Edinburgh Castle

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland is Edinburgh Castle. The majority of visitors to Scotland spend some time in the capital city of Edinburgh and there are loads of places worth checking out. The most popular of the bunch is the castle which sits atop a volcanic plug and dominates the Edinburgh skyline.

Before the castle was built the Picts had a hill fort on the volcanic plug and it is a superb natural spot for easy defence offering a terrific view of the surrounding terrain. It is no surprise then that subsequent people have built defences there and the castle is now a strange mixture of building styles with various monarchs having made contributions over the centuries.

The oldest building still surviving is the chapel of Saint Margaret which dates back to the 12th century and was built by King David I. The castle has changed drastically over the years and the Stewart kings made various additions but it was always an important military stronghold. Even today there is still a military garrison posted at Edinburgh Castle although the function is ceremonial and the esplanade in front of the castle is used for the annual Military Tattoo.

The castle is a very busy attraction especially during the summer months and so it is worth arriving early if you want to avoid the crowds. It is open from 9.30AM until 6PM between the 1st of April and the 30th of September and it closes an hour earlier during the winter months. You can hire audio guides and there is a souvenir shop and entry costs around £10 for an adult and £5 for a child.