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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Edinburgh: Ghost & Witch Hunt Tour in SpanishYou walk Edinburgh's Old Town after dark with a Spanish-language guide, moving from St Giles' Cathedral through medieval alleyways to Greyfriars Kirk cemetery, hearing stories of witch hunts, executions, grave robbers and the paranormal legends that still cling to the city. The guide is included, the group stays small, and you're done in time to grab dinner in the New Town.Is it for me?Right for Spanish speakers who want Edinburgh's darker history without a crowded group tour. Expect an evening walk through narrow, uneven medieval streets at nightfall — the darkness is what makes the stories land, and the pace is steady but not rushed.
Loch Ness, Glencoe & Ben Nevis tour from EdinburghThis is a 12-hour guided sightseeing tour departing from Edinburgh that travels through Glencoe, past Ben Nevis and along Loch Ness, with a live English-speaking guide, air-conditioned coach and driver commentary throughout. The itinerary reverses between late March and late September. Entry to the Loch Ness cruise is optional and costs extra; food, drinks and hotel pickup are not included.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're staying in Edinburgh and want to see Glencoe, Loch Ness and Ben Nevis without renting a car or planning the route yourself—the coach, guide and timing are fixed, so you step on in the morning and the day holds together.
Edinburgh Dungeon: Entry Ticket & Live Actors Immersive TourYou’ll step into Edinburgh Dungeon’s shadowy halls with live actors pulling you into Scotland’s most notorious tales. Dodge plague-ridden streets, face Sawney Bean’s family, laugh (or squirm) at Judge Mental—and hold on tight for the Drop Dead Ride finale. You’ll leave with goosebumps, maybe a new fear of cobblestones, and stories that stick with you long after.
Rosslyn Chapel & Hadrian’s Wall Day Trip from EdinburghYou’ll step inside mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, wander Melrose Abbey’s ruins after lunch in town, and follow ancient stones along Hadrian’s Wall with a local guide leading your small group. Expect quiet moments, strange legends, fresh air — and maybe a new theory or two by the end.
Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle & Dunfermline Abbey Day TripYou’ll walk through Scottish history on this day trip from Edinburgh — from Dunfermline Abbey’s royal tombs to Stirling Castle’s battlefields and Rosslyn Chapel’s mysterious carvings. Expect stories you won’t forget, a few laughs with your local guide, and moments that linger long after you’re home.
Loch Lomond & Stirling Castle Day Trip from EdinburghYou’ll travel from Edinburgh to Loch Lomond’s peaceful shores for woodland walks, then explore Stirling Castle or wander its historic streets at your own pace. Alongside local stories from your guide and stops at iconic sculptures like The Kelpies, you’ll find yourself caught between wild landscapes and centuries-old legends—maybe even tasting something new along the way.
Rosslyn Chapel & Scottish Borders Small Group Tour from EdinburghThis small-group day tour from Edinburgh visits Rosslyn Chapel, Melrose Abbey and Scott's View across the Scottish Borders with a professional guide and admission to the chapel included. Groups stay under 16 travelers on a luxury mini-coach, and the route reverses on Sundays. Melrose Abbey is currently closed for masonry inspection, so access to sections of the site may be limited during your visit.Is it for me?Follow your guide through Rosslyn Chapel's Knights Templar mysteries and the Tweed Valley's abbeys while the group moves together at a shared pace, with all admissions handled.
Edinburgh Old Town: Witches Walking Tour & Underground VaultYou’ll walk Edinburgh’s Old Town with a character guide who brings witch trial stories to life right on the Royal Mile. Explore hidden courtyards, learn odd local customs (yes, spitting!), and finish deep underground in The Lost Close vault—a place that feels both eerie and strangely intimate. It’s not just history; it gets under your skin.
Edinburgh: Outlander Tour with Midhope Castle & LinlithgowYou visit five Outlander filming locations in one day — Falkland, Culross, Doune Castle, Linlithgow Palace and Midhope Castle — with a trained guide who explains the history and the show's connection to each site. Hotel pickup from central Edinburgh and return drop-off are included, along with the flexibility to grab lunch in Linlithgow. The tour runs March through December, with Midhope Castle available during those months.Is it for me?Book this if you've watched Outlander and want to see the actual locations without arranging your own transport or figuring out which sites are open when — the guide handles the logistics and the history, so you just show up and see the places you recognize.
Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Ghost Tour & Whisky TastingYou descend into Edinburgh's largest underground vaults with a master storyteller, hear true accounts of witchcraft and torture through audio-enhanced narration, then warm up in a candlelit cellar with a whisky or local ale. Small groups, year-round departures, children five and up welcome.Is it for me?Book this if you want Edinburgh's darker history told by someone who knows it deeply, without arranging transport or navigating the Old Town closes alone at night — the small-group format and fixed storyteller route are what make the atmosphere work.
Edinburgh: Food & Drink Walking Tour with Local TastingsYou’ll taste classic Scottish dishes (yes, even haggis) as you walk Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and Old Town with a local guide who brings history to life. Expect stops at favorite restaurants for everything from smoked salmon to whisky tastings—and time to soak up stories along the way. It’s not just about eating; it’s about feeling part of the city for an afternoon.
Hadrian's Wall tour from Edinburgh: Roman sites & BordersThis day tour from Edinburgh travels south through Northumberland to Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda Roman Army Museum and historic border villages, with entrance fees included and a professional guide. The group stays small (maximum 16 passengers), and you'll walk beside the wall at Steel Rigg and tour the museum's Roman artifacts and writing tablets. The tour runs 10.5 hours and departs from Edinburgh Bus Station.Is it for me?Book this tour for a full day when you want to see Hadrian's Wall and understand Roman Britain without arranging transport or museum entry yourself—the guide handles the history and the route, and the small group size means you're not herded through the sites in a crowd.
Edinburgh: Royal Mile & Castle Walking Tour in SpanishYou walk the Royal Mile and Edinburgh's Old Town with a Spanish-speaking guide for three hours, stopping at Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the Grassmarket. The guide shares historical facts, myths and legends about the Scottish capital while you navigate the atmospheric streets and alleyways. You'll see the major landmarks, hear the stories behind them, and end with an iconic view of the castle from a narrow close—no need to arrange your own route or worry about missing the context.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Edinburgh sights and their stories in one morning or afternoon without planning your own route—the guide handles the pacing and context, which is what turns a walk into an understanding of how the city actually works.
Edinburgh: Highland Lochs & Whisky Distillery Day TourYou spend a full day moving through the Scottish Highlands without arranging transport, entry fees, or timing yourself — the driver-guide handles the route, you get distillery admission and a tasting included, and lunch in Pitlochry breaks up the day. The group maxes out at 16 people, which keeps the minibus from feeling like a coach tour, and the fixed itinerary means you see the Hermitage waterfall, the cathedral ruins, and a distillery tasting all in one trip.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Highland scenery and a distillery experience without arranging your own transport, entry fees, or timing — the small group size and fixed itinerary mean you see everything in one day without the logistics.
Edinburgh Castle: Guided Tour with Local Expert in KiltYou get admission to Edinburgh Castle, a professional local guide in traditional Scottish dress, and a walking tour through the Crown Jewels, St. Margaret's Chapel, and the viewpoint at the top of Castle Rock. The guide handles your entrance ticket, so you avoid the entry queue and move straight into the castle's main sites with someone who knows the stories behind them.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand Edinburgh Castle's history rather than just walk through it, and you'd rather have a local expert handle your ticket and pacing than navigate the crowds and plaques on your own.
Holyrood Distillery Whisky and Gin Tour Edinburgh's First MaltHolyrood Distillery's whisky and gin tour in Edinburgh pairs a guided walk through the working distillery with a seasonal cocktail, samples of single malt whisky and award-winning gin, and a tutored tasting that explains how oak barrels shape flavour. The tour runs about an hour with a live English-speaking guide, and children from age 8 are welcome.Is it for me?Most distillery tours in Edinburgh are heritage sites or visitor attractions built around the building itself; Holyrood puts you on the working floor where the stills are actually running and the whisky is being made, so the tasting at the end connects to what you watched happen.
Edinburgh: West Highland Lochs, Mountains & CastlesYou travel by air-conditioned coach through the Scottish Highlands, stopping at four castles and two lochs in a single day. The tour includes Doune Castle, Loch Lomond views at Luss, an hour in Inveraray, and a photo stop at Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe, with live commentary from the driver-guide throughout. Arrive 15 minutes early at your Edinburgh departure point.Is it for me?Pick this tour if you want to see multiple Highlands castles and lochs in one day without renting a car or planning the route yourself — the fixed itinerary and included transport handle all the logistics, leaving you to watch the scenery.
Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Canongate Graveyard Ghost TourYou descend into Edinburgh's exclusive Blair Street Underground Vaults with a Mercat Tours storyteller, hearing curated audio of the city's sounds while learning the dark histories of Old Town's closes. Then you walk to Canongate graveyard, where famous figures and notorious criminals rest. Small groups, all-weather operation, and the audio devices stay with you—so the stories do too.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want Edinburgh's darker history told with real depth and sensory detail, not a rushed overview. The vaults are genuinely unsettling—narrow, cold, dark—so expect to feel the atmosphere, not just hear about it.
Edinburgh: Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & TastingYou arrive with a gin and tonic, learn the story of Lind and Lime, bottle and label your own 5cl bottle on the production line, then mix and sip a Gimlet cocktail while hearing more about the distillery. The whole thing takes 75 minutes and includes two drinks plus tastings in the shop. You leave with a bottle you made yourself and the skills to mix a proper Gimlet at home.Is it for me?Pick this if you want a hands-on distillery experience rather than just a tasting — the bottling line and cocktail-mixing parts are what turn it into something you actually do, not just watch.
Edinburgh: Harry Potter Walking Tour & Hogwarts InspirationYou walk through Edinburgh's Old Town with an expert guide, stopping at J.K. Rowling's handprints at the City Chambers, the Tom Riddle gravestone at Greyfriars Kirkyard, Victoria Street (Diagon Alley inspiration), George Heriot's School (Hogwarts), and Edinburgh Castle's witch trials history. The tour ends with a view of the Balmoral Hotel, where Rowling finished the final book. Children under 5 accompanied by an adult join free; the tour lasts around 2 hours and covers steep hills and narrow streets.Is it for me?This tour works well if you're a Harry Potter fan who wants to understand the real Edinburgh behind the books without arranging your own route — the guide connects specific locations and local history directly to Rowling's life and the series, which is what makes the 2 hours feel complete rather than scattered.
