Scotland · WALKING TOURS IN EDINBURGH

15 Walking Tours in Edinburgh to Build a Trip Around

62 tours  ·  from $5

Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 walking tours in Edinburgh justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide over breakfast and get on with it.

Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town - How the South Bridge vaults set the scene
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Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town

1.Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,506 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33Our pick

Meet at 300 Lawnmarket for a guided walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town before entering the chilly vaults beneath South Bridge. Guides such as Josh, Louisa, James, and Kieran bring stories of poverty, crime, witchcraft, and ghost sightings to life. Expect uneven ground, tight spaces, steep steps, and roughly an hour in English.

“Very interesting learning about the history of the vaults. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, and made the tour interesting and fun.”

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Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket - Mary, Queen of Scots and the Great Hall
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Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

2.Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

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

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!”

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Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English - Entering the castle without waiting in the main line
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Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English

3.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.”

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Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends - Old Calton Burial Ground and Canongate Kirkyard
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Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends

4.Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,862 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $29

Follow a local guide from the Royal Mile through shadowed lanes, North Bridge, Calton Hill, and an Edinburgh cemetery. Expect real stories of murder, witch trials, body snatching, torture, and haunting, plus city views and a pub finish. Guides such as Niamh, G, Brian, James, and Charlie are known for lively storytelling, but the route can vary.

“If you're into gruesome history stories this tour is for you. We done it in the typical Scottish weather, heavy rain and wind and yet still had a great time. The tour guide was really funny and knowledgeable. You get to see the real edinburgh and hear stories you probably wouldn't usually hear. It's a fun tour and definitely worth the money.”

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Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh - What the vaults were used for
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Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

5.Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,183 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33

Meet your guide on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for a short walk to the underground vaults. Guides such as James, Louisa, Dom, Aimee, and Brendan mix city history, torture displays, ghost stories, and humor during this one-hour tour. Expect steep and narrow stairs, unsettling subjects, and a quick but memorable look beneath Edinburgh.

“This was a very disappointing experience. We showed up at the designated location and were unable to locate the tour. There were multiple other tours but none that was ours. After 15 minutes of asking multiple groups, we gave up and decided it was a lost cause and we would have to acknowledge we would have to give up what we paid. I consider it to be a total rip off. Never again.”

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Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh - The guide makes or breaks the experience
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Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

6.Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,168 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Spend about two hours exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town on foot with an English-speaking guide. You’ll see St Giles Cathedral, Mercat Cross, George Heriot School, and Edinburgh Castle from outside, while guides such as Max, Greg, Angus, Ben, and Jule add personal stories, humor, and food tips.

“We had the best tour with Alastair. He was very passionate about his city and told us stories to explain the history of old town, Edinburgh, and Scotland. Perfect introduction to Edinburgh!”

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The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh - Starting at Monkey Barrel Comedy
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The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh

7.The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,813 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $36

Join Scotsman and comedian Daniel Downie for a two-hour walking tour from Monkey Barrel Comedy through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Expect Scottish history, adult humor, city legends, Edinburgh Castle views, and stops at the Royal Mile, Grassmarket, and Greyfriars Kirkyard. Daniel’s dog Braan often joins the fun. The tour is for ages 16 and over.

“Daniel and Bran were excellent tour guides, but we were really feeling our age (75!) by the the! Daniel knows his history and he made it fun and interesting. HR went out of his way to learn everyone's name to personalize the whole experience. Yes, his language was "colorful" but never over the top. We had a great time, then enjoyed our afternoon nap!”

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Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh - Starting on the Lawnmarket
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Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

8.Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,702 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Walk Edinburgh after dark with a guide such as James, Jordan, Diva, Darren, or Brendan. Visit Greyfriars Kirk and the South Bridge vaults, hearing about executions, burial customs, crime, and reported paranormal activity. This 90-minute tour suits adults who enjoy history, true crime, and spooky stories more than theatrical jump scares.

“Jordan made it a very fun tour with a lot of cool stories. Definitely wouldn’t have understood the historical significance without his insight!”

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Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour - Usher Hall and Edinburgh Castle: a strong opening
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Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour

9.Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour

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

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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Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle - Small Group Walking Tour - Parliament Square and John Knox House
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Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle – Small Group Walking Tour

10.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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Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour - Crown Square and Scotland’s royal treasures
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Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour

11.Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,283 reviews · from $51

Meet your guide on the Royal Mile at 2pm, bypass the main entry queue, and spend about 90 minutes hearing Edinburgh Castle stories. Guides such as Alasdair and Charles bring local color, while your ticket lets you continue independently until closing. Expect hills, uneven ground, and a guided visit focused mainly on the grounds rather than castle interiors.

“Charles was very informative on the history of the castle and Scotland itself. Great job Charles. The tour was held on the grounds of the castle but we did not enter anything inside as part of the tour.”

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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour - A route built around the historic center
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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

12.Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,016 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Spend about two hours walking Edinburgh’s historic center with a professional guide. Expect stories spanning medieval to modern times, lesser-known details, and practical ideas for exploring afterward. Tours are offered in English, with French also noted, and guides such as Gavin and Urs have led popular outings. The route starts on the Royal Mile and ends at Greyfriars Kirkyard.

“This was a great 2 hour tour that hit the highlights and got us comfortable to explore more on our own. Thanks to Gavin, we were cared for, entertained, and left with great ideas on what to do next.”

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Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included - St. Giles’ Cathedral and Scotland’s religious divide
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Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour – Ticket Included

13.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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Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group - Charlotte Square and the Georgian House
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Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group

14.Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 676 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $112

Start at Charlotte Square at 10:00 am and walk through Edinburgh’s New Town, Princes Street Gardens, the Royal Mile, Greyfriars, Grassmarket, and Victoria Street before entering Edinburgh Castle. A guide such as Ben, James, or Mark leads the history and stories. Expect hills, weather, a 30-minute lunch break, and a group capped at 15.

“This tour is NOT recommended for a cruise ship excursion with only one day in port. You will NOT have any reasonable time to visit Edinburgh Castle (which is the highlight of the tour). The walk around the city’s highlights, although interesting, took up too much time. You may have only 30 minutes to souvenir shop. The guide was knowledge and friendly, and the walking points along the walk were interesting. However, having to be time conscious to return to the bus to get back to the water shuttle to make it back to the cruise ship, makes this a poor excursion choice. I recommend just finding an Edinburgh Castle…”

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Edinburgh: Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour - The Royal Mile and the North Berwick witches
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Edinburgh: Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

15.Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 632 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Follow an English-speaking guide such as Juniper, Hazel, or Angelica through Edinburgh’s Old Town, hearing stories of witch trials, Mary Queen of Scots, warlocks, public executions, and Half-Hangit Maggie. The 70-minute route begins near St Giles’ Cathedral and ends in Grassmarket. Expect theatrical storytelling, steep streets, cobbles, and a serious look at people persecuted as witches.

“Witch Hazel was a pure delight! This is one of the best historical tours I have ever been on. She took a somber topic and treated it with reverence and respect, while also adding a touch of levity, magic, and mystery. She was such a fantastic guide. And we lucked out with the weather. This was a treat for my birthday and I can’t think of a better way to have spent my afternoon.”

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New in Walking Tours in Edinburgh

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