Castle of Light

Tickets can be purchased online in advance at www.castleoflight.scot. Tickets will not be available to purchase in person at the castle. Without tickets or other relevant proof of purchase you will not be permitted access to the event.

All tickets must be booked online in advance. Entry will be managed by timeslots each with capacity limits. Once these are full, we will not be able to accommodate additional visitors.  

No, all tickets must be booked online in advance. 

Yes, members receive a discount across all ticket categories. Please select the ‘Buy Historic Scotland Member tickets’ button on the website. Member discounted tickets should only be bought for valid members.  If you are attending with non-members, then a full price ticket should be purchased for them.  Membership cards will be checked on the night against tickets purchased.

A valid membership card is required when you attend the event so you must be a member when the event is occurring. Membership cards will be checked on arrival at the event.

Life members are entitled to bring an additional 2 adults; or 6 children; or 1 adult and 3 children per membership card, when visiting our sites. This is extended to the discount for this event. You should purchase discounted member tickets for the guests that are included within your guest allowance.  Membership cards will be checked on the night against tickets purchased.

Yes, non-member tickets can be booked alongside member tickets, in the same transaction. Please visit castleoflight.scot to book your tickets. A valid membership card is required for members tickets, membership cards will be checked on arrival at the event.  

No, the discount you receive only applies to regular day tickets and not to the Castle of Light.

There is no group discount for this event. Regular admission rates apply. 

We recognise that some visitors require extra assistance and therefore we offer free entry to carers accompanying visitors with disabilities. No ID will be required. Advanced booking is required. Up to 2 carer tickets can be added per booking online. 

When purchasing tickets, you will be given two delivery options: e-tickets or collect on arrival. For e-tickets, you can either add to your Apple Wallet or print. For collect on arrival, you can collect your tickets at the Prepaid Ticket Collection machines on the castle esplanade using your order confirmation number.

No, we are unable to post tickets. Tickets can either be emailed to you or collected on the evening. 

No, your email confirmation should arrive shortly after booking. If you have not received this, please check your junk folder in the first instance. If you have not received this, please contact castleoflight@hes.scot with details of your booking and they will investigate and get back to you as soon as possible. 

If the web page is not displaying correctly, we advise you to clear the cache/cookies on your browser then close the browser and reopen it. The ticketing page should now load correctly. 

The time on your ticket is the 15-minute arrival slot you have chosen. Please arrive within your allocated timeslot.

No, please arrive only within your allocated 15-minute timeslot.  

No, the Castle of Light is a separate event and tickets for this event would need to be purchased separately. 

Yes, you will need to leave the castle before entering for Castle of Light in the evening. This is so that only ticket holders for Castle of Light have entry and it allows the team to set up for the evening ahead. 

If you cannot find the email confirmation, please email castleoflight@hes.scot with your booking details. 

Yes. If when booking your ticket you have selected ‘e-tickets’ as the delivery option, then you will be able to show your tickets on your phone when you arrive at the castle. 

Due to the volume of enquiries we receive we are unable to operate a waiting list. If we receive any returned tickets these will immediately go back onto our website for purchasing therefore we recommend checking back on the website on occasion. 

In the event of severe weather, such as strong winds or snow, the event may be cancelled. Please see below for more information if the event has been cancelled.

No refunds will be offered if the weather is inclement (such as rain) but Castle of Light can go ahead - this is an outdoor, all-weather event. Tickets cannot be rearranged in the event of inclement weather.

The castle will close and Castle of Light will be cancelled for the evening if the weather presents a hazard and a risk to visitors, such as high winds or snow. We recommend that you check the HES website for closures and our social media channels from 1pm on the day you have booked Castle of Light tickets for, especially if severe weather is forecast, as a closure notice will be posted here first. 

Customers will be notified with as much notice and information as possible via email on the day of the event if it is cancelled. An email will be sent to the email address used to book the tickets with details on the re-booking process. We may also send an SMS text message (if you have provided us with a valid mobile phone number). It is the responsibility of ticket holders to check their emails and/or texts before arriving at the Castle of Light to check for any updates. Please ensure the email and mobile number entered at the time of booking is correct.

All tickets purchased are non-refundable as per our terms and conditions however if tickets are available for different dates then we can alter your existing booking.

Please contact castleoflight@hes.scot with your booking details or complete the ticket amendment form found on your confirmation email. 

If we have availability then yes we can alter the date of your tickets, please contact castleoflight@hes.scot with your booking details or complete the ticket amendment form found on your confirmation email. 

There are no parking facilities available at the castle with the exception of blue badge disabled parking. Castle of Light customers should make use of the public parking facilities in Edinburgh including the nearby NCP Castle Terrace Carpark. 

The nearest location suitable for drop off is at the Hub Roundabout which will then require a 2-minute walk uphill to the entrance. 

There are a small number of parking spaces available for ticket holders with accessibility requirements on the Castle esplanade, these will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If you would like to request a space please email ecadmissions@hes.scot Monday to Friday 9pm to 4pm.  

Castle of Light takes place outdoors and you may need to queue on busy days. Please wear appropriate  clothing and footwear for the time of year.   

Signage will direct you to the public toilets in:

• The ticketing area
• The Tea Rooms

All toilets are accessible to visitors with disabilities.

For ease of movement, visitor safety and general security, suitcases and large rucksacks over 30L are not permitted in the castle. Please note we are unable to store luggage, prams, pushchairs or other personal items for visitors.

Yes, however please be aware the route does include stairs, some uneven terrain and cobbles.  

No, dogs and other animals are not allowed at the Castle of Light. We do however allow assistance dogs. 

Yes, guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, assistance and emotional support dogs are all permitted. They must be accompanied by the appropriate harnesses and paperwork. Assistance dogs in training are also welcome.

The event can last as long as you like however we suggest that you allow 60 minutes to see everything in the trail. The event finishes at 9pm. 

The event includes timed entry slots from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. Last entry is between 7.30pm and 7.45pm. Please arrive during your allocated timeslot.

The castle must be clear of visitors for 9pm, last entry for the event is between 7.30pm and 7.45pm. We recommend allowing 60 minutes to experience the full spectacle however you can leave earlier/later if you wish.

There are no specific times that are solely for adults, however to assist with your planning, our later entry times are slightly less popular with families.

The route is open to the elements and there is low lighting in some areas. There will be comfort facilities and indoor spaces available, including our Redcoat Café and the Great Hall.

Castle of Light is suitable for all ages. Children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.

The event may have strobe lighting and there will be some fast moving lighting effects and images.

For any other general enquiries please email castleoflight@hes.scot

There will be food and drink available to purchase on the castle esplanade as well as inside the Redcoat Café as you follow the event route. 

You are only permitted to drink alcohol sold by our caterers once at Edinburgh Castle. Any alcohol brought onto the castle grounds will breach our licensing agreement and will be confiscated.

Both our Portcullis Gift Shop and our Whisky and Finest Foods shop will be open. Both will have an array of gifts to make the perfect present for your friends and family - or to treat yourself!

On Sunday 8 December, we will have some additional measures in place to make Castle of Light a fantastic experience for our visitors with additional access needs. We will be running a reduced capacity across all time slots on this evening making for a quieter event for all, and our staff will be given training in advance so they can better assist visitors with dementia.

On Sunday 8 December there will also be specified slots for BSL Interpretation and an Autism friendly time slot.

Please note the suggested route of the event does include stairs, some uneven terrain, cobbles and low lighting in some areas. However, there are alternative options available. Unfortunately, the Edinburgh Castle mobility vehicle will not be available at this event.

There are a limited number of manual wheelchairs available on a first come, first served basis.

Mobility scooters are welcome on site but please note there are cobbles and no charging facilities. The route has a slope of 5 degrees on average and 15 degrees at its steepest point.

All toilets are accessible to visitors with disabilities. 

There are a small number of parking spaces available for ticket holders with accessibility requirements on the Castle esplanade, these will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If you would like to request a space please email ecadmissions@hes.scot Monday to Friday 9pm to 4pm.  

There are a limited number of manual wheelchairs available on a first come, first served basis.

Yes we encourage visitors to take photos of the event and share the experience via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Remember to use #CastleOfLight.  

There are no shows that are solely for photographers/videographers. If you would like to film or photograph the event in a professional capacity please contact filming@hes.scot to start an application. Please note that we will not permit tripods or monopods and we ask that your proposal is respectful to other visitors.

We do not allow any drones to be used at the event.