Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until 1633. From the 15th century, the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining. The Palace has origins as a guest house for Holyrood Abbey, which it adjoins. The gardens of the palace are set within Holyrood Park. The Queen's Gallery was built at the western entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and opened in 2002 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.

Calton Hill is a volcanic hill rising beyond the eastern end of Princes Street. The hill boasts a collection of some of Edinburgh’s most important monuments and offers fantastic panoramic views of the city. In the 19th century, Edinburgh was envisioned as the ‘Athens of the North’ and Calton Hill was considered Edinburgh’s version of the Athenian Acropolis, complete with classical revival architecture.

Arthur's Seat's rocky summit towers over Edinburgh, with fabulous views in all directions, and the extensive parkland surrounding it is an oasis of calm as a retreat from the busy city.

High above Scotland’s once capital city, sits the impressive Stirling Castle. It has been an important fortification for Scotland in centuries gone by, and there are even some remaining parts of the castle from the 14th century present today. The castle has withstood eight sieges, many of which occurred during the Wars of Scottish Independence. With three steep sides surrounding the castle, it sits in a strong defensive position atop a crag overlooking the city of Stirling. Stirling is located in central Scotland, 26 miles north-east of Glasgow and 37 miles north-west of Edinburgh