Edinburgh Full Day Tour with Edinburgh Castle (Small Group)
Description
Join our small-group walking tour and visit Edinburgh in one day. Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, New Town, the National Gallery of Scotland and the inside of a historic house museum. You’ll learn about the history, culture and heritage of the Scottish capital, and there will be a break for lunch.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our tour will start in the West End of Edinburgh where we will introduce the city and its neighbourhoods. In Charlotte Square, we'll admire elegant examples of neoclassical architecture and understand why Edinburgh is known as the ‘Athens of the North’
In Charlotte Square we will talk about the most iconic mansion of the New Town, the Georgian House. We will understand what the layout of Georgian townhouses looked like and what high society life was like in 18th and 19th century Edinburgh.
Princes Street Gardens is one the main parks of Edinburgh, and we’ll cross it from the east to west. We'll stop to admire the Ross Fountain and other examples of public art. You will also enjoy a great view of the castle and the castle rock from the gardens.
In the Scottish National Gallery we will discover the artworks of some of Scotland’s most famous artists including Sir Henry Raeburn, Alexander Nasmyth, and the Glasgow Boys.
We will walk towards the Royal Mile where we will stop for lunch. This area is renowned for its pubs and restaurants and you will have the opportunity to try some delicious Scottish food.
After lunch we will walk along the Royal Mile where we'll see the Mercat Cross. This was once used for public announcements and public punishments. We will also explain why the unicorn appears at the top of this structure.
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.
On the other side of St. Giles we will see the Heart of Midlothian, a landmark that marks the spot where the Old Tolbooth once stood.
Leaving St. Giles behind us, we will stroll along the Royal Mile. Here's we'll learn what its medieval cobbled lanes, called closes, were and how they were used. There will also be the opportunity to talk about the city’s cultural scene, including its festivals.
We will walk along George IV bridge. It is time to meet Edinburgh's most famous and loyal dog, Bobby! We'll also see the dog statue located just outside of the graveyard.
Behind Bobby, we will find the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard. This historic graveyard we will understand what the Mortsafes are, and learn about the connection between the Scottish Covenants and the George Mackenzie Mausoleum.
After the graveyard we will find the Grassmarket, famous for its pubs and its dark past.
From the graveyard, we will walk to the Grassmarket an area famous for its pubs and its dark past. From the Grassmarket we will walk up Victoria Street, the most picturesque and colorful street of Edinburgh.
Back on the Royal Mile, we'll find the Makars’ Court. 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.
After leaving Makars' Court, we'll walk for a few minutes along the top part of the Royal Mile until we reach the Castle Esplanade. Before entering the castle, 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
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please wear comfortable shoes, Edinburgh is a hilly city. We also recommend a windproof and rainproof jacket.
- You will have free time during the lunch break. There will be cafes, pubs and restaurants for you to choose from with vegan and vegetarian options available.
- The duration of the tour will be approx 5 - 5:30 hours, including the lunch break. We may need more time to access the historical sites and navigate the city during peak travel season (April to October), when more travellers are in town. Please note that in these months, the tour might be slightly longer.
- The company is not responsible for participants arriving late and missing the beginning of the tour. If you miss the group at the starting point, please note that the first stop of the group would be Charlotte Square
Reviews(825)
We had a fantastic tour with Ricky! He provided interesting commentary and stories throughout the day as he showed us many of the Edinburgh sights. Be advised it is a full day of walking and standing, so be well rested and ready for a tiring day. Our tour ran about 6 hours, but it was well worth the time as a very comprehensive tour of the city. We had time to find a quick lunch on our own near the National Galleries. At the end of the tour, we had plenty of time to finish exploring the Edinburgh Castle on our own.
We had a fantastic tour with Ricky! He provided interesting commentary and stories throughout the day as he showed us many of the Edinburgh sights. Be advised it is a full day of walking and standing, so be well rested and ready for a tiring day. Our tour ran about 6 hours, but it was well worth the time as a very comprehensive tour of the city. We had time to find a quick lunch on our own near the National Galleries. At the end of the tour, we had plenty of time to finish exploring the Edinburgh Castle on our own.
The guided tour of Edinburgh was amazing, thanks to our guide Ben. In a group of 10 people from all over the world, he spoke very clearly so that we, the non-native speakers, understood him perfectly. When we lost our group shortly after the start of the tour, he immediately came looking for us so that we could rejoin the group. Ben gave us a lot of information about the history of Scotland and Edinburgh. He encouraged us to ask him everything we were interested in and his answers were comprehensive, interesting, and he often made us laugh. We also saw some places that we would have probably missed in our limited time in Edinburgh. Thank you very much for the pleasant experience and best regards from Slovenia! PS: We managed to conquer Ben Nevis in beautiful sunny weather...
Ben was great tour guide! Enjoyed his explanation!
This was a great tour as our first day in Edinburgh, as a fact-filled orientation to the city and its rich history which was great context for the remainder of our trip. Zenon our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about sites on the tour and Edinburgh history along the way. He also had helpful suggestions for other things to do/see in/near Edinburgh. The small group size was a really nice way to experience a guided tour.
This was a great tour! Very informative. Guide was exceptional! Not recommended for groups coming from Norwegian Cruise line ports - not enough time to finish the tour, we had to miss the castle (entirely the fault of Norwegian, not our guide or Viator).
Zenon was a fantastic guide for our day in Edinburgh. He was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful in making recommendations throughout the tour. We were really impressed with his knowledge of the city and Scotland in general. The tour of Edinburgh Castle was the highlight of the day. Overall, this tour was a great introduction to the city and an excellent overview of its highlights.
Zenon was a wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Edinburgh
We had a fantastic full day walking tour yesterday with Zenon! He was very clear and articulate with his explanations of the history and city of Edinburgh. He was patient and answered many questions. He was extremely knowledgeable and gave good recommendations of places to eat and activities. We had a great day and would highly recommend Zenon and this full day tour. Definitely take the tour you won’t regret it!
Ricky Phillips's was my guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable and amusing. He has a remarkable memory and very entertaining. I highly recommend him and his tours.
