15 Castle Tours in Edinburgh to Build a Day Around

1.Holy Island, Alnwick Castle & Northumbria

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

Spend a day in Northumbria from Edinburgh, with Lindisfarne tidal island, Alnwick Castle, Harry Potter spots, and Alnwick Gardens.

“We had a great tour with Alistair — we had enough time to explore each stop, and his recommendations were helpful! Lindisfarne is beautiful and we had time to visit Alnwick Castle, market and Barter Books too. Alistair’s commentary was really interesting and he was such a friendly driver. A lovely way to explore Northumbria! Thank you!”

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2.Stirling Castle, Kelpies and Loch Lomond

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,051 reviews · 10 hours · from $61

Stirling Castle, the Kelpies, and Loch Lomond from Edinburgh in 10 hours, plus Highland cows and a clear, practical day-plan.

“Incredible day trip! It was so enjoyable. Lively music and Paul was a great, very entertaining guide”

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3.Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tour

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

Edinburgh day trip to Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond, and The Kelpies, plus a Trossachs walk and included castle entry.

“Amazing tour. We only had two days in town and were so happy to spend one of them on this. From the begining it was calm and welcoming, with extremely knowledgable and authentic staff. It never felt "touristy", due to our small group of 8 people and our amazing guide Graham , who was so great. He told us so much about the history, geology, culture, arts, and played well selected music along the route. Perfectly timed stops and lengths of driving in between, so it never felt rushed or boring. 9 hours went by quickly, but was genereally a great length. Would 100% go for a Rabbies tour again,…”

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4.West Highland Lochs and Castles Day Trip

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

A 10-hour Edinburgh day trip through West Highland lochs and castles, with Inveraray, Doune, Kilchurn, and the Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint.

“This tour exceeded my expectations! We had the chance to visit many historical and natural landmarks throughout the day. Everything was well-organized, and we had enough time at each stop. Our guide, Sean, truly made the experience unforgettable. He was extremely knowledgeable, energetic, and helpful. He created a warm and enjoyable atmosphere by engaging personally with everyone in the group. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to explore Scotland. I learned a lot and left with unforgettable memories!”

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5.West Highlands, Lochs, and Castles Tour

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

A 10-hour Edinburgh day trip through West Highlands lochs and castles, including Doune Castle, Loch Lomond views, and Inveraray lunch.

“We had Russell and Lynn and they were INCREDIBLE!!! So kind, so much information and always available for any questions we had!!! The castle was SO beautiful and all the little stops were absolutely magical!! No words can describe how beautiful the highlands are. I felt so safe and comfortable on the van and loved how accommodating the guides were. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone who wants to have a great day in the highlands!! Also, bring some cash for a tip! ( I didn’t have any on me and so I’m feeling bad about that)”

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6.Day Trip to Bamburgh and Alnwick Castle

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

Guided Edinburgh day trip to Bamburgh and Alnwick Castle, with Hogwarts broomstick lessons, seaside views, and border stories in one day.

“Very good tour! Our guide shared very interesting facts about Scotland along the way. My only suggestion would be to spend more time in Bamburgh as it really deserves it. Perhaps do 2 hours in Bamburgh and 2 hours in Alnwick.”

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7.Viking Coast & Alnwick Castle Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 190 reviews · 9 hours · from $93

Drive the North Sea coast to Holy Island, then spend a full afternoon at Alnwick Castle with costumed Harry Potter-style magic.

“Graham was a very safe driver and a very entertaining and knowledgeable guide! He gave us insights into the region and made sure we were comfortable as possible. I highly recommend this trip.”

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8.St Andrews, Dunnottar Castle & Falkland Tour

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

Day trip from Edinburgh to St Andrews, Dunnottar Castle, and Falkland, plus UNESCO Forth Bridge and Dundee for Scott’s RRS Discovery.

“excelente tour, hermosos paisajes, el fuia muy atento y preocupado por nosotros.”

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9.Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour from Edinburgh

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

Castle-hopping from Edinburgh to Alnwick and Bamburgh, plus Coldstream border-town stories and optional Harry Potter style stops.

“Wonderful journey. Our guide kept us entertained during the nice ride and the air conditioning was great. We spent just enough time at each location. It was a great day. Well worth it.”

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10.Glamis and Dunnottar Castles Tour in Italian

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

Italian-guided day trip from Edinburgh to Glamis and Dunnottar Castles, with Stonehaven and Dundee stops. Dramatic cliffs and Macbeth lore.

“Deludente. Castelli chiusi causa maltempo senza nessun preavviso da parte vostra. Il mezzo a disposizione non aveva le gomme o catene per affrontare la nevicata e quindi siamo rimasti bloccati fuori al freddo presso Dunnottar con l'autobus in panne. Senza un luogo dove trovare riparo.”

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11.Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland and Alnwick Trip

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

Winter day trip from Edinburgh to Holy Island, Alnwick, and Bamburgh Castle, with live commentary, optional gardens, and coastal filming locations.

“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.West Highlands, Castles & Lochs Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 37 reviews · 10 hours · from $78

Edinburgh day tour to Loch Lomond, Kilchurn Castle ruins, Inveraray, and Luss. Small-group feel with optional castle and jail stops.

“The trip was great!! We had a change to the trip, we were unable to visit one of the sites (not the fault of the tour company). Additional stops were added to make up for this change, and it probably made for a better experience!! The vehicle was comfortable, the sites were amazing and the tour guide and driver, Ry was fantastic. Ry was friendly, knowledgeable and open to all questions!! He even stopped at a couple of unexpected locations, making the trip very enjoyable!!!! I would definitely recommend this tour!!”

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13.Highland Lochs, Glens, and Castles Tour

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

A 10-hour small-coach day from Edinburgh to Doune Castle, Loch Lubnaig, Inveraray, Rest and Be Thankful, and Luss by Loch Lomond.

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

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

Holy Island, Bamburgh, and Alnwick Castle in one 10-hour trip, with broomstick training and Border Reivers stories for $79.

“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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15.Aberdeenshire, Balmoral Castle & Northeast Coast

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 19 reviews · 2 days · from $214

Two days from Edinburgh to Balmoral, Dunnottar and Aberdeenshire, with Dundee’s V&A, seaside stops, and Cairngorms viewpoints.

“Top Destinationen. Leider an beiden Tagen zu wenig Zeit zum Mittagessen.”

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