1-Day Stirling Itinerary
Stirling is a small city, approximately 50 minutes by train from Edinburgh and 30 minutes from Glasgow. Home to one of the most well-preserved castles in Scotland, it makes a perfect one-day excursion from either destination. Let’s put together the perfect one-day itinerary.
Starting from the train station, walk towards the city centre along Station Road, then turn left onto Murray Place. Next, take King Street on your right and walk past the various shops. At the end of the street, you will come across the Athenaeum, a former library built in 1816.
Turn left onto Corn Exchange Road and, at the end, you will reach Albert Place. Turn right and continue walking until you arrive at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum. After finishing your visit, keep walking until you reach the Royal Gardens. From here, you can either continue a little further and enter the King’s Knot, where you will have the chance to photograph the castle from below, or turn right and take the path at the end of the street.
After walking for a while, you will reach the Back Walk. From here, you can access the cemetery, which offers a lovely viewpoint. Returning to the path will take you up to Stirling Castle. As mentioned earlier, the castle is extremely well preserved, so allow sufficient time to fully appreciate it—the guided tours are particularly informative. The castle also offers excellent photography opportunities.
Once you finish your visit, head back towards the city centre via Castle Wynd, continuing onto St John Street. Along the way, you will pass several important historical landmarks, including Mar’s Wark, the Church of the Holy Rude, and the Bruce of Auchenbowie’s House. On your right, you will then come across the Colessio Hotel. Make sure you don’t miss the only Tudor-style house in Stirling, located at the corner of Bank Street and Baker Street.
Continue along Baker Street and head down into the city centre for a stroll past the shops and the beautiful Stirling Arcade. Stop for a coffee—my favourite spots are Pompeii (owned and run by Italians) and Chester’s Coffee House.
After your break, walk towards the Riverside to visit Cambuskenneth Abbey, then follow the riverside path until you reach the Old Stirling Bridge. Your next stop is the Wallace Monument, with its spiral staircase and panoramic views over the surrounding area.
Finally, after a short walk, you will reach the beautiful campus of the University of Stirling, voted multiple times as the most beautiful campus in the UK. It’s an ideal place for a relaxing walk, and you can also visit Airthrey Castle, located within the campus grounds.
At the end of the day, make your way back to the campus and take the bus back to the city centre.