Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is the classic city-break castle: a genuine military fortress on a volcanic crag, five minutes' walk from Waverley station at the top of the Royal Mile. Older children take to the drama of it — the Honours of Scotland (the crown jewels) and the Stone of Destiny, the enormous medieval cannon Mons Meg, the wartime Prisons of War and, at 1pm Monday to Saturday, the startling One O'Clock Gun. There is little in the way of dedicated play, and the cobbled esplanade and steep approach are hard work with a buggy, so it suits school-age children rather than toddlers. Adult admission is around £21.50 online, with family tickets bringing the per-head cost down and under-5s free. It uses timed entry and summer slots sell out days ahead, so book early and combine it with the rest of the Old Town.