As part of the celebrations for Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, thousands of free tickets - valid for the St Andrew’s Day weekend of Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 November - will be released online. Over 30 top visitor attractions across the length and breadth of the country will be opening their doors to offer people of all ages and interests the opportunity to explore the historic buildings that have helped shape Scotland’s story over the centuries.

Members of the public will have from 10am on Monday 6 November until 5pm on Friday 24 November to register online at www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk for free tickets to some of Scotland’s best-loved historic sites, including world-famous Edinburgh Castle, the remarkable Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae in Orkney and the graceful ruins of Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders.

There is no limit on the number of participating attractions visitors can apply to attend, but early online registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.

Stephen Duncan, Director of Commercial and Tourism at HES, said: “After another spectacular summer, where we welcomed record-breaking numbers of visitors to our attractions, I’m delighted to announce that 35 of our sites will be offering free admission as part of this year’s Ticket Giveaway.

“Our Ticket Giveaway offers visitors a fantastic opportunity to explore the country’s rich and vibrant history. We want to encourage communities to learn more about Scotland’s past, and exploring our sites is a great way to do this. If there’s a site on your doorstep that you haven’t visited before, now is the time!

“Many of our sites also play host to top class cafes and bespoke gift shops, making the perfect day out.

“Our Ticket Giveaway Weekend always proves to be very popular so we would encourage people to register online through our dedicated website as soon as possible.”

For a full list of participating sites and to apply for tickets, visit: www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk.