Begin your tour at the Royal Mile and head up its cobbled streets towards Edinburgh Castle and its esplanade, boasting stunning views over the city’s New Town. Pass through the impressive town wall and learn how, as the city of Edinburgh gained importance in the history of Scotland, its castle expanded and was witness to key events in the history of the United Kingdom.

Scotland’s most visited attraction, Edinburgh Castle, is where the country’s history was written. From the Celts and the Romans to Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, and the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, they all played crucial parts over the course of its history. What’s more, the Honours of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny can also be found behind its walls, along with the National War Museum, which recounts the story of the British military.

The castle stands upon an extinct volcano and it was in 900 AD that life began to grow around it. From 600 AD onwards, its first fortress was built. After wood came stone, and after stone a refuge for kings and the main target for the English. It was after the last Jacobite Siege, in 1745, that this fortress laid down its defenses as the city’s stronghold and became a national symbol, which today welcomes more than one million visitors every year.

Marvel at its history with full explanations in English by your tour guide, before you explore the museums and prisons within its walls.