7 Things to Know Before Visiting Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a site to behold. It's something I recommend everyone goes to visit and see. But seeing as it's such a famous landmark, it's incredibly popular with tourists. With this in mind, here's everything you need to know (from my experience of going) before you get there:
1. It's right at the top of an extremely steep hill
Of course, Edinburgh Castle is going to be at the top of a hill, like most castles you'll find throughout the UK. This one, however, is at the top of a particularly steep hill and there may be some stairs to climb. It took us about half an hour to walk there from the very centre of the city.
But, if you have mobility issues or are elderly, then it might not be the most straightforward trek up there. Do some research before hand - I'm just making you away that your calves will burn walking up to hit, haha!
2. I'd recommend booking your tickets in advance
You can buy tickets on the door I think, but I'd recommend pre-booking them online. Not only does this give you the best possible chance of going on the date and time you want, but it also helps you to avoid the queues.
Also, pre-booking your tickets works out a little cheaper than buying them on the day. There's also a 7-day Explorer Pass available for those who are holidaying in Scotland. The pass gives you the chance to access all historic Scotland sites over a 7-day period.
You can also buy a Skip-the-Line ticket, which also comes with a guided tour. You can add-on the digital tour guide (a mobile device that you listen to through headphones) for an additional fee. You should also be aware that the castle is surrounded by walkways that are steep and cobbled.
3. Opening hours differ depending on the time of year
It's important to note that you should check the opening and closing times of the castle before you go. Edinburgh Castle can get extremely cold and windy when you go in the winter, so you'll find that they operate restricted opening times during the colder season. As a guide, the opening times for Edinburgh Castle are as follows (correct at the time of publishing):
- Summer - 1st April-30th September: 9:30am-6pm (last entry at 5pm)
- Winter - 1st October-31st March: 9:30am-5pm (last entry at 4pm)
- Christmas Day & Boxing Day - CLOSED
- New Year's Day - 11am-5pm (last entry at 4pm)
4. You'll need at least half a day there
Edinburgh Castle is a big site, and there's a lot to see and do. There's also a cafe there so you can recharge your batteries at a leisurely pace. For you to have a lovely, relaxing and educational time, I'd recommend provisioning at least half a day to get around the place and to be able to read all of the information they have displayed in there. When we went, we arrive at 10am and didn't leave till about 3pm.
5. Get there for the 1 O'Clock gun
The 1 O'Clock gun is a famous event at Edinburgh Castle. People usually start gathering there at around 12:45pm to witness and experience it. Make your way over there, from within the castle, at about that time to stand a good chance at getting a great view. Ask the members of staff at Edinburgh Castle for more information. However, there is NO 1 O'Clock gun on Sundays, Christmas Day or Good Friday.
6. It can be difficult to get around with small children
While I don't have small children, or any children for that matter, I did witness, while we were there, a lot of parent struggling with buggies over the steep walkways and cobbled paths. Pushchairs aren't the most practical choice when visiting Edinburgh Castle, so think about other alternatives to get your children from A-to-B while you're visiting.
7. Yes, there is a cafe - Redcoat Cafe
This is something that my husband loves to hear! He will be happy if he can find a cafe that serves coffee and cake and that's exactly what's available at Edinburgh Castle. If you're wanting to take it easy or are looking to spend your time there over lunchtime, then you can rest assured that there will be food and drink facilities available to wet your whistle and grab something to eat.
Chill out and take a load off in the Redcoat Cafe before heading back out to learn more Edinburgh and its incredible castle. The cafe is open daily from 9:30am-4pm, with hot food being served between 11:30am-3:30pm. They can also cater for children and have wines, beers and spirits available, too, alongside hot beverages and soft drinks.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments below whether you've been to Edinburgh Castle before, alongside anything else you think people should know about it before they go, and I'll see you all again soon with some brand new content!
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