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
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St Andrews & Fife Villages Day Trip from EdinburghYou’ll feel Scotland’s coastal breeze in Anstruther’s harbor before wandering St Andrews’ ancient lanes and castle walls. Taste local fish and chips by the sea, explore Falkland’s storybook village with its royal palace, and share laughs with your small group along winding roads—this day trip from Edinburgh brings Fife to life in unexpected ways.
Edinburgh Castle: Guided Tour & Fast-Track EntryYou get entry to Edinburgh Castle included, a guide who knows the stories behind St. Margaret's Chapel, Mons Meg and the Honours of Scotland, and about 90 minutes walking the grounds in the open air. No queuing for tickets, no indoor crowding — just the castle as it sits, with someone who can explain what you're seeing.Is it for me?Right for anyone visiting Edinburgh who wants the castle's main story without navigating entry lines or figuring out what matters most. The 90 minutes and outdoor-only format mean you're moving steadily through the highlights rather than lingering in crowds inside buildings.
Edinburgh: Outlander Film Locations & Scottish Castles Day TripYou visit five filming locations across the Scottish Lowlands and Fife in a single day: Midhope Castle (Lallybroch), Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), Culross (Cranesmuir), Falkland (1940s Inverness), and Blackness Castle (Fort William). A local guide provides the history and behind-the-scenes detail at each stop, and transport, the vehicle, and all entry fees except Linlithgow Palace (if substituted) are included. The tour runs around eight hours with a lunch break, and groups are capped at ten people.Is it for me?Book this if you're an Outlander fan who wants to see the real filming locations without renting a car or planning five separate stops — the guide handles the history and logistics, and the small group size means you're not herded through like a tour bus crowd.
Edinburgh: Haunted Vaults & Greyfriars Graveyard Ghost TourYou walk through Greyfriars Kirkyard hearing about its most famous residents, then descend into the Niddry Street vaults beneath South Bridge—the actual underground chambers where Edinburgh's poorest and most desperate once lived. Your guide covers the documented hauntings, the executions, the crimes, and the paranormal reports tied to these spaces. Entry to the vaults is included, and the small-group format means you're not lost in a crowd. Plan for moderate physical fitness: the vaults have narrow passages and stairs, and the walking pace is steady.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want Edinburgh's real dark history—not a theatrical haunted house, but actual vaults and graves with documented paranormal stories. Expect a moderate physical pace with narrow passages and uneven terrain; that's what makes the vaults feel authentic rather than sanitized.
Edinburgh Comedy Walking Tour: Stand-Up Comic & HistorianYou’ll wander Edinburgh’s Old Town with a stand-up comic who turns every historic stop—from Grassmarket to St. Giles’ Cathedral—into something you’ll actually remember. Expect laughter, local slang lessons, stories about Mary Queen of Scots and bodysnatchers, plus plenty of unscripted moments (and maybe a nudge from Brahan the dog). You might leave knowing more Scottish words—or at least how not to say them.Is it for me?A stand-up comedian with a Master's in Scottish history leads you through Old Town's landmarks—turning history into entertainment instead of a lecture.
Edinburgh Old Town Walking Tour: Royal Mile & VaultsThis 90-minute guided walking tour of Edinburgh's Old Town follows the Royal Mile and its secluded closes, then descends into the underground vaults beneath South Bridge. Your guide holds either a PhD in Scottish history or decades of experience leading tours in the capital, and the relaxed pace leaves room for questions about the poets, philosophers, inventors and criminals who shaped the neighbourhood. Children are welcome from age 5.Is it for me?Move past the postcard version of Edinburgh's Old Town to discover the real history—famous names and notorious ones, the architecture and lives lived in the closes and vaults beneath the Royal Mile.
Edinburgh: Royal Yacht Britannia Entry Ticket & Audio TourYou’ll step aboard Edinburgh’s Royal Yacht Britannia and wander five decks at your own pace with an audio guide in your language. Smell sea air on open decks, peek into royal quarters, and hear stories about life onboard from crew to crown. Includes easy access for all ages and weather — just bring your curiosity.
Edinburgh: Paranormal Ghost Tour & Underground Vaults at NightYou get 80 minutes of Edinburgh's real dark history—executions, witchcraft, murder—told by a costumed guide through the Old Town's closes, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the underground vaults beneath South Bridge. No manufactured scares, just storytelling rooted in what actually happened here. Runs late, 18+ only, and includes the vaults most tourists never see.Is it for me?Right for you if you want Edinburgh's darker history told with substance rather than gimmicks, and you're comfortable being out late in underground spaces with mature content. The 18+ age limit and the late start time aren't drawbacks—they're what make the atmosphere work.
Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile: Small Group Walking TourYou walk the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Old Town with a Master Storyteller guide who tells the history of each place as you stand in it. If you choose the castle option, you get a 45-minute guided introduction to Edinburgh Castle plus free time to explore on your own. Everyone receives a wireless audio device so you can hear clearly, and you take home an exclusive Sounds of Edinburgh playlist. The whole experience is designed to feel like a conversation with someone who knows the city, not a lecture.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Edinburgh stories — castle, Royal Mile, Old Town — told by someone who knows the history deeply, without arranging tickets and timing yourself. The small group size and audio devices mean you hear everything clearly, and the 45-minute castle introduction gives you context before you explore on your own.
Edinburgh: Blair Street Underground Vaults Ghost TourYou descend into Edinburgh's Blair Street Underground Vaults with a Mercat Tours storyteller and audio device, hearing true tales of murderers and vagrants without jump scares or manufactured frights. Small groups move through the vaults while curated sounds of Edinburgh build the atmosphere around real history. You leave with an exclusive ghost story gift and access to the tour playlist, all included in one experience.Is it for me?Book this if you want the real history of Edinburgh's haunted vaults without the theatrical nonsense — the storytelling and audio design do the work, so you don't have to suspend disbelief or sit through manufactured scares.
Edinburgh: Jacobite Steam Train & Highlands with GlencoeYou board a coach in Edinburgh, travel north through the Highlands with stops at Glenfinnan Viaduct and Glencoe, then ride the Jacobite Steam Train from Mallaig to Fort William with your guide on board. The train ticket is included, as is the air-conditioned coach and a local English-speaking guide who covers both the Harry Potter filming locations and the real history of Scotland. You're out for the full day, so pack layers and allow three hours of buffer time after the scheduled return for any evening plans.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to see the Highlands and ride the Jacobite Steam Train in one day without arranging transport or buying a separate train ticket — the coach handles both, and the guide covers the filming locations and the real history of the glens. Plan for a full day out, roughly 12 hours, and allow three hours of buffer after the scheduled return time if you have evening plans.
Edinburgh: Scotch Whisky Experience Guided Tour & TastingYou'll learn how Scotland's five whisky regions create different flavors, walk through the production and blending process, taste a dram of your choice, and leave with a crystal glass. The fixed 50-minute format means you're done and back on the Royal Mile by early afternoon, with no transport to arrange.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand Scotch whisky without spending hours or money on a masterclass—the 50-minute format and fixed tasting mean you learn the essentials and taste something good without disrupting the rest of your Edinburgh day.
Edinburgh Old Town & Underground Vaults Ghost TourYou walk the closes of Edinburgh's Old Town for 30 minutes with a period-costumed guide playing a historical figure, then descend into the South Bridge vaults for another 30 minutes to explore the underground chambers and hear the darker stories tied to them. It's family-friendly enough for kids over 5, includes all entry to the vaults, and runs in afternoon slots so you're not committing your whole day. Book the time that fits your schedule — 1:15, 3:15, or 5:15 PM.Is it for me?Book this if you want the darker side of Edinburgh's history without spending hours researching it yourself or navigating the closes alone — the guide handles the storytelling and the vault access, and the afternoon slot means you can fit it around the rest of your day without committing to an evening.
Edinburgh Old Town Walking Tour: Medieval Streets & Harry PotterA two-hour guided walking tour of Edinburgh's Old Town with a professional guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or German. You'll walk the Royal Mile and Victoria Street, visit St. Giles Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle from outside, see the Greyfriars Cemetery where J.K. Rowling found inspiration for Harry Potter, and discover the statue of Skye Terrier Bobby. The tour suits all fitness levels and includes service animals.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to walk the actual streets where Edinburgh's history happened and see the real places that inspired Harry Potter, rather than reading about them or visiting on your own. The guide ties the medieval architecture, the legends and the literary connections together in two hours, so the city's layers of meaning come through as you move through it.
Edinburgh Royal Mile & Old Town: Historian-Led Small Group WalkYou walk the Royal Mile and Old Town's closes with a small group (max 12) led by a historian or specialist guide who knows the place deeply. You see St Giles' Cathedral, Grassmarket, the Scott Monument, and the closes where 17th-century tenements still stand, and you hear the stories behind them — royal intrigue, Enlightenment thinkers, literary history — without shouting over a crowd. The tour takes 2–3 hours, includes time for questions, and entry to major sites is exterior viewing only, so you're not paying extra fees on top.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand Edinburgh's history — royal, intellectual, literary, and dark — without being herded through a crowd or paying extra for castle entry you might not need. The small group size and the guides' expertise are what make the difference.
Isle of Skye, Inverness & Highlands: 3-Day Tour with Glenfinnan ViaductYou’ll travel from Edinburgh through misty Highlands to Isle of Skye and Inverness with a local guide who knows every story along the way. Expect moments by ancient castles, harborside lunches in Portree, and glimpses of steam trains over Glenfinnan Viaduct — plus plenty of laughter (and maybe rain) between stops.
Edinburgh: Johnnie Walker Whisky Tour & Custom CocktailsYou’ll explore Edinburgh’s Johnnie Walker Experience with a local guide, take a flavor quiz, and enjoy three cocktails matched to your taste profile. Hear stories behind each blend, try your hand at Scottish toasts, and soak up the atmosphere in this immersive 90-minute tour. You’ll leave with new flavors on your mind—and maybe even a bit of smoke clinging to your jacket.
Edinburgh Old Town: Underground Vaults & Ghost Stories TourYou walk through Edinburgh Old Town and Greyfriars Cemetery with a Spanish-speaking guide, then descend into the underground vaults where you can watch street-level pedestrians pass overhead through a window. The tour includes ghost stories and historical accounts of torture and witchcraft, balanced with humor. It takes 2–3 hours, suits families with kids over five, and requires moderate fitness and Spanish comprehension.Is it for me?Choose this if you want Edinburgh's darker history told in the actual places where it happened, and you're comfortable following a Spanish-language guide through Old Town and underground chambers — the vaults themselves are what set this apart from standard city tours.
Edinburgh: Blair Street Underground Vaults & Multi-Sensory HistoryYou descend into Edinburgh's exclusive Blair Street Underground Vaults with a master storyteller guide, handle original artifacts, and experience the 18th-century chambers through scent, sound, and touch via personal audio devices. The tour includes access to the Vaults Museum with interactive displays and a take-home scent card. Tours run year-round and suit all fitness levels; children must be 5 or older.Is it for me?Book this if you want to move beyond the standard Edinburgh walking tour and actually step into a preserved 18th-century space—the exclusive vault access and multi-sensory elements are what make this different from any other history tour in the city.
Port of Leith Distillery Tour and Tasting: EdinburghThe Port of Leith Distillery Tour and Tasting is a 90-minute guided experience at the UK's first vertical whisky distillery in Edinburgh, where you explore the building's architecture, fill a miniature bottle of New Make spirit, and taste samples of New Make, port, sherry and Table Whisky in the QC Lab. Children from age 7 are welcome with an adult; the tour moves through a production facility with open grate flooring, so sensible footwear is required.Is it for me?Fill your own bottle and taste in the working QC Lab where the distillery's team operates — you'll understand whisky production through hands-on experience rather than observation alone.
