Edinburgh Castle Ticket
Valid: 1 day
Bestseller
Edinburgh
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Top attractions in Edinburgh
Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands Tour from Edinburgh
Duration: 12.5 hours
Bestseller
Edinburgh: Ghostly Underground Vaults Daytime Tour
Duration: 75 minutes
Likely to sell out
City Sightseeing Edinburgh: 24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
Valid: 24 hours
Edinburgh: The Royal Yacht Britannia Ticket & Audio Guide
Duration: 2 hours
Likely to sell out
Royal Edinburgh 48-Hour Attractions Ticket
Valid: 48 hours
Loch Ness, Glencoe, Inverness & the Highlands Full-Day Tour
Duration: 12.5 hours
Bestseller
Historic Scotland 3 and 7-Day Explorer Pass
Valid: 5 - 14 days
Bestseller
Loch Ness, Highlands & Whisky Distillery Tour from Edinburgh
Duration: 12 hours
Bestseller
Highland Lochs, Stirling Castle & Whisky Tour from Edinburgh
Duration: 10 hours
Bestseller
Real Mary King's Close: Beneath the Royal Mile Guided Tour
Duration: 1 hour
Comedy Horror Show: Edinburgh Ghost Bus Tour
Duration: 75 minutes
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Top 10 things to do in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is an effortlessly cohesive reflection of Scotland's breathtaking rural landscape, flaunting cultural vibrancy, historic charm, and scenic wonder. Even its New Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, what are its top attractions?
Edinburgh Castle
The Edinburgh Castle was built at least as early as the 12th century. Looking over the city from Castle Rock, it's been at the heart of some of Scotland's bloodiest conflicts.
Stirling Castle
Having withstood multiple sieges, Stirling is one of Scotland's most important castles. Even if you're not a history buff, the scenery alone warrants a day trip from the capital!
Loch Lomond
What's a holiday to Scotland without visiting one of its picturesque lochs? Luckily, the largest and most breathtaking one in the country, the Loch Lomond, is just a short journey away!
Holyrood Palace
The Holyrood Abbey next to the Holyrood Palace is still in ruins after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Fun fact: Holyrood is Old English for "holy cross."
Royal Mile
The historic thoroughfare, called The Royal Mile, runs through Edinburgh's Old Town from the Castle to Holyrood for one Scots mile. That's longer than a regular mile, in case you were wondering!
Greyfriars Church
The birthplace of 17th-century Scottish Presbyterianism, this church is a landmark of the country's religious history. It still holds Sunday services in English and Scottish Gaelic.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Dating back to 1670, when it was used to grow medicinal plants, this conservation project has bloomed into a leading tourist attraction. Today it houses over 13,000 plant species!
HMY Britannia
Built in 1953, this royal yacht is considered one of the UK's top attractions. You can even enjoy lunch or afternoon tea on the Royal Deck!
Rosslyn Chapel
Just south of Edinburgh lies the village of Roslin, where the spectacular Rosslyn Chapel was built 600 years ago as an object of curiosity and splendor. A truly unique example of religious architecture!
Our Dynamic Earth
The Holyrood area sits beneath a dormant volcano. The information center Our Dynamic Earth is the perfect place to learn about the natural processes that shaped our planet from the Big Bang to the present!
Planning Your Edinburgh Visit
Best time to visit?
Edinburgh is heaving with visitors throughout the summer, but for good reason – it's festival season! If you'd rather see the city significantly less hectic then you'll have to brave the Scottish winter. The good news is that few landscapes lend themselves so beautifully to cloud and drizzle as that of Scotland!
When is the Edinburgh Festival?
Edinburgh has several large festivals occupying its streets throughout summer, including their film, jazz, and book festivals. However, it's common to mistake the Edinburgh Fringe – the world's largest performing arts festival – as THE festival. It spans 25 days of August. This year's exact dates, and those for the other events too, can be found here.
How long to stay?
Book at least a week in Edinburgh if you can. Many of the city's most popular attractions require more time than you'll realise and there's already more than enough to do, especially during festival season. Plus, if you haven't ventured into Scotland's awe-inspiring countryside before, you should consider at least one day trip out of the city too!
Good to know
- LanguageEnglish
- CurrencyBritish Pound (£)
- Time ZoneUTC (+00:00)
- Country Code+44
- Best time to visitSpring for the mild weather, summer for the cultural events!
Things to Do in Edinburgh
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What people are saying about Edinburgh
Great job, really had a great time. Well worth the visit. :-))
Great time and well spent. We were able to see it all, nothing hidden. We will be recommending that to friends and Family. Great job Team. Thanks. NH.
It was a magical experience with a great tour guide and route.
The tour was ‘ravenclawsom’, it was full of entertaining facts, Harry Potter enthusiasts and magic. Not only did we learn about Harry Potter but also Scottish history regarding magic and folk lore. If you don’t enjoy the tour, there is something seriously Ron with you.
It was such a great time and would highly recommend it.
Laura was such a great tour guid and driver too. She is an excellent story teller.
Fell in love with Edinburgh after the tour
Jane was fantastic and a Potter head herself which made the tour very interesting, I will surely do this again.
Professional and very nice, considerate staff. Historic milestone!
I took the hop on hop off red buses to visit the Edinburgh Castle. The bus stop is very close by and the drivers are super willing, always there to answer our sometimes funny/obvious questions. The Castle is amazing, not only for it's geographical position but above all for the history. The staff by the gates were smiling and sincerely welcoming, something we cannot spot easily as we travel around the world. A special thank you for them all. Enjoyed the Jacobite Room too. Nicely mannered staff, great soup, amzing views.
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