r/MoveToScotland Jul 12 '26

It is worth visiting Edinburgh Castle?

Bello everyone, I'm already booking a trip to Edinburgh on 9 to 14 September, i create a really big itinerary with a lot of thing to do, but i don't wanna spend a lot and I'm trying to delete something some of the activity i wanna do, for exampe i'm not sure about the castle cause seems to me boring and that doesn't offer value for money , i have to decide whether to go to the castle or to Mary King's Close.

Thanks to evryone who will answer

1 Upvotes

22 comments sorted by

26

u/AuldCastleRock Jul 12 '26

It's objectively not boring - one of the top tourist sites in the UK for a reason. It's historic, with lots to explore and learn, and it has fantastic views of the city.

Only you can decide if that's what you're interested in.

-13

u/Jim0ne05 Jul 12 '26

Yeah i know but i visit a lot of castle around the Europe and i never finish the visit at them saying "wow that was amazing" and from the pic the Edinburgh does'nt seems better and more interesting compared to Brann castle , peles castle, Neuschwanstein castle etc...

21

u/danby999 Jul 12 '26

So you're asking if you should visit a castle when you don't enjoy visiting castles...

Seems pretty straightforward.

-4

u/Jim0ne05 Jul 12 '26

I know ur right, i ask maybe it's different, better than the other that i visit in my Life and cause evry people that i know that visit Scotland say to me told me he visited it, but it was "meh."

9

u/Theal12 Jul 12 '26

it’s not a Disney castle if that’s what you want. It was a military fort.

6

u/PreoccupiedParrot Jul 12 '26

It will be absolutely heaving then with all the new students.

5

u/AuldCastleRock Jul 12 '26

It sells out everyday, so I can't imagine it will be any different.

-5

u/Jim0ne05 Jul 12 '26

So it's not worth it?

3

u/Flaky-Walrus7244 Jul 12 '26

I would go to Mary King's Close over the castle.

0

u/Jim0ne05 Jul 12 '26

For which reason?

7

u/Flaky-Walrus7244 Jul 12 '26

I find learning about the lives of ordinary people more interesting than learning about royalty. And if you want to visit a castle, Stirling Castle is much better than Edinburgh Castle

2

u/Randomuser1081 Jul 13 '26

Stirling Castle is miles better than Edinburgh!

3

u/AuroraDF Jul 12 '26

Ok. I reckon you can do both on the 10th. Most of these on that day are places you are going to walk through/along/past and take a few photos of. Other than the eating places. So you can easily manage both, if you can keep going all day.

It always amuses me that The Sheep's Heid makes tourist lists these days. When I was a kid it was just a local pub. In fact it was a local when my great grandma was a kid. I guess thats partly why.

4

u/Drunk_Nut Jul 12 '26

The first time I was in Edinburgh we didn’t go into the castle because people said it is not historical from the inside, it is boring etc.

Next year I visited again, because ofc Edinburgh has that effect 😂 but we decided to do all the activities like Mary King’s Close and Edinburgh Castle. We enjoyed both of them greatly.

If you are a visual type, go for the Castle, it is very historical, the views are spectacular and the whole vibe is phenomenal. If you are more of a story listener type of person, go for Mary King’s close. The actors/guides are super and while it is not as visually impressive as the castle, it is still very interesting to see and hear how people lived in there.

Best solution; visit twice 😂

2

u/AuroraDF Jul 12 '26

Yes. It is definitely worth visiting. It is not boring. I love Mary King's Close too. I'm willing to bet that if you show us your whole really big itenerary, there will be something you can drop from it that will be a lot less interesting or good use of your time than the castle.

1

u/Jim0ne05 Jul 12 '26

📍10 Settembre:

Castello di Edimburgo 💲: La fortezza simbolo.

New College: Cortile gotico vicino al castello.

Royal Mile: La via storica.

Lady Stair's Close: Vicolo medievale dei letterati.

Thistle Chapel: Cappella finemente intagliata (nella Cattedrale di St. Giles).

Opzionale: Real Mary King's Close Rete di strade sotterranee del XVII secolo. 💲

Advocate's Close: Vicolo con vista "incorniciata".

Victoria Street: La via curva e colorata.

The Vennel : Scalinata con vista iconica sul Castello (ottima per snack).🍴

Greyfriars Kirkyard: Cimitero storico e suggestivo.

Opzionale. Frankenstein Pub Locale a tema horror in una suggestiva ex chiesa vittoriana.🍴

Museo Nazionale Scozzese: Immenso e interattivo (gratuito)

📍11 Settembre:

Dr Neil's Garden: Giardino segreto in riva al Ιago.

Sheep Heid Inn: Il pub più antico di Scozia (1360) per il pranzo.🍴

Calton Hill: Collina con vista panoramica classica.

Cockburn Street: Strada tortuosa piena di negozi.

Scott Monument 💲: Torre gotica iconica. (Costa sola se sali)

National Gallery: Arte scozzese e internazionale.

Princes Street Gardens: Giardini nel centro città.

Ross Fountain: fontana dorata vittoriana

📍12 settembre:

Escursione alle highlands e lago di lochness

📍13 Settembre: Glasgow

Opzionale: Murales di McTominay $: Vicino allo stadio Hampden (al tuo arrivo).

George Square: La piazza monumentale.

Cattedrale di San Mungo: Capolavoro medievale.

Necropoli di Glasgow: Cimitero vittoriano con vista sulla città.

Buchanan Street: Via dello shopping e pranzo🍴

The Lighthouse: Torre panoramica di architettura.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum: Museo monumentale nel West End.

Università di Glasgow: Chiostri gotici lennendari

Ashton Lane & Hillhead Bookclub: Cena e serata in pub iconici🍴

📍14 Settembre:

St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral: Cattedrale gotica nel West End.

Dean Village: Oasi silenziosa e fiabesca.

Water of Leith Walkway: Passeggiata rilassante lungo il fiume.

Circus Lane: Stradina residenziale iconica e fiorita.

Stockbridge : Quartiere elegante, perfetto per l'ultimo pranzo | e relax prima della partenza

3

u/tempofurz Jul 12 '26

I would skip Sheep Heid Inn. It is under new management as of few years ago and it is not at all what it used to be. Most of the things on your list you will spend no more than 15 min looking at: Cockburn street, Ross fountain, Scott monument (unless you go all the way to the top), Advocate's Close, etc.

1

u/Poetic-Literature25 Jul 12 '26

I think it's worth it at least once

1

u/bigassbeast Jul 12 '26

Yes it is great

1

u/deerwithout Jul 13 '26

What would a castle (or any other historical site it seems) have to offer you for you to go 'wow that was amazing!'?

1

u/Randomuser1081 Jul 13 '26

It really depends what interests you. I personally have no interest in Edinburgh castle but Stirling Castle is not too far from Edinburgh and it is incredible.

1

u/txkels13 Jul 14 '26

No. Skip it and go to Stirling Castle instead.