12 National Trust for Scotland places you simply have to visit this summer

Embark on a Scottish adventure with our pick of the best National Trust for Scotland places – all of which you can enjoy for free with a Boundless Plus membership

Don’t fancy travelling abroad this summer? There are loads of exciting experiences to be had here in the UK, and they’re all accessible by road or rail. The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) cares for dozens of spectacular places – from castles and stately homes to gardens and villages – giving you plenty of inspiration for a day out or weekend away.

Remember that Boundless Plus members get unlimited access to the NTS, meaning that you can visit all of these places and other NTS sites, along with an additional adult and up to six children per visit.

So, why not start planning your trip? If you don’t know which locations to include in your itinerary, we’re here to help – we’ve picked out twelve of our favourite NTS places, highlighting the reasons to visit each one.

1. Pitmedden Garden

Aberdeenshire

National Trust for ScotlandIf there’s one thing that’s going to soothe the senses this summer, it’s being surrounded by beautiful blooms. Recreated in the Renaissance style, Pitmedden Garden’s magnificent parterre gardens were originally laid out in the 1670s by Sir Alexander Seton and today burst into life with around 30,000 bedding plants, filling the air with colour and fragrance.

Beyond the formal gardens, an orchard of more than 200 fruit trees offers another beautiful spot to wander. If the weather is particularly hot during your visit, cool down with a stroll through the surrounding woodlands, or explore the Museum of Farming Life, which takes a deep dive into Scottish rural history.

Boundless offer: Alongside other stunning NTS sites to visit in Aberdeenshire, another Boundless Plus perk you can make the most of is redeeming your National Art Pass. Access 20 places for free in Scotland, including The Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen, with a little over a half an hour drive between the two venues.

2. The Hill House

Argyll and Bute

National Trust for ScotlandDesigned by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret for the publisher Walter Blackie, this early-20th-century villa is seen as a masterpiece in the ‘Glasgow Style’.

Currently cocooned inside a giant transparent ‘box’ while conservation work takes place, The Hill House contains a series of elevated walkways that enable visitors to explore its unique architectural features and beautiful Art Nouveau interiors.

After you’ve finished indoors, be sure to spend some time outside – Blackie was a keen gardener, and the fruits of his passion can still be seen in the apple orchard, south terrace lawn and mature shrubberies.

3. The Mackintosh Tearooms

Glasgow

National Trust for ScotlandMany National Trust for Scotland places have a tearoom, but this one actually is a tearoom – or, rather, a set of tearooms.

Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret, and launched as The Willow Tearooms in 1903, it went on to become one of Glasgow’s most iconic venues.

Now restored to its Art Nouveau pomp and renamed The Mackintosh Tearooms, it gives you the opportunity to enjoy a drink and a slice of cake surrounded by opulent period furnishings and decoration. Afterwards, take a tour of the interactive museum, which charts the building’s amazing journey from construction to comeback.

Boundless offer: While there, you can also visit Glasgow’s oldest museum, The Hunterian, which brings together art, science, and historical artefacts. Your National Art Pass gains you free entry, with 50% off exhibitions.

And NTS has plenty more inspiration where NTS places to visit in Glasgow this summer are concerned, too, including Greenbank Garden…

4. Greenbank Garden

Glasgow

National Trust for ScotlandTucked away within the suburbs of Glasgow, Greenbank Garden is a tranquil oasis filled with colourful borders, woodland paths and ornamental features. Originally built in the 1760s, it’s the perfect spot for a summer picnic, with over 3,600 named species of plant to look out for while you munch on your sandwiches.

Greenbank’s highlights include a National Collection of Bergenia and a walled garden featuring 12 distinctive ‘rooms’. While you’re here, ask about the garden’s sustainability projects, from battery-powered equipment to wormeries – you’ll be fascinated by what you learn!

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Glasgow this summer.

5. Gladstone's Land

Edinburgh and the Lothians

National Trust for ScotlandA commercial and social hub for more than 500 years, this 17th-century tenement on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile has witnessed everything from political strife to war and disease. Nowadays, Gladstone’s Land houses one of Scotland’s most intriguing and immersive tourist attractions.

As you explore the restored rooms and chambers, you’ll learn about the colourful characters who once resided here, with authentic sights, sounds and smells only adding to the experience. Once you’ve had your fill of historical yarns, tuck into something tasty at the ice cream parlour. The Butcher sundae – containing Ayrshire bacon and whisky sauce – is highly recommended!

Boundless offer: Alongside unlimited access to National Trust for Scotland places, Boundless Plus members also get Art Fund’s National Art Pass, which gives you free entry to over 200 museums, galleries, and historic houses, as well as 50% off entry to major exhibitions. If you’re in Edinburgh, why not visit the Surgeons’ Hall Museum, home to the largest medical collection in the UK?

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer.

6. Falkland Palace & Garden

Fife

National Trust for ScotlandNestled beneath the Lomond Hills, less than an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, Falkland Palace & Garden, an exquisite Renaissance palace has been frequented by numerous Royals over the centuries. Mary, Queen of Scots came here to participate in hunting and falconry; the real tennis court – one of the oldest in the UK – was built for James V; while Charles II visited during the English Civil War.

Those royal guests may have long since departed, but visitors still flock to Falkland to explore its lavish apartments, historic bakehouse and inspiring formal gardens. The NTS’s conservation work is also in abundance, injecting new life into paintings, carvings and furniture.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Fife this summer.

7. Drum Castle, Garden & Estate

Aberdeenshire

National Trust for ScotlandAfter Robert the Bruce gifted Drum Castle to his armour-bearer William de Irwyn in 1323, it remained in the family’s ownership for over 650 years. Now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, this impressive estate offers plenty for visitors to see and do.

The castle itself is brimming with history, and whether you’re exploring the tower house – one of Scotland’s oldest – or admiring the 16th-century chapel, you’ll soon become swept up by the intrigue of it all.

The enchantment will continue outdoors, where the Garden of Historic Roses and the Old Wood of Drum will leave even the most cynical visitors speechless.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Aberdeenshire this summer.

8. Culzean Castle & Country Park

Ayrshire and Arran

National Trust for ScotlandPerched high above the Firth of Clyde, Culzean Castle is one of the most recognisable buildings in Scotland – probably because it featured on the Scottish £5 note for over 40 years. Built in the late 18th century by the famed architect Robert Adam, it was later occupied by the Marquess of Ailsa before being donated to the NTS in 1945.

Today, thousands of tourists come to admire Adam’s magnificent Oval Staircase, the castle’s vast collection of pistols and swords, and the flamboyant formal gardens. It’s not just the living that come to visit Culzean, either – the castle is often cited as being one of the most haunted in the country.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Ayrshire and Arran this summer.

9. Royal Burgh of Culross

Fife

National Trust for ScotlandOften described as Scotland's best-preserved 16th and 17th-century village, the Burgh of Culross feels like stepping onto a movie set. No wonder this quaint harbourside community has been chosen as the location for such esteemed productions as Outlander and The 39 Steps.

While we can’t promise you’ll spot any screen stars during your visit, you will be guaranteed some extraordinary sights – such as the charming cobbled lanes that wind their way from the market cross to the hilltop abbey, and the ochre-coloured Culross Palace with its barrel-vaulted ceiling and secluded garden.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Fife this summer.

10. Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate

Aberdeenshire

National Trust for ScotlandWith its labyrinth of rooms, turrets and towers, Crathes is probably the closest you’ll get to a fairytale castle in Scotland. Constructed by the Burnett family on an area of land given to them by Robert the Bruce, and finished in 1596, this imposing structure is a treasure trove of historical artefacts, with painted ceilings, antique furniture and centuries-old family portraits around every turn.

The surrounding estate is equally mesmerising, from the wondrous walled gardens – divided into eight distinctive sections – to the multitude of trails that meander through the woods. Look out for red squirrels, herons and woodpeckers along the way.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Aberdeenshire this summer.

11. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Ayrshire and Arran

National Trust for ScotlandFrom A Red, Red Rose to Auld Lang Syne, Robert Burns’ poems are renowned the world over. It’s amazing to think, then, that he came from such humble beginnings. Located in the charming village of Alloway, the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum gives you the chance to step inside the small thatched cottage where the legendary writer was born.

As if that wasn’t fascinating enough, you can also browse more than 5,000 Burns artefacts inside the museum proper, including manuscripts handwritten by the man himself. Finish your experience with a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties in the museum café – truly poetic!

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Ayrshire and Arran this summer.

12. Brodick Castle, Garden and Country Park

Aryshire and Arran

National Trust for ScotlandAnother building to be featured on Scottish currency (it can still be seen on the £20 note today), the formidable island fortress of Brodick Castle is packed with things to see and do, making it a great day out for the whole family.

Discover 800 years of bloody history at the castle’s immersive visitor experience, play some vintage games inside the Victorian arcade, and browse the extensive collection of sporting trophies. There’s plenty to do when the sun comes out, too, from wildlife spotting in the woods to relishing the rhododendrons. Finish up with a session in the Isle Be Wild adventure play area and they’ll snooze all the way home.

Find out what’s happening at other NTS places in Ayrshire and Arran this summer.

^{This article was accurate at the time of publication. Please note information and offers shown may change over time.}