Top Edinburgh Shore Excursions

Discover the best of Scotland’s capital on a semi-private tour designed for cruise guests who want to go beyond the typical sightseeing loop. With small group sizes, you’ll enjoy a more intimate and immersive experience led by a local guide who knows how to bring Edinburgh’s layered history to life. Your day combines a panoramic drive through the Georgian elegance of the New Town with a guided walking tour of the Old Town, where cobbled closes and historic landmarks reveal the city’s medieval past. From the Royal Mile to Victoria Street and the Vennel Steps, your guide shares fascinating stories that make the streets come alive. With entrance to Edinburgh Castle included, you’ll cap off the day with a self-guided visit to Scotland’s most iconic stronghold, complete with sweeping city views. This carefully curated itinerary offers the perfect balance of storytelling, scenery, and independence—far from the crowds of larger tours.

Explore Edinburgh in the comfort of an air-conditioned VIP Class Mercedes minibus on this private tour. Admire Edinburgh Castle, perched atop an extinct volcano, and hear tales of attempts to capture it. See the Old Town and hear from your guide about what life was like there in medieval times before contrasting it with the elegant Georgian buildings of the New Town. Includes hotel or port pickup and drop-off.

This Edinburgh city sightseeing tour offers a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus experience with an open-top double-decker bus and audio commentary in multiple languages. Hop on and off at key stops including Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Royal Mile. Buses run every 20 minutes with tickets valid for 24 hours from first use, providing flexible sightseeing at your own pace.

See more of Edinburgh without navigating crowded public transportation or following a fixed group itinerary. This private half-day tour in a premium minivan offers a more flexible and personalized way to explore the city, with direct access to your guide throughout the experience. Customize the route around your interests and visit highlights such as the Royal Mile, Old Town, Grassmarket, and Edinburgh Castle.

Cover more sights in less time during a private driving tour of Edinburgh, during which you’ll receive the undivided attention of your guide. Opting for a private tour means that you’ll enjoy the flexibility to create your own sightseeing schedule, while letting someone else drive gives you more time to focus on the scenery.

Spend a full day exploring the best Edinburgh has to offer on a private tour by minivan. Save hours researching where to go and how to get there and leave the organization to the experts. Plus, the advantage of a private tour is that you can modify the itinerary to your interests, whether you want to see the highlights of the Old Town, Royal Mile, and Edinburgh Castle, or head off the beaten track.

Experience the Scottish countryside with your own private guide to show you the top sights in the area, from Loch Ness to the Three Sisters to The Kelpies and much more. This tour takes you straight from your Edinburgh accommodation to all these sights in a comfortable car while your guide tells you all about the area’s rich history and folklore.

This is a city tour once completed you will have the knowledge of knowing the best parts of the city to be in. You will be taken around the city in a private chauffeured vehicle travelling in luxury seeing the best of the city from the comfort of our Mercedes minivan or sedan. We stop where you want to stop and see the city at your pace.

Visit multiple out-of-the-box attractions on this private Scottish day trip to Falkirk, capped at four people. Tour stunning Callendar House, the expansive estate that dates back six centuries, and get a peek at the sky-high Kelphies sculptures, a tribute to hard-working Scottish horses. Pickup can be arranged from any location in Edinburgh.

Discover Edinburgh, Scotland in your very own black cab or minivan to help you get around town on this private tour of the city. Don’t worry about public transport, because this experience includes convenient hotel pickup. Sample classic Scottish sweet treats while you see the sights and learn about the city’s history and culture from your guide.

Visit three whisky distilleries in one day without the hassle of designating a driver or navigating public transport. This private tour is exclusively for your party so you'll enjoy a personalized experience as your guide drives you to award-winning distilleries—Strathisla, GlenAllachie, and Glenlivet—where you will enjoy tastings and insights into the world of Scotch.

When your cruise ship arrives in Edinburgh, get to know Scotland’s capital on this full-day shore excursion. Board a comfortable coach which takes you to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia (optional extra), the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. Then enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh before stopping to explore medieval Edinburgh Castle (optional extra), once residence to Scotland’s kings and queens. Use your free time for lunch and to explore the famous Royal Mile and see the Palace of Holyroodhouse the official residence of the British Royal Family in Scotland.

Take a private tour to Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond and learn more about this wild landscape than you ever could alone. Set off from your hotel in a luxury minivan, and listen as your guide points out many points of interest along your journey. See Linlithgow Palace and Stirling Castle, learn about Scotland's historic royal families, then travel on to Loch Lomond and embrace the drama of the Trossachs National Park.

Many visitors to Scotland rush between the cities and the Highlands but this private tour allows you to discover the history-rich but often-overlooked Central Scotland region. Traveling in a comfortable vehicle, your guide takes you to such regional highlights as Linlithgow Palace, the Kelpies, and Stirling Castle while filling you in on the rich history and culture of the area.

This is a great pick for travelers with limited time. Enjoy an action-packed half-day tour that goes to two distilleries in both the Scottish Highlands and the Lowlands. Take the stress out of organizing taxis by having a driver take you between distilleries. Enjoy a full distillery tour and tasting at the first venue and a stand-alone tasting at the second. Please note: payment for the tour and tastings is not included.

If you are serious about whisky, swap the typical big-group bus tours of Scotland for this private and personalized tour that is especially for whisky lovers. In the company of just your group and a guide, the itinerary can be customized to your own interests. You'll visit three distilleries where you can choose which tour to take.

Visiting the Highlands is a must-do on any trip to Scotland but, without your own transport, getting there can be a hassle. Skip puzzling over train and bus timetables and leave the logistics to the experts by booking this guided tour from Edinburgh that takes you to top attractions including Glencoe, Loch Ness and Pitlochry.

If you’ve only got a limited amount of time to explore Stirling, then save the hassle of organizing transport and set off on this private tour instead. Enjoy the luxury of having a private driver to help you tick off a shortlist of top landmarks—including Stirling Castle, the National Wallace Monument, Deanston Distillery & Visitor Centre, and The Battle of Bannockburn.

Be guided around Castle Leoch by Outlander’s Jamie Fraser and visit his ancestral home from the TV series, Lallybroch Castle, on this unique walking and audio tour. As well as an audio guide narrated by Jamie Fraser, you will be led by an expert local guide around key landmarks and scenery from the Outlander TV show, including Doune Castle, Midhope Castle, Linlithgow Palace and the village used as the outdoors filming location of Lallybroch village.

This private tour allows you to indulge your love of whisky while traveling through some of Scotland's most spectacular landscapes. You'll visit four different whisky distilleries (your choice out of a possible eight) where you will enjoy expert-led tastings, which typically include three whiskies at each stop. Ideal for whisky lovers.

Explore the hidden gems of Scotland on a private tour that takes you to the most iconic sites in the country. Admire the grandeur of Stirling Castle, wander through the halls of Doune Castle, marvel at the engineering feat of the Falkirk Wheel, and gaze in awe at the Forth Bridge - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But what sets this tour apart is the personalized attention you receive from your guide, who will share fascinating stories and insights about each location, making your visit an unforgettable experience. • Enjoy privileged, personalized attention from your driver/guide on this private tour • Kids friendly (5+ age) • Please note that tour stops and timings can change

Explore the fascinating history and ancient landscapes of the North East on this private tour of Alnwick and the Viking Coast. See where the Vikings first landed on the shores of England, and learn about the many inhabitants of Northumberland over the centuries. Visit Lindisfarne, a sacred island with a castle and priory where monks once lived, and see Alnwick Castle’s impressive defenses. Enjoy the scenic drive through Northumberland’s hills and moorlands.

Avoid crowded tours and explore the best of the Scottish Highlands at your own pace on this private guided tour from Edinburgh. Traveling in a comfortable vehicle, take in such sights as the UNESCO-listed Forth Rail Bridge and the Cairngorms National Park, and make stops in the charming village of Pitlochry en route to the famed Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and Culloden Battlefield.