The most touristy part of Scotland by a long ol’ way — loads of people visit Edinburgh every day.
But because there’s so much to do in the city, a trip can feel overwhelming… which is why so many tourists take organized trips in and around the nation’s capital.
So in this guide, I’ve helped you do exactly the same thing, by bringing you the best trips and tours from the city. Expect castles, coastlines, historical relics, a load of Harry Potter stuff, and some surprising under-the-radar gems.
Coming up, the very best tours in (and from!) Edinburgh in 2024. Slip into your kilt and come join the fun!
Note: because Edinburgh is so busy, most of these tours sell out ridiculously quickly. So if you want to book any of them, I recommend doing it soon!
Let’s get started with a pretty standard (but also pretty brilliant) walking tour.
During this one, you’ll wander around the most central and famous parts of the city… accompanied by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Along the way, you’ll see loads of sights, learn about the city and its history, and get a chance to ask plenty of questions.
It’s affordable, it clocks in at 2 hours (the perfect time for a walking tour), and you get a detailed insight into one concentrated area of the city (instead of a superficial insight into many different areas).
The info runs all the way from medieval times to the present day, and it covers history, heritage, people, and places. Walking tours aren’t usually this good—and if you’re into this sort of thing, I massively recommend it.
Tour highlights: wandering around the lanes of the Old Town, learning about historic Edinburgh, visiting some of the city’s most famous sights, and getting time to ask questions (and ask for recommendations).
Itinerary: you meet at Hot Toddy café, then wander past attractions including the Mercat Cross, St. Giles Cathedral, Greyfriars Bobby, the Grassmarket, some Harry Potter stuff, and plenty more. You then finish your tour in a central area with loads of cafes and restaurants.
Edinburgh: Old Town History and Tales Walking Tour
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: the guides are genuinely interested and interesting (rather than bored and indifferent), and you get lots of surprising context and facts
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s for anyone interested in history. But kids will find it a bit boring, and it’s not suitable for anyone who can’t walk far
- What’s included (and what isn’t): there are no extra costs—but you should leave a tip at the end
- Top tips: wear a raincoat (Scotland is a pretty wet place). And wear comfy shoes, cos you’ll do more walking than you expect
Another walking tour, but underground…
… and therefore obviously pretty different to the one we’ve just brought you.
This 1-hour experience takes you deep into a subterranean part of the city, to the creepy confines of some storied and strange vaults. Part of Edinburgh’s South Bridge, these places have housed shops, craftspeople, criminals, diseases, illegal activity, and maybe even corpses.
It’s a vaguely spooky tour, with references to torture and death… but there’s nothing too harrowing or horrible. Children under 5 aren’t allowed, and children under 10 might be creeped out.
Underground Edinburgh Walking Tour
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Last Updated June, 2025
Tour highlights: a witchcraft temple, a ‘haunted’ stone circle, and spooky stories of some of Edinburgh’s most unfortunate citizens.
Itinerary: you meet in central Edinburgh, you get walked around the vaults, then you get walked back to a different part of central Edinburgh.
- Perks and features: you can only visit the vaults as part of an organized trip, so you get to see a place that most people never do. The guides are knowledgeable and fun, and they make big efforts to ensure the tours are immersive and atmospheric
- Group size: maximum of 36 travelers
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s not suitable for people who aren’t mobile, or for claustrophobic folks
- What’s included (and what isn’t): there are no extra costs, but you’re expected to leave a tip at the end. No food is included
- Top tips: the vaults can be slippy, so wear decent shoes
Another underground experience, but much more spooky and scary.
If you’re into ghouls and ghosts, you’ll love this one.
Part of the tour takes place in the vaults (the same underground place we just covered above)… but the content is a bit more sinister in this tour.
You’ll also visit a cemetery, and some hidden tucked-away streets in the Old Town.
And for the whole tour, you’re guided around by a costume character actor, who’ll tell you loads of terrifying tales. I really can’t recommend this one enough.
If you fancy this tour, you have two options: an evening family-friendly tour, and an after-dark very-not-family-friendly tour.
Tour highlights: a tour guide who really cares, getting all spooked up, wandering around the creepy vaults, and visiting (allegedly) the world’s most haunted graveyard.
Itinerary: you meet your guide on Edinburgh’s High Street, where you also end your tour. During the tour, you’ll head down some narrow lanes, wander into the vaults, and visit the cemetery of Greyfriars Kirkyard.
The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: you get to visit the vaults (again, you can only do so as part of an organized event), and you can (safely) explore an iconic graveyard at night
- Group size: maximum of 30 participants
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): none of the tours are good for kids under 5—and the evening tours are spooky for any pre-teen kids
- What’s included (and what isn’t): there are no extra costs, but it’s a good idea to leave an additional tip at the end
A brilliant way to cram some of Edinburgh’s best food and drink into your big fat face.
Edinburgh is a touristy city, so it (of course) has endless restaurants.
Loads of them are great, but loads of them are also pretty terrible. And the only real way to make sure you’re getting the best stuff is by hitting up a tour, armed with the local knowledge of someone who knows all the top spots.
And during this experience, that’s exactly what you get—it’s the best of all of Edinburgh’s food tours.
For 3 hours (that’s a lot of eating), you’ll munch your way around varied eateries, and get your lips around varied treats. You stop at five different places, and taste a bunch of different stuff at each one.
Along the way, you’ll learn about local food, and get insights into what you’re chewing on. Some of the food is local fayre, while some is just really tasty.
Tour highlights: learning about Scottish food, wandering through both the Old Town and the New Town, and not having to spend endless hours trawling through TripAdvisor in the hope of finding good eats.
Itinerary: you meet your guide in central Edinburgh, and finish your tour in a different part of central Edinburgh. The rest of your experience is a mystery (exciting!).
Edinburgh Food & Drink Tour with EatWalk Tours
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: a food-loving guide, who knows all the best places to eat
- Group size: maximum 12 travelers
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s for anyone who likes food! It isn’t for picky eaters, people with allergies, or young kids
- What’s included (and what isn’t): all the food and drink are included—there are no extra costs. But you should leave a tip at the end
- Top tips: be prepared for a reasonable amount of walking. And bring a hefty appetite—you get more food than most tourists expect
Another food-focused experience, but a bit more niche (well, actually a lot more niche).
During this creamy cheese-athon, you’ll spend around 2.5 hours munching on some of the best cheese you can find in Edinburgh. You’ll visit cheesemongers, local businesses, under-the-radar neighborhoods, and more. You’ve probably never eaten this much cheese in your life.
Tour highlights: meeting local businesses owners, learning about the foodie side of Edinburgh, and chowing down on loads and loads and loads of cheese.
Itinerary: you’ll meet your guide in a central part of Edinburgh, and finish your tour in a (different) central part of Edinburgh. For the rest of your tour, you’ll wander between various secret-cheese spots.
The Edinburgh Cheese Crawl
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: you get to visit some niche and largely-unknown places, where most tourists never get to go. And the guides are really fun and passionate
- Group size: maximum 15 travelers
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s not good for kids (children probably aren’t interested in 2.5 hours of learning about cheese)—and it’s not an ideal choice for picky eaters, anyone with allergies, and lactose-intolerant people
- What’s included (and what isn’t): your guide is paid for, as is all the cheese. You should take cash, so you can tip your guide—and so you can buy some cheeses to take home
- Top tips: wear a coat—the cheese shops are small, so you’ll spend lots of the tour-time outside. And be prepared for walking, cos there’s more than most tourists expect
For seeing all the sights without doing much walking, this tour is perfect.
Here’s how it works: you get a 24-hour ticket, which allows you to hop on and hop off (get it?) the City Sightseeing Edinburgh buses whenever and wherever. The buses are all open-topped and easy to spot (they’re bright red), they run on a 30-minute schedule, and they stop at various points throughout the city.
It’s basically a 24-hour public transport ticket, but for public transport that’s geared to provide easy access to the most popular tourist attractions in the city. Some of the top stops include Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the National Museum of Scotland, places to eat and drink, and loads more.
With each bus ride, you get a set of headphones… which offer contextual commentary in 7 different languages (and additional kids’ commentary from the Horrible Histories team). During some periods of the year, kids ride for free.
Tour highlights: not organizing your own transport, and seeing many sights without walking.
Itinerary: the buses always ride in the same loop, so you can easily build your own itinerary!
Edinburgh: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: this is different to a normal tour, cos you get to see things at your own pace—perfect for doing things whenever you want, waking up when you like, and building your own bespoke itinerary
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): suitable for anyone and everyone!
- What’s included (and what isn’t): with your ticket, you get 24-hour access to all buses, all commentaries, and headphones. You don’t get any food, drinks, or entry tickets
- Top tips: 24 hours isn’t as long as you think, in a sight-centric city like Edinburgh. So you should still do some planning by looking at the bus route
Another hop-on-hop-off experience, this one is focused around the royal attractions in Edinburgh (but it also covers waaaay more stuff too).
It works a bit differently to the bus tour we just covered above.
With this tour, you get 48-hour(!) access to three different hop-on-hop-off bus routes—and as part of the ticket price, you also get admission to Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Tour highlights: using three different bus routes to visit basically any famous attraction in the city… and not having to organize any other type of transport.
Itinerary: again, you get to build your own itinerary!
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): suitable for anyone
- What’s included (and what isn’t): you get 48-hour access to as many bus journeys as you want, and you get access to Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Nothing else is included
- Top tips: again, plan your routes carefully—you don’t want to waste your time getting endlessly lost
Alright, this isn’t as unique or unusual as some other entries on our list. But it comes with two major perks:
One: If you visit Edinburgh Castle, you’ll have to wait in a lengthy line—cos whenever you come, there are always loads of tourists. But if you book this tour, you can skip the queue completely, and save a big fat chunk of time.
Two: visiting Edinburgh Castle without a guide is a pretty terrible idea. The place has so much history that you need some context and insight to really understand it. And with this experience, you get both of those things.
You’ll hear juicy details running all the way from the Iron Age to the present day. You’ll learn about royalty, prisoners, religion, the history of Edinburgh, all the big names associated with the castle, and plenty more. The tour takes around 1.5 hours—then you’re free to explore other parts of the castle yourself.
Tour highlights: the dungeons, the military prison, hearing the 1 pm cannon, learning about the things you’re looking at, and a surprising number of laughs.
Itinerary: you meet your guide on the Royal Mile, then get walked into (and around) the castle.
Edinburgh Castle: Guided Tour with Live Guide
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: the guides do this every day—so they really know their stuff, and they can answer (probably) any questions you have
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s not suitable for anyone who isn’t very mobile. And kids might find it a bit boring
- What’s included (and what isn’t): you get entry into the castle, and your guided tour. Nothing else is included, but there are no hidden costs
- Top tips: plan your visit to coincide with the daily 1 pm cannon fire
Another walking tour!
Maybe you’re traveling with kids. Maybe you used to read the Harry Potter books when you were a kid. Maybe you are just a big kid.
Whatever the case, this is the best tour for discovering the fictional wizard’s ties to Edinburgh. You’ll learn about locations that inspired the stories, see places where the movies were filmed, and wander through areas that look like they were plucked from the franchise.
You’ll walk around Edinburgh for two hours, also getting some insights into the city’s real history as you go.
For much more Potter-related Scotland fun, here’s our guide to the 12 best Harry Potter locations in all of Scotland.
Tour highlights: hearing loads of Potter-related trivia, seeing the grave of Voldemort, and the themed quiz.
Itinerary: you’ll meet your guide at William Chambers Monument, and you’ll finish your tour in a different part of central Edinburgh. During the tour, you’ll be taken to The Old Town, a graveyard, and more.
Original Harry Potter Locations Tour in Edinburgh
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Last Updated June, 2025
- Perks and features: themed fun, some interactive elements, and a tour guide that knows what they’re talking about
- Group size: maximum 25 travelers
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s suitable for basically anyone
- What’s included (and what isn’t): your guide is included, but you don’t get anything else. Take some cash, to leave a tip
- Top tips: most of the tour is outside, so take some warm and waterproof clothes
Who doesn’t like floating along on a boat?
The Firth of Forth is a massive estuary leading from the sea into the Forth River. And on this tour, you get to cruise along it.
For around 90 minutes, you’ll see loads of shoreside highlights… including three big beefy bridges (Queensferry Crossing, the Forth Road Bridge, and the Forth Bridge, which is an official UNESCO site), views of Fife and Edinburgh, and maybe some seals and puffins. And the whole way, you’ll get some insightful on-boat commentary.
As part of your trip, you can also hop off the boat, and step foot onto Inchcolm Island. But if you’re visiting between May and August, the nesting birds might restrict your access.
The tour starts from Hawes Pier, in Queensferry. To get there, your best option is to take a train from central Edinburgh… and get off at Dalmeny. It’s an easy journey, and you’ll be on the train for only 15 minutes.
Tour highlights: views of Inchcolm Island, seeing a different side to Edinburgh, and getting to take a city-center cruise.
Itinerary: The boat will depart from the South Queensferry, stop at Inchcolm Island, and sail by Forth Road suspension bridge.
- Perks and features: the boat company are an experienced crew, so the tour is informative, interesting, and safe. The boat has both outside and inside seating areas, and a bar for drinks and snacks
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s suitable for anyone—but it’s particularly good for couples, and people with kids
- What’s included (and what isn’t): included in your ticket price, you get the boat ride and the commentary. You have to pay extra for access to Inchcolm Island, and for any snacks and drinks
- Top tips: out on the boat, it’ll be colder than you think… so take warm clothes
Another watery funfest, but even (in my opinion at least) better than the last one.
Fife is one of Scotland’s most underrated areas. An eastern-Scotland peninsula, it’s brimming with little fishing villages, charming towns, and the iconic St Andrews.
And this tour takes you to the best of it.
If you like coastlines and coastal settlements, I can’t recommend this tour enough.
The main attraction here is St Andrews, most famous for its university and golf courses. But other big perks include Anstruther (one of the prettiest coastal settlements in all of Scotland), and the hillside town of Falkland.
For more on the region, stroll on over to our guide on all the best hikes in Fife.
Tour highlights: seeing both coastal and non-coastal parts of Fife, visiting some of the prettiest fishing villages in Scotland, and the iconic St Andrews.
Itinerary: you meet at Edinburgh bus station, and finish your tour in the same place. During the 8.5 hours of the tour, you’ll see (in the following order) Forth Bridge, Anstruther Harbor, St Andrews, Falkland Palace & Garden, and plenty more.
- Perks and features: it’s convenient, it takes you to places most tourist don’t see, and the guide has loads of facts and knowledge about the area
- Group size: maximum 16, and you all share one minivan—so it’s an intimate experience, with plenty of time to ask questions
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s great for anyone—even kids’ll find this tour pretty entertaining
- What’s included (and what isn’t): you get your transport and your guide, but nothing else is included. You’ll have to pay extra for Falkland Palace & Garden (the only non-free attraction on the tour), and you’ll need to buy your own food
- Top tips: Scottish coastal towns get pretty windy… so take some warm clothes
The most immersive and detailed tour from Edinburgh, this offers 3 stuffed days of fun.
Skye is brimming with a load of varied adventure. But it’s tough to explore the island from Edinburgh without your own car… so this hefty tour is a convenient solution to your dilemma.
3-day tours aren’t usually crammed with this much excitement. With your ticket, you get a massive range of variety, including adventures on Skye, adventures on the way to Skye, and adventures on the way back from Skye.
You’ll hit coasts, castles, hikes, viewpoints, lochs, rivers, and loads more. It’s a great balance between history, heritage, outdoor attractions, and foodie fun. For a varied introduction to the Skye (and some areas around it), you won’t find better.
Tour highlights: Loch Ness, Glencoe, Stirling Castle, Portree, the Old Man of Storr, the Firth of Forth, seeing some Skye highlights on an easy trip, and spending both of your evenings overnighting in Portree.
Itinerary: you’ll choose from one of three meeting locations. The rest of the time, you’ll be driven between all the different tour locations.
For more information on the region, check out our guides to the best cliffs on the Isle of Skye, and the best hikes on the Isle of Skye.
- Perks and features: the guides make the trip fun and informative, and you get endless time to ask questions. There’s also a decent amount of flexibility to visit extra en-route attractions
- Group size: maximum 16 travelers—and you all share one minibus
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s great for everyone, but kids might get a bit bored
- What’s included (and what isn’t): your two nights of accommodation are covered (though the price of the tour varies according to which type of accommodation you choose). You have to buy your own food and drink… and none of the attractions’ entry fees are covered
- Top tips: this is a pretty non-stop tour—so it’s best for people with lots of energy
When most tourists take trips from Edinburgh, they head north.
But for something a bit more unusual and underrated, it’s a good idea to head south.
The main highlight of this trip is Hadrian’s Wall—built in AD122, it was designed to stop the northern barbarians from entering Roman territory. Now, the place is home to museums, fragments of wall, a load of mile castles, and some of the best walks in northern England.
Other stops on the tour include places in and along the Scottish Borders (that’s the most southern part of Scotland).
For much more action in adventure in this part of England, check out our guides to the 10 best beaches in Northumberland, the best hikes and walks in Northumberland, and the best castles in Northumberland.
Tour highlights: Jedburgh Abbey, the charming town of Jedburgh itself, lofty Carter Barr Pass (which sits in the Cheviots), and seeing the most significant historical site in far-northern England.
Itinerary: you start and end your tour in Edinburgh bus station. Over the course of the 10.5-hour tour, you’ll hit (in the following order) Jedburgh, Carter Bar, parts of the wall, the fortresses of Vindolanda and Birdoswald, and more.
- Perks and features: you get loads of insights into the area and its history, and you easily reach some usually-hard-to-reach places
- Group size: maximum 16 travelers—and you all share the same minivan
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s good for history buffs—anyone else might find it a bit boring. It’s not suitable for people who aren’t very mobile
- What’s included (and what isn’t): all admission tickets are included, except the ticket into Jedburgh Abbey. The transport and guide are also included, but you need to pay for your own food and drink
- Top tips: Hadrian’s Wall (and all of its sites and forts) are pretty exposed and hilly—it gets windy and cold, so take warm clothes
Another northern-England experience… but this tour takes you to different parts of Northumberland.
The three biggest sights on this trip are Bamburgh Castle (which you only drive past, but it’s massive and beautiful), Alnwick Castle (one of the biggest and most impressive in the whole region), and Holy Island (a weird small once-religious isle only accessible when the tide is out).
On Holy Island, you’ll see the priory, the castle, and some of its shorelines…
… and in Alnwick, you’ll stroll through the castle, wander around the gardens (including the hefty waterfall and the poison-plant area), and learn about royal history in the region.
Tour highlights: the border town of Coldstream, and seeing Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick Castle and Holy Island (three of the most iconic sites in all of Northumberland).
Itinerary: you’ll meet in a central part of Edinburgh, where you’ll also finish your tour. The rest of the time, you’ll be driven around by your guides. The whole tour is around 9 hours.
- Perks and features: you get to visit Holy Island without worrying about tide times, you visit some hard-to-reach places, and the guides are fun and friendly
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s best for people interested in history (especially religious history). It’s not suitable for young kids, or people who can’t do much walking
- What’s included (and what isn’t): the guide is included, as is transport. You don’t get any food or drinks, and you need to pay extra to enter the attractions
- Top tips: on select days, the tours don’t run, cos Holy Island is sometimes inaccessible due to tide times. So check in advance!
This trip takes you to some of the best-known parts of the Scottish Highlands.
The biggest name here is Loch Ness, which is (of course) famous for being the biggest loch in the nation… and the alleged home of a big weird underwater dinosaur thing. If you want to see Loch Ness from Edinburgh (just like most tourists seem to!), this is the tour for you.
As part of your Loch Ness trip, you can take an optional boat tour… and you’ll see the on-loch Urquhart Castle.
I reckon Glencoe is the real gem here. Though you don’t spend much time exploring the glen (just a few photo opportunities), you drive along the A82, which cuts through the heart of it. It’s one of the most iconic and scenic roads in all of Scotland.
Tour highlights: seeing Highland cows, visiting the super-charming town of Pitlochry, driving along the outrageously beautiful A82 road, and ticking off the iconic shores of Loch Ness.
Itinerary: you start and end your trip in central Edinburgh. The rest of the time, you’re driven around, visiting (in the following order) Kilmahog, Glencoe, Loch Ness, and Pitlochry.
- Perks and features: you can enjoy beautiful roads without having to drive them, and you’ll learn juicy facts about some of the most well-known outdoor areas in Scotland
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s not ideal for people who don’t like sitting around—most of this tour takes place on the bus
- What’s included (and what isn’t): you don’t get any food or drinks, but the guide and transportation are included. You can add extra entry tickets when you book your trip
Another of the best day trips from Edinburgh, and another Highlands tour (but slightly different to the one we’ve just covered).
Between this tour and the last one, this is the one I’d choose. I think this experience is more interesting… and Loch Ness (in my opinion) is a bit overrated.
Along your tour, you’ll hit the valley of Glencoe and the town of Pitlochry, spotting the same sights we’ve already covered in the tour above. But instead of seeing Loch Ness, this tour covers the close-to-Glencoe town of Fort William, and the mega-famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is so well-known for its appearances in the Harry Potter movies; it’s the scenic spot where the Hogwarts Express chugs along to Hogwarts. But here’s a top tip for you: the train only runs between May and September—so if you’re traveling to Scotland outside of those dates, don’t bother with this tour (cos you’ll miss the best bit).
Tour highlights: Harry Potter sights, seeing a train ride over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, distant views of Ben Nevis, and the drive through Glencoe.
Itinerary: you’ll meet in central Edinburgh, where you’ll also finish your tour. During the trip, you’ll be driven (likely in the following order) to Glencoe, Fort William, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and Pitlochry. You’ll also see lots of lochs and mountains en-route.
- Perks and features: funny tour guides, loads of historical insights, and some interesting Harry Potter tidbits
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s great for people who like Harry Potter, and families with pre-teen kids. It’s not good for people who don’t like sitting around—you’ll spend a lot of time on the bus
- What’s included (and what isn’t): the guide and transport are included. You don’t get any food or drinks
- Top tips: you don’t get to ride the steam train—you just get to see it
This one’s a bit niche. But if you’re interested in the Outlander TV show, you’ll love it.
The show is some historical TV drama based around a military nurse who gets transported back in time to the 1700s…
… and during this tour, you’ll visit some of the locations from the show. Expect castles, a palace, little villages, and spots from some of the most significant Outlander moments.
Along the way, you’ll also learn *actual* facts about the places you’re visiting, and their history and heritage. And you’ll see some beautiful places—a nice little perk even if they weren’t related to the show.
Tour highlights: Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, and getting some insights into Outlander (and its people, places and production).
Itinerary: you’ll start and end your tour in central Edinburgh (there are various pickup points to choose from). During the tour, you’ll see (in the following order) Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Culross, and Falkland.
- Perks and features: tour guides who know about both Outlander and Scottish history, a surprising number of laughs, and seeing some lesser-known Scottish attractions
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s perfect for anyone who likes Outlander—and it’s a bad idea for anyone who doesn’t
- What’s included (and what isn’t): your guide and driver are included, but you don’t get food, drinks, or entry tickets
- Top tips: most of the attractions are pretty close to Edinburgh—so this tour is a good choice for people who don’t want to spend too much time on transport
Another trip out of Edinburgh… but this one takes you to some (vaguely-)lesser-known attractions.
The most famous of them all is Loch Lomond, the biggest of the 30,000 lochs in Scotland. You’ll see some of its shores, and get the optional choice of a boat ride across the place (which you’d be silly not to take).
You’ll also hit close-to-Loch-Lomond Aberfoyle, one of the cutest and coziest towns in this part of Scotland.
Meanwhile, Stirling Castle is pretty similar to Edinburgh Castle (it sits on a hill, it dominates the city, it offers lovely views, and it has loads of history crammed into its confines). But because it’s not so touristy, it’s in some ways more interesting.
Rounding things off, The Kelpies are two massive (and weird) horse-shaped sculptures. They measure in at a height of 100 feet (30 meters).
In short, this tour gives you lots of variety, and it’s a good insight into some of the most interesting locations in southern Scotland.
Tour highlights: riding a boat around Loch Lomond, the Stirling Castle panoramas, seeing the hefty Kelpies, and getting views of the National Park landscapes of The Trossachs.
Itinerary: you’ll start and end your tour in central Edinburgh. During the tour (likely in the following order), you’ll hit Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Aberfoyle, Stirling Castle, and the Kelpies.
- Perks and features: there’s not a massive amount of driving (compared to some other tours), and there’s a good variety of different sights
- Who it’s for (and isn’t for): it’s not great for people with kids—little ones will find this tour a bit boring
- What’s included (and what isn’t): your guide and driver are included. Food and drink aren’t. You need to pay extra for entry tickets, and for your (optional) Loch Lomond cruise
- Top tips: take something warm—some of these places can get pretty windy
Best Tours in (and from) Edinburgh in 2024
Okay, we’re just about finished—they’re the best tours in (and from!) Edinburgh in 2024. If you have time, I recommend tackling one in the city, and one outside of the city.
Thanks for reading, thanks for checking out Travelness, and thanks for being you. See ya!
For more on Scotland’s lovely, lovely capital, check out our guides to the most scenic road trips from Edinburgh, and our ultimate 2-day itinerary for Edinburgh.
