Edinburgh Castle 120-Minute In-Depth Experience with Expert Guide
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Edinburgh Castle stands impressively at the top of the Royal Mile. Discover its history with a guided tour, where you'll marvel at the treasures within, including the Scottish Crown Jewels, while listening to a guide provide context about what you see. Learn about the One o'clock Gun, take in views over Edinburgh, and hear fascinating stories about the people who have shaped the Castle throughout history—from the death of a queen to deadly banquets. Plus, you'll have time to explore the castle's museums and exhibitions at your leisure after the tour ends.
- Explore historical Edinburgh Castle and learn about its fascinating history from your guide
- Escorted entry to the castle from the famous Royal Mile
- Take time to ask your guide questions, and explore the castle and museums at your leisure after the tour ends
- Snap photos as you explore the historic building
What's Included
- Edinburgh Castle Entry Ticket
- Professional Local Guide
- Map of Edinburgh Castle
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- David Hume Statue379-381 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1PW, UK
This tour DOES NOT meet at Edinburgh Castle. Please meet your guide in front of the High Court next to the statue of David Hume. Your guide will be holding a black and white umbrella with the EDI Tours logo on it.
End point
- Great HallEdinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
This tour ends in the heart of Edinburgh Castle giving you the opportunity to explore the site further at your own pace.
Itinerary
1
Royal Mile
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Edinburgh Castle (Pass By)
2
Edinburgh Castle
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Argyle Battery (Pass By)
One O’Clock Gun (Pass By)
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum (Pass By)
St. Margaret's Chapel (Pass By)
The Royal Palace (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour is an outdoor experience, we recommend checking the weather forecast and dressing appropriately for the Scottish weather
- This experience DOES NOT start at Edinburgh Castle. Please meet your guide at 379-381 High Street, Royal Mile next to the Statue of David Hume. Your guide will be holding a black and white umbrella with the EDI Tours logo on it.
- Edinburgh Castle is still a functioning military garrison, therefore, the tour duration and itinerary may vary based on any ceremonial activities taking place.
- Bags over 30L and suitcases are not permitted in the Castle and there are no left luggage facilities nearby
- Ticket only valid on the specified date and time
- Not recommended for travellers with mobility issues
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 381 reviews
Joan_M, May 2026
John was an excellent guide! He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the castle and of Scotland. He had lots of anecdotes about the past and present inhabitants of the castle and how and why its possession changed. Plus, he had an excellent sense of humor. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.
Elaine_H, May 2026
Our guide John was not only very knowledgeable but also very engaging. He made the historical information accessible and fun and sometimes a little good gossipy.
Martin_L, May 2026
John is a great guide!
Friendly and relatable.
So much history of this special place.
Communication is clear, and his accent is very easy on American and "basic English" ears!
Highly recommend!!
jim_b, May 2026
Our tour guide Sarah was amazing. She was very knowledgeable with loads of charm, wit, and enthusiasm. A native Scot, she had us believing every tale she told, especially the part about the Scottish inventing everything. We also met the owner of the tour company and he and Sarah got along famously, which to me is a very important sign of a well run company. Cannot recommend EDI Tours highly enough.
Martha_W, May 2026
Our guide to gave us thorough yet not too detailed history of Scotland and how Edinburgh Castle is woven into it. Sarah is very friendly and is a very guide.
Shelley_O, Apr 2026
Sarah was an excellent guide, able to relate history through story. We were well entertained throughout.
Danielle_B, Apr 2026
Wonderful and informative. Naomi was a fantastic guide. Highly recommend this tour of Edinburgh Castle.
Angela_C, Apr 2026
The owner was at the meeting spot 30 minutes early! He scanned us in and had a pamplet for us. Our tour guide was awesome as well. She had a lot of knowledge.
Wendy_M, Mar 2026
This tour was absolutely amazing and worth every penny! Our guide gave local and historical insights, was friendly and happy to answer all of our questions, and gave us recommendations for both inside the castle grounds and Edinburgh in general. The castle and castle grounds are gorgeous and you really just can't top hearing the Scottish accent in any situation!
Dogukan_D, Jan 2026
My tour guide was Charlotte. Engaging guide, and the tour was very well planned, and was quite informative and enjoyable!
Tracey_W, Jan 2026
Informative tour of the castle! I highly recommend. Edinburgh is amazing and not complete without a visit to the castle
Bertrand_A, Jan 2026
The tour was very average and not worth the money. The tour guide’s knowledge was highly superficial and not engaging. Granted, it was a bitterly cold day, but it was obvious that the guide just wanted to get the tour over and would as quickly as possible.
Tara_V, Jan 2026
Sara is an amazing guide! Her stories were intriguing and she kept it fun despite the cold and wind. She clearly know and loves her country’s history. The tour company was very well put together, easy to find and on time. 100% recommend!
Ashley_R, Dec 2025
Great tour enthusiastic telling of the history of the castle would highly recommend it made the visit to the castle far more interesting.
Meaghan_L, Dec 2025
Our tour guide Charlotte was very informative, she made the tour captivating, throwing in jokes to keep us entertained and captivated and was very pleasant to speak too.
SHIRLEY_M, Dec 2025
It was just wonderful, definitely sensible footwear is essential for this time of year
Disappointed that prisons were closed with no explanation though
CINDY_M, Dec 2025
John is knowledgeable, personable, witty, and very entertaining! His tour was the best one we’ve been on in Scotland. His knowledge of the castle in particular and Scotland in general is impressive! He also gave us plenty of suggestions for the remainder of our holiday. Book this tour! John will not disappoint!
Katharyn_J, Nov 2025
Charlotte was a great tour guide. Really informative and interesting. The castle is fascinating and a must see when in Edinburgh.
Caroline_J, Nov 2025
Excellent tour of the castle with lively, knowledgeable and informative guide John. The 90 minutes went very quickly, and there's still lots to see afterwards.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for the lovely feedback. I am very glad you enjoyed the tour and that the time flew by for you. There is always plenty more to discover after the guided part, so I am pleased you were able to make the most of it!
Renea_A, Nov 2025
John is an absolute legend, so happy we had him for this tour, incredibly knowledgeable and fun. But it's his passion for the sites to that shine through. If you're thinking about booking him, do yourself a favour and go with him
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you very much for your amazing feedback. I am really glad you enjoyed the tour and I truly appreciate your kind words about my passion and knowledge. It was great having you on the tour.
Charlie_O, Nov 2025
John is unbelievably knowledgeable about the city. His comedic timing is also quite impressive, my uncle and I were cracking up. Great energy and great pace to the entire tour, he is a true professional. Very very kind as well, truly a remarkable tour guide 10/10 would recommend.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
I really appreciate this wonderful review. I’m so glad you and your uncle enjoyed the tour and the humour along the way. It means a lot to hear you found the pace and energy just right. Thank you for the recommendation!
Daniel_B, Oct 2025
Outstanding tour of the Castle with John. Got to know almost every section of the castle. Fascinating information and stories, excellent sense of humor and the time flew by.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
I’m so glad you found the tour fascinating and fun. It’s always rewarding when guests connect with the stories and energy behind Edinburgh’s castle.
Stephanie_B, Oct 2025
We were captivated by John's historical accounts throughout the castle tour: he perfectly captured our attention with his energy and the pace of the tour. We learned and retained a lot from this visit.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
I’m thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed the tour and that it kept you engaged throughout. Thank you for such a thoughtful review.
Adrian_P, Oct 2025
Visiting Edinburgh Castle was the highlight of my trip to Scotland. The guided tour was exceptionally well organized, starting right on time with a small group, making it easy to hear and interact with the guide and fellow travelers, Our guide was not only knowledgeable about the castle and Scottish history, but also skillful in storytelling and engaging with everyone, including children in our group.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re glad to hear you found the tour well organised and enjoyable. Thank you for recommending the experience and for appreciating the small group format.
Gabrielle_S, Oct 2025
John was truly amazing. We have been on a lot of fantastic tours around the world (and some truly terrible ones) and can honestly say this is up there with the best. He was knowledgeable, chatty and was happy and able to answer any and all questions we had - no matter how strange. You can really tell he cares and even stayed at the end to answer many more questions we had as there was so much he clearly knew but didn't have time to share!
A thoroughly enjoyable and informative tour, not to be missed. Thank you again John for a wonderful afternoon.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for such generous feedback. I’m delighted the tour stood out and that you found the stories engaging and memorable. It was a pleasure guiding you through the castle.
Sherri_P, Oct 2025
John was the best guide. I would book every tour next time I come with his company! He was very approachable,funny and knowledgeable about not just the castle but about anything you needed to know in Scotland. Having a guide is so worth the money.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your kind words. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the tour so much and that my knowledge and approach helped make the visit memorable.
Shelby_L, Oct 2025
Great tour. Guide John was informative and had good stories. I appreciated hearing about all the history of the fortress and its lineage.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your lovely review. I’m glad you enjoyed the mix of stories and history. It’s great to know the experience lived up to expectations.
Emili_L, Oct 2025
Our tour was very informative! He was the perfect balance of education and comedy! We would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re delighted you enjoyed learning the stories behind the castle. Thank you for recommending the experience.
angela_b, Oct 2025
John the tour guide was fabulous. Gave us loads of history with a great sense of humour pointing out all the points of interest and where to go next on out visit to Edinburgh.
We thoroughly enjoyed it thank you
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your lovely feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed the mix of humour and history during your visit. It was a pleasure to guide you through the castle.
Irene_M, Oct 2025
John was an incredibly knowledgeable tour guide, friendly & helpful. Great tour - highly recommend to all.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
I’m delighted you enjoyed the tour and found it both friendly and informative. Thank you for the kind recommendation.
From $71.07
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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