United Kingdom Edinburgh Edinburgh Castle Entry Tickets

Edinburgh Castle is open daily throughout the year. From 1 April to 30 September summer hours run from 09:30 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:00. From 1 October to 31 March winter hours are 09:30 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:00. Last entry is always one hour before closing. The castle is open on all public holidays including bank holidays.

The Honours of Scotland are the Scottish Crown Jewels consisting of the Crown, the Sceptre, and the Sword of State. Dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, they are the oldest surviving set of Crown Jewels in Britain, predating the English Crown Jewels which were melted down during the Commonwealth period. They were hidden beneath Kinneff Church during the English occupation of the castle and are now displayed in the Crown Room alongside the Stone of Destiny.

Allow at least 2 to 3 hours for a thorough visit to Edinburgh Castle. The Crown Room with the Honours of Scotland and Stone of Destiny merits 30 to 45 minutes. The Royal Apartments, the Great Hall, Mons Meg, the National War Museum, and the castle's viewpoints together require at least another 1.5 hours. The free audio guide available in multiple languages is strongly recommended for the most informative visit.

The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, is the ancient sandstone block on which Scottish kings were crowned for centuries. It was taken to England by King Edward I in 1296 and kept beneath the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey for 700 years. Returned to Scotland in 1996, it is now displayed in the Crown Room alongside the Honours of Scotland. It was temporarily returned to Westminster Abbey for King Charles III's coronation in 2023.

The One O'Clock Gun is a time signal fired daily at exactly 13:00 from Mills Mount Battery on the castle's north face. The tradition began in 1861 to allow ships in the Firth of Forth to set their chronometers accurately. It is fired every day of the year except Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday. It can be watched from the castle esplanade free of charge without a ticket and remains one of Edinburgh's most distinctive daily events.

Mons Meg is a gigantic medieval bombard cannon made in Mons, Belgium in 1449 and presented to King James II of Scotland in 1457. It could fire stone cannonballs weighing 150 kilograms over distances of up to three kilometres. One of the largest cannons of its age, it was used in several siege campaigns before its barrel burst during a salute in 1681. It has been on display at Edinburgh Castle since 1829 and remains one of the most impressive medieval artillery pieces in existence.

Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG. It is accessible on foot from Edinburgh Waverley station in approximately 15 to 20 minutes by walking up the Royal Mile. Lothian buses serve the area and trams from Edinburgh Airport stop at York Place, from which the castle is a 20-minute walk. Taxis from Waverley take approximately 5 minutes.

Yes, Edinburgh Castle is a wonderful experience for families. Children under 5 enter free. The dramatic setting, the Crown Jewels, the mighty cannon Mons Meg, and the One O'Clock Gun tend to captivate younger visitors enormously. Parents should note that the castle involves significant walking on steep cobbled pathways and uneven surfaces. The castle's free children's audio guide is available in multiple languages and is designed specifically for younger visitors.