Located an hour by car or train from Edinburgh, it’s a charming Scottish town. Below, we recommend the best things to do in Stirling in a day from Edinburgh.
We arrived in Stirling for the day from Edinburgh. We knew we wanted to see the castle and the Wallace Monument, but we didn’t know the city had a few more surprises in store for us.
Much of what you’ll find to do in Stirling revolves around the legend of William Wallace. This is a small city that was once the capital of Scotland in the Middle Ages, until the royal court moved to Edinburgh. It was known as the “gateway to the Highlands” due to its strategic location.
The city can be easily explored in a day. The ideal plan is to arrive around 10:00 AM, have lunch in Stirling, continue exploring in the afternoon, and return to Edinburgh around 6:00 PM, when the attractions are already closed.
Based on our experience, here’s what you should see if you’re going to visit Stirling.
1) Monument to William Wallace
While William Wallace is a national hero, he became known worldwide thanks to the movie Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson with the cry of “freedom.” Since this film, traveling to Stirling has become a must-see on any trip to Scotland.
The Monument to William Wallace isn’t in the city itself, but on a nearby hill that you can easily reach by a local bus that drops you off at the entrance.
Then, you need to climb up to where the tower is, which can be done by a minibus service included in the ticket price, or by walking. The path isn’t very steep, so it’s not difficult.
Once you get there, there’s a viewpoint and the tower monument to our hero. There are 4 floors to visit inside: the Hall of Arms, the Hall of Heroes, the Royal Chamber, and the top of the tower shaped like a crown.
We really enjoyed the visit to the Monument of William Wallace; it’s very informative, and we understand why it has become a must-see in Stirling.
Curiosities about William Wallace, the battle, and the monument
- The Battle of Stirling Bridge took place near the castle and the monument. It’s considered very important due to the few chances the Scots had of winning a battle of that scale: they were outnumbered, had never seen or been in a real battle, were less prepared, and didn’t have weapons of the same quality as the English.
- Thanks to leading this battle and winning it, Wallace was named Guardian of Scotland and Knight (Sir). He traveled across Europe seeking help for Scotland’s liberation. Upon his return, Wallace was hunted down, captured, and handed over to the English court for a quick trial and one of the most brutal public executions.
- It’s a monument that was built 500 years after William Wallace’s death to ensure that Scottish identity wasn’t lost and that the legend of this man who fought for the country’s independence would endure. Since this monument was created, at least 20 others have been erected throughout Scotland. It stands 67 meters tall, making it slightly taller than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, for example.
- Inside the Monument of William Wallace, there’s the sword of Wallace, which is impressive because it measures 1.67 meters tall and looks heavy, so I can’t imagine how he could lift it and fight with it.
- The views from the 4th floor, which is outdoors, are amazing, especially in good weather. They say that if it’s very windy, access is not allowed. Stirling and its castle are the stars of these photos.
📝 To visit the inside of the Monument of William Wallace, the general admission price for an adult is £11.65 (rates updated for 2025), with discounts for children and seniors.
It’s worth noting that you can visit the surroundings of the tower without paying admission. In other words, you can go up to see the tower from the outside and the views of the city of Stirling. If you later decide to go inside without a ticket and change your mind, you can buy one right there.
Also, for those with reduced mobility or an injury, it’s important to mention that the tower doesn’t have an elevator, so to go up, you’ll have to use some quite narrow and steep stairs.
The monument is about 2 to 3 kilometers from the city center, so if you’re short on time, you can take lines 62A and 63A from the bus station next to the train station, which will drop you off along the road at the entrance to the Monument. I believe there’s also a free bus that takes you from the city to the monument now.
2) Stirling Castle
At the esplanade of Stirling Castle, Robert The Bruce welcomes you, and on a beautiful day, you can see the monument to William Wallace in the distance. It was home to the Scottish Royal Court until it was moved to Edinburgh Castle.
📷 Book the guided tour of Stirling. You’ll dive into the world of William Wallace.
Walls of Stirling Castle
The visit begins at the North Gate, one of the oldest parts of the Castle that has survived. Here, you’ll find the walls, from where you can see the Scottish Highlands in all their glory.
From there, you can see the city cemetery, further back the monument to William Wallace, part of the typical houses of Stirling, and the bridge where the aforementioned battle took place.
Kitchens of Stirling Castle
The kitchens of royal palaces around the world are quite interesting. Usually, there were more people working here than those being served, sometimes double or triple the number.
The kitchen of this castle is decorated as it would have been in that time: they’ve placed books with recipes, mannequins dressed in outfits typical of the professions that were carried out here: butcher, pastry chef, baker, whatever it may be, all of them posed as if in the middle of their work.
The Great Hall of Stirling Castle
The “Great Hall” was used for parties and banquets. It’s really large, the yellow paint on the walls makes it look older, but they explain what its original color was, which simulates “gold” and thus conveys a sense of wealth and power.
The royal apartments in Stirling Castle
We enter the royal apartments. The Palace of James V is named after the Scottish king who was married to Mary of Guise, and they were both parents of Mary Queen of Scots. They reopened in 2011 after a restoration that took about 10 years. Today we can enjoy it in all its grandeur.
One of the palace rooms displays colorful medallions with carved wooden faces on the ceiling, known as the “Heads of Stirling.” They aren’t the originals, but later in the tour, you can see the originals in the “Gallery of Heads,” with impressive detail. There are many carved characters.
As we move through the Palace, we come across truly beautiful rooms, and in a couple of them, there are characters dressed in period costumes who, in English, tell us the history of the place and how people lived during that time. The tour became very enjoyable.
📝 To visit Stirling Castle, the general admission price is £17.50 (rates updated to 2025) and includes a tour in English.
3) Holy Rude Church or the Crucifixion
Walking through the city streets, we came across the Church of the Crucifixion, a tourist attraction in Stirling.
A part of the church that you see today dates back to the 15th century, with its Scottish columns, Gothic arches, and original oak ceiling, although the choir, the ridge of the vault over the crossing, and other features are the result of later renovations and extensions. Let’s say it used to be a small parish and today it’s a relatively large church.
Since the church is very close to Edinburgh Castle, Mary Queen of Scots used to pray here. It was also where John Knox, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland and considered the founder of Presbyterianism, preached.
This church was the site of the only coronation in all of Scotland, as James VI, son of Mary, was crowned here at just 13 months old, later becoming James I of the United Kingdom. That’s why all current kings are descendants of Scots.
The entry is free and inside you can find information about the church in Spanish.
4) Historic Center of Stirling
Another thing to do in Stirling is to walk through its historic center. It doesn’t have many residents, probably not more than 50,000, but it has held city status for a few years now.
The houses are low, in an old style, well organized. It’s nice to stroll through its little streets to catch all the details.
Useful information for traveling to Stirling
Things to do in Stirling in one day
- Stirling Castle, general admission £17.50 when purchased online in advance. At the castle ticket office, the price is £19.50.
- William Wallace Monument, general admission £11.65.
- Holy Rude Church or the Church of the Crucifixion, free admission.
- Historic center of Stirling.
Where to Stay in Stirling
We visited from Edinburgh and didn’t stay here, but if we had to, we’d look for the best hotel in the historic center of Stirling. A slightly farther area, but ideal if you have a car, is the proximity to the Wallace Monument.
Our recommendations where to stay in Stirling are as follows:
- Stirling Youth Hostel: a simple accommodation that stands out for its closeness to the center and the castle. It operates in a typical Scottish house.
- Castle Walk Bed & Breakfast: an old mansion that looks like a small castle with eight rooms just a few meters from the center. Excellent breakfast.
- Causeway House: near the Wallace Monument, offers beautifully decorated rooms in a renovated mansion, surrounded by a lovely garden.
🏨 Want to look for other options? Find the best accommodation in Stirling here.
The best way to get to Stirling
You can easily take a day trip to Stirling from Edinburgh, and there are two ways to get there by public transport: one is by bus and the other is by train.
Of the two options, we chose to take the train to Stirling. Here’s a tip: since there were four of us, the train website showed us some interesting discounts on fares, but we intuitively bought the tickets directly at the Waverly train station. We got a great 25% discount that wasn’t available online.
If you plan to travel to Stirling and other places in the Scottish Highlands, you can check how much it might cost to rent a car.
Another option is to visit Stirling castle, Loch Lomond and Kelpies on a tour from Edinburgh, which includes transfers and a guide.
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