Obsessed with Outlander? Me too! Full of romance, rich Scottish culture and scenery, these book and the incredible Starz series is my favorite-and millions’ of others’ favorite too. That’s why when I had the chance to go to Scotland, I had to go on an Outlander film locations tour! Yes this is a thing, and yes, I highly recommend it. Read along for how to book an Outlander film locations tour, what you’ll see on the way, and a full review of the experience.
How to Book an Outlander tour in Scotland
I knew I wanted to see the real-life places used in the popular Starz series, but didn’t know how it would work logistically. My trip was based out of Edinburgh- and with filming locations all over the country, it would be difficult to plan for. The cost of renting a car (and driving on the other side of the road!) and booking tickets for several different locations were particular worries. That’s why booking an Outlander Film Locations Tour is the perfect solution!
After comparing several companies, it seemed like Viator was going to be our best bet. A TripAdvisor company, Viator has hundreds of tours for just about any interest or location throughout the world. I love that Viator offers free cancellations, book-now-pay-later, and also that they have reliable reviews. And after comparing several different Outlander tours on their website, we decided on this one!
All things considered, this tour seemed like the best one on Viator for what we were looking for. With a fantastic 5 star rating and raving reviews, this tour also included 5 Outlander-famous locations:
- Midhope Castle (otherwise known as Lallybroch, Jamie Fraser’s home!)
- Doune Castle (Castle Leoch)
- Culross (Village of Cranesmuir)
- Falkland (1940s Inverness)
- Blackness Castle (Fort William) (in poor weather, it will be substituted for Linlithgow Palace- used as Wentworth Prison)
Additionally, this tour included transportation and entry to most of the castles. Once you book, you can pay in full or wait until closer to your experience (perfect if you have a set monthly budget for travel). You’ll receive your tickets via your Viator account- and then comes time to wait for your Outlander experience.
Our Outlander Film Locations Tour Experience
When it’s finally time to go on tour you’ll head to the designated meeting point (ours was at Edinburgh bus station in St. Andrews Square), present your tickets at check in, and board your bus. About 16 people were on our tour (the mini-coach was full yet comfortable). Once everyone was boarded, the Skye Boat Song (the Outlander theme) began playing- immediately transporting us to the world of Outlander. Everyone gasped in excitement.
Our tour guide (who doubles as the chauffer) introduced himself and began our tour with a run-down of the day’s schedule. We departed at 8:45 am and would be arriving back to Edinburgh around 6/6:30 pm. It’s a full day’s trip. We had 5 locations to stop at, with restroom access available at each and time for lunch built in (at your own expense). With that- he began driving and giving us a mini history lesson on Edinburgh as we departed the city. For each location and area of Scotland you go to on the tour, your guide will provide Scottish history insight as well as Outlander facts. You’ll also get to listen to fun Scottish music along the way, further immersing yourself into the Scottish vibes.
Stop 1: Midhope Castle (Lallybroch)
The first stop of the Outlander Film Locations tour will probably be your favorite- why? Because it’s none other than Jamie Fraser’s home, Lallybroch! Known in real-life as Midhope Castle, this film location is just 40 minutes away from Edinburgh. Most likely built in the 15th century, the inside of the castle is derelict, meaning unfortunately you can’t tour the inside. In Outlander, they used a set for all of Lallybroch’s inside scenes. However, the exterior is just like it is in the show. We had about 30 minutes to enjoy the estate and wander the grounds of the Fraser family home, recreating scenes and taking pictures. There’s even a gift shop at the entrance where you can purchase post cards, a ‘key’ to Lallybroch, and more! Midhope was probably my favorite if I had to choose- it was completely surreal being there in real life!
Stop 2: Linlithgow Palace
The next stop should have been Blackness Castle (used as Fort William in Outlander), however due to poor weather and hazardous conditions, it was unfortunately closed during our tour. What’s great about this tour is that it did come with a substitution- Linlithgow Palace. Used in Outlander as Wentworth Prison for those infamous torture scenes in season 1 (I still can’t rewatch it), Linlithgow is a breathtaking medieval castle.
Not only is it rich in Outlander filming trivia, but also in Scottish history. It’s where both King James V and his daughter, Mary Queen of Scots were born. Not to mention, the intricate fountain in it’s center used to flow with wine (not water) in times of celebration. Walking through these halls was like stepping back in time. You could almost feel the history buzzing in the air around you. No wonder it was chosen to be apart of this series.
Stop 3: Doune Castle
One of the more recognizable stops on the Outlander Film Locations tour was Doune Castle. Built in the 1400s, this beautiful castle was used in Outlander as the home of Clan Mackenzie, Castle Leoch. Entry was optional (you can choose to add it or not when purchasing your tour tickets- but you can also buy at the gate when you get there). But when in Rome, right? Of course we went in! It felt as if we were in season 1 of the show.
And if you are bringing someone on the tour that isn’t necessarily a fan of Outlander? No worries! This castle (and tour in general), has so many other fun facts. Doune was also used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, as well as in Game of Thrones. Not to mention, Mary Queen of Scots supposedly stayed here for a bit as well. Even a signer of the Declaration of Independence stayed here- and had to escape from the castle after being held captive by a group of Jacobites. There’s defintiely something for everyone.
Stop 4: Culross
Next up: The quaint, port village of Culross. This adorable Fife town was used in Outlander as the village of Cranesmuir, where Claire is accused and tried of witchcraft in the show. It’s also used in countless other scenes in season 1 when Claire is on the road with Clan Mackenzie. You’ll have the opportunity to enter Culross Palace and walk the gardens (used when Claire is gathering herbs at Castle Leoch!).
Culross Palace was unfortunately closed, so we couldn’t go in to explore; however we had a delicious lunch at the Biscuit Cafe and enjoyed the views of Culross before heading to the final stop of the tour.
Stop 5: Falkland
My second-favorite stop of the tour? The small and historic village of Falkland. Fans of Outlander would immediately recognize this as 1940’s Inverness, where Frank and Claire when on their honeymoon in season 1. You’ll see the Covenanter Inn (the real inn used as Mrs. Baird’s, where Claire and Frank stayed and which you can stay in in real-life). Additionally, there’s the famous fountain where Jamie’s ghost appeared to watch Claire. We of course had to reenact that scene. One of my Outlander favorites in Falkland? Fayre Earth- the gift shop where Claire buys her first vase. While they don’t sell real vases due to trademarks, you can buy a small souvenir vase in the form of a pin.
As far as non-Outlander Falkland favorites, there’s the Falkland Palace (said to be Mary, Queen of Scots’ favorite place). There’s also Vintage Quine, the absolute best vintage store I’ve ever been to. Then there’s Bob Beveridge’s Antiques’ and Fiddles Shop, where you’ll take in beautiful antique pieces and make great conversation with Bob, the owner. If you’re lucky, he’ll even play guitar for you. I found some beautiful antique broaches here, and my fiance found an old army ring. It’s a one of a kind place.
Outlander Film Locations Tour Review
I was so excited to go on this tour- and I was not disappointed in the slightest. If you’re wanting to see multiple Outlander filming locations but are unsure of certain factors (such as driving + scheduling tickets/visits on your own), this is a great way to do it. The only cons for me is that it isn’t a private tour (which we were aware of and had no problem with- but others may not like that), and that you can’t go at your own pace. I never felt rushed necessarily, but as both a massive Outlander fan and a huge history nerd, I could’ve stayed at each location forever.
I can’t recommend this tour enough- I learned so much about both Outlander and Scotland. My fiance loved it as well, and we would both do it again in a heartbeat. You can check out the exact tour here – let me know in the comments whether or not you’d go on an Outlander Film Locations Tour!
And if you’d like to see what we did in Edinburgh after this tour, check out check out this post! You won’t want to miss this dinner recommendation in Edinburgh.
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[…] in October of 2023. We knew we wanted to do two things for certain: see Outlander film locations ( spoiler alert: we did! You can read about the experience here) and visit St. Andrews. However, we were staying in Edinburgh and felt unsure of a few things […]