Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring 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. We recommend you stay at least 5 days in order to fully appreciate everything Stirling has to offer.

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
$171
1 night at 3-star hotel
Stirling in January
Estimated hotel price
$171
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 New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 30h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Stirling, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Stirling to Glasgow takes 0h 52m and costs around $41 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Inverness, expect to pay about $53 for a 3h 45m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city centre, Stirling is the busiest station in Stirling. Another popular train station is Stirling Bridge of Allan, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

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

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Stirling, including FlixBus, National Express and Scottish Citylink. From Glasgow, the bus ride to Stirling takes 87 miles and will cost you around $31. From Newcastle upon Tyne, the ticket costs about $33 for a journey of 155 miles. The most popular bus station is Stirling Bannockburn, Heritage Centre, located 1.4 miles from the city centre of Stirling. Stirling Forth Valley College is also a commonly used station, and is 1.7 miles from the city centre.

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 New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 30h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Stirling, followed by Lumo. The train journey from Stirling to Glasgow takes 0h 52m and costs around $41 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Inverness, expect to pay about $53 for a 3h 45m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city centre, Stirling is the busiest station in Stirling. Another popular train station is Stirling Bridge of Allan, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

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

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Stirling, including FlixBus, National Express and Scottish Citylink. From Glasgow, the bus ride to Stirling takes 87 miles and will cost you around $31. From Newcastle upon Tyne, the ticket costs about $33 for a journey of 155 miles. The most popular bus station is Stirling Bannockburn, Heritage Centre, located 1.4 miles from the city centre of Stirling. Stirling Forth Valley College is also a commonly used station, and is 1.7 miles from the city centre.

Airlines serving Stirling

KLM
Good (1,454 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,785 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,741 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,205 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,216 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,872 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,116 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,296 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,534 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,736 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,518 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,683 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,718 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,181 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,362 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,163 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (385 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,142 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,453 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Stirling

From 5-star hotels such as the Victoria Square Guest House 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 $171 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $273 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Stirling, with prices from $74 to $1,567 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Stirling are about 43% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Stirling

Most booked hotels in Stirling

Westerton B&B
4 stars
Excellent (9.8, Excellent reviews)
$225+
Callander Meadows
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, Excellent reviews)
$351+
The Abbotsford
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$142+
Holiday Inn Express Stirling By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$124+
Crown Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$127+
The Waverley Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$136+

Hiring a car in Stirling

Expect to pay $2.98 per litre in Stirling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $35.75 and $47.67. Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Stirling, while also 10% cheaper than other types, on average.

Expect to pay $2.98 per litre in Stirling (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $35.75 and $47.67. Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Stirling, while also 10% cheaper than other types, on average.