Things to do in Scotland
Day Trips from Edinburgh12 optionsEdinburgh Underground City14 optionsEdinburgh Tour Highlands44 optionsJacobite Steam Train Tours30 optionsEdinburgh Ghost Tour24 optionsStirling Castle Tours39 optionsWhiskey Tour Edinburgh13 optionsLoch Ness Tours60 optionsEdinburgh Walking Tour94 optionsBoat Tour Loch Ness9 optionsEdinburgh Airport Taxi10 optionsIsle of Skye Tours29 options
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Edinburgh: Haunted Vaults & Royal Mile Walking TourYou descend into 1700s vaults beneath Edinburgh's Royal Mile with a guide who walks you through the torture exhibition and the paranormal history of these former slum dwellings. The tour takes 2–3 hours, includes admission, and requires moderate fitness to handle the spiral staircases and low ceilings. Not suitable for children under 12 or anyone with difficulty walking; arrive sober and without luggage, as storage isn't provided.Is it for me?Book this if you're interested in Edinburgh's darker history and don't mind confined spaces, cold air, and unsettling content — the vaults' reputation for paranormal activity comes from the real weight of the place, not from theatrical effects, which is what makes the experience feel genuine rather than staged.
Isle of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle Day Tour from InvernessYou travel by small-group minibus from Inverness along Loch Ness to Eilean Donan Castle, then cross to the Isle of Skye for lunch in Portree and visits to the Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, and Kilt Rock. Your guide is a local English speaker, the vehicle is air-conditioned, and lunch is included. Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in, and note that children under 5 cannot travel on this tour.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the Isle of Skye's main landmarks and Eilean Donan Castle in a single day without arranging your own transport or timing between stops — the small-group format and fixed schedule handle both, though you'll need to get yourself to the departure point and allow buffer time for your onward plans.
Isle of Skye & Eilean Donan Castle tour from InvernessA twelve-hour guided tour from Inverness covers Eilean Donan Castle, the Isle of Skye, and Portree village, with stops at Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock for photos. The tour includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and live guide commentary; children from age 4 are welcome. Eilean Donan Castle is closed to visitors December 22–February 1, though the exterior and bridge remain accessible for photos.Is it for me?The tour departs from central Inverness with hotel pickup included, so you don't need a rental car or arrange your own transport to reach the Isle of Skye and its landmarks. The fixed itinerary and guide handle the route and timing, letting you spend the day photographing and exploring instead of navigating.
Edinburgh Old Town: 2-Hour Walking Tour & Castle ViewsYou walk the cobbled streets and back alleys of Edinburgh's UNESCO Old Town for two hours with a professional guide who knows the history and chooses their own route. You see St Giles Cathedral, the Mercat Cross, George Heriot School, and Edinburgh Castle from outside, moving at a steady pace through the historic heart of the city. The guide is passionate about the place, not reading from a script, and the tour works year-round as long as you wear appropriate Scottish weather gear and comfortable shoes.Is it for me?Book this if you want a solid grounding in Edinburgh's history and layout without arranging a guide yourself—the two-hour format covers the main Old Town sites and sets you up for exploring further or joining other tours afterward.
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.
Glasgow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: Red Route & Live GuideYou board at George Square and ride the Red Route's 24 stops at your own rhythm, hopping off to explore Kelvingrove Museum, the Riverside Museum, Merchant City, or Glasgow Cathedral, then catching the next bus. Your pass covers 1 or 2 days, audio commentary in 7 languages, and a live English guide during peak season. Vouchers stay valid for a full year, so you're not locked into a specific date.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want to see Glasgow's main attractions without planning a route or catching separate buses—the frequent stops and flexible hop-on hop-off format let you spend time where you want and move on when you're ready. The 1 hour 40 minute loop is manageable in a morning or afternoon, and the 12-month voucher validity means you can book ahead without committing to a specific date.
Hogwarts Express Loch Ness Scenic Highland Train Tour InvernessA full-day tour from Inverness that combines a scenic drive around Loch Ness with a 2.5-hour ride on the Jacobite Steam Train — the railway made famous by Harry Potter films — traveling from Fort William to the coastal village of Mallaig. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, a local English-speaking guide, and your steam train ticket; you'll stop at Urquhart Castle, the Commando Memorial overlooking Ben Nevis, Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal, and Dores Beach. Children must be at least 5 years old. The itinerary may run in reverse on 9:30am departures, and return times depend on road conditions and weather.Is it for me?Choose the 7:30am departure if you want the earliest light on Loch Ness and the most daylight on the West Coast; the 9:30am start reverses the route, so you'll ride the steam train in the afternoon and see the loch on the return journey. Either way, the guide and transport handle the logistics, so the day holds together without you navigating between the different stops or figuring out train connections.
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.
Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle & Culloden from InvernessThis full-day guided tour from Inverness covers Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Beauly, Glen Ord Distillery, Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield with a Scottish English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. You choose whether to add the Loch Ness cruise and castle entry or take the tour as a route-only option. The itinerary runs roughly nine hours and returns to Inverness in the early evening; exact timing depends on weather and road conditions.Is it for me?Book the option with cruise and castle if you want to actually reach Urquhart Castle by water and stand in front of the ruins — the boat ride is the only way to get close to them. Choose the tour-only option if you prefer to skip the boat and the castle entry fee and focus on the Outlander sites, the distillery and the battlefield history instead.
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: 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.
