Things to do in Edinburgh
Day Trips from Edinburgh12 optionsEdinburgh Underground City14 optionsEdinburgh Tour Highlands44 optionsEdinburgh Ghost Tour24 optionsStirling Castle Tours39 optionsWhiskey Tour Edinburgh13 optionsEdinburgh Walking Tour94 optionsEdinburgh Airport Taxi10 optionsEdinburgh City Tour7 optionsRosslyn Chapel Tours10 optionsBoat Tour Edinburgh6 optionsLoch Lomond Tours13 options
Sort
Edinburgh: Bamburgh Castle & Lindisfarne Holy Island Day TripYou spend the day on the Northumberland coast with a small group (max 16 people) in a luxury minibus, crossing a tidal causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, exploring Bamburgh Castle's interiors and beach, and stopping at St Abbs Head's dramatic cliffs. The itinerary adapts to tide conditions to keep you safe and ensure a full day of exploration. All transport, the guide, and the vehicle are included; castle entry is paid on site. Pickup is arranged via What3Words coordinates — check the operator's website for exact meeting details and advance booking.Is it for me?Book this if you want the Northumberland coast's two major castles and a sacred island in one day without arranging your own transport or timing — the small group size and flexible itinerary mean you see everything the tides allow, and the driver handles the route.
Isle of Skye 3-Day Tour from Edinburgh & Train RideYou travel three days from Edinburgh through Glencoe and onto the Isle of Skye with a local guide, sleeping two nights in a hostel in Portree. You ride the West Highland Line train across the Glenfinnan Viaduct, walk to the Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock, see Eilean Donan Castle and Dunvegan, and learn the myths and rewilding work that define the region. The tour handles transport, accommodation and entry to the main sites, so you show up and move through the landscape without arranging logistics yourself.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Highlands and Skye landmarks in three days without arranging your own transport, accommodation or entry fees — the fixed itinerary and included hostel mean you pack and show up, and the guide handles the rest.
Edinburgh to Loch Ness: Full Day Private Tour & Boat RideYou leave Edinburgh in the morning and spend the day moving through the Highlands, stopping in Pitlochry for coffee, driving through some of Scotland's best scenery while your guide fills in the history, taking a full hour boat ride on Loch Ness (or exploring Fort Augustus instead), pausing for photos in Glencoe, and returning to your hotel by 8pm. Private transportation, WiFi, and the boat ride are all included; you just show up at pickup time.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands in one day without renting a car or planning the route yourself—the private setup and included boat ride mean you're not coordinating transport, tickets, or timing across multiple stops.
Edinburgh: 3-Hour Private Walking Tour & Castle ViewsYou walk the Royal Mile and Old Town streets with a local guide for three hours, seeing Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral, the Grassmarket, and Arthur's Seat from a distance. The guide meets you at a flexible starting point and adjusts the pace to your rhythm, so you get the main landmarks plus the stories and side streets a solo walk would miss. No entry fees, no group rush, just the city explained by someone who knows it.Is it for me?Book this if you have three hours in Edinburgh and want to understand the layout and history without arranging transport or entry tickets yourself—the guide does the navigation and the storytelling, so you just walk and listen.
Royal Mile Walking Tour Edinburgh: Curious Tales Private GuideA private 4–5 hour guided walking tour of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and Old Town, led by a local guide who shares obscure historical anecdotes collected from 19th-century records and local lore. The tour moves through the Canongate, St Giles' Cathedral, and Stockbridge Market, uncovering tales of escaped prisoners, rebellious pets, gang fights, and the city's most outlandish events. All guiding and commentary are included; the pace is set by the stories themselves, not by a fixed itinerary.Is it for me?The tour walks hard and uneven surfaces for four to five hours at the pace of the stories, so it suits travelers who are comfortable on their feet and want the depth of a private guide rather than a quick highlights run. If you prefer a shorter route or need frequent stops, a group tour or a different format might work better.
Edinburgh Airport to Glasgow: Private Luxury TransferYou get a named driver meeting you at arrivals with a name board, a fixed price agreed before landing, and an air-conditioned luxury vehicle for the hour-long journey from Edinburgh airport to Glasgow. No taxi queue, no negotiation, no uncertainty about which car is yours. Disclosure-checked staff and flight tracking mean you're not waiting around wondering if they're coming.Is it for me?Book this if you land at Edinburgh airport with luggage and want the transfer to Glasgow sorted before you arrive — the fixed price and guaranteed pickup mean you skip the taxi negotiation and arrive knowing exactly what you've paid.
Trossachs Trail tour: Steamship cruise, foraging, sheepdog demoA full-day private guided tour of the Trossachs combines a cruise on the historic Steamship Sir Walter Scott, a foraging walk with a professional herbalist, a sheepdog demonstration at a working farm, and stops to meet Highland cattle and visit the Kelpies sculptures. The tour runs 8 hours with pickup included, a private guide in multiple languages, and visits to five distinct attractions across the region often called the Highlands in Miniature. Lunch is not included; the steamship cruise costs extra (£20 per person, with discounts for seniors and children).Is it for me?Book this if you're arriving without a car and want a private guide to set the pace through the Trossachs in one day—choose the minivan if your group exceeds four people or you're carrying significant luggage.
Edinburgh: Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda & Bamburgh Castle Private TourYou're driven south from Edinburgh through the Scotland-England border to Vindolanda Fort's museum of Roman artifacts, then to Steel Rigg for the classic Hadrian's Wall view, Bamburgh Castle with Last Kingdom props on display, and Eyemouth harbor for seal feeding. Hotel pickup and return are included, along with water, Scottish snacks, and fish for the seals if conditions allow.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Hadrian's Wall, Roman artifacts and a working castle in one day without arranging transport between sites or managing entry times — the private format means the driver handles the route and timing, and you move at your own pace through each stop.
Edinburgh Royal Mile: Private 2.5-Hour Walking TourYou walk the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle down to Holyroodhouse with a private licensed guide who stops at John Knox House, St Giles Cathedral, and the Vennel Viewpoint for photos. The tour takes 2.5 hours, covers the main Old Town sights without rushing, and ends at Calton Hill where you can explore on your own. You don't arrange transport or timing — the guide handles the route and pacing.Is it for me?Book this if you're new to Edinburgh and want the main Old Town sights explained by someone who knows the city, without arranging your own route or timing — the private guide and fixed 2.5-hour window handle both.
National Museum of Scotland Private 2-Hour Guided TourA 2-hour private guided tour of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, with entry included and a licensed guide fluent in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish. The guide tailors the route to your group's pace, interests and questions, so you see the highlights that matter to you—from Dolly the Sheep and Roman-era artifacts to paintings and Assyrian sculpture—without the crowds or the guesswork of navigating alone.Is it for me?Book the English-language option if you want straightforward commentary and don't need translation; choose French, German, Italian or Spanish if your group speaks that language and wants the full experience in your own words. The private format means you set the rhythm—families with children can move slowly and ask everything; adults can cover more ground or focus on one section deeply.
Private Glencoe and Loch Lomond tour from EdinburghA private guided tour from Edinburgh through the Scottish Highlands, visiting Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Inveraray Castle and Oban in a spacious executive car with room for up to 8 passengers. Your driver picks you up at your location and you control the pace, stopping at viewpoints and villages as you choose. The tour runs 10 to 12 hours with water, snacks and air conditioning included; lunch and castle entry are optional purchases along the way.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to set your own pace through the Highlands without the constraint of a group schedule — the private car and flexible stops let you linger at viewpoints or villages that appeal to you, which is what makes the landscape between Glencoe and Loch Lomond work.
Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Private TourYou're picked up at your Edinburgh hotel and driven to three major stops — The Kelpies sculptures, Loch Lomond's highlands and shoreline, and Stirling Castle — with a local guide narrating the journey and two hours of free time to explore on foot. The vehicle is private, air-conditioned, and returns you to your hotel by evening, which means you skip the logistics of renting a car or catching a group coach on a fixed schedule.Is it for me?This tour suits travellers staying in Edinburgh who want to see Loch Lomond, The Kelpies, and Stirling Castle in one day without renting a car or coordinating group transport — the private vehicle and fixed hotel pickup remove the logistics, leaving you to focus on the sights.
Edinburgh: Glencoe, Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Private TourYou travel 12 hours through the Scottish Highlands in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver-guide, stopping at the Forth Bridge, Glencoe Valley, Loch Ness, and Urquhart Castle. Bottled water is included throughout the day; entry to Urquhart Castle costs extra. The route is customizable, so you can adjust stops and timing to suit your interests, and the tour accommodates children from age 5 onward.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the main Highlands landmarks in one day without arranging your own transport, timing multiple stops, or navigating between them—the private vehicle and flexible schedule mean you move at your own pace and can adjust the route to match what interests you most.
Edinburgh: Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle Full-Day Highlands TourYou travel north from Edinburgh through the Highlands in an air-conditioned coach with a live guide, stopping at Culloden Battlefield to walk the ground of Scotland's last battle, then Inverness for a city break, then Loch Ness where you can add a castle cruise and Urquhart Castle entry. The route loops back through Cairngorms National Park and Pitlochry before returning to Edinburgh, with the full day taking around ten hours and the guide handling the logistics so you just show up.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Highlands route in one day without arranging your own transport and timing between five different stops — the fixed itinerary and included coach mean you just show up in Edinburgh and the guide handles the rest.
Edinburgh Hotel - Airport: Private Transfer (No Stress)You’ll be picked up right at your Edinburgh hotel by a local driver who knows the city’s rhythms better than any map app. Settle into a comfortable private car (no sharing), chat if you want or just watch the city slip by one last time. With door-to-door service and no stress over timing or luggage, you’ll get to Edinburgh Airport feeling oddly calm — something you might remember longer than expected.
Edinburgh Old Town and Rosslyn Chapel: Full-day private tourA nine-hour private tour of Edinburgh's Old Town and the Scottish countryside around Rosslyn Chapel, with hotel pickup, luxury transport for up to six passengers, and a live English-speaking guide. The itinerary moves from the medieval heart—Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, St Giles Cathedral, Palace of Holyrood House, Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill—through the Georgian elegance of New Town, then south to the 15th-century Rosslyn Chapel, famous for its Masonic connections and later popularized by The Da Vinci Code. Bottled water is included; entry to Rosslyn Chapel is included, and optional paid entry to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace or Royal Yacht Britannia can be added at checkout.Is it for me?Choose this tour if you want to see Edinburgh's medieval Old Town, Georgian New Town, and Rosslyn Chapel in one day with a guide driving you between each—book the private vehicle option if you prefer to move at your own pace without waiting for a group.
Edinburgh Old Town: Royal Mile & Mary King's Close Private TourYou start at Parliament Square beside St Giles' Cathedral and walk the Royal Mile's full length, descend into the sealed medieval lanes of Mary King's Close, explore Greyfriars Kirkyard's tombstone tales, and finish on Victoria Street. The tour lasts two hours, includes snacks, and covers both the landmarks first-time visitors expect and the underground history most miss. Your guide is licensed and knows the stories that connect the architecture to the people who lived and died here.Is it for me?Right for first-time visitors who want the main Edinburgh Old Town sights and the hidden underground history in one compact walk without arranging a guide separately—the two-hour length fits between other plans, and the licensed guide means the stories are accurate, not improvised.
Museum of Edinburgh Private Guided Tour with TicketsA private guided tour of the Museum of Edinburgh with entry included, led by a licensed guide fluent in your chosen language. The 2-hour option covers the museum only; the 3-hour option adds private round-trip transport through charming neighborhoods and lesser-known landmarks. Groups are limited to five people per guide, and all areas are wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Book the 2-hour option if you want to focus on the museum's artifacts and stories without the time commitment of transport; choose the 3-hour option if you want to see neighborhoods and landmarks beyond the building and have a guide show you how they fit into the city's past.
Surgeons' Hall Museums Private Tour: Rare Surgical Artifacts, EdinburghA private guided tour of Edinburgh's Surgeons' Hall Museums led by a licensed guide fluent in your chosen language, with entry tickets included and the option to add private round-trip transport through the city's historic streets. The tour runs 2 hours (museum only) or 3 hours (with transport), and groups stay small—no more than six people per guide. All areas are wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Book the 2-hour museum-only tour if you have a free afternoon and want to focus entirely on the collections without adding transport logistics. Choose the 3-hour option with private transport if you're visiting Edinburgh for the first time or want to see hidden city gems beyond the museum while your guide provides context about the streets and neighborhoods.
Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle & Kelpies Day TourYou leave Edinburgh at 9am and return by early evening, visiting Stirling Castle (optional entry), the Trossachs, Rob Roy country, Loch Lomond and the Kelpies sculptures. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the driver handles all navigation across the nine-hour route, leaving you to move between stops without arranging transport or timing yourself.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the main Highland landmarks in a single day without renting a car or planning the route yourself — the private driver and fixed itinerary let you move between five stops without thinking about navigation or timing.
