What to see and do in Edinburgh Castle

Below are some of the things you can see and do inside the Edinburgh Castle.

The royal palace was built during the 12^th century by David 1, son of Saint Margaret of Scotland. The crown square was built over a period of time, and the quadrangle was completed during the early 1500s by King James IV. The royal palace was once the epitome of luxury and splendor. The various Kings and Queens of Scotland lived in the royal palace. Edinburgh Castle Scotland has its fair share in books of history as it was a part of eminent historical moments. The last defender of the Auld Alliance with France Queen Mary of Guise took her last breath inside the castle walls in the year 1560, where she was also the main defendant of the Catholic faith against the Protestant Reformation. The Daughter of Queen Mary of Guise, Mary Queen of Scots in the year 1566 gave birth to arguably one of the most eminent leaders of Scotland, James VI. There is an interesting story related to the birth of James VI. It is said that during her labor Mary Queen of Scots faced great difficulty, one of the companions of the queen is said to have transferred the birth pangs to one of the servants with the help of magic which helped in the birth of James VI.

Located in the heart of the castle amidst the Crown Square, The Great Hall is one of the most mesmerizing spectacles inside the Edinburgh Castle. Its construction was completed in the year 1511 for King James 1V, but sadly the King couldn’t relish its magnificence as he soon died in the Battle of Flodden on 1513 while fighting his brother-in-law King Henry VIII of England. The wooden roof of the Hall is one of the most intricately carved structures in the whole of Britain. The huge beams of the hall rest on giant stones carved into the shapes of heads and thistles-one of the badges of Scotland. The Edinburgh Castle Scotland was captured by Oliver Cromwell’s army in the year 1650 who turned the castle into a military camp during which the Great Hall served as barracks for Cromwell’s army until the year 1886. Restoring its old beauty, The Great Hall now displays weapons and armor from the medieval ages which serve as an ode to its military history. It has some of the most feared weapons of history like the dreaded Lochaber ax, which has a strange polearm shape.

It is the oldest building in the entire Edinburgh Castle Scotland. Also known as the Margaret Chapel this was once the exclusive praying chapel for the Scottish Royal Family. The chapel was constructed in the year1130 by King David I who named in loving memory of his mother, Queen Margaret, who passed away in the year 1093. She was renowned for being very charitable and was canonised by Pope Innocent IV in 1250. During the 1500s the chapel was used as a store to keep gunpowder later it was protected using bomb-proof vaulting. It was later rediscovered in the year 1845 by antiquary Sir Daniel Wilson in 1845 after its origins were forgotten. It is located on the left after passing through the Fog’s Gate, beyond the Whisky and Finest Food Shop. The arch of the chapel is still the same condition. The chapel was restored in the year 1245 by Mary Stewart on the request of Queen Victoria. It was further beautified in the year 1922 with the addition of stained-glass windows that were designed by Douglas Strachan. In today’s date, the chapel is the most popular place for small weddings and baptisms and is a beautiful epitome of Medieval Craftsmanship.

The Mons Meg was one of the most technologically advanced and powerful military weapons of its time. It was given to King James II in the year 1457. The Mons Meg was a six-tonne siege gun that could fire a 150 Kg gun stone up to a distance of 3.2 Km (2 miles). It was named after the Belgian town where it was constructed. It was transported 80 km to the siege of Roxburgh Castle in the year 1460 by James II which proved to be his last battle as he died of a canon explosion in that battle. The Mons Meg was put back in action by King James IV, firstly to attack Dumbarton Castle and then the Northam Castle. It was uncommissioned in the year 1550 in the days of King James V’s navy. When Mary Queen of Scots married in the year 1558, Mons Meg fired a gun stone over the city in order to celebrate the celestial union of the two souls. The place where the canon landed is now the place where the Royal Botanic Garden rests. The barrel of the Mons Meg burst in the year 1681. After spending 75 years in England the Mons Meg made a grandeur filled return in the Edinburgh Castle Scotland in the year 1859. The Mons Meg is kept just outside the St’ Margaret’s Chapel.

This is located in the vaults below Crown Square. The entrance to the Prisons of war is located within the Dury’s Battery. The prisoners of war came from countries like France, America, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, and Americans who were fighting the war of Independence. In the 1800s and 1900s were kept captive in these small and dark spaces. The restoration process was so immaculate that it had been perfectly recreated to add to the complete feel of the prisons in medieval times. The Prison of Edinburgh Castle Scotland saw its first prisoners in the year 1758 when French Privateers were kept captive in it, after the seven years of war. The youngest known prisoner was a 5-year-old drummer. Forty-nine prisoners once escaped through a hole due to breach in security who were eventually recaptured and the hole can be seen even today. Caribbean Pirates were kept locked up in these cells until they were declared as prisoners of war.

It is one of the places where you can find the most magnificent and spellbinding artworks in entire Scotland. It houses a large no of paintings and artifacts which date to the Renaissance during the early 20^th century. It is located in the Mound near the Scott Monument. The Edinburgh Castle Scotland represents Artforms of both Scottish and international origins. It houses paintings from 18^th century Italian and Impression Paintings.

If you want to relish some authentic Scottish Food, then Edinburgh Castle Scotland is the best place to visit. The National Dish of Scotland “Haggis” is something which you should not miss. Haggis is a fine mixture of heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep that are mixed with various aromatic spices, onions, oatmeal, and stock and then stuffed in the belly of the sheep. Haggis is found all around the town. Haggis is served with a mixture of mashed potatoes and turnips with a side of a sauce made from whiskey. For all the vegetarians out there, Haggis is also available in vegetarian options. Other than Haggis you can also enjoy various other authentic Scottish dishes like local Scottish Salmon, Black Pudding, Cullen Skink, Stovies, sausage, beef, and lamb dishes. If you’re more interested in enjoying a hearty English breakfast, then it is recommended to try the all-time favorite Fish and Chips and meat pies. Sunday Roast Traditional dinner is served all through Edinburgh. When it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth, Scottish Desserts are you’re going to. The Scottish desserts include items like cranachan, Fried Mars Bars, tablets, Dundee and shortbread. Coming to drinks and beverages, the Scots are very famous for their special “Scottish Whiskey” some other alcoholic beverages that are a must-try are the Scottish Gins and Beers. A type of Orange Carbonated soda is well recommended by the locals. If you do not wish to indulge yourself in alcoholic beverages, then Black Tea is the most recommended drink for you. There are various Food Tours in Edinburgh, such as a 3-hour long Food walk.

If you want a special feeling when you tie your nuptial know then you should definitely think about the Edinburgh Castle, whether you want to celebrate it with Grandeur or want a simple wedding, it caters for your requirements fulfilling. It can host up to 120 guests in its grand rooms. If you want to keep your wedding a more private and peaceful ceremony, then you can opt for the St’ Margaret’s chapel which is the oldest building in the entire Edinburgh Castle which was built by David I in the year 1130 only for the use of the royal family. Thus, you can have your fair share of history in the Edinburgh Castle Scotland. It gives the options to host both the ceremony and reception where you can relish more time with your friends and family. To make affairs even special, it gives you an option to arrange a private viewing session of Britain’s oldest crown jewels for the guests. The picturesque Edinburgh castle rises above the city and gives you a majestic view, serving as a visual treat for you and your guests. With delicious buffet at the banquet and a large ballroom, makes it the perfect destination for your heavenly union. The walls of the Grand Hall can be designed according to your wishes, and live musicians play music which resembles the royalty of the castle. If you wish to host your wedding in the castle, you must keep in mind that weddings cannot be held from 1 June to 30^th September.

If you want to keep a memory of your visit to Edinburgh Castle Scotland, then the Portcullis Shop has a range of mementos and other gift items for you and your special ones. The gifts and mementos are designed, keeping in mind to portray the elegance and royalty of the castle. The gifts range from specially designed handbags to scale models of the entire Castle itself. The Portcullis Shop is one of the largest gifts shops in the castle and is located just beside the main ticketing counter. It has a wide range of attractive souvenirs which include exclusive Edinburgh Castle merchandise and a range of Scottish handicrafts. If you’re interested in jewelry, you’ll be in for a treat as the gift shop offers both modern and medieval jewelry designers. Gifts such as scarves and ties are a perfect choice to be gifted to your family members.

The crown Gift shop of Edinburgh Castle has items that resemble royalty and are one of the finest products. The jewelry collection available at the shop is handpicked and exclusive and is designed by one of the leading designers of Scotland. You can also find jewelry specifically created for young children.

You’re visiting the Edinburgh Castle Scotland or more precisely to Scotland without trying the famous Scottish Whiskey then you are empty. This shop has one of the rarest 10-year single malt whiskeys. You can also ask for a free wine tasting session and can also browse through the rare malt sections. If you’re not a big fan of Whiskey, then you might as well try the highly applauded Edinburgh Gin and the Magnum Cream Liquor. You can also get traditional shortbreads and other sweet items to carry along with you for your memories.

From the Airport: Edinburgh airport has good tram and bus connections to the city center

By Train: Waverly station is Edinburgh’s central station. It is within small reach to the Edinburgh Castle Scotland, and the distance can be easily walked although the road being steep can be difficult to walk for young children and older people. The Haymarket station is also close to the city center from where you can easily reach the castle.

By Bus: There are 100 special Air link buses which run directly from the airport to the city center. It takes about 25 minutes to reach the city center via these buses. Various other tourist buses are available which can take you to Edinburgh Castle Scotland. You can also reach the castle by takings Trams and Taxis.

The prices for the tickets vary, depending on either an online or offline gate prices. The online tickets are cheaper as compared to offline tickets, the cost of the online tickets for adults is £17.50 pounds, £10.50 for children, and £14.00 for senior citizens and unemployed. The offline gate prices for tickets for adults is £19.50 pounds, £11.50 for children(5-15 yrs), and £16.00 for senior citizens and unemployed

The castle opens its gate at 9:30 A.M and the guided tours end at 4:30 P.M. The castle closes at 6:00 P.M, so make sure you have a full tour of the castle during the specified timings.

Read the rules completely and do not engage yourself in any nuisance at Edinburgh Castle Scotland.

Do not click pictures of the Crown Jewels as it is against the rules.

Carry a printed copy of the tickets as any; otherwise, you will not be allowed to enter the castle.

Carry necessary identification documents along with you.

Do not involve yourself in causing damage to the property of the castle.

Keep the necessary amenities along with you like medicines and water bottles.

The best time to visit Edinburgh is in August when the temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is also the most crowded at this time. So, make sure to book entry tickets and other requirements early to escape any inconvenience.

For your upcoming vacation if you are planning to visit Scotland to know more about its rich royalty history, then this Edinburgh Castle Scotland is the ultimate location. So, hurry and make your flight bookings on Trip.com and do not forget to plan it as per our information guide.