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Craigdarroch Castle

1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria, British Columbia V8S 3L5, Canada
250-592-5323
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Ranked #8 of 68 attractions in Victoria
Type: Castles, Architectural Buildings, Mysterious Sites
Description: Stately castle once belonging to Joan Dunsmuir.
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447 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    215
    176
    43
    13
    0
Date Rating
Palm Springs, California
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
5 attraction reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013 NEW

Although not quite fully restored (this gives you an opportunity to see where your money is going), this "castle" has a lot going for it. Attractive and interesting Craigdarroch is an integral part of Victoria's history. Not an extremely large home, the family history upstairs should not be missed (puts Downton Abbey to shame). The staff is very friendly and... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 4 more reviews by RobaireLA for Victoria
Silver Spring, Maryland
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013 NEW

We found this tour most interesting. It may not appeal to everyone, but Im glad we checked this out. Some rooms are in a state of restoration and most are "as is", and "as is" really is quite remarkable. Its amazing to see how this residence of the rich is in such good condition. Next time in Victoria we will... More

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Manama, Bahrain
Senior Contributor
42 reviews 42 reviews
21 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2013 NEW via mobile

This is a mansion rather than a castle. It is beautifully restored and gives a real flavour of 19th century life in the home of an extremely wealthy family. It is well documented throughout, making it highly informative. Loved the drawing room and the cosy little smoking room, as well as the bedrooms. The staircases are beautiful, showing real craftsmanship.... More

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See 8 more reviews by UTBOR for Victoria
globeseeker007
Top Contributor
706 reviews 706 reviews
376 attraction reviews
Reviews in 246 cities Reviews in 246 cities
789 helpful votes 789 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 May 2013 NEW

This looks somewhat like a castle but is actually a mansion which was built in the Victorian period. It was built by the coal baron, Robert Dunsmuir, He died before consturction was completed and his widow lived here until her death. Upon her death, the daughters and grandchildren inherited the place. After they got rid of it, it became a... More

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See 6 more reviews by globeseeker007 for Victoria
Parksville, British Columbia, Canada
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

The history of this greedy and wealthy family. Must see to go with this part of history is Cumberland area and the mines.

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Elkton, Maryland
Top Contributor
51 reviews 51 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
41 helpful votes 41 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

This was a lovely castle. We took a taxi to the location since it would have been quite a long walk from our hotel. When we arrived it took at least 10 minutes before we could begin our self-guided tour because the volunteers were challenged by the credit card machine. The volunteers were very responsive to answering any questions one... More

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See 3 more reviews by qhdesigner for Victoria
Scottsdale, Arizona
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2013

The tour of this home is well worth the visit. Mostly for the amount of wood used to beautify the home, quite stunning. The use of modern elements was surprising. Then there is the use of stained glass windows throughout the house. Very innovative.

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Houston, Texas, United States
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

Maybe its just a guy thing. My wife took me along to this attraction and I have to say it was like many other places she has taken me. Women like to walk around old castles and look at the old furnishings - I had rather go fishing or stay in the hotel by the pool.

Was this review helpful? Yes 2
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

I loved this castel. Beware there are lots of Stairs, My mom waited in the car while the kids and I took the tour. It is beautiful inside and has lots to see.

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See 4 more reviews by Tracy M for Victoria
Rome
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
14 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

We we lucky to visit on a beautiful sunny day and get some really special pictures of the exterior of the building. I understand that some people are mislead by it being called a castle and I suppose that when you have been to many much larger ones this could be disappointing but I had nothing to compare it to... More

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