15 Castle Tours in Edinburgh Worth Booking

1.Holy Island, Alnwick Castle & Northumbria

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,313 reviews · 9 hours · from $85Our pick

Travel from Edinburgh with an English-speaking driver-guide such as Adam, Linda, or Paul Santa. Cross to tidal Holy Island for Lindisfarne Priory and mead, then spend about three hours around Alnwick Castle and Gardens, filming sites for Harry Potter and Downton Abbey.

“Only point that I want to highlight is the seat I was seating in, 2 one on the right was reclined making it a bit uncomfortable...else everything was planned beautifully and thoughtfully. thanks”

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2.Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,043 reviews · 9 hours · from $57

Travel from Edinburgh in a comfortable minibus with an English-speaking guide to the Kelpies, Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, and Stirling Castle. You’ll get a lakeside walk, free time at the castle, and lively Scottish history from guides such as Jim, Martin, David, and Stephen.

“The places we visited were amazing! Loch Lomond is a very relaxing place which is a national park. Sterling g castle is a must even better than the Edimburgh castle and quiet this time of the year.The highlight of the trip was the guide Jim Scot who has a fantastic sense of humor and kept us entertained the whole time. He was also extremely informative and very good story teller. Thanks Jim for the fantastic tour!”

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3.Stirling Castle, Kelpies and Loch Lomond

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 895 reviews · from $74

Leave Edinburgh with The Hairy Coo for a full day of castles, lochs, scenic roads, and the 30-foot Kelpies. Your English-speaking driver-guide, such as Pete, Brian, Colin, or William, handles the winding roads and adds history, music, humor, and useful stop-by-stop tips.

“A long day with plenty of variety, with enough time at each stop. Dougie, our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. My favourite bit was The Kelpies - Stunning.”

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4.West Highland Lochs and Castles Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 623 reviews · 10 hours · from $85

Travel from Edinburgh into the West Highlands with an English-speaking driver-guide, visiting Doune Castle, Luss, Inveraray, and Kilchurn Castle. You will cross the Rest and Be Thankful Pass, stop at Lochside viewpoints, and return via the Green Welly and King’s Knot.

“We had a phenomenal trip with our guide, Jamie. He shared so much Scottish history with humor, flair, and enthusiasm. We felt very safe and comfortable with Jamie at the helm. Because it was such an excellent experience, we have booked a second tour with Timberbush this week. A true Scottish adventure. Highly recommend!”

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5.West Highlands, Lochs, and Castles Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 608 reviews · 10 hours · from $54Best value

Ride from Edinburgh into the Western Highlands with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Loch Lomond, Inveraray, Kilchurn Castle, Loch Lubnaig, and Doune Castle. Guides such as Mac, Russell, David, and Neil are known for lively stories, music, and Scottish history.

“We had a wonderful day with our Guide/Driver, Mike. He was very informative and kind. The places we went to were gorgeous and scenic.”

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6.Day Trip to Bamburgh and Alnwick Castle

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 212 reviews · 8.5 hours · from $68

Travel from Edinburgh into Northumberland on an 8.5-hour small-group coach tour. See Bamburgh’s castle and beach, spend 2.5 hours at Alnwick Castle, take broomstick lessons, and hear border stories from guides such as Cliff, Tim, Dave, and Emily. Castle admission costs extra.

“The guide (Cliff) was amazing! Great guy with loads of stories and great History knowledge! If your trip is with him, you're in good company!!!”

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7.From Edinburg: Viking Coast & Alnwick Castle Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 185 reviews · from $92

Travel from Edinburgh to Holy Island and Alnwick Castle in a Mercedes mini-coach for up to 16 people. Hear local stories, music, and border history from an English-speaking driver-guide such as Angela, Graham, or Callum, with time for Lindisfarne, castle sights, and film locations.

“The guide Graham was really good and despite I am not an english native speaker I was able to understand everything. The time at Lindisfarne was a little bit short.”

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8.St Andrews, Dunnottar Castle & Falkland Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 181 reviews · 11 hours · from $87

Travel from Edinburgh to the Forth Bridge, Falkland, St Andrews, Dunnottar Castle, and Dundee with a Spanish-speaking guide. You get coastal views, golf and university history, an Outlander filming stop, and a cliff walk to one of Scotland’s most dramatic castles. Attraction tickets and meals cost extra.

“Lo mejor el guía Fin, la hizo amena aportando mucha información interesante. Una excursión muy recomendable.”

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9.Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 172 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $68

Travel from Edinburgh by comfortable coach with an English-speaking guide to Bamburgh, Alnwick Castle, and Coldstream. You get 2.5 hours at Alnwick, optional castle entry, coastal views, and multilingual audio guides. Guides such as Cara and Dusty add history and folklore along the way.

“Dusty es un guía excelente. Fue una experiencia muy rica e intensa. Le daría media hora más a bamburgh para poder disfrutar también de la playa junto con el castillo. El lugar es hermoso.”

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10.Glamis and Dunnottar Castles Tour in Italian

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 156 reviews · 10 hours · from $74

Travel from Edinburgh with an Italian-speaking guide such as Lorenzo or Francesco to dramatic Dunnottar, Glamis Castle, Stonehaven, and Dundee. The route changes in winter, and castle entrance fees, meals, and hotel transfers are not included. Prepare for a long day with plenty of coach time.

“Escursione molto interessante che permette di visitare posti altrimenti difficilmente raggiungibili come turisti! Abbiamo apprezzato molto i due castelli, così come le spiegazioni ad essi relativi contornate da aneddoti sul territorio scozzese e la sua storia. La nostra guida italiana Lorenzo e la guida spagnola Sandra sono stati cortesi e alla mano e ci hanno anche consigliato alcune valide attività e luoghi da visitare nel corso della giornata (e anche per il resto della nostra vacanza a Edimburgo). Gli orari di partenza e rientro sono stati rispettati. Nel complesso un'ottima esperienza!”

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11.Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland and Alnwick Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 56 reviews · 10.5 hours · from $61

Travel from Edinburgh to Holy Island, Alnwick and Bamburgh Castle with a live English-speaking guide such as Lorna or Neil. See Lindisfarne’s gardens, choose Alnwick Garden or town time, and visit the medieval castle, with optional admission fees and tide-dependent routing.

“wycieczka była naprawdę udana, nasz przewodnik był świetny i miał ogromną wiedzę na temat odwiedzanych atrakcji. dziękujemy bardzo za miło spędzony czas”

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12.Glamis and Dunnottar Castles Tour in Spanish

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 52 reviews · from $71

Travel from Edinburgh to Glamis and Dunnottar castles with a Spanish-speaking guide such as Alesh. See the Forth Bridge, hear Glamis ghost stories, explore Dunnottar’s cliff-top setting, and glimpse Dundee’s RRS Discovery. Entrance fees, lunch, and drinks are extra.

“Our day trip was amazing. My husband and I took this trip in Spanish even though we are not Spanish speaking because it was the only tour to Dunnottar leaving from Edinburgh that we could find. Our tour guide was so awesome and summed things up in English when needed. I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to visit.”

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13.Highland Lochs, Glens, and Castles Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 10 hours · from $85Top rated

Travel from Edinburgh in a 16-seat mini-coach with an English-speaking guide to Doune Castle, Loch Lubnaig, Kilchurn Castle, Inveraray, Rest and Be Thankful, and Luss. Guides such as Finn, Cameron, and Kyle add Scottish music, history, and humor to the long scenic day.

“Finn was an amazing guide. He shared a wealth of history and fascinating trivia about the sites we visited, making each stop much more meaningful. He also played beautiful Scottish music along the way, which added a special atmosphere to the experience. Highly recommended!”

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14.Private Tour of Highlands, Lochs & Castles from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 10 hours

Travel with a private guide such as Corinne, Taimur, Simon, or Martin from Edinburgh through Loch Lomond, Luss, Inveraray, Kilchurn Castle, Glencoe, Rannoch Moor, and the Kelpies. You get hotel pickup, snacks, photo stops, and time to tailor the day for your group.

“We had an absolute blast with our tour guide Martin. He was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and helpful. He made our tour so fun and enjoyable, and showed us the most beautiful places of Scotland we have ever seen. We can’t thank Martin enough for the best experience we had with him!”

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15.Alnwick Castle, Northumberland & Scottish Borders 1-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 10 hours · from $79

Set out from Edinburgh with an English-speaking guide such as Pete, Bruce, Colin, or David. Visit Holy Island when tides allow, see Bamburgh Castle and beach, then spend time at Alnwick Castle, with optional broomstick training and castle entry.

“Bruce was a fantastic guide and Craig was a wonderful driver. They both made sure we were taken care of at all times. All of the destinations on our itinerary were amazing! If you have kids, Alnwick cast will not disappoint. We enjoyed the songs and the information Bruce shared throughout the tour. Craig was very helpful with any questions we had. We would definitely tour with them again. Thank you for a terrific day!”

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