If all you want is a castle for Christmas, then you’re in luck.
You don’t need to be a best-selling author who has a meet cute with a grumpy duke in a 19th-century mansion to have a magical winter holiday in a Scottish castle.
All you need to do is come to Edinburgh and visit the filming locations for A Castle for Christmas. This 2021 Netflix film starring Brooke Shields and Cary Elwes was shot on location, showcasing some of the wonderous castles within minutes of Scotland’s capital.
Check out these A Castle for Christmas locations while touring this unforgettable UK city.
Image Credit: Getty Images, joe_proctor. Image Location: Culross, Fife, Scotland
A Castle for Christmas: The Netflix holiday movie
What is A Castle for Christmas on Netflix about?
A Castle for Christmas finds best-selling American author Sophie Brown caught in a sea of fan backlash. She retreats to a Scottish castle that her late grandfather used to tell stories about. Sophie wants to purchase the lovely Dun Dunbar from its scrooge of an owner, Duke Myles. Myles’ conditions? She can buy the castle…if she can stand to live with him until Christmas Day.
Who is in the A Castle for Christmas cast?
A Castle for Christmas stars Brooke Shields as Sophie Brown, a best-selling American author.
The castle’s curmudgeonly owner, the Scottish Duke Myles Dunbar, is played by London-native Cary Elwes. Lee Ross, Andi Osho, Tina Gray, and Eilidh Loan round out the cast of A Castle for Christmas.
Where was A Castle for Christmas filmed?
A Castle for Christmas was filmed on location in Scotland. The majority of filming took place in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, including Sophie’s “New York apartment” which is actually the restaurant of the Dakota Hotel. The one exception is the Drew Barrymore interview which was shot in Manhattan.
Is the castle in A Castle for Christmas the same as Downton Abbey?
Even casual Netflix viewers did a double-take when Sophie first arrived in Scotland. One of the first castles she lays eyes on is Inveraray Castle, which you’ll find popping up on other Netflix titles. In the 2012 Downton Abbey Christmas episode, Inveraray Castle stood in as ‘Duneagle Castle’. You might have also caught Inveraray Castle in another fantastic Scotland-set series: Outlander.
Can I visit the castle from A Castle for Christmas on Netflix?
Sadly, Dun Dunbar is as fictitious as this Netflix fable, but Scotland has no shortage of castles to explore, including the real ones featured in A Castle for Christmas. Much of the film was shot on the Dalmeny Estate and Dundas Castle, both just a few miles outside of Edinburgh. Dalmeny House is only open for tourists in the summertime, so visit to celebrate Christmas in July. Dundas Castle can be booked for private events, so feel free to surprise your family with their own castle for Christmas by renting out the venue for an unforgettable vacation.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Mike Surowiak. Image Location: Inveraray Castle, Scotland, UK
A Castle for Christmas filming locations
Netflix used the greater Edinburgh area almost exclusively for its A Castle for Christmas filming locations. You can fly directly into Edinburgh Airport (which made a cameo in the movie) or fly into London and take the train to Edinburgh Waverley train station.
Dalmeny House
Nearest train station: Dalmeny
Dun Dunbar Castle is actually not a castle at all. Dalmeny House is a private mansion owned by the 7th Earl and Countess of Rosebery. It’s just as impressive as it looks on screen and open for visitors throughout the summer months.
Inveraray Castle
Nearest train station: Arrochar & Tarbet
Inveraray Castle in A Castle for Christmas is the same as the one featured in Downton Abbey, but spoiler alert: Inveraray Castle is over 3 hours away from Edinburgh by train and bus. You can make a day trip to Inveraray Castle from Edinburgh, but doing so from Glasgow or Oban would be a better way to maximize your time.
Tantallon Castle
Nearest train station: North Berwick (NBW)
While most filming locations for A Castle for Christmas are located west of Edinburgh, Tantallon Castle is east of the Scottish capital. This ruined cliffside castle was one of the few Sophie spotted during her drive into Dunbar; you can actually bike there from North Berwick, spotting seabirds along the bay as you ride.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Dennis Barnes. Image Location: Culross, Fife, Scotland, UK
Culross
Nearest train station: Dunfermline City
Standing in as the false village of Dunbar is the for-real town of Culross. It’s a half-hour’s drive from Dalmeny House, but worth it if you fancy a pint at The Red Lion Inn and a glance at the stunning Dunimarle Castle.
Dakota Edinburgh
Nearest train station: Dalmeny
Those shots of Sophie in her ritzy Big Apple apartment? About as fake as Cary Elwes’ (Scottish) accent. Her abode is actually the restaurant of the Dakota, a hotel between Dalmeny and Queensferry. It’s only a mile away from Dundas Castle, making it a perfect place to stay during your A Castle for Christmas-themed visit.
A Castle for Christmas 2? News about the Netflix sequel
Will there be a sequel to A Castle for Christmas on Netflix? You can put it on your Christmas list but don’t expect to find it tucked in your stocking this year. There’s no official news on whether or not there will be A Castle for Christmas 2 on Netflix.
But you can still embrace the holiday spirit in the UK. Not only can you visit the A Castle for Christmas locations above, but you can also experience a Christmas in London (including its Christmas markets), see the wintery festivities at Europe’s beautiful castles, and visit filming locations from other classic Christmas films like The Holiday and Love Actually.
And you can do it all by train! Download the Trainline app, purchase cheap train tickets around Scotland, and have your own castle for Christmas this year.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, ewanchesser. Image Location: Castle Fraser, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK