Thinking about taking your next vacation to the United Kingdom? Checking out the Royal Mile in Scotland is a must! The Royal Mile is part of Edinburgh’s historic old town and allows visitors to explore and understand more about Scotland’s history, including Edinburgh Castle.
The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is believed to be Edinburgh’s oldest street. There’s definitely plenty to explore on this historic street, as there are at least 40 different historic places to discover while walking down this famous Royal Mile. The first stop on the Mile is the Edinburgh Castle, one of the more popular sites visitors come to see, which is available to discover any time during the year.
Edinburgh Castle
The Edinburgh Castle is considered to be one of the most interesting and fascinating historic sites in Western Europe. As the name implies, it’s located in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. While the castle itself is something truly to behold, there are also other things to see and do, allowing visitors the full castle experience. You can choose to explore the castle on your own, follow an itinerary or choose a guide to take you through the castle while listening to them explain the history of this famous castle.
Many visitors choose to take the guided tours, which is a popular option because they get to hear stories from guides who make the castle’s history come to life. Audio guides are also available for those who would rather explore on their own, yet still want to learn. There are about seven different types of itineraries in place, of which all focus on different aspects of the castle. These itineraries range in time from 1 hour to 3 hours.
Highlights of Edinburgh Castle
- The Great Hall
- The Royal Palace
- The Stone of Destiny
- A Fight For The Castle Exhibition
- The Crown Room, which includes the Honours of Scotland
- St Margaret’s Chapel
- Moons Meg
- One O/Clock Gun
- Half Moon Battery
- National War Museum
- Prisons of War
- Scottish National War Memorial
- Regimental Museums
A Few Interesting Facts!
The Edinburgh Castle was built on top of an extinct volcano, the main reason why defenders of the Castle were so successful. Scotland held many witch trials in the past, which means witches were often burned at the stake right outside the Castle walls. This is part of the reason why it’s believed that the Castle is haunted. The Scottish crown jewels were once placed in a chest and stored, which wasn’t found for about 100 years. Once found, they were put on display, ensuring that they will never be misplaced again.
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