Edinburgh Castle
Getting into Edinburgh Castle means passing through nine centuries of sieges and royal drama, but what holds both ages here is different. Younger kids find the spectacle in the One O'Clock Gun and the sheer scale of Mons Meg cannon; the prison vaults with their carved prisoner graffiti are atmospheric for anyone old enough to read the stories carved into 300-year-old stone. Teens engage with the deeper history: the Stone of Destiny's seven-hundred-year political dispute, the National War Museum's unflinching coverage of Scottish conflicts, and the strategic intelligence of the castle's defences. But everyone reaches the ramparts together, and everyone sees the same view: the full Edinburgh layout spread out below, the port in the distance, hills beyond.
- Hours
- 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM daily (5:00 PM winter)
- Price
- £19.50 adults, £12.50 children 5-15
- Duration
- 2-3 hours
- Booking required
- No
Tips
- Split up once inside if the age gap is wide — younger kids love the gun and Mons Meg, teens prefer the war museum and prison vaults
- The audio guide covers different depths at the same stops, worth having for the older kids
- Book tickets online to skip the entry queue, which peaks between 11 AM and 2 PM