The Best Edinburgh Tours
One of the best ways to explore Edinburgh to its fullest is by going on one of these best Edinburgh tours. If you want a simple, fast way to have a full Edinburgh itinerary ready for your trip, booking the tours I mention below is a great way to achieve this!
On this list, you will find something that suits your travel style. Some of the tours I will list include the best Edinburgh walking tours and the best ghost tour Edinburgh. I will also mention tours that take you to secret foodie spots and underground city tours! No matter what type of tour you are looking for, I guarantee you will find something you will love on this list.
Is it worth going on Edinburgh Tours?
You may be wondering whether or not to book tours in Edinburgh or just visit the places and go on a self-guided tour through the city. The answer to this depends on what you are looking for and your budget. If you do not mind missing out on unique experiences and local knowledge of the city in exchange for saving on your budget, go for a self-guided tour of Edinburgh! You can find more information on the best things to do in Edinburgh here (all of which are possible on a free self-guided tour!).
However, if you want to have unique, unforgettable experiences with knowledge from locals. In that case, you must at least go on one of the tours below! On a guided tour, you will surely experience something completely different from what you would have experienced on your own. The listed are all quality tours with local guides, hidden places, and historical facts you may otherwise not have heard of! If this sounds good to you, let’s continue!
Cheap flight options to Edinburgh
Before you can go on any of these fantastic tours in Edinburgh, you will need flight tickets to the city! One of my favourite ways to find affordable, one-way flights is with Skyscanner. This website compares all current flights and their prices and finds the best match for you. This website has saved me so much money that I could spend on my travels instead. Head over to their website now to find out more information.
Book cheap flights to Edinburgh here.
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The Best Edinburgh Tours
1. Edinburgh: Magical Guided Walking Tour
For fans of Harry Potter, this is the tour you cannot miss. On this tour, you will see the city where J.K. Rowling found inspiration for Hogwarts and her famous characters. You will discover places like where J.K. Rowling first found her inspiration for the names of her characters, as well as the place where J.K. Rowling finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There is also a Harry Potter trivia, testing your knowledge! This is a fun tour and one of the best Edinburgh tours that will leave Harry Potter fans feeling satisfied.
Book the Harry Potter tour here.
2. Edinburgh: Old Town History and Tales Walking Tour
This is one of the best Edinburgh walking tours if you love history and are interested in Scottish folklore! This tour will explore the historic Old Town of Edinburgh. Your guide will tell you fascinating stories of Edinburgh and its history. This tour includes some of the most famous Edinburgh attractions, including St. Giles’ Cathedral, Greyfriars Bobby, the Grassmarket, and more!
Book the Old Town History Walking Tour here.
3. Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour
If you love spooky things and would like to explore the haunted streets of Edinburgh, this is one of the best Edinburgh walking tours! This tour takes you on a guided walk to and through Greyfriars Graveyard. On this tour, you will learn about the legend of Greyfriars Bobby, your guide will tell you stories about notorious criminals, and you will explore many aspects of the grim history of Greyfriars Graveyard. You will discover the former home of witches and a hellfire club and hear about the haunted vault now possessed by something genuinely evil. So for horror fans, this is the best ghost tour Edinburgh!
Book the Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour here.
4. Edinburgh: 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour
This tour has to be one of my favourites. If you are a foodie like me, I know you will love this tour. On this guided food tour of Edinburgh, you will receive food tastings that include haggis (traditional Scottish food), Scottish cheeses, scones with jam and butter, and more. On this 3-hour guided food tour of Edinburgh, you will have 6 stops to learn the culinary history of Edinburgh. Besides these delicious food items, you will also get to sip on some of the best single malt whisky and try authentic Edinburgh gin. You can choose to go on a group tour or a private tour. If you are a food lover, this is one of the best Edinburgh tours, if not the best out there!
Book the Guided Secret Food Tour of Edinburgh here.
5. Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour w/ Fast–Track Entry
This is the perfect tour if you want to save time and skip the line for Edinburgh Castle! On this guided tour of Edinburgh Castle, you will see the most important sights in the Castle with an expert guide. You will learn about the Castle’s hidden history and some key characters who helped shape it. You will see the Castle dungeons and military prison, the Black Banquet, and Thomas Randolph’s castle raid.
Book the Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour here.
6. Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour
If you are a fan of spooky, ghostly tours, this is one of the best Edinburgh walking tours you can experience for precisely this. On this underground tour of Edinburgh, you will take a trip through the streets beneath Edinburgh’s Old Town. You will explore the South Bridge vaults from the 1700s and learn the history of what lies beneath the streets of Edinburgh. You will hear about the history of the living conditions and diseases that ran through the area. These vaults are known to be some of the most haunted and scariest places on Earth. This is the darker side of Edinburgh’s history. As you enter this tour, you will wander through candle-lit underground areas while hearing about the Burke and Hare murders and the persecution of witches.
Book the Underground Vaults Tour of Edinburgh
7. Edinburgh: Real Mary King’s Close Guided Tour
Step into Edinburgh’s hidden history of the Real Mary King’s Close, one of the best Edinburgh walking tours. On this 1-hour fully guided immersive tour, you will visit the Real Mary King’s Close and experience over 400 years of history. You will discover Edinburgh’s only preserved 17th-century street and hear many tales. This is an excellent tour for people who love history and want to understand former residents and uncover their real stories.
Book the Real Mary King’s Close Guided Tour
8. Edinburgh: Ghostly Underground Tour
Are you looking for the best ghost tour Edinburgh? I have got you covered! Take a spooky guided tour through Edinburgh’s Old Town while being told tales of its mysterious past. On this tour, you will get exclusive access to Blair Street Underground Vaults and tour through the streets of the Old Town and the underground vaults. All the while experiencing these historical places, you will listen to your cloaked guide as they tell you tales of the city’s dark and grim history. Walking through these underground rooms, you will hear stories of their living conditions and the crime that historically raged through the vaults. This is one of the best Edinburgh walking tours if you can handle the spooky atmosphere.
Book the Ghostly Underground Tour
9. Edinburgh: 24-Hour Family-Friendly Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
One of the best ways to discover some of Edinburgh’s most famous landmarks and attractions is to go on a hop-on, hop-off bus. This is one of the best Edinburgh tours out there that is also family-friendly. Enjoy panoramic views from the open-top deck bus while quickly approaching each attraction. On this specific tour bus, you will go to all of the listed places: St Andrew Square – Northside, Lothian Road – Waldorf Astoria, Grassmarket, Lauriston Place, Johnstone Terrace – Edinburgh Castle, The Scottish Whiskey Experience, Lawnmarket – Gladstone’s End, The Real Mary King’s Close, Chambers Street – National Museum of Scotland, St Mary’s Street West, Canongate – John Knox House, Royal Mile – Scottish Parliament, Palace of Holyrood House, Dynamic Earth, Regent Road – Burns Monument.
Book the 24-Hour Family-Friendly Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
10. Edinburgh: Palace of Holyroodhouse Ticket (Optional Audio Guide)
If you want to explore the King’s official residence in Scotland, you must book this tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. With this ticket, you will get entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and a Multimedia guide available in 9 languages. This is not a guided tour of the palace. However, it is still one of the best Edinburgh tours out there, and I highly recommend that you do not skip this one.
Book the Palace of Holyroodhouse Ticket here
Once inside the baroque palace, you will learn about its close association with Scotland’s history. The multimedia guide does a great job of explaining the history of this palace. While listening to the multimedia guide, you can marvel at the fine plasterwork ceilings, paintings, and other stunning artworks. In the Throne Room, you will see where lunch was served to the Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Thistle. You will also discover where the King holds his private audiences in the Morning Drawing Room.
11. Edinburgh: Whisky Tasting with History and Storytelling
If you love whisky and storytelling and want to experience whisky to its full potential, you need to book this tour! On this tour, you will learn of whisky and its history while immersing yourself in Scottish stories. This is one of the best Edinburgh tours for whisky lovers, and the experience is located right in the heart of the city, on the Royal Mile. This tour includes a guide and 4 single-malt scotch whiskies.
Book the Whisky Tasting Tour Here
12. Edinburgh: The Dark Side Walking Tour
Meet some of Edinburgh’s most infamous characters on a ghost-themed tour of the city center of Edinburgh. Suppose you loved my previously mentioned best ghost tour Edinburgh. In that case, this is one of the best Edinburgh walking tours for this! On this guided tour, you will hear tales of murders, grave robbing, witches, and witch burning. The tour starts on the Royal Mile and takes you to gruesome sites such as the Canongate Kirkyard and the mausoleums. On this tour, you will also learn about Burke and Hare and discover the reality behind the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’ lover.
Book the Dark Side Walking Tour here
13. Edinburgh: Chocdolatrium Tour, Tasting & Chocolate Making
On this 90-minute tour of a Chocolate Factory, you will journey from chocolate tree to chocolate bar. You will make chocolates in Edinburgh themes and personalize the bars with whatever flavour you wish. While making these delicious treats, your guide will tell you the history of the chocolate from the Aztecs, everything from the first chocolate bar to the newest inventions. It is one of the best Edinburgh tours and a must for any chocolate lover!
