Join an expert local guide for a 1.5-hour skip-the-line tour of the iconic Edinburgh Castle! Visit the must-see sites inside the castle walls, hear the extraordinary tales of defense and conquest, and enjoy the spectacular views across Edinburgh and South East Scotland.
Your Edinburgh Castle Tour meets meets on 130 High Street (The Royal Mile) and finishes inside the castle grounds. We never cancel; tours run rain, hail or shine.
A Scottish national treasure
Your expert local guide will begin by walking you up the Royal Mile, the only way to access the otherwise impenetrable Edinburgh Castle. No trip to Scotland is complete without visiting the castle, but its popularity has grown so much in recent years that getting tickets has become much harder. Luckily, your ticket for the SANDEMANs NEW Edinburgh Castle Tour not only includes a ticket, but also skip-the-line entrance!
A proud and bloody history
Perched on top of the extinct volcano Castle Rock, this dramatic setting means the Edinburgh Castle has seemingly impenetrable cliffs on three sides. Yet this castle, one of the oldest continuously habited castles in the world, has been conquered several times throughout history, and parts of it have even been destroyed. Your tour guide will bring all of these incredible stories to life, while showing you the must-see sites like Mons Meg Cannon and the National War Museum and War Memorial.
Find the must-see sites, or stay a little longer
With your Edinburgh Castle tour, your expert guide will ensure that you don’t miss any of the crucial elements of the castle, however, your ticket for the castle allows you to stay right through to closing time, so if you want to continue to explore the many memorials and museums that exist within Scotland’s number one tourist attraction, you’re more than welcome to do so!
The Edinburgh Castle Walking Tour starts on 130 High Street (The Royal Mile), on the corner with Stevenlaw's Close
Discover the National War Museum and War Memorial
Visit St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh
Hear the incredible true story of the Stone of Destiny
Learn about the bloody battles with the English, and Scottish Independence
See the still-working Mons Meg Cannon
TOUR SCHEDULES
Today
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PHOTOS
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
Local English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line entrance to the castle
Additional Information
All minors must be accompanied by an adult in order to join the tour
Children between the ages of 5 and 15 pay £25, children under the age of 5 join free
Please be aware that Edinburgh Castle stays open until 5pm and your Castle ticket is only valid on the day of purchase
Unfortunately, the steep hills and uneven ground mean that this tour is not suitable for pushchairs or those unable to walk unassisted
No bags or backpacks over 30L are permitted for security reasons
Our business is connecting great guides and smart travelers, and we're proud that so many local guides employ us to welcome travelers like you on their journey through some of the world's best cities. No two tours are alike, and the sites, stories, and length of the tour will vary depending on what your freelance guide decides is best. That's why the tours we promote never get stale or feel scripted, and why both independent guides and savvy travelers prefer SANDEMANs
MAP
The Edinburgh Castle Tour meets on 130 High Street (The Royal Mile).Open in Google Maps
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Customer reviews
Best way to visit the castle
We did the walking tour with Richard and had a great experience! We can highly reccommend going with a guide to visit the castle, it really brings the place to life! Richard was very informative and kept a good pace. I really liked his style and the stories that he shared with us. Make sure you leave enough time after the tour to explore the different museums inside the castles. We were short on time and we had to rush off after the tour but would have been nice to explore more on our own.
I recommend the walking tour of Edinburgh Castle. Wear comfortable walking shoes! When the weather is nice, as it was the day we visited in July, the views from the battlements are very nice. We enjoyed our guide's fun and informative presentation.Thanks, Alasdair, for a lovely introduction to Edinburgh Castle.
The Sandemans tour was a great way to see Edinburgh Castle. Richard our tour guide, showed great passion and knowledge of the castle and Scottish history which brought every thing to life. A great experience.
We took a tour of Edinburgh Castle with Sarah this morning. Her knowledge and enthusiasm made the tour come alive. She is to be congratulated. Anyone having the opportunity to do a tour with her should grab it.
We joined the 10am Castle tour hosted by Greg and what a fabulous, knowledgeable, fun, tour guide he was. We were treated to a brief overview of Scottish history from 12th Centuary which included a recital of Scottish poetry and a folksong. Brilliant, really enjoyable and bought the history of Edinburgh Castle to life. I would recommend this tour to anyone.
Select Tours focus on a particular area or district of a city, a certain aspect of its history or culture, or take you outside the city on a day trip. Select Tours are perfect for those who have enjoyed an introduction to the city and wish to delve deeper into the stories the city has to offer. These tours often venture further afield and make use of local public transport.
As with the Free Tour, Select Tours are provided by local freelance guides in partnership with SANDEMANs NEW Europe, who bring their personal flair and expert knowledge to these specifically themed tours. Select tours have a fixed ticket price - we recommend purchasing your ticket in advance, either during a Free Tour or online.
Enjoy a comprehensive overview of Edinburgh's fascinating history and must-see sites with your priva ...
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Customise Your Private Tour!
Tell us the landmarks, stories or parts of the city you want to see, how long you have to see them and when you want to go, and we’ll build an itinerary that suits you.
Enjoy a comprehensive overview of Edinburgh's fascinating history and must-see sites with your priva ...
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Participation in tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe is strictly on a voluntary basis. Neither SANDEMANs NEW Europe, nor the self-employed freelance guides who are the providers of the tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe, will be held responsible in any way for injuries to body or property incurred during tours. The tour guides reserve the right to deny participation in any tour, to any person, for any reason. Thank you for your understanding.
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