Online booking opens today for Edinburgh Castle as Historic Environment Scotland (HES) prepares to open the doors to more than 20 ticketed sites this month.
Tickets are now available for sites across the country. The historic sites will reopen on Friday 30 April following the Scottish Government’s proposed dates for the reopening of the tourism sector.
New technology is also being implemented as part of HES’s new visitor offering. Visitors will be able to explore the stories of many of the sites in innovative ways through downloadable maps, family trails, quizzes and quests, music.
Visitors will also be able to access audio tours on their mobile phones during their visit, following the launch of a new web app audio tour last autumn at Edinburgh Castle.
Visitors will be able to enjoy both outdoor and indoor spaces within Edinburgh Castle such as the Great Hall, the Palace Apartments, the Laich Hall, St Margaret’s Chapel and the Prisons of War Vaults.
Although, Some indoor spaces, where social distancing can’t be easily maintained, will remain closed.
All visitors, including members, will be required to pre-book tickets online and to use contactless payment where possible. With one-way systems will be implemented in some locations.
Visitors must wear face coverings in any indoor spaces including retail and catering areas; and numbers will be limited for safety reasons.
Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES, said:
“Scotland’s heritage sector is a key part of our tourism offer – from providing jobs to increasing our wellbeing – and, in addition to reopening the sites that reopened last year, we will also reopen further sites across the country on a phased basis over the upcoming months.”
From Friday 30 April, Edinburgh Castle will be open daily from 9.30am – 5pm. Tickets must be booked online in advance and can be purchased from the HES website.
