Outlander filming locations to visit in Scotland
Claire and Jamie are heading back across the pond for the second half of Outlander season seven, and they have us dreaming of traversing rugged moors, sipping whisky by a fire, and seeking history tinged with a whisper of magic on a tour of Scotland. The series follows the pair as they navigate love and war, revolution and tradition—all set against gorgeous backdrops of wild, sweeping landscapes, charming cities, and mysterious castles. Nearly all of Outlander has been filmed in Scotland and you can visit many of our favorite Outlander filming locations when you join us on a trip to Scotland. Read on to check out some Outlander sites you can see on our tours.
See where Outlander is filmed in Scotland
Outlander locations in the Highlands
Kinloch Rannoch
One of the most famous—and pivotal—early scenes in Outlander was filmed in Kinloch Rannoch, a picturesque lakeside village. It’s here that Claire finds the Craigh na Dun stone circle that she uses to time travel from 1945 to 1743. Although the stones themselves were set pieces, the rugged moorland is even more mysterious and bewitching in person. You can visit Kinloch Rannoch on your free day in the Oban region when you join us on our Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour, or use your free day in Inverness to visit Clava Cairns. This Bronze-age cemetery wasn’t used as a filming location, but here you’ll find real standing stones similar to the Craigh na Dun stone circle—it’s the perfect place for an Outlander photo opp. If you’re looking for a truly unique Outlander experience, join us on our Haunted Halloween Tour: Dublin, Edinburgh & London tour to celebrate Samhuinn in Scotland—though we must recommend you avoid touching any mysterious magical stones!
Tour that goes here: Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour →
Glencoe
The enchanting Glencoe Valley is one of the most stunning Outlander sites to visit in Scotland. Its dramatic mountains and rolling grass hills are featured heavily throughout the series, most notably in the opening credits. Travel to the scenic village of Glencoe on our Scotland for Solo Travelers: Highlands, Aberdeen & Edinburgh tour. Or, join our Glencoe, the Western Highlands & Lunch excursion on our Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour to admire the spectacular beauty of the valley, one of the many breathtaking landscapes in Scotland.
Tour that goes here: Scotland for Solo Travelers: Highlands, Aberdeen & Edinburgh tour →
Inverness
While the city itself hasn’t been one of the Outlander filming locations, many scenes, including Claire’s flashbacks—or flash-forwards—are set in Inverness. While these scenes were predominately filmed in the picture-perfect village of Falkland in the Scottish Lowlands, we don’t think you should let that stop you from exploring this timeless city and shopping for your own blue vase. After all, Inverness is home to some of the best places to snag a souvenir from your trip to Scotland, according to our Scottish Highlands Travel Guide, and you might even catch a glimpse of the ghost of Jamie in the town square.
Tour that goes here: Scotland for Solo Travelers: Highlands, Aberdeen & Edinburgh tour →
Culloden Moor
Another crucial stop on your Outlander tour in Inverness is the real-life location of the Battle of Culloden. While visiting Inverness, join us on our Historic Highlands: Culloden Moor & Cawdor Castle excursion offered on our Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour to visit Culloden Moor. In the series, the battle was primarily filmed on set, but the scene where Claire visits the memorial was filmed here, and the clan markers are real. You can visit Culloden Moor to see them and learn about the real Jacobite uprising, along with the thousands of clansmen buried at the site. Afterward, take a private tour of nearby Cawdor Castle and learn how it inspired the clan castles in the books and series.
Tour that goes here: Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour →
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle wasn’t used as a filming location, but it’s worth adding to your Outlander Scotland tour because it’s historically tied to the real-life Jacobite uprising and is featured in a memorable scene from the books. Frank and Claire visit the castle, and it’s here that Claire sees the Water Horse—though you might know her as the Loch Ness Monster. Present-day Urquhart Castle lies in ruins along the shores of Loch Ness—it was destroyed during the Jacobite uprising. Urquhart is one of several Scottish castles you should visit on tour, and you can explore it in all its mysterious glory (and keep an eye out for Nessie) on one of our tours of Scotland.
Tour that goes here: Edinburgh & the Castles of Scotland tour →
The Isle of Skye
Sing me a song of a lass that is gone
Say, could that lass be I?
Merry of soul, she sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye
While Outlander has yet to film on Scotland’s second-largest island, the Isle of Skye has deep roots in the series’ lore. The show’s theme song is based on a Scottish folk song recounting the events after the Battle of Culloden. The Jacobites were massacred, but Bonnie Prince Charlie survived and fled to the Isle of Skye. Visit the island on our Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour to explore its wild landscapes. Exploring the village of Portree is one of our favorite things to do on the Isle of Skye and is the perfect place to learn more about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites. As an added bonus, you’ll reach the Isle of Skye after a day riding the Jacobite Steam Train. The train doesn’t have links to the Jacobites beyond its name, but you’ll probably recognize it as the Hogwarts Express from Harry Potter.
Tour that goes here: Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour →
Outlander sites in the Lowlands
Doune Castle
Doune Castle is one of the most iconic Outlander filming locations Scotland has to offer, and sits nestled where the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands meet. Fans will recognize Doune Castle as the fictional Castle Leoch, the seat of Colum MacKenzie and his clan. We first see the castle in the 20th century when Claire and Frank visit its ruins, but we get to know it in the past after Claire is brought there by the Highlanders. A visit to the castle is an excellent way to spend a free afternoon on a tour of Scotland. However, if you prefer not to venture out on your own during your free time, join us on our Historic Scotland & Stirling Castle excursion offered on our Scotland & the Edinburgh Military Tattoo tour to visit nearby Stirling Castle. This fortification is just 15 minutes up the road from Doune, once served as a stronghold for rebellious Scots, and is the site where the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned.
Tour that goes here: Visit during your free time, or add Doune Castle as a stop on a Customized Outlander Tour of Scotland →
Culross
If you’re dreaming of the ultimate Outlander tour in Scotland, we’ll work with you to create a Customized Tour so that you don’t miss a thing. We can take you to places like Culross, which you might recognize as Cranesmuir, the fictional village where Geillis lives. Culross Palace, a unique and rustic building with a striking yellow exterior, has been used for various interior shots throughout the series, and you might recognize the palace’s tiered gardens as Claire’s herb garden at Castle Leoch. “My favorite Outlander spot was Culross, a beautifully antiquated coastal village,” said traveler Lisa, who created a Customized Tour of her favorite Outlander locations in Scotland.
Tour that goes here: Visit on a free day in Glasgow, or customize a tour and visit Culross with us →
Dunure
Dunure is a small fishing village located on the Ayrshire coast in southwest Scotland, and it makes a charming addition to any Outlander trip to Scotland. Dunure Harbor was used to film the scene where Jamie and Claire board the Artemis in Ayr Harbor and leave Scotland, and again to stand in for the harbor in North Carolina where Brianna and Roger are reunited in season four. Dunure is about an hour from Glasgow, and you can visit on a free afternoon on one of our Glasgow tours, or visit the equally charming fishing town of Mallaig on our Landscapes of Scotland: Oban, the Highlands & Edinburgh tour.
Tour that goes here: Visit Dunure on a free day on one of our Glasgow tours →
Blackness Castle
Not far from Edinburgh lies Blackness Castle, a fortress known as “the ship that never sailed” due to its striking resemblance to a ship. Fans will recognize it as one of the darkest Outlander sites in Scotland: Fort William, the headquarters of Black Jack Randall, where Jamie was imprisoned and brutalized. In reality, the 15th-century edifice has been many things in its centuries-long lifetime, including a castle, a prison, an arms depot, and—of course—a filming location. You can visit Blackness Castle on a free afternoon during one of our tours of Scotland.
Tour that goes here: Visit on a free day in Edinburgh, or add Blackness Castle as a stop on a Customized Outlander Tour of Scotland →
Outlander locations in Glasgow
George Square
In the heart of Glasgow lies George Square, a bustling hub of stately buildings and wide green spaces that deserves a spot on your Outlander tour or Scotland. In Outlander, it serves as the location of Frank’s spontaneous proposal to Claire, and when you visit on a tour of Glasgow, you’ll see that not much set dressing was necessary to transform the space into the timeless grandeur of the 1940s. Many of the buildings and statues in the square were erected in the 1800s, and the area has served as an elegant and iconic gathering place ever since.
Tour that goes here: Scotland for Solo Travelers: Highlands, Aberdeen & Edinburgh →
Glasgow Cathedral
The crypt of Glasgow Cathedral is featured in Outlander season two, where it stands in for L’Hopital des Anges, the hospital in Paris where Claire volunteers to work. Stop outside Glasgow Cathedral on one of our Glasgow tours to admire its Gothic spires and snap some photos with one of Scotland’s most striking medieval buildings. Or, step inside during your free time for a tour—the cathedral is open to the public and offers free guided tours Monday through Saturday.
Tour that goes here: Scotland & the Edinburgh Military Tattoo tour →
Kelvingrove Park
Glasgow’s Gaelic name translates to “the Dear Green Place,” which won’t come as a surprise to visitors exploring the city’s many lush parks and green spaces—they rank among the things we most love about Scotland. One of these spaces, Kelvingrove Park, was used to film several outdoor scenes in Outlander. Perhaps most notably, the park doubles as a park in Boston where Claire pushes young Bree in a stroller. Visit Kelvingrove Park on our Landscapes of Scotland & Ireland tour or our Scotland & the Edinburgh Military Tattoo tour to stroll through the peaceful commons and visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow’s first municipal museum, which lies on its grounds.
Tour that goes here: Landscapes of Scotland & Ireland tour →
Outlander sites in Edinburgh
The World’s End
This famous tavern is a popular hangout of Dougal MacKenzie and is featured in both the show and the books. In the show it was recreated as a set, but you can get in the Outlander spirit by stopping in and sipping some whisky during your free time on one of our tours of Edinburgh. It’s located on The Royal Mile, one of the most famous streets in Edinburgh, which you’ll have ample time to explore when you join us on a trip to Scotland. “We did some short excursions on our own in Edinburgh, which I enjoyed,” said traveler Sharon after joining our Edinburgh & the Castles of Scotland tour. “I also looked for some of the Outlander filming locations.” If The World’s End isn’t enough to whet your whistle, check out some of our other favorite pubs to visit in Edinburgh.
Tour that goes here: Visit during any of our Scotland tours →
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile served as the filming location for several scenes set in the Royal Court of Scotland. While Jamie and Claire may have attended parties here in the 1700s thrown by Scottish prince Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 21st century, the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands as the King’s official residence in Edinburgh. A visit to the palace is one of our favorite things to do in Edinburgh, and you can view it on any of our tours of Edinburgh. If you want a closer look, join us on our Palace of Holyroodhouse & Afternoon Tea excursion offered on our Edinburgh & the Castles of Scotland tour to explore the palace’s rooms and gardens and enjoy afternoon tea on its grounds.
Tour that goes here: Edinburgh & the Castles of Scotland tour →
Bakehouse Close
Closes are alleyways in Scotland, and Bakehouse Close, which stands in for the fictional Carfax Close, is another of the many Outlander filming locations located on or near Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Fans of the show will immediately recognize the stairs leading to Jamie’s print shop and the iconic location of the scene where Claire returns to Jamie after decades (and centuries) apart. You can explore the close, which is located in one of the most charming neighborhoods in Edinburgh, during your free time on a tour of Edinburgh.
Tour that goes here: Highlights of England, Scotland & Ireland →
Visit scenes from Outlander on tour
Getting inspired for a customized Outlander tour of Scotland
Traveler Lisa and her friend, Mattie, bonded over the Outlander series and wanted to follow in the footsteps of their favorite time travelers. They opted to create a Customized Tour of Scotland that included many of the iconic Outlander filming locations. “My friend Mattie and I started reading the Outlander books about three years before the series came out,” said traveler Lisa. “For newbies, it’s a book series and show about a pair of time-travelers, Jamie and Claire, who find adventure—and romance!—in Scotland and elsewhere. [We were] living in a small Kansas town at the time, and Outlander watch parties became a way to get together for fun, food, and Fraser! Mattie first mentioned a trip to Scotland. She had some family members who wanted to see their ancestral Drum Castle in Aberdeen, and another member of our group had ancestral ties to Eilean Donan Castle on the Isle of Skye. We definitely wanted to see some of the filming sites from Outlander.”
Creating the ultimate Outlander tour of Scotland
The pair worked with our Go Ahead team to create their perfect Outlander-inspired trip to Scotland. “We reached out to Go Ahead Tours to see if they had any tours that visit Outlander sites in Scotland—and they do!” said Lisa. “I started there and chose to create a Customized Tour to make it exactly the experience my group was looking for."
“We included iconic stops to Loch Ness and Loch Lomond, the Kelpie sculptures, Culloden Moor, St. Andrews, Cairngorm National Park, and the Falkirk Wheel, not to mention every castle within a 60-mile radius of our path. Of course, we added Outlander filming sites such as Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), Linlithgow Castle (Wentworth Prison), Blackness Castle (Fort William), and Culross (Cranesmuir). Although we didn’t make it to Kinloch Rannoch (Craig na Dun), we did see a circle of stones at Clava Cairns and again on Orkney Island at the Ring of Brodgar."
“One of the most exciting moments for our group was along the road to Pitlochry. Our fabulous bus driver, Angus, had informed us that in the past, he’d done a lot of driving for the film crew of Outlander. He knew we’d been searching for a glimpse of a current film site. As we were making our way up a very narrow road, he said, “They’re filming over there.” We instantly grabbed cameras and told him to slow down! All we were able to see were the white tents and some extras sitting around, but it was enough to fulfill our goal.”
Interested in creating your own Customized Tour? We can help. Request more info
Follow in Lisa’s footsteps on a Customized Tour that visits Outlander filming locations or see some of the highlights—like the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Glasgow Cathedral, and Inverness—on one of our tours of Scotland.
