Edinburgh Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Edinburgh tours, Edinburgh Castle tickets, Royal Mile and Old Town walks, ghost and underground vault tours, whisky tastings, Harry Potter trails and day trips to the Highlands and Loch Ness. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Edinburgh itinerary.
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Explore Edinburgh by interest
Whatever brings you to Edinburgh — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Edinburgh Castle
The Crown Jewels and the One O’Clock Gun.
ExploreRoyal Mile & Old Town
Hidden closes and medieval history.
ExploreGhost & vault tours
Underground vaults and haunted closes.
ExploreWhisky tastings
Single malts and the regions of Scotch.
ExploreHarry Potter trails
The city that inspired the magic.
ExploreHighlands & Loch Ness
Glencoe, the Highlands and the monster.
ExploreStirling & Loch Lomond
A historic castle and a bonnie loch.
ExploreSt. Andrews & Fife
The home of golf and the coast.
ExploreTop attractions in Edinburgh
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Edinburgh Castle
The Crown Jewels and the One O’Clock Gun.
Royal Mile
The historic spine of the Old Town.
Underground vaults
Eerie chambers beneath the South Bridge.
Whisky
Tutored tastings of Scotland’s national drink.
Harry Potter
The city that inspired the magic.
Highlands & Loch Ness
Glencoe, the Highlands and the monster.
Stirling & Loch Lomond
A historic castle and a bonnie loch.
St. Andrews & Fife
The home of golf and the coast.
Edinburgh in 1 day
- 1Edinburgh Castle
- 2Royal Mile & Old Town
- 3Whisky tasting
- 4Ghost tour by night
Edinburgh in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Castle & Old Town
- 2Ghost tour
- 3Day 2: Highlands & Loch Ness
- 4Whisky evening
Edinburgh in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Castle & Old Town
- 2Day 2: Highlands & Loch Ness
- 3Day 3: Stirling or St. Andrews
- 4Whisky & ghost evenings
Edinburgh with kids
- 1Edinburgh Castle
- 2Harry Potter trail
- 3Camera Obscura
- 4Arthur’s Seat or the zoo
Highlands & Loch Ness day trip
- 1Early coach north into the Highlands
- 2Glencoe's dramatic Three Sisters
- 3Loch Ness cruise at Fort Augustus
- 4Return via Pitlochry & the Forth
Harry Potter & ghost tours
- 1Harry Potter Old Town locations
- 2Greyfriars Kirkyard & Victoria Street
- 3Underground vaults after dark
- 4Ghosts, witches & dark history walk
3.5 hrs awayHighlands & Loch Ness
Glencoe, the Highlands and a Loch Ness cruise.
1.5 hrs awayStirling & Loch Lomond
A historic castle and the bonnie banks of the loch.
1.5 hrs awaySt. Andrews & Fife
The home of golf and the East Neuk villages.
1.5 hrs awayOutlander locations
Castles and palaces from the hit TV series.
2.5 hrs awayGlencoe & Highlands
Scotland’s most dramatic mountain valley.
1 hr awayWhisky distilleries
Highland and Lowland distillery tours and tastings.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Edinburgh visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September) bring milder, drier weather and long days — the best times to visit.
Spring (Mar–May)
Fresh and blossoming, with fewer crowds; pack layers for changeable weather.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
The warmest season with long days; August brings the world-famous Fringe and festivals — thrilling but very busy.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Mild, golden and quieter after the festivals — a lovely time for the city and the Highlands.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cold, dark and atmospheric, with Christmas markets and the famous Hogmanay New Year celebrations.
August festivals
The Fringe, International Festival and Military Tattoo fill August — incredible but the busiest, priciest time, so book far ahead.
One day
Enough for Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and a ghost tour.
Two days
Add a whisky tasting and a Highlands and Loch Ness day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, the Highlands, and Stirling or St. Andrews.
Four to five days
Add Glasgow, the Isle of Skye or more of the Highlands.
A week or more
Use Edinburgh as a base, or tour the Highlands and the islands.
Travelling with kids
Mix the Castle, a Harry Potter trail and Arthur’s Seat at a gentle pace.
On foot
The Old and New Towns are compact and walkable, though hilly, with steps and slopes between the levels.
Trams & buses
The tram runs from the airport through the centre, and Lothian buses cover the city; a day ticket or contactless is easy.
Hop-on bus
Sightseeing buses link the Castle, Royal Mile, Holyrood and Calton Hill — handy for the hills.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for the Highlands, Stirling and St. Andrews; trains reach Glasgow and the Fife coast.
Climb for the views
Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat offer the best free panoramas — wear sturdy shoes for the climbs.
From the airport
Edinburgh Airport links to the centre by tram or the Airlink 100 bus in about 30 minutes.
Book the Castle ahead
Edinburgh Castle uses timed entry that sells out — book skip-the-line tickets in advance, especially in summer.
Currency
Scotland uses the pound sterling (£); cards are widely accepted, and Scottish banknotes are legal across the UK.
Pack for changeable weather
Bring a waterproof and layers year-round — Edinburgh can be cool, windy and wet in any season, even in summer.
Plan around August
The festivals make August electric but extremely busy and pricey — book far ahead, or visit either side for fewer crowds.
Wear good shoes
The hilly cobbled Old Town, the closes and Arthur’s Seat all reward sturdy, comfortable footwear.
Tipping
Tipping is modest — around 10% in restaurants for good service; rounding up is fine in pubs.
Edinburgh Castle
Timed tickets sell out, especially in summer — book ahead.
Highlands & Loch Ness
Popular full-day Highland trips fill up — reserve early.
Ghost & vault tours
Small-group underground tours have limited places — book ahead.
Whisky tastings
Tutored tastings and distillery tours fill up — reserve ahead.
August & Hogmanay
The festivals and New Year sell out hotels and tours months ahead — plan early.
The Military Tattoo
The August Tattoo at the Castle sells out far ahead — book well in advance.
Edinburgh Castle
Around £20 entry, or £30–45 for a guided tour with skip-the-line access.
Ghost & walking tours
About £15–30 for a walking, ghost or underground vaults tour.
Whisky tastings
Roughly £25–55 for a tutored tasting or a distillery experience.
Highlands & Loch Ness
Around £50–70 for a full-day Highlands and Loch Ness trip with a cruise extra.
Stirling & St. Andrews
About £45–60 for a full day to Stirling, Loch Lomond or St. Andrews.
How to save
Walk the Old Town, climb Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat for free, and book combined day trips.
Edinburgh through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Fresh, blossoming days with fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pack layers for changeable weather.
- Best for
- Long days and the world-famous August festivals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Busiest and priciest — book far ahead.
- Best for
- Mild, golden, quieter days after the festivals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A lovely time for city and Highlands.
- Best for
- Atmospheric days, Christmas markets and Hogmanay.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold and dark — pack warm layers.