Guided tour
Edinburgh Castle: Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
- Skip the line
- Duration: 1.5 hours
From
US$ 41.35per person
Top pick
Edinburgh Castle: Tours & Tickets
Get free cancellation up to 24 hours before your activity starts for a full refund.
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Find the Best View of Edinburgh Castle
If you're looking for picturesque, you'll love Edinburgh. The cityscape of the Scottish capital is a feast for the eyes, topped by the imposing Edinburgh Castle at its highest point. To get the best view of this beautiful city, head to these five points.
1. Calton Hill
One of the oldest public parks in Scotland, Calton Hill is a local favorite. It's also an easy climb – in just five minutes, you'll be able enjoy the spectacular views.
2. Princes Street Gardens
This lovely, perfectly-maintained public garden offers a breathtaking view of the castle from below. Just head to the Ross Fountain to the West and look up, you'll be amazed.
3. Arthur's Seat
A dormant volcano sitting 251m above sea level, Arthur's Seat offers a magnificent aerial view of the city and castle. Be sure to check out the historic fort there, too.
4. Blackford Hill
It may not be as famous as Calton Hill or Arthur's Seat, but Blackford Hill has views that are just as gorgeous. It's also home to the Royal Observatory, a favorite of astronomy lovers.
5. Dorothy's Eye View
This view of the castle inspired George Gibson to paint the Emerald City from Wizard of Oz. Head to the corner of Bread Street and Spittal Street and behold: Emerald City!
Planning Your Visit
Sunset over Edinburgh Castle
For a view that you'll remember for the rest of your life, watch the sun set over Edinburgh Castle. The best spots for this are Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill, both located to the East of the city center. The deep-red sun, the colors in the sky, and the black silhouette of the castle come together in an absolutely magnificent panorama.
Fireworks
If you're lucky enough to be in Edinburgh when there are fireworks going off over Edinburgh Castle, for example on Hogmanay or at the end of the Edinburgh Festival, then make sure to head to one of these viewpoints to admire the show and snap some amazing photographs. Princes Street Gardens and Calton Hill are likely to be the most popular spots to watch the fireworks, so if you're looking for a less crowded experience, Blackford Hill and Arthur's Seat are better bets.
Good to know
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- When should I visit?
- Opening hours from 9:30AM - 6PM year-round, except for December 25th and 26th.
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- Is it expensive?
- Free to look at from the outside, £17 for adult entry.
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- Will I need a guide?
- Only if you want one.
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- How to get there
- Hop-on-hop-off buses stop at the Castle. You can make your own way by taking bus 24 to Waverly Bridge and walking.
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- Additional information
- It never hurts to carry an umbrella when in Scotland!
- Since you'll be climbing hills, good walking shoes are a must.
Top Attractions in Edinburgh
- 17 Leith
- 18 Calton Hill
Things to Do in Edinburgh
Cities in United Kingdom
- 2 London
- 4 Bath
- 5 Belfast
- 6 York
- 7 Glasgow
- 9 Brighton
- 11 Manchester
- 13 Oxford
- 14 Bournemouth
- 15 Poole
- 16 Balloch
- 17 Queensferry
- 19 Chester
Other Sightseeing Options in Edinburgh Castle
Want to discover all there is to do in Edinburgh Castle? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Edinburgh Castle
Excellent value for money for 48 hour ticket with 3 attractions included. You can board 3 different bus routes, all of which are slightly different. Buses very frequent and really interesting commentary. Have been to Edinburgh several times before but really enjoyed finding out new facts and visiting different places. The Royal Britannia Yacht was our favourite visit; definitely worth seeing. Difficult to book entry to Castle currently due to Covid so booking via bus company was very helpful. Highly recommend, would definitely recommend. All staff very friendly and helpful.
Mason was a great guide. He provided very thorough and interesting stories as well as small fun facts. He gave a charismatic touch to the tour and you could understand him well!
Great value , the 3 tours took us everywhere we wanted to go so we saw all the sites during our short break whilst the tour guides were really informative...highly recommended.
Like Horrible Histories speeded up!! Loved it ! John even kept our fidgety 12 year old interested on the wettest coldest day ever!
Despite the weather we found the journeys informative and helpful.
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