One of the only things I knew about Edinburgh before I landed here was that it has a castle. And indeed it does, way up on a hill in the middle of town. I’d heard it can get quite crowded, being Edinburgh’s most popular tourist attraction, but lucky for us that’s not true on a cold, snowy day in January.
We shelled out £14 apiece for entrance, plus another couple quid for audioguides (the usual guided tours weren’t happening because of the snow). The audioguides got long-winded at times, but were generally good to have.
One of the best things about visiting the castle is the view, which, admittedly, none of our photos do justice.
There are various exhibits at the castle, about prisoners of war, monarchs, battles. It helped to go in with a little knowledge of Scottish history, just to be able to put everything in context (granted, my previous knowledge was mostly gleaned from The Other Queen, but it came in handy nonetheless.)
There’s also a big exhibit about the Honours of Scotland, which is a fancy way of referring to the crown, scepter, and sword used at coronations including that of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. The presentation’s excitement over these items reads like a slightly unhealthy form of objectophilia.
Overall, Edinburgh Castle was definitely worth a visit. Choose a sunny day for the best views, and if you are here during the busy season, arrive as early as possible to beat the worst of the crowds.
wow, 14 pounds per person for entrance… was it worth it? or did you find it overpriced?
In Edinburgh, about half the sights are overpriced (£10 or more), and the other half are free. I figure it all balances out in the end, since I’ve been visiting plenty of both.
But given the steep price, you want to get the most out of your castle visit. I don’t know that it’d be worth it on a rainy day, or if it was overcrowded with other tourists during your visit. We got very lucky with our timing.
Oh, I LOVE Edinburgh. My sister lived there for about 3 years and we visited as often as we could. It’s such a cool city with so much to see and do. Enjoy your time there!!
Happy ICLW!
Stopping by from IComLeavWe. I just loved Edinburgh when I visited WAY back in 2001. The castle was amazing (although it was a rainy summer day) and the Scottish people were so friendly. I would love to go back one day. Your pictures are lovely, thanks so much for bringing back some great memories!
I have always wanted to visit Scotland. My husband’s family is from there. That last picture is amazingly breathtaking!
I’ve never done it, but apparently you can get into the castle grounds for free if you say you want to visit the war memorial.
Edinburgh’s a toytown compared to Glasgow though, which is a proper city with friendlier people and better museums. Not that I’m biased… :p
Yeah, we decided it was too expensive on our trip and went to a cafe for cake and tea. Better decision, especially as it was a cloudy freezing day. Glad you got a nice clear sunny day.
Stopping over from ICLW.
My parents are big fans of Edinburgh and the castle. From their photos, I had no idea that it was smack dab in the middle of everything! So I learned something new today. 🙂
Your last photo is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful pictures! You’ve helped me to remember why I really want to get to Europe someday.
(Here from ICLW)
I love that last picture! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a purple sky quite like that!
Amazing. Edinburgh is one of my favorite places EVER–even though the one time I visited was cold and rainy. The people, history, and city ambiance more than made up for the unfortunate weather. That city truly has soul–it gave me goosebumps, and few places have ever done that to me.
And if you haven’t already, make sure to venture into the Scottish Highlands!
Here from ICLW, and I love your blog! I’ve given up travel in order to have a baby on my own, and now I’m going to live vicariously through your travels! 🙂
Scotland is one place I would love to visit. I am part Scotish and have some family living over there that I would love to see someday. Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures.
ICLW #56
I loved seeing these photographs. The first one seemed a little familiar – my dad was stationed in Scotland when I was 4-5 years old. We lived in Dunoon, and I know we visited Edinborough at least a couple of times. The nearest big city was Glasgow. Seeing your pictures makes me really wish I could go back there again for a visit.
IComLeavWe #104
I’m an American expat myself, living in and near London for the past 15 years. Sadly, i have never been to Scotland! It’s difficult to understand how that has come to be, but we just don’t get away that often these days. I would love to visit Edinburgh with the kids and give them a bit of a living history lesson. Thank you for planting the seed in my mind. Maybe we will drive up over the Easter break.
Lisa
ICLW #21 – Your Great Life
I’ve been there, it’s beautiful! Your pictures are much prettier than mine, though!