Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour - Entry Tickets included
Recommended by 97% of travellers
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover more about Scottish history on this guided walking tour of Edinburgh Castle. Walk up the Royal Mile with your guide while learning about the castle's 3,000-year history and its role in Scottish heritage. Explore the castle grounds with detailed insights into key features like the one o'clock gun and Argyle Battery, gaining a deeper understanding than a casual visitor.
- Learn more than you would exploring on your own
- Enjoy in-depth insights into the history of Edinburgh Castle and its key features
- Walk the Royal Mile as ancient royals did
- Convenient meeting point near public transportation
What's Included
- Local guide
- Entry Fees
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Loch Ness Discovery Centre, 192 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RW, UK
Tour departs from outside Café Nero on the Royal Mile besides the statue of Adam Smith. Just look for our green and white umbrellas with Little Fish logo and speak to our staff when you arrive.
End point
- Edinburgh CastleCastlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
Itinerary
Meet your guide and group at a centrally located spot on the Royal Mile. Walk together toward Edinburgh Castle while your guide shares stories about the castle’s history and some of the key characters associated with it.
Upon arrival at Edinburgh Castle, use your prebooked ticket to enter. Your guide leads you around the sprawling grounds and provides more details about such notable features as the castle dungeons and Crown Jewels, as well as what to look out for inside.
Then, your guide leaves you alone to explore the castle buildings at your own pace.
Upon arrival at Edinburgh Castle, use your prebooked ticket to enter. Your guide leads you around the sprawling grounds and provides more details about such notable features as the castle dungeons and Crown Jewels, as well as what to look out for inside.
Then, your guide leaves you alone to explore the castle buildings at your own pace.
1
Edinburgh Castle
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Although much of the tour is done inside the castle complex, this will not be under cover.
- Bags over 30L in volume are not permitted inside the castle and the castle does not provide a locker system for the storage of luggage.
- Service animals allowed
- Tour DOES NOT MEET AT THE CASTLE, the tour begins from our start point at 192 High Street, by the statue of Adam Smith
- Near public transportation
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please Note - Children, aged 15 and under, will not be able to join the tour unless accompanied by a responsible adult
- Edinburgh Castle is built on top of the core of an old volcano, the ground is often uneven and at times steep. Be prepared to be on your feet for the full duration of the tour. People with mobility issues may not get the most from this tour.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveller Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 5,334 reviews
Russell_C, May 2026
A must do site if you are in Edinburgh. I would recommend a tour with a guide to get more background of the history of the castle. I would also allocate an addtional 2 hours after the tour to visit the buildings you are interested in - including the main museum. We visited in April and the crowds were fine. However I am told that it can get very crowded so go earlier in the day if possible - and book in advanced.
James_B, May 2026
Sonja, our tour guide, was great… knowledgeable, funny, and informative. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Rebekah_L, May 2026
Entertaining and Informative! Our guide Sabi was generous with historical accounts and delightful! Expect an outside only tour and expect windy and cold weather.
Carly_H, May 2026
I would highly recommend the stories brought the castle alive and held our interest. Would recommend!
Debra_C, May 2026
Definitely makes exploring the castle much more enjoyable having a fabulous guide! Wear good shoes!!
Dot_L, May 2026
It was really well worth our time and have a block of time you’re willing to spend there. Really enjoyed it!
Our tour guide Graeme was very knowledgeable, had a great sense of humour and creatively wove his stories.
Leena_A, May 2026
Ben was a great tour guide. He shared his love of history in a fun way and made sure to connect with all of us in his group.
James_M, May 2026
Great way to get the lay of the land before exploring some of the castle museums. Best way to start your visit
Carole_B, May 2026
A wonderful introduction to the castle and Scottish history. With the tour as a starting off point we were able to better appreciate the sights as we visited different buildings afterward. Our guide Max was knowledgeable and entertaining.
Nancy_P, May 2026
Our guide Ben was the perfect combination of storyteller, historian, and entertainer! I highly recommend this tour. Ben gave us the ideal overview of the castle. You could easily pick and choose places to visit within the castle based on all of his guidance!
Shahnawaz_K, May 2026
I really enjoyed the tour.
The history of Edinburgh castle felt real on this tour.
Our guide was an awesome person.
Trevor_F, May 2026
It is all outside castle buildings. Need an additional 1-2 hours to go inside. Castle is in pristine condition. You need a guide and ours was excellent!
Morah_F, May 2026
Steph was outstanding. She was expert, passionate and engaging. We learned so much we are very appreciative. And we had fun with her amazing stories. She went above and beyond. Would highly recommend Steph and the Little Fish company.
Nicole_C, May 2026
Our tour guide Sabrina was fantastic! She had such great knowledge of the history of the castle and she made it fun! I highly recommend this tour.
Brian_A, May 2026
Graeme’s passion, enthusiasm and wit made our tour highly enjoyable. We appreciated his detailed historic knowledge and many stories.
Michael_P, May 2026
Our guide, Koffe, a history grad gave us an evocative and animated retelling of the stories behind many of the places we visited. A hugely enjoyable experience!
Jennifer_B, May 2026
Our tour spent 90 minutes talking about the history of the castle and areas within the castle which was great. But the castle lost power and we had to evacuate. We never got to see anything else. While I know that can’t be controlled, I would have thought our group would have had the opportunity to reenter at some point. Disappointing
Mark_H, May 2026
Make sure to explore around . It is worth taking time. It is windy on the top side make sure to dress warmly
Deborah_E, May 2026
Great tour , with a fun entertaining guide named Steph . She was very knowledgeable and funny . Lovely accent and obviously loves her job & City..
Janet_H, May 2026
Excellent experience from start to finish. Our flight got in early. Was very easy to change to an earlier tour then reserved. Tour guide was fantastic very personable knowledgeable and fun. Highly recommend this tour of the castle with Viator
Chris_S, May 2026
The tour guide, Max, was awesome! The castle was so much more than I expected. I would recommend this tour to everyone.
Bill_G, May 2026
great tour very informative guide. it helped to get. historical context from tour guide very entertaining
Emily_A, May 2026
We really enjoyed Max’s tour. He was engaging, animated, interesting and told lots of great stories! He even held the attention of my eight and 11-year-old.
Catarina_H, Apr 2026
They were great, we needed to make a change for the tour and they were so helpful and got us set up with a new guide really fast and had our tickets waiting at the castle. Entire team was helpful, nice and tour was great.
Lois_M, Apr 2026
We had a tour guide who was very knowledgeable about the history of the Edinburgh Castle and Scottish history in general. He gave an excellent tour and an excellent talk. Plus he was also accommodating to my husband's need to sit down at times and sit close so he could hear the talk. I don't know about the other tour guides—I suppose all are at least competent—but ours was outstanding and I would recommend this tour to anyone, young or old.
Shanelle_G, Apr 2026
Koffee was so good! As soon as we heard he studied history and rambled on about his passion for it, we knew we had a good guide! He was interactive, energetic, personable and attentive!! Thank you Koffee
Rudis_S, Apr 2026
My visit to Edinburgh Castle was truly memorable thanks to Max. His tour stood out because he presented the history from a genuine Scottish perspective, making it feel authentic and engaging. Instead of just listing facts, he connected events to Scotland’s identity, struggles, and culture. His storytelling made key figures and moments come alive, and his explanations were clear and well-paced. The experience felt much richer than a typical guided tour. I would recommend exploring the castle with a guide if you want a deeper and more meaningful understanding of its history.
Margaret_W, Apr 2026
Pay attention to the meeting place instructions. Wear good hiking type shoes because of inclines throughout.
Elizabeth_B, Apr 2026
Koffe was a great guide! Enthusiastic and entertaining, he kept us organized and moving. Highly recommend for anyone - especially a family with kids - who wants to learn more about the castle go as early as you can muster - it gets crowded as the day goes on.
Kelly_T, Apr 2026
Ben, our tour guide, did an excellent job! One of the issues I usually have with tours like this is the guide wanting to give all the information and non stop talk without giving you time to let the information sink in. I thought Ben did a wonderful job of balancing talking and giving us time to explore, digest the information and ask questions. He was able to present the information in a fun but concise way, which was definitely appreciated.
From US$52.62
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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