Scotland Houses

Scotland's ties to European history, particularly the English and French royalties, is reflected in the many centuries-old castles and historical houses in the country. These structures draw visitors from all over the world.

Castle Urquhart on the Great Glen in Loch Ness is the site of many battles as early as the 1200s, from the Moray Revolt against King Alexander II, to constant overtakings by the Scottish Crown from island royal families, until its final ruin with the demise of King James VII, the last Stuart King. Today, the agency Historic Scotland oversees the old castle ruins as a tourist attraction.

Now a first-class hotel, the Culzean Castle in Ayrshire is a former tower house of the Kennedy family in the 1550s. Scottish architect Robert Adam transformed it into a castle in 1775 for Earl David Kennedy. In 1945, US President Eisenhower stayed in a suite in the castle which had became his holiday house in Scotland. The suite is now one of the most expensive rooms in the hotel.

Apart from castles, historical Scottish houses bear undying fascination among the public with their connection to intriguing historical figures, like the Mary Queen of Scots House in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire where she stayed in 1566. The house is now a famous museum bearing documents tracing the rise and fall of the Queen.

Another famous dwelling is the Traquair House in Pebbleshire, inhabited by the Stuarts of Traquair and which hosted prominent Scottish figures like Mary Queen of Scots. Today, the house is open as a summer place, venues for weddings and romantic events and a year-round vacation house with its own restaurant, a brewery, maze and craft rooms.