In a nutshell
- Edinburgh Castle is the most famous attraction in Edinburgh — packed with highlights like the Stone of Scone, the Crown Jewels, and St. Margaret’s Chapel.
- We visited the castle ourselves and are sharing our honest tips, experiences, and ticket advice so you can make the most of your visit.
- We break down which Edinburgh Castle tickets to buy, where to get them, and what to watch out for.
- Our top pick: The guided tour of Edinburgh Castle — skip the line, get the full story, and still have time to explore on your own afterward.
What Do You Need to Know About Edinburgh Castle?
Before we walk you through everything about visiting Edinburgh Castle and buying tickets, here are a few things you should know before your visit:
- Book your Edinburgh Castle tickets online at least 3 days before your visit.
- The walk up to the castle is neither strenuous nor steep. The Royal Mile — a long street in the Old Town — leads directly to the castle. You barely notice you’re walking uphill.
- Wait times at Edinburgh Castle are short despite high visitor numbers. You rarely have to line up. The longest line forms at the door to the Crown Jewels room. We waited about 15 minutes there.
- There are two cafés on the castle grounds where you can take a break and grab something to eat and drink. The grounds also have several public restrooms.
- Edinburgh Castle also has a shop with some really cool souvenirs.
- If you’d like to get a feel for the place before you go, the Edinburgh Castle website offers a digital castle map.
- To make sure you don’t miss anything, we recommend visiting Edinburgh Castle with a guided tour.
What Can You See at Edinburgh Castle?
There is so much to see at Edinburgh Castle. The panoramic view from Castle Rock alone is worth the entry fee.
From up here, you can spot some of the other attractions in Edinburgh. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to Leith.
But of course, that’s not all. The castle grounds are huge — almost like a small city. Here’s a list of the most important highlights:
- One O’Clock Gun
- Hospital Square, with the National War Museum
- Museum Of The Royal Scots
- Stone Of Scone
- Castle Prisons (our personal favorite)
- St. Margaret’s Chapel
- Crown Square, with the Royal Apartments and Crown Jewels
- Great Hall
A heads-up: Edinburgh Castle focuses primarily on the development of the castle and on warfare conducted from the castle. You won’t learn much about royal family life here. For that, Holyrood Palace at the other end of the Royal Mile is a much better fit.
Edinburgh Castle: Guided Tour or On Your Own?
When you decide to visit Edinburgh Castle, one question comes up quickly: should you go with a guided tour or explore on your own? Here’s what we recommend:
Visiting Edinburgh Castle with a Guided Tour
A guided tour of Edinburgh Castle is absolutely the way to go! Exploring the castle grounds with an experienced guide offers so many more advantages than going it alone — and it’s genuinely a lot of fun.
As you make your way through the castle, you’re not dependent on information panels or paid audio guides. Instead, you get to listen to your guide and ask them anything.
A guided tour also guarantees that you won’t miss a single corner. Your guide takes you to every important spot — at a pace that doesn’t eat up your whole day but doesn’t rush you through either.
And the best part is saved for last. After the tour, you’re free to explore on your own again — right up until the castle closes. Entirely at your own pace.
Book Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour Online
Pros:
- Better value for money than regular tickets
- You can easily book in advance through GetYourGuide
- Skip-the-line access to the castle
- You get a wealth of information and insider stories
- You won’t miss any important spots
- Really well-paced
- You can explore on your own after the tour
Cons:
- You’re tied to the group at the start
- Breaks are only possible after the tour
Visiting Edinburgh Castle Without a Guided Tour
You can absolutely visit Edinburgh Castle without a guided tour. We’ve done it ourselves.
That said, we came away feeling like we’d missed some context and sometimes couldn’t fully appreciate the significance of certain spots.
So if you do explore on your own, make sure to grab the audio guide right after entering. Otherwise, you’ll end up Googling everything like we did — ha!
The upside is that you’re completely free to wander wherever you like, at your own pace.
On the ground, though, we found ourselves thinking: some arrows on the floor like at IKEA would really help here. It’s easy to lose track of where you’ve been and where you haven’t. And unfortunately the free map isn’t much help either. The castle is simply massive.
Pros:
- You’re free to explore at your own pace
- You can take as many breaks as you like
- Also included in the Royal Edinburgh Citypass
Cons:
- You might miss certain spots
- Less information and no insider knowledge
- You’ll need to budget more time
- Tickets at the entrance are more expensive
If you decide to go without a guided tour, you can book tickets in advance online through the Edinburgh Castle website or with the Royal Edinburgh Citypass.
Our Ticket Recommendation for Edinburgh Castle
To help you find the right Edinburgh Castle tickets, here are our top recommendations for visiting with and without a guided tour:
Ticket Recommendation for a Guided Tour
The guided tour of Edinburgh Castle is our top pick! It offers everything you could want from a castle visit.
You walk straight in without waiting in line, and your guide takes you to the most important spots across the whole site.
Along the way, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the castle, plus fun facts and creepy stories you’d never discover on your own.
The best part: After the guided tour, you’re free to explore on your own until closing time.
Note that the tour doesn’t start at Edinburgh Castle itself, but near St. Giles’ Cathedral in the Old Town. From there, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the castle.
Book Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour Online
Also check out our other tips for city tours in Edinburgh:
Ticket Recommendation Without a Guided Tour
If you just want a standard ticket without a guided tour, we recommend booking in advance online through the Edinburgh Castle website. That’s what we did too.
This way you skip the line and save a few pounds — tickets at the on-site box office are more expensive.
Just make sure to pick up the audio guide on-site for £3.50. Without any kind of guide, it’s genuinely hard to take in and understand everything you’re seeing.
Royal Edinburgh Citypass
The Royal Edinburgh Citypass is a great alternative if you want to visit several attractions without a guided tour.
The pass includes admission to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh Leith. It also includes 48 hours of unlimited rides on three sightseeing buses in Edinburgh.
With the Citypass, you save around 30 euros if you take advantage of everything included.
Honestly, it’s only worth it if you’re definitely planning to visit all the included attractions. Aside from Edinburgh Castle, none of the other inclusions ranked as top-tier highlights for us.
Book Royal Edinburgh Citypass Online
7 Cool Facts About Edinburgh Castle
Before your visit, here are a few things about Edinburgh Castle that might surprise you:
- The castle sits on an extinct volcano — Castle Rock
- St. Margaret’s Chapel at the castle is the oldest building in the city
- The heart of the castle is the Stone of Scone — the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings
- Every day at 1 PM, the One O’Clock Gun is fired from the castle
- Mary Queen of Scots lived at the castle and gave birth to her son King James VI here
- In 1707, the famous Scottish Crown Jewels were hidden in a chest inside the castle — but no one recorded where. They weren’t rediscovered until more than 100 years later
- The best-known ghosts at Edinburgh Castle are the headless drummer, the Grey Lady, the Piper, and the black dog
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Frequently Asked Questions About Edinburgh Castle
#1 How much do Edinburgh Castle tickets cost?
A standard ticket to Edinburgh Castle costs about 24 euros without a guided tour. With a full guided tour — which we strongly recommend — the visit costs about 40 euros.
#2 What are the opening hours of Edinburgh Castle?
During high season from April through September, Edinburgh Castle is open from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Last admission is at 5:00 PM. From October through March, the castle closes one hour earlier.
#3 How long do you need for Edinburgh Castle?
A guided tour of the castle takes 1.5 to two hours. If you’re exploring on your own, plan for more time. If you want to read the info panels at your own pace and take it all in properly, three hours is the minimum.
#4 Is Edinburgh Castle worth visiting with kids?
Absolutely! Edinburgh Castle is a seriously exciting place for kids — it really fires up the imagination. Sure, young children won’t grasp all the historical context, but that’s totally fine. There’s so much to look at and marvel over.
Our tip: A guided tour doesn’t make much sense with young children. If you’re bringing kids along, we’d suggest exploring the castle on your own, at your own pace.
#5 Why is Edinburgh Castle so famous?
Edinburgh Castle is famous for its extraordinary age and the layers of history that come with it. Kings lived here, battles were fought here, and the Crown Jewels were hidden within its walls. All of that makes it genuinely fascinating.
Beyond the history, the castle packs in so many varied highlights that you can experience the past up close — and that’s what makes it so special.
#6 Who lived in Edinburgh Castle?
Edinburgh Castle was first home to the Scottish Bruce dynasty and later to the House of Stuart. King Charles I was the last ruler to reside here. Since 1833, the castle has been open to visitors.
