The walls of the castle have been here since Roman times, and the keep since the Norman invasion of the 11th century. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to explore here. The truly unique thing about this castle is the more recent improvements to the castle residence structure. During the 1800's the Bute family of Scotland owned the castle and made many rather extravagant modifications to the castle. The result is a mind-boggling and eccentric display. The clock tower in particular is unbelievable.

The only way to tour the residence is with a walking tour. You would not want to try to visit this place without a guide anyway because there is so much that needs a really good explanation. The rest of the castle can be explored on your own.

As you walk up the circular staircase taking you to each level of the clock tower you'll notice a few blocks of marble situated in the wall just before you reach the top floor - The Summer Smoking Room. On very bright and sunny day, just as the sun is shining through the windows of The Summer Smoking room, a beam of light will hit the other side of the marble blocks and light up the staircase inside.

Also it is available to visit the "Honours of the Kingdom" exhibition showing the Scottish Crown Jewels, The Stone of Destiny and Saint Margaret’s Chapel, one of the oldest chapels in Edinburgh. St. Margaret's Chapel is a tiny Norman building which has been standing there intact for more than 900 years.

It has survived all the sieges and bombardments to which the fortress on the rock was subjected during that period. On several occasions the castle was razed - but the demolishers invariably spared the chapel of the good St Margaret because of its religious significance.