Edinburgh Castle 120-Minute In-Depth Experience with Expert Guide
Description
Visit the iconic Edinburgh Castle with an expert guide. Admire the castle's treasures such as the Scottish Crown Jewels, St Margaret's Chapel, Mary, Queen of Scots Birthing Chamber, and more on our guided tour. With your map in hand, your guide will lead you along the ancient cobblestone paths of this national monument. During the tour you will get to discover areas of the castle such as Hospital Square and the Western Panorama, where you can take in the breathtaking views. You will also see some of the more famous parts of the castle including: The One o'Clock Gun, Mons Meg, The Castle Esplanade, Crown Square, and more. Your local guide will tell you stories of the incredible people who have shaped the Castle throughout the centuries. From stories about deadly banquets and daring midnight raids to the death of a queen and the birth of a king. Be sure to set aside some time after tour for further exploration of the museums and exhibitions (not accessible during the tour).
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is our meeting point. This is where we will get everyone checked in. This is where our introduction to the tour takes place before we head off to Edinburgh Castle.
We will get our first look at the castle from the esplanade, your guide will explain the geology of the area and talk about the first settlers here. You will also learn about The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
This is where we begin our exploration of the historic fortress of Edinburgh Castle.
We will enter Edinburgh Castle through the gatehouse and we will arrive on the Argyle Battery where you will take in the views to the north and learn of the castles historic defences
Here we will learn about Edinburgh's famous time signal, The One O'clock gun
Climbing further up Hawkhill we will learn about the people who currently live in the castle, and those who have been held prisoner here throughout the centuries
Arriving into the Royal Quarters of the castle we will find Edinburgh's oldest building, St. Margarets Chapel. Hear about her life and how this building has survived to this day
Our final stop brings us into the beating heart of Edinburgh Castle. Crown Square where we find the historic home to our Stuart monarchs, The Royal Palace. We will learn of the palaces many residents and also of their most famous feature today, The Scottish Crown Jewels. This is where our tour concludes, you now have the opportunity to explore the castle at your own pace, armed with all the new found knowledge you've acquired. Your guide will remain in Crown Square to answer questions for as long as required.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 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
Reviews(390)
John was an awesome tour guide, his animation and knowledge made the tour amazing! I would recommend this tour!
If you're researching Edinburgh Castle tours while planning your trip to Scotland, stop looking. This is the tour you want to book. My family did the tour with John yesterday, and it was one of the highlights of our vacation. We've done quite a few tours throughout London and Scotland, and his was easily the best. I'll be honest, I'm usually not the biggest history buff. On most tours, I'm the person quietly drifting to the back of the group, counting leaves on the trees and wondering how much longer is left. But John completely changed that. He has a rare gift for bringing history to life. His storytelling was engaging, funny, and full of personality. He mixed in humor at just the right moments and included fascinating niche stories that made the castle and its history feel real instead of just a list of dates and names. I never thought I would find myself wishing a history tour would last longer, but by the end of John's tour, I genuinely did. John would make an outstanding history teacher because he has a way of making people genuinely care about the stories he's telling. I wish every tour guide was like him. If you're visiting Edinburgh Castle, do yourself a favor and book a tour with John. You'll leave entertained, informed, and probably knowing a lot more about Scottish history than you expected.
Our guide was lovely but her English was not fantastic and she kept repeating herself. We booked a 2 hour tour but the tour finished in 90 minutes. We spent a solid 30+ minutes of the experience outside the castle walls which was interesting but given the abbreviated tour itself, it means we had even less time in the castle.
Our guide John was very pleasant, extremely knowledgeable, a kept a good pace. Would definitely see about using his services again to explore other areas in Scotland.
John couldn’t have done a better job. He was entertaining, charming and knowledgeable! We’ve taken tours all over Europe and John ranks as one of the top two guides we’ve been with. The pace of the tour on a windy and brisk day, although it was also sunny, was perfect and never bogged down with superfluous information or too much sharing. We also had plenty of time after to revisit areas of the castle or complete the visit. The Crown Jewels were fun to see and the story John relayed about them was great commentary. Couldn’t be happier with our experience.
Kristel was the BEST tour guide! I am not usually a big fan of guided tours, but this was an incredible experience and I am SO glad we chose EDI Tours! I have been to Edinburgh castle at least 3 other times, but never got to learn about the history in such a fun way. We did this right after a 16 hour travel day and Kristel was able to keep us and our 11 yr old engaged, entertained, and laughing. I certainly did not expect to have so much fun. Will bring all my family and friends when we come back to Edinburgh! Thanks Kristel! EDI tours was also incredibly communicative and accommodating! Highly recommend!
John was a terrific guide, funny, knowledgeable…. Time went quickly, highly recommend him
We had tickets for Edinburgh Castle’s guided tour on a Saturday morning. The tour met up on the Royal Mile not far from St. Giles Cathedral. Naomi was our tour guide, and she led us into one of the side streets off the Royal Mile to give us a history of city life as it may have been historically in the residential areas before moving on to Edinburgh Castle. This allowed us to have a nice approach to the castle grounds. Naomi also provided a fascinating talk about the history and lineage of Scottish royalty once we were on the grounds. She also spoke of geology and suburban planning as it related to the “newer” section of Edinburgh. This summary appropriately set up the rich context of the history of Edinburgh Castle. I think also what made this tour so special is that Naomi prompted myself to read up on UK history in general because the history of Scotland and England are so intertwined. I highly recommend Naomi as your tour guide if you opt for this wonderful adventure.
The tour of Edinburgh Castle by John was amazing! He is so knowledgeable and really made the stories, the history, come to life. John is very engaging and fun! The only thing I would change is for it to be longer. 2 hours was just not enough time with a fantastic guide! 10/10.
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.
