CATEGORY · A HUDDLEPIN LIST
Castles, Historic Houses & Heritage in Edinburgh
Castles, Historic Houses & Heritage in Edinburgh: every place written up honestly, with the details parents actually need.
18 places 2 upcoming events 5 free to visit
What's on: castles, historic houses & heritage
Places for castles, historic houses & heritage
from £4.50Aberdour Castle and Gardens
Burntisland
A part-ruined, part-roofed medieval castle to explore, with terraced gardens and a walled garden alongside.
Bike parkingDog friendlyGift shopParking+3 more
from £5Arniston House
Gorebridge · up to age 18
A guided tour round a stately home near Gorebridge, with Raeburn paintings, stucco ceilings and 6,000 acres of grounds to wander after.
Group bookings
Balvaird Castle
Cupar
Climb one of Scotland's only two Irish-style round towers, then poke round the courtyard ruins below.
Booking required
FreeBurleigh Castle
Kinross
A free ruined tower house you can wander round for half an hour, open April to September only.
from £4.50Castle Campbell
Dollar
A ridge-top ruin above Dollar Glen where kids scramble along a walkway between two ravines and take in views from the grass terrace.
Dog friendlyGift shopParkingPicnic area+1 more
FreeCastlelaw Hill Fort
Penicuik
Free ramble round the ditches and ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort cut into the hillside.
FreeCorstorphine Dovecot
Edinburgh
A round stone dovecot you view from the outside, free to see and done in a few minutes.
from £4.50Craigmillar Castle
Edinburgh · ages 7-15
A ruined tower house south of the city where kids climb five levels of narrow stairs to see over Edinburgh.
ToiletsCaféGift shopParking
from £14Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh
Crown Jewels, the Great Hall and the castle vaults up on the hilltop, with at least two hours of walking to see it all.
Bike parkingBooking requiredGift shop
FreeHailes Castle
East Linton
A free ruined riverside castle where kids can duck into old cellars and wander the east range above the Tyne.
from £1.50John Knox House
Edinburgh · ages 7+
A wonky old High Street house turned trail of Scottish tales, from Greyfriars Bobby to the Gruffalo, with free art on the side.
ToiletsGift shop
from £6Kinneil House
Bo'ness
A guided tour through 2,000 years of history, Roman times to the Industrial Revolution, with free grounds to wander outside.
Booking required
Lennoxlove House
Haddington
Guided tours through a historic house packed with paintings and antiques, plus grounds with White Park Cattle to spot on the way out.
Booking required
from £6Lochleven Castle
Kinross · ages 7-15
A boat ride out to a ruined island castle, with towers and old stairs to explore once you land.
Baby changeBooking requiredGift shopParking+3 more
from £14One O’Clock Gun
Edinburgh
Crown Jewels, the Great Hall and a daily cannon blast at 1pm, all up a very steep hill in the middle of Edinburgh.
Bike parkingBooking requiredGift shopFood on site+3 more
FreeRavenscraig Castle
Kirkcaldy
Free medieval ruins by the sea to walk round, though you can't get inside and there are stairs and slopes to manage.
Free parking
from £16.50Thirlestane Castle
Lauder · ages 0-5
A guided tour through 400 years of history, a small playground for under-fives, and afternoon tea in a Victorian kitchen.
Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingBooking required+8 more
from £5Traquair House
Innerleithen
A rambling old house with a maze, willow tunnels and pygmy goats to hunt down in the grounds.
Accessible toiletBirthday partiesCaféDog friendly+6 more
Good to know: castles, historic houses & heritage in Edinburgh
Are any of them free?
Yes, Burleigh Castle, Castlelaw Hill Fort, Corstorphine Dovecot, Hailes Castle and 1 more are free to visit.
What does a paid visit cost?
Paid entry starts from £1.50 at John Knox House. Prices, ages and facilities are listed on every place page, taken from each venue's own published price list.
Which ones are indoor?
John Knox House is indoor, good to keep up your sleeve for a rainy day.
Whereabouts are they?
You'll find castles, historic houses & heritage in Burntisland, Gorebridge, Cupar, Kinross, Dollar and 8 more. Every place we list is in or around Edinburgh, and each listing has the full address and directions.
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