Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is known for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Castle and haberdasheries, such as Stewart Christie & Co., where tourists and locals alike go to purchase their woolen clothes and tartans.

A great visit for history buffs, Edinburgh has a multitude of historical landmarks and museums, all within walking distance of one another.

Starting a day at the Greyfriars Kirk Church is a great way to kick off a historical tour of the city. The church is where the National Covenant was signed in 1638 and was a key location in the struggle between the Scottish Catholics and Protestants during the Scottish Reformation in 1560.  

A short walk away from Greyfriars Kirk is Edinburgh Castle, which provides great views of the city as well as small museums within the castle walls. 

Tickets need to be purchased in advance online and paper tickets will be collected at a booth before the main gate.

Within the castle are several museums, including the Prisons of War Exhibition, Military Prison, Royal Scots Museum, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum, National War Museum, The Great Hall and The Honours of Scotland.

There is also “The One O’Clock Gun,” where visitors can see a 105mm field gun fire from the castle wall at 1 p.m., according to the Edinburgh Castle website.

At the bottom of Edinburgh Castle begins a street known as the Royal Mile where visitors can find an assortment of gift shops, pubs and tartan shops. Open to visitors all week and along the Royal mile is St Giles’ Cathedral, where the leader of the Scottish Reformation, John Knox preached.

Along the way is a small museum called The People’s Story Museum, which focuses on the history of working people in Edinburgh.

As you walk up the floors of the museum, you see the conditions people lived in throughout history and at the very top, there is a short documentary on how the museum obtained all  their information.

For a more artistic view of the city, a visit to Edinburgh’s many national galleries should be at the top of the list. The national galleries are divided into the National, Modern One, Modern Two and Portrait.

The National and Portrait galleries are both in the city center and the two modern museums are around two miles from the city center, with Modern Two being closed until April 2.

From grand castles to small specialty museums, Edinburgh is a dynamic city with many ways to make a memorable stay.