Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included
Description
Make the most of your time in Edinburgh with our guided walking tour that combines a walk on the historic Royal Mile and a guided visit inside Edinburgh Castle (entry included). The tour will begin on the Royal Mile, where your guide will lead you through cobbled streets, sharing fascinating stories of Scotland’s past and pointing out iconic landmarks like St. Giles' Cathedral, the colourful Victoria Street, and the Grassmarket with its vibrant atmosphere. Uncover Edinburgh castle's rich history and visit the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Great Hall, and St. Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in the city. Learn about the dramatic life of Mary, Queen of Scots, and experience the One O’Clock Cannon firing. After the tour, you will have the opportunity to keep exploring the roofed buildings of the castle at your own pace.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our tour will start on the Royal Mile. Your tour guide will offer an introduction to the city and the history of the Old Town.
As we walk on the Royal Mile we will see some of the city 'closes' and understand what these narrow lanes were used for. We'll also stop at the Mercat Cross, a site once used for public announcements and punishments. Can you spot the unicorn at the top?
In front of the Mercat Cross we will see St. Giles Cathedral. We'll talk about the architecture of the most important church in Scotland, and discover the history of the Presbyterian religion. We will also walk to West Parliament Square to talk about the Act of Union.
We leave St. Giles behind us and proceed on the Royal Mile. On our way, we will point out the Heart of Midlothian and explain what this mosaic heart is. A few minutes later, we will enter Makars’ Court, just off the Royal Mile. Here, with the Writer’s Museum as a backdrop, we will talk about Scotland’s most important writers, including Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.
From the Writer's Museum we will walk down a few steps to get to Victoria Street, one of the most picturesque streets of the Old Town. As we walk down the street, you will see quirky shops and colourful facades.
As we reach the bottom of Victoria Street, we will see a large plaza in front of us. This is the Grassmarket, an area famous for its pubs, but with a very dark past!
From the Grassmarket we will take some steps to reach the Castle Esplanade. As we walk up the hill we will see the dark spike of the Hub, and explain what this building is. Once on the Castle Esplanade, we will enjoy stunning views of the city and see where the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place.
It is finally time to enter Edinburgh Castle. Once inside, we’ll delve into the history and secrets of this building, and recall the fascinating stories of kings, queens, battles and sieges. After the guided tour you will have the opportunity to explore the indoor areas of the castle at your own pace.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Suitcases and large rucksacks are not permitted in Edinburgh castle.
- There will be 3 set of steps and 2 steep paths along the route.
- The tour will take place on the outdoor areas of the castle. After the guided visit you will have the time to visit the roofed buildings and the museums
- The company is not responsible for participants arriving late and missing the beginning of the tour. If the group is no longer at the meeting point when you arrive, please note that the first stop will be the Mercat Cross and the Old Parliament Square.
Reviews(1,743)
Great! Loved our tour guide, Ben. The whole tour was good, of course the castle is gorgeous. Ben was our favorite part of the tour.
SJ was an amazing guide. She clearly loved what she was doing, was very knowledgeable, and was interested in learning a little about us.
The walking tour of Royal Mile/Old Town and Edinburgh Castle is the perfect group size and amount of time. Ben was an excellent tour guide and gave us recommendations for exploring the castle.
We walked throughout the streets near the castle and then all around the castle area. I feel we almost got two tours in one be Cause he knew so much information about the area as well as the castle.
Great tour with Alice! Learnt lots and at a nice pace :)
The tour was very nice and interesting
Ricky was our amazing guide. He has so much knowledge about the history and was funny too. We recommend this tour.
Alice is amazing! She did a thorough and great job explaining the history of Edinburgh and Scotland! It was interactive and fun!! I would highly recommend Alice and this tour!
A great overview of Old Tiown Scotland. Xenon was a fantastic guide, navigating a very busy section of town with patience, humor, and an engaging recitation of local history. This tour offers great suggestions on how to allocate your time in Edinburgh.
This is a 135 minute tour where only about 20 min is spent in the castle grounds. All else is walking arouns the Royal Mile area, which IS interesting but you will want to plan a other 1-2 hours on the end to stay and explore the castle.
