace on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Not too busy but noticed others visiting that day to be young and old alike. All the rooms have been renovated over the years so not much original features. You are prevented from taking photos inside unfortunately, perhaps to encourage you to buy the guidebook ? Gift shop leads to the beautiful gardens and the real tennis court, which appears quite run down and could do with being spruced up. If you have time, have a good wander around the village itself. Some lovely buildings streets, cafes and restaurants. All in all, an enjoyable day out.
Written 29 August 2021
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.

L4481MAhelenr
North Yorkshire, UK25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Great place to visit, the staff were extremely knowledable and eager to tell visitors about the family history, the building and the furnishings. The garden is a lovely colourful and peaceful place with a very interesting tennis court.
Usual National Trust shop but sadly no cafe but the quaint village of Falkland has several eateries.
Written 10 October 2021
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.

Chrisgale
Sheffield, UK1,198 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Solo
I have been before so I knew what to expect and the gardens certainly are a lovely tranquil space. I enjoyed walking around the inside but I would have preferred the option of an audio guide as the stories some guides told were quite long and people's children were restless so in the end I just wandered around by myself. I went on a Wednesday as it said there would be a sewing group but this wasn't advertised anywhere. There are lots of steps and parts of the garden are uneven, I had to help a lady get her mother down some so be aware. Parked in the large car park in the village which was free.
Written 30 July 2022
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.

AnneR39
Jarfalla, Sweden162 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
There are only a few rooms to be seen but in each of them a knowledgeable guide told interesting stories about the place. There are also some impressive tapestries. The garden is large and includes a Royal tennis court where Mary Queen of Scots used to play. The palace is in the middle of Falkland which is a picturesque village with narrow streets. Well worth a visit!
Written 10 October 2021
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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FALKLAND PALACE & GARDEN (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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