Where was Outlander filmed in Scotland and beyond? Explore castles, moors, and iconic Outlander filming locations and tours that fans can actually enjoy.
“Where was Outlander filmed?” It’s the question every fan whispers while sipping whisky and rewatching Claire and Jamie’s epic love story. The landscapes, castles, and cobbled streets are so enchanting, they feel like characters themselves.
From the Scottish Highlands to “North Carolina” (spoiler: it’s still Scotland), the production team has crafted magic in every frame.
Table of Contents
❤️🔥 Outlander Filming Locations for Every Season
Here’s your ultimate guide to Outlander filming locations, with enough wanderlust fuel to make you pack your bags (or your tartan shawl).
🏰 Season 1: Castles & Highlands
Where was Outlander filmed in season 1? The answer is: all over the country. Season 1 set the tone for everything that followed, immersing us in the rugged romance of 18th-century Scotland.
The Highlands provided sweeping landscapes for Claire’s journey, while ancient castles like Doune and Blackness became living, breathing sets. Falkland and Culross added historical depth with their preserved village charm.
These places aren’t just sets – they’re history frozen in time. Visiting them feels like walking into both a TV scene and a museum at once.
- Doune Castle – Castle Leoch, the seat of Clan MacKenzie.
- Blackness Castle – The grim Fort William, where Jamie suffered.
- Falkland – Stood in for Inverness, where Claire time-traveled.
- Culross – The village of Cranesmuir, home to Geillis Duncan.
👉 Trivia: Doune Castle also appeared in Monty Python and Game of Thrones.
🌆 Season 2: Paris (But Actually Prague & Scotland)
Where was Outlander filmed in Season 2? The story traded rugged tartans for opulent silks, whisking viewers into Paris, Versailles, and the glittering French court.
Most of those breathtaking Parisian streets were actually in Prague, and lavish palaces were built right in Scotland. The interiors of Versailles, dripping with chandeliers and gold leaf, were meticulously recreated in studios.
Gardens that look straight out of France were actually shot in Perthshire. Season 2 proved that Outlander doesn’t just thrive in the Highlands; it can capture the elegance of 18th-century Europe without leaving the UK (well, except for Prague).
- Prague streets – Became 18th-century Paris boulevards.
- Cumbernauld Studios – Versailles recreated indoors.
- Drummond Castle Gardens – Doubled as the Versailles gardens.
- Glasgow Cathedral – Hosted hospital scenes with Claire.
👉 Trivia: The Paris apartment sets were so detailed that they included real French antiques.
🌲 Season 3: From Scotland to the Caribbean
Where was Outlander filmed in season 3? The answer is a mix of Scotland and South Africa. Season 3 took fans on a globe-trotting adventure, from Scottish prisons to sun-drenched Caribbean shores.
Craigmillar Castle became Ardsmuir Prison, while Glasgow University stood in for Brianna’s Harvard campus. Then came the big shift: Cape Town Studios in South Africa transformed into Jamaica’s bustling ports and dangerous seas.
The blend of moody castles and exotic harbors gave the season a cinematic feel, showing just how versatile the production team could be.
- Craigmillar Castle – Ardsmuir Prison, where Jamie was held.
- University of Glasgow – Harvard stand-in for Brianna’s college.
- Cape Town Studios (South Africa) – Created Jamaica’s ports and ships.
- Dunure Harbour – Filmed Jamie’s smuggling adventures.
👉 Trivia: The same Cape Town ship sets were used in Black Sails.
🌳 Season 4: “North Carolina” in Scotland
Where was Outlander filmed in North Carolina? The answer, once again, is Scotland. By season 4, the Fraser family’s story shifted to colonial America. The production built Fraser’s Ridge deep in the Scottish woods, creating a convincing homestead that looked every bit Appalachian.
While the Blue Ridge Mountains inspired the novels, Dunkeld woods and Stirling riversides stood in for the wild Carolina frontier. The rustic atmosphere, with log cabins, forest trails, and frontier markets, was so convincing that many fans still don’t realize they were looking at Scottish soil the whole time.
- Stirling Riverside woods – Fraser’s Ridge homestead.
- Dunkeld House woods – Stand-in for Carolina wilderness.
- Cumbernauld Glen – Frontier backdrops.
- Old East Lothian estates – Used for colonial settlements.
👉 Trivia: Diana Gabaldon was inspired by the real Blue Ridge Mountains, though filming stayed in Scotland.
🌊 Season 5: America’s War Drums
Where was Outlander filmed in America? Once again, the answer is still Scotland — cleverly disguised. Season 5 ramped up the drama with the looming threat of revolution.
Scottish estates became American militia camps, and historic homes like Callendar House added authenticity to political scenes. Forests doubled as battlefields, allowing the show to recreate the tension of colonial America without leaving the Highlands.
The blending of authentic historical sites with recreated colonial settlements made Season 5 feel gritty and real, while staying true to the epic scale of the story.
- Mill Hill (Scotland) – Used for militia camps.
- Callendar House (Falkirk) – Historic interiors for Governor Tryon’s events.
- Scottish woodland estates – Doubled as Carolina battlefields.
- Drummossie Moor – Used for big crowd shots.
👉 Trivia: The production studied American Revolutionary War diaries to get the details right.
🌄 Season 6: Ridge Life & Revolution
Where was Outlander filmed in season 6? The answer stays consistent: Scottish woods, estates, and studio builds. Season 6 expanded the world of Fraser’s Ridge while digging deeper into the family’s struggles.
The Ridge was given more life than ever before, with new structures and expanded sets built in Cumbernauld Studios. Historic towns near Stirling became bustling colonial markets.
Though it was one of the shortest seasons, the attention to set detail made it visually rich. It proved that Outlander’s magic lies not just in exotic backdrops, but in how real and lived-in each location feels.
- Perthshire Woodlands – Main Fraser’s Ridge location.
- Cumbernauld studios – Indoor Ridge house sets.
- New Scottish estates – Gave fresh “American” backdrops.
- Historic towns near Stirling – Served as colonial settlements.
👉 Trivia: Season 6 had fewer episodes due to pandemic-related filming challenges, but the Ridge set was permanently expanded.
🪶 Season 7: Battles & Beyond
Where is Outlander filmed in season 7? The answer is the same: Culross, Fife villages, and Stirling woodlands carried the weight of America’s Revolutionary War.
Season 7 pushed the story into a larger-scale conflict while keeping the filming heartland in Scotland. Large militia camps, war councils, and battlefields were constructed in familiar Scottish landscapes, cleverly disguised to look like the Appalachian frontier.
Season 7 demonstrates just how versatile Scotland is – it can shift from Highland castle to American battlefield without skipping a beat, making it the true star of the series.
- Culross & Fife villages – Used again for colonial towns.
- Scottish Highlands – Landscapes doubled as the Appalachian frontier.
- Stirling woodlands – War and militia scenes.
- Cumbernauld studios – Ship and indoor builds.
👉 Trivia: By season 7, much of the production team joked about “America” being “two miles outside Glasgow.”
🗺️ Outlander Filming Locations Tours
Beyond the show, tours for Outlander filming locations in Scotland have exploded, with fans eager to walk in Claire and Jamie’s footsteps.
Midhope Castle remains one of the most popular stops as the real-life Lallybroch, while Bakehouse Close in Edinburgh draws fans to relive that heart-melting print shop reunion.
Culross and Drummond Castle Gardens give the Versailles-meets-Highlands vibe, offering both history and beauty. Outlander tours around Edinburgh are now so popular that they rival whisky tours, proving just how much the show has reshaped Scotland’s tourism scene.
- Midhope Castle – The real-life Lallybroch.
- Culross Palace – Claire’s apothecary scenes.
- Drummond Castle Gardens – Versailles gardens in disguise.
- Bakehouse Close, Edinburgh – Jamie’s print shop reunion.
👉 Trivia: Outlander tourism now brings in millions annually to Scotland.
🎒 Ready to Step Through the Stones?
Outlander isn’t just a TV show – it’s a passport to another time. From the windswept moors of the Highlands to the candlelit halls of “Paris” (aka Prague), each filming location is a love letter to history and romance. And the best part?
You can actually visit many of them. Whether you’re planning a trip to Scotland or just daydreaming from your sofa, these spots bring Claire and Jamie’s world to life.
✨ So grab your tartan, dust off your walking boots, and book that Outlander tour — your time-traveling adventure awaits!
Disclaimer: Outlander and all related characters, names, and elements are trademarks of Sony Pictures Television and Starz. This article is a fan-created guide to Outlander filming locations for informational and entertainment purposes only. We do not claim any ownership of copyrighted material related to the series. All rights belong to their respective owners.
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