9 Royal Mile Tours in Edinburgh to Build a Trip Around

1.Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,596 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48Our pick

Spend about three hours walking from Usher Hall through Edinburgh Castle viewpoints, Grassmarket, the Royal Mile, St Giles’ Cathedral, and Old Town closes before ending by the Scott Monument. A professional English-speaking guide leads a maximum of 12 people, with guides such as Fiona, Craig, David, Alison, Douglas, and Stuart Usher.

“Thoroughly interesting and well-presented tour given by Mr. Usher himself. Witty, thoughtful, and a gifted story-teller, Mr. Usher walks the 3 hours around the uneven terrain that is Edinburgh without missing a beat.”

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2.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.”

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3.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…”

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4.Private Royal Mile walking tour – Discover the history of our most famous street

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Follow Edinburgh’s Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle with a private local guide, often Robert. Hear stories of Mary, Queen of Scots, Prince Charles Edward Stewart, royal proclamations, murders, and civil wars. The route can be adjusted to your interests, but castle and palace admission are not included.

“Robert was very pleasant to correspond with to personalize the tour and very generous with his time when we were late, going overtime to deliver us a great overview of significant events and historical happenings in the Royal Mile area. We are travelling with some senior members of the family and his tempo was perfect. Great intimate tour - unreservedly recommend.”

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5.Edinburgh City Walking Tour, Discover Old Town, Royal Mile with a Local Expert!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $65

Join local guide Rishi at Camera Obscura for a roughly two-hour walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town and along the Royal Mile. You’ll see famous sights, narrow alleys, hidden medieval details, old street levels, city-wall traces, and Harry Potter-related spots before finishing near the Scottish Parliament. Kids under 12 join free.

“Richi was a great tour guide, would highly recommend. He certainly knows his stuff! Went over the 2 hours because he had so much to tell us.”

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6.Royal Mile, Edinburgh Walking Tour with Audioguide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $7Best value

Follow a self-guided route from Holyrood Abbey to Edinburgh Castle using a smartphone app with 23 historian-written recordings, illustrations, and offline GPS maps. Pause at any time, revisit sections for a year, and explore at your own pace. Bring your own phone and headphones. There is no human guide.

“Good tour, able to take in your own pace/terms. Easy to follow and understand, worth doing if you want a flexible tour.”

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7.Private Royal Mile Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Walk Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with a private English-speaking guide for 2.5 hours, from Holyrood Abbey to Edinburgh Castle. You’ll see palace and parliament exteriors, Canongate Kirkyard, old buildings, tucked-away mansions, and sites tied to royal drama, punishment, and public life. It is a history-focused overview, not an inside tour.

“A tremendous tour with a true professional and very personable guide who was extremely well versed in the history of Edinburgh. Entertaining us throughout the tour, she kept us mesmerized with people-related anecdotes that gave life to the history while simultaneously educating us. We were completely enthralled with the entire presentation and would recommend it as a must do in Edinburgh.”

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8.Curious Tales of the Royal Mile – Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $130

Join Edinburgh native and local doctor Moray Grigor for a private 4 to 5-hour walk from Castlehill to Canongate Kirk. Expect odd legal cases, rebellious pets, political feuds, church scandals, and tales tucked into the Royal Mile’s closes and back courts. The pace can suit your group, and an optional refreshment stop is available.

“Our guide, Moray, was just wonderful. He was so friendly and fun and full of wonderful stories about the many unseen closes in Edinburgh along the Royal Mile. We learned so much history about the City of Edinburgh, and many of its famouRead more”

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9.Highlights from the Royal Mile: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $19

Follow a self-guided VoiceMap audio walk from the Witches Well beside Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse. In about an hour, hear stories of witch burnings, Deacon Brodie, John Knox, Mary Queen of Scots, brutal punishments, and old Royal Mile landmarks. You’ll need your own smartphone and headphones, but you can stop, shop, and explore on your schedule.

“We loved the ability to set the pace and enjoy stopping to shop or take in scenery. Loved hearing all of the history”

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