A view of Falkland Palace from the gardens on a sunny summer's day. A stretch of green lawn ends in a collection of different trees and shrubs. Behind those the stone walls of the palace are visible, with the tower stretching up into the blue sky.

Places

The Kingdom of Fife

Falkland Palace & Garden

Planning your visit

Getting here

Address Falkland Palace Falkland Cupar Fife KY15 7BY

Falkland Palace is in the village of Falkland, 11 miles north of Kirkcaldy and 11 miles south-west of Cupar.

Contact information

Telephone: 01337 857397

Email address: falklandpalace@nts.org.uk

Get directions

Provided by Google Maps

Opening times

Palace and garden: Current period 23 Dec–16 Jan 2026, closed 17 Jan–28 Feb, Thu–Mon, opening details to be confirmed soon 1 Mar–31 Oct, daily, 10.00–17.00 (last entry 16.15)
Shop: Current period 23 Dec–4 Jan 2026, closed 5 Jan–28 Feb, Thu–Mon, 10.00–17.00 1 Mar–31 Oct, daily, 10.00–17.00

Entry prices

Palace & Garden

Adult: £18.00
Family: £42.00
One adult family: £31.50
Concessions (ages 60+ or student with ID): £14.50
Child: £9.50
Young Scot: £1.00
Child (under 5s free): Free

Members go free

At all Trust places, admission is free for members.

Join us today

Planning your visit

Winter Talks: Mary, Queen of Scots at Falkland Palace

Join us this winter at Falkland Palace for a special series of talks exploring the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, delivered by our specialist guides and knowledgeable members of staff. These talks take place in the Chapel Royal within this remarkable Renaissance Scottish palace.

Please book in advance via Eventbrite.

Talk dates:

Monday 15 December
Thursday 18 December
Monday 22 December

Talk times:

10.15, 11.15, 12.15, 13.15, 14.15, and 15.15

Each talk lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes a short question-and-answer session at the end.

Talks can be booked in advance on Eventbrite or on arrival. Each talk has a maximum of 15 participants and lasts about 45 minutes. Your ticket includes free access to the palace gardens.

Visitors should arrive at the palace gift shop, where a member of staff will collect you and escort you to the Chapel Royal. Please note that the Chapel Royal is accessed via one flight of spiral stairs and is not step-free.

The talks will focus on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, her time at Falkland Palace, and her wider story.

Due to significant roof conservation works currently taking place, access to additional palace rooms is not possible at this time. All proceeds from these talks help support the ongoing care and conservation of the places in the Trust’s care.

Opening information:

The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Friday–Sunday is reserved for Santa experiences.
After Christmas, the Palace will reopen on 17 January.

January events are still being finalised and may include either extended palace tours (subject to the completion of roof works) or further Mary, Queen of Scots talks. Please check back on Eventbrite, our website, and our social media channels for the latest updates.

Ticket prices:

Adults: £10
Children: £5

National Trust for Scotland members receive free entry, but must still book a ticket in advance.

Tickets include free access to the palace grounds.

Please note that access to the garden is via the shop.

Parking is available in the nearby public car park. Please note that we do not have a bike rack at the property.

There are several cafés and tearooms in Falkland village.

Mass is still held every Sunday morning in the Chapel Royal.

Please be aware that honeybees are kept in hives at this site.

For more information about planning your visit please see our frequently asked questions.

Facilities & access

All visitors are welcome to Falkland Palace & Garden but, due to the nature and layout of the palace and its grounds, some areas might not be fully accessible to everyone. Please note that the palace, tennis court and gift shop can only be accessed via a steep turnpike staircase or steps, which are not accessible for wheelchair users. Please email falklandpalace@nts.org.uk with any accessibility enquiries.

We’d love you to visit the Euan’s Guide website to review the accessibility of Trust places and tell us (and others) what’s good and where we need to do better.

Please note that there is an accessible toilet at the car park in the centre of Falkland, a short walk from the palace.

3G/4G coverage

Accessible toilet

Baby changing

Children’s activities

Please note that dogs (on a short lead) are welcome in our garden, but only assistance dogs are permitted in the palace.

Hearing loop

Free parking is available in the nearby public car park (signposted).

Very limited street parking can be found opposite the Palace; it is restricted to 30 minutes only.

Picnics

Follow in the footsteps of Mary, Queen of Scots as you explore the royal apartments. The re-created King’s and Queen’s Rooms allow us to visualise their former splendour.

Discover the fascinating stories of the palace, its residents and its treasures by chatting to our expert (and sometimes costumed) guides.

Visit our physic garden, laden with fragrant Renaissance-era herbs, bedded in the foundations of what was once the Great Hall.

Explore the unique living willow labyrinth or play a game of chess on the giant outdoor board.

Explore the Apothecary, the newest room in the palace, where you can learn about cures for ailments that affected medieval royals and common folk alike. Based on the room’s use for filming Outlander, it’s a fully hands-on experience.

Browse a specially selected range of gifts, books and plants at the palace shop. Our large selection of plants grown here in the palace garden provides a fabulous opportunity to take a piece of Falkland home with you.

You can also see our great collection of gift ideas and Outlander-inspired products at our online shop.

Toilet

Wi-Fi is available in the gift shop.