Craigdarroch Castle Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Craigdarroch Castle. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Victoria City Highlights Pedal or E-Bike Tour – Hoods & Legends

• Victoria City Highlights 3-Hour Bike Tour, E-Bike Upgrade Available

• Victoria & The Butchart Gardens: Deluxe City and Garden Experience

• 2-Hour City Highlights Private Tour in Victoria, BC

• 2-Hour Luxury City Tour of Victoria

General admission tickets for Craigdarroch Castle cost CA$22.50 for adults, CA$19.50 for seniors (65+), and CA$18.50 for students. Youth tickets cost CA$14.80 for children aged 12 to 17 and CA$10 for children aged 4 to 11; entrance is free for children 3 years and under.

Yes, Craigdarroch Castle is worth visiting. It's one of Victoria's most striking landmarks and a National Historic Site. Step inside for a self-guided tour of the 19th-century mansion or admire its medieval-style facade as part of a guided tour of Victoria.

Per one customer who booked the Victoria & The Butchart Gardens: Deluxe City and Garden Experience, "Alan was an excellent tour guide. He was accommodating for our private tour, starting with Butchart Gardens, which was spectacular! Everyone should visit this exquisite property that is perfectly planted and manicured. Alan then took us to Victoria, where he showed us Chinatown, the harbor, Craigdarroch Castle, the Empress Hotel, and the beautiful city park. We even fed the peacock! We would highly recommend this tour with Alan."

Craigdarroch Castle was built in the late 19th century by the industrialist Robert Dunsmuir, a Scotsman who immigrated to Canada and made a fortune from Vancouver Island coal. Now a National Historic Site, the castle has been restored and offers a glimpse of life during the Victorian era.

Craigdarroch Castle’s architecture is a revival Romanesque style known as Richardsonian Romanesque—named after the influential American architect H.H. Richardson—which incorporates characteristics from 11th and 12th-century southern French, Spanish and Italian Romanesque. Architectural features include arches, columns, recessed entrances, blank stretches of walling, and cylindrical towers with conical caps.

Inside the 4-storey Craigdarroch Castle, visitors can expect to see lavish furnishings dating from the 1890s. The castle is also known for its intricate woodwork and 43 original stained-glass windows—the castle boasts one of North America’s finest collections of Victorian residential stained and leaded glass windows.

Yes, guided tours are sometimes available at Craigdarroch Castle. Tours of the castle are typically self guided, but throughout the year there are guided tours and other special events focused on specific aspects of the building, the Dunsmuirs, and the objects inside the castle. Check the website for the upcoming schedule.

No, Craigdarroch Castle is not wheelchair accessible. Due to the historic nature and protected status of the historic house museum, there are no ramps or elevators, which means that wheelchair users cannot access the interiors. Visitors should also be aware that the building has many steps to navigate.

Yes, there is a gift shop in Craigdarroch Castle. Located in the visitor center, the shop sells local items, from artisan foods to unique crafts and castle-themed memorabilia. You can also shop online via the castle’s website shop.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Craigdarroch Castle. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Victoria:

• Butchart Gardens

• Victoria Inner Harbour

• British Columbia Parliament Buildings

• Beacon Hill Park

• Victoria Chinatown

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Victoria.