Edinburgh

Skip-the-Line Edinburgh Castle Walking Tour

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

From $51.90

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Non-refundable
You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
Edinburgh Tours
All Edinburgh Tours
Audio Guides
Likely To Sell Out
Private and Luxury
Unique Experiences
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Save valuable vacation time with skip-the-line access to Edinburgh Castle on this walking tour. Avoid hours of waiting in line and breeze right inside with your priority admission ticket. Then, listen to your guide's commentary about the Scottish landmark's history as you walk through one of Scotland's most famous landmarks.
  • Edinburgh Castle tour with skip-the-line access
  • Learn the history and the secrets of the castle
  • See the National War Museum and the National Monument
  • Continue to explore the castle independently after the tour

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Skip-the-line entrance means more time inside and you can stay as long as you like after the tour ends.

What's Included

  • Skip-the-line entrance to the Castle
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Food and drinks

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • 130 High St
    130 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1QS, UK

    Your Edinburgh Castle Walking Tour starts on 130 Royal Mile, on the corner with Stevenlaw’s Close (Please do not go straight to the castle). Look for our staff with red jackets and red umbrellas branded with SANDEMANs logos.

Start time

02:00 PM

End point

  • Castle Terrace
    Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, UK

    Your Edinburgh Castle Tour finishes inside the castle grounds.

What To Expect

Meet your guide in central Edinburgh to begin your tour. Skip the often long entry line and proceed directly into the castle for your walking tour.

During the walking tour, learn the secrets of this famous castle, including seeing one of the world’s few official dog cemeteries and the smallest shrine in the world. Walk through Crown Square, the main courtyard of the castle. See the Crown Jewels of Scotland, including the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish monarchs. Visit the National War Museum, which enables you to learn more about battles that have shaped Scottish history. 

After the conclusion of your walking tour, you are free to stay and explore the castle independently for as long as you like.

Edinburgh

Admission Ticket Free

Royal Mile

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

National War Museum of Scotland

15 hours • Admission Ticket Included

St. Margaret's Chapel

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Edinburgh Castle

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Please be aware that Edinburgh Castle stays open until 5pm and your Castle Ticket is only valid on the day of purchase.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Children (4 or under) can join the Edinburgh Castle Tour for free. We reserve the right to ask for a valid ID for children joining our tours.
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Our tour starts at 130 Royal Mile on the corner with Stevenlaw’s Close. We don't allow guests to join after the start time, and we don't allow guests to join the tour if they don't show up in our current start point at 130 High Street.
  • The independent guides who employ us to market their tours have your best interests in mind; while the tour usually includes the sites & stories mentioned and lasts about 1.5 hours, your tour may vary depending on what your guide thinks is best for your group
  • No bags or backpacks over 30L are permitted for security reasons
  • Unfortunately, the steep hills and uneven ground mean that this tour is not suitable for pushchairs or those unable to walk unassisted
  • Children under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

      Traveler Photos

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      Traveler Tips

      Get there as early as possible because even on a weekday it is very crowded.
      The walking part can be a very real challenge to those with limited mobility.
      The walking is for young and middle adults and those with comfortable shoes.

      Reviews

      4.5
      1,175 reviews
      Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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      Reviews by Viator travelers.
      Showing 1-10 of 1,175 reviews
      Well Worth the Money
      Karen_G, Sep 2023
      The tour was everything I hoped it would be. The guide Alisdair was friendly, funny and ver knowledgeable. He kept the tour going at a good pace and was very approachable.
      Amazing tour!!
      maha_a, Sep 2023
      I had a great time visiting the castle and learning more about the history. Our guide alisdair was very knowledgeable, funny and engaging. I really enjoyed my time!!!!
      Knowledgeable guide, great time at castle
      Cindy_B, Sep 2023
      Alisdair was extremely knowledgeable about the castle and showed us additional personal information he had pertaining to the castle. Great value and more information than an audio guide would provide. Great time.
      Alasdair was a terrific...
      Kyle_S, Sep 2023
      Alasdair was a terrific guide with great stories that go deeper than just the history. The castle was most impressive! Thanks Alasdair for the great fun and unforgettable experience.
      Wonderful 1.5 hours
      Taylor_O, Sep 2023
      Alasdair was absolutely lovely and full of extra bits of knowledge. The walking pace was perfect, the stops to share info were frequent, and the 2pm time of day was perfect. Alasdair added several visual aids and videos that added to the experience.
      Great day!!
      Joan_I, Aug 2023
      We had an awesome day exploring Edinburgh Castle! Alister, our tour guide was the Best!😊 Would definitely recommend!
      Definitely worth it!
      Patty_M, Aug 2023
      Great tour… great guide! Told us things we would have never gotten from an audio guide. Alasdar (sp) was excellent!
      Great guide
      Annette_B, Aug 2023
      A very Nice and good guide. Everything went Well. The guide new many things. A funny guy. He new many things.
      Very informative and entertaining
      Lori_T, Jul 2023
      Loved the castle and our tour guide was super! Helped one member with mobility issues see more of the sites.
      This tour gets your inside the Castle, but doesn't take you inside any buildings (no additional cost to see after tour).
      SUSAN_E, Jul 2023
      This isn't quite what I expected, but had a GREAT time! Alasdair, my tour guide, was very Scottish, funny and very knowledgeable about the Castle and its history. What I wasn't aware of, was that he was going to take us around all of the OUTSIDE parts (while still inside the Castle) and it would be up to us to visit what we were interested in after the tour by going inside any of the various museums they have there. You can see the Crown Jewels, War Memorial, St. Margaret's Chapel, the Prisons, the Great Hall, the Whiskey Tasting, etc., but must stand in line to enter those on your own time AFTER the tour. The guide will tell you all about each place, more or less, helping you decide where you want to spend your time in line, which is great! If I had known that this was the way the tour was, I probably would have booked an earlier tour, so that I would have had more time in the castle AFTER my tour was over and before the castle closed. I'm not terribly disappointed or anything, it just wasn't what I was expecting. In addition, the castle area is EXTREMELY hilly. If you have mobility issues, like I do, or bad knees, like I do, plan to rest more than I did! lol. They have lots of benches and places to sit around the grounds, so that isn't a problem, unless you run out of time! One more thing: they say "no refunds, changes or cancellations", but sold my 'additional' ticket to someone who walked up to our tour before we started. My partner couldn't come and I couldn't cancel, but they sold the ticket again. I sure would love a refund.
      Alisdair!
      Jody_C, Jul 2023
      Alisdair was an incredible guide. Highly recommend his tour! Funny, thoughtful and informative! You won't regret this tour with Alisdair.
      Awesome tour!
      Cynthia_H, Jul 2023
      Alistair was very informative on our tour. He answered so may questions that the group had. Edinburgh Castle is an amazing place to visit!
      Worth a visit
      merediths21, Jul 2023
      Our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. The castle is quite crowded and busy though. Definitely worth the visit though.
      We love Alasdaire
      DeWayne_S, Jul 2023
      Alasdaire was an absolutely amazing tour guide who was entertaining and insanely informative! He made the tour wonderful and my family and I had a great time. Would highly recommend!!!
      Great tour!
      Amy_A, Jun 2023
      Alisdair was a great guide! He was funny, had great stories to tell, and knew his history. Highly recommend!
      Wonderful tour
      Karen_C, Jun 2023
      Alistair was wonderful..very knowledgable on history of Endinburgh..only thing tgat bothered ne was it stated head of the line and there was only obe long line into the castle to see tge jewels and that was not in tour..as an elderly person walking all that way and then to have to stand for a long time is nit good..i had to pass on seeing the jewels.
      Fantastic Tour Guide!
      Ann_B, Jun 2023
      We are a group of friends visiting Edinburgh. We had a great tour! Alasdair was very entertaining and informative. His personal stories made the tour very special. He also gave us some recommendations for pubs with local music that we really enjoyed!
      Did not work out for us
      Diana_S, Jun 2023
      This tour operator did not meet us at the meeting point. Ever. However, they refunded us fully so all was not lost. I don't recommend this particular tour provider. There are many more options for a skip- the -line tour.
      Great tour
      Joyce_B, Jun 2023
      Great tour. Alisdair was a great guide. We enjoyed it very much. He was knowledgeable and friendly. Great experience.
      Disappointed
      Cindy_R, Jun 2023
      We received a confirmation the day before the tour only to find out when we arrived at the meeting spot the tour had been canceled. Very disappointing as we were not able to get into the castle as all tickets were sold out.
      ...

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