Top 14 Edinburgh Castle Tours

1.Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,540 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $51Our pick

Meet near St Giles’ Cathedral and walk to Edinburgh Castle with a guide such as Joe, Raj, Sonia, or Valeria. The 90-minute tour takes place outdoors within the castle walls, covering royal stories, the Great Hall, and major viewpoints. Afterward, explore the palace, museums, prisons, and other buildings at your own pace.

“The tour itself is all outdoors, so bundle up accordingly. After the official tour you are able to go inside the various buildings, which is very cool. Our tour guide was extremely informative and entertaining. We loved it!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,214 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $52

Meet Little Fish Tours near Adam Smith’s statue on the Royal Mile, walk to Edinburgh Castle with an English-speaking guide, and hear stories about its rulers, dungeons, Crown Jewels, and unusual characters. Your guide leads you through the castle grounds for about 90 minutes, then you explore the buildings alone. Guides may include Koffe, Steph, Greg, Graeme, Euan, or Ben.

“Greg was a wonderful guide. He was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. I would recommend this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle – Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,523 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $70

Follow Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with guides such as Craig, Linda, Nicola, or Marina, hearing stories in closes, courtyards, and old tenements before entering Edinburgh Castle. The group can reach 18 people, and the tour includes a 45-minute castle introduction when the castle option is selected, followed by free time inside.

“Craig did an amazing job of explaining the history and context of the Royal Mile. Although we are both over 80, we were able to get to the castle because Craig set a pace that we could keep up. Craig is both personable and knowledgeable. We highly recommend him as a guide.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour – Tickets Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,211 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $51

Meet near St. Giles’ Cathedral for a 90-minute guided walk to Edinburgh Castle. Guides such as James, David, and Laura bring the fortress to life with stories of monarchs, attacks, and Scottish politics. Your guide covers the outdoor grounds, then you explore the Crown Jewels, war memorial, chapel, museums, and other interiors at your own pace.

“Fantastic with David, we explored a lot, through a blend of knowledge and humour. Great fun, enjoyed thoroughly”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour – Ticket Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 894 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $65

Start beneath the blue umbrella on the Royal Mile for a guided walk through closes, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Victoria Street, and the Grassmarket. Guides such as Paul, Mark, James, Zenon, and Alistair bring Scottish history to life before leading you into Edinburgh Castle. The tour ends inside the castle, where you can explore on your own.

“This is an informative moderately paced walk highlighting key sites along the Royal Mile. The guide was very knowledgeably and overall we enjoyed the tour. At times it was hard to hear because of the noise and congestion on the Mile but this is to be expected. We had a few challenges that could improve the experience. Ensuring that everyone had castle tickets as we entered the castle area and started hearing about the history instead of at the time we were ready to enter the ticketed area would have saved a significant delay. Also, the guide should be more attentive to make sure the group is together at a…”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Edinburgh Castle Highlights Tour with Tickets, Map, and Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 362 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $58

Meet your English-speaking guide by the David Hume Statue on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, then walk into Edinburgh Castle for a 90-minute introduction to its defenses, chapel, prisoners, royal apartments, and Crown Jewels. Guides including John, Charlotte, and Sara bring the stories to life, and you can stay inside to explore after the tour.

“Charlotte was a wonderful tour guide. Informative, energetic, well versed on the history of the castle.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Harry Potter Tour & Edinburgh Castle Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 340 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $102

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town with guides such as Jackson, Hazel, Kirsty, Paul, and Robert, tracing J.K. Rowling’s inspirations from Greyfriars Cemetery to Victoria Street. The two-hour walk ends with a self-guided Edinburgh Castle visit, including the Crown Jewels, Stone of Destiny, and National War Museum.

“Great time with Paul today learning about Harry Potter and the inspo for the books. Even as a muggle , I enjoyed it very much”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Small Group Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

Spend about three hours walking Edinburgh’s Old Town with a guide such as John, Sonia, or Charlotte, then enter Edinburgh Castle for a focused 50-minute visit. Expect religious history, graveyards, filming locations, castle views, stairs, and practical tips for food and further sightseeing. Groups are capped at 15.

“Minimal amount of sights were covered, a lot of pauses, lengthy pauses with a long historical synopsis provided. The guide must have received an award for the greatest number of words said in a moments time. It reached a point that she had to be tuned out. Oh well, her words were probably most interesting, important and relevant, but the rapid dialogue prevented oral dissimilation.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Private 4h Walking Tour in Edinburgh with Edinburgh Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $300

Take a private English-language walk through Edinburgh with guides such as Mike, Marti, Ross, Susan, or Annette. Begin near Waterloo Place, visit Calton Hill, Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, St Giles’ Cathedral, and City Chambers, then enter Edinburgh Castle with timed admission. The tour lasts about three hours and ends at the castle.

“Great tour of all the major sites. Our guide Marty was personable and friendly. Being a local he not only knew the "official story" he offered additional insight to fill in some of the blanks between the lines.Marty also shared some great advice that help us odd the beaten path. Great way to start our vacation!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.A life less narrow, the Genius of Harry Potter & Edinburgh Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Join local guide Sam for a private, roughly six-hour walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town, built mainly around JK Rowling’s life and creative world, with Potter references along the way. Visit the National Museum of Scotland and Old Parliament Hall, then receive a short Edinburgh Castle tour before exploring on your own. Castle entry costs £20 per person.

“Sam's Harry Potter Tour was a lot of fun for our family. We were able to see parts of Edinburgh that we likely wouldn't have explored on our own. He kept the kids engaged throughout the tour. The only critique is that Sam speaks really quickly so keeping up what he's saying while noisy vehicles are passing can be difficult at times. Overall, very knowledgeable and interesting tour. We definitely learned a lot!”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Private Edinburgh Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $323

Explore Edinburgh Castle privately for about three hours, with admission arranged in advance and a local guide such as Andy leading the way. Meet at a central hotel or on the Royal Mile, walk to the castle, and see St. Margaret’s Chapel, the Great Hall, Mons Meg, battlements, and the Scottish National War Memorial at your own pace.

“It was great to have a private tour but our guide could have been better prepared and just talked too much. He met us at our hotel at 9:15 am and we got back to our hotel (he walked and talked the whole time) at 2:05 pm…almost 5 hours! We only wanted 3 hours for a reason. So it just got to be frustrating although we were very nice and patient.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Private Walking Tour: Edinburgh Highlights, including entry to Edinburgh Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $327

Spend about four hours with a private English-speaking Blue Badge guide exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town, from The Hub and Edinburgh Castle to Greyfriars, Holyroodhouse, and Arthur’s Seat. Guides such as Sarah, Izabela, Kristine, David, and Federica tailor the pace to your interests. Castle admission is included, while other interiors are generally viewed from outside.

“Unfortunately the day we arrived it was cold and rainy. Our guide however, did not let that stop her from being wonderful. We aborted the tour after seeing the castle, but she was completely willing to find alternative activities. Wish the weather would have been better but would recommend this tour for sure”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Private Full-Day Walking Tour in Edinburgh with Edinburgh Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $430

Spend about seven hours walking Edinburgh with a private guide, from the Royal Mile and Calton Hill to the New Town, Grassmarket, Victoria Street, and Edinburgh Castle. Guides such as Andy, Susan, Paul, Rafal, Fraser, and Martin are praised for adapting the day to interests, weather, and crowds. Lunch and transport are extra.

“We had such a great day with Susan. We were a family of five - my wife and I, our 2 adult children, and mother-in-law. Susan really spent time talking to us to determine our specific interests and pointed out those highlights. LOVED IT! Susan was so informative and made Edinburgh come to life. It was our first full day and perfect to orient ourselves. Wish she could have been our guide throughout Scotland! Highly recommend! Thank you Susan!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh Castle with Skip-the-Line

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $765

Follow a private English-speaking guide from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile into Edinburgh Castle. Over about two hours, you’ll see the National War Museum, St. Margaret’s Chapel, the Crown Jewels, cannons, and Castle Terrace. Skip-the-line access helps you spend more time inside this sprawling fortress, though the high price suits visitors who value privacy and focused guidance.

“The Edinburgh Castle is a sprawling, multi-layered complex with various buildings and pathways and this guided tour expertly navigates through the most significant areas, ensuring that the key highlights are not missed. An ideal way to experience one of Scotland's most iconic landmarks.”

Check availability →Read our full review