With a castle that is perched on top of a volcano - thankfully extinct - Edinburgh certainly catches the eye in several different ways. Kids of all ages will love what the city has to offer, but there are some places that are definitely worth making a beeline for.

Edinburgh Castle is a must see no matter what age you are - and the kids will love running around and peering over the walls and down on the city below. Many people refer to the castle as a stronghold, and if you stand below it and look up at the rock from the Grassmarket in Edinburgh, you will see why this term is so apt.

The children will no doubt love seeing the Honours of Scotland too. These are the crown jewels - the crown of which dates back from 1540. The sight of this and the sceptre and sword takes the breath away of every visitor who sees them.

On a more modern tangent, you can take the kids to Edinburgh Zoo during your stay as well. The zoo is very easy to reach as it is on Corstophine Road. This leads out from the city itself and there are plenty of buses going past it that travel from the city centre.

There is plenty to do here, but the Hilltop Safari must surely be one of the highlights. You can also wander round and see monkeys, birds and many other animals up close. It is a sure way to keep the kids occupied! And before you visit you can try out the Penguin Cam on their website too.

Museums aren't the first places you think of when it comes to finding good places for the children to go to. But the Museum of Childhood must surely rank as an exception. This is wonderful for kids of all ages, and since it is free to go in it won't cost a fortune either. It takes a look at children and their toys as they have developed over the years, looking back decades in the process.

Today's kids will be amazed at how different things were in times gone by, and their parents will surely remember many of the exhibits from personal experience!

But perhaps the most amazing place to visit of all is the Camera Obscura on the Royal Mile. It's not far from the castle, and it holds plenty of delights, visual tricks and amazing images to keep everyone amused.

You can stay very close to all these attractions as well. There are lots of Edinburgh hotels that are within easy reach of all these locations and many more besides. So however many kids you have with you, they won't have far to go by the time the day is over.