Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Stirling travel guide

Stirling Tourism | Stirling Guide

You're Going to Love Stirling

With a population of 33,012, Stirling is a must-see destination in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Stirling deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Stirling

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Allan Park (20 Allan Park) and La Cucina (64 Henderson Street) are great picks.

When to visit Stirling

Stirling in January
Estimated hotel price
$72
1 night at 3-star hotel
Stirling in January
Estimated hotel price
$72
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Stirling

Plane

Although Stirling doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Edinburgh Turnhouse Airport (EDI), which is located 24 miles from Stirling. The shortest flight to Stirling from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 6h 20m.

Train

Lumo is the most popular train carrier serving Stirling, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Stirling to Newcastle upon Tyne takes 1h 47m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Aberdeen, expect to pay about $32 for a 2h 38m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city center, Stirling is the busiest station in Stirling. Another popular train station is Stirling Bridge of Allan, located 3 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Stirling is to pick up a car rental from Edinburgh, which is about 31 miles from Stirling. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Stirling, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Glasgow, the bus ride to Stirling takes 70 miles and will cost you around $13. From Newcastle upon Tyne, the ticket costs about $11 for a journey of 155 miles. The most popular bus station is Stirling Bannockburn, Heritage Centre, located 1.4 miles from downtown Stirling. Stirling Forth Valley College is also a commonly used station, and is 1.7 miles from the city center.

Plane

Although Stirling doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Edinburgh Turnhouse Airport (EDI), which is located 24 miles from Stirling. The shortest flight to Stirling from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 6h 20m.

Train

Lumo is the most popular train carrier serving Stirling, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Stirling to Newcastle upon Tyne takes 1h 47m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Aberdeen, expect to pay about $32 for a 2h 38m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city center, Stirling is the busiest station in Stirling. Another popular train station is Stirling Bridge of Allan, located 3 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Stirling is to pick up a car rental from Edinburgh, which is about 31 miles from Stirling. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Edinburgh.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Stirling, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Glasgow, the bus ride to Stirling takes 70 miles and will cost you around $13. From Newcastle upon Tyne, the ticket costs about $11 for a journey of 155 miles. The most popular bus station is Stirling Bannockburn, Heritage Centre, located 1.4 miles from downtown Stirling. Stirling Forth Valley College is also a commonly used station, and is 1.7 miles from the city center.

Airports near Stirling

PIKGlasgow Prestwick
EDIEdinburgh Turnhouse
GLAGlasgow Intl

Airlines serving Stirling

KLM
Good (1,422 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,594 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,998 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,539 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,059 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,794 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,675 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,034 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,046 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,421 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,497 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,476 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (874 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,589 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,068 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,140 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,409 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,074 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (281 reviews)
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Where to stay in Stirling

From 5-star hotels such as the Victoria Square & The Orangery to great affordable options like the Holiday Inn Express Stirling By IHG, Stirling offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $105 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $203 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Stirling, with prices from $46 to $322 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Stirling are about 39% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Stirling by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Stirling

Most booked hotels in Stirling

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Cromlix
5 stars
Excellent (9.5, 701 reviews)
$530+
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The Abbotsford
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1436 reviews)
$87+
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Holiday Inn Express Stirling By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 3193 reviews)
$57+
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Crown Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1102 reviews)
$99+
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Highland Gate, Stirling by Marston's Inns
4 stars
Excellent (8, 3582 reviews)
$59+
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The Waverley Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1504 reviews)
$84+
View

Renting a car in Stirling

Expect to pay $6.74 per gallon in Stirling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $80.86 and $107.81. The most frequently booked car type in Stirling is Compact (Jeep Avenger or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Opel Vivaro or similar) are, on average, 31% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Expect to pay $6.74 per gallon in Stirling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $80.86 and $107.81. The most frequently booked car type in Stirling is Compact (Jeep Avenger or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Opel Vivaro or similar) are, on average, 31% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Stirling