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Combo (Save 8%): Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour & City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus Experience

Name: Combo (Save 8%): Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour & City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus Experience
Start: 2026-10-03T09:00:00
End: 2026-10-03T16:00:00
Location: Edinburgh

4.5/5(904)

Mr K W

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

One of the bucket items my wife wanted to do years ago. All was just right apart from the cold winds. Staff and fellow guests were great and the staff on the bus's were so helpfull espeacilly Murray. We would recommend the visit to the Britannia resturant to anyone, the queue said it all. All the greet and meet staff through out the experience were first class.

Daniel G

Group

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

The castle's amazing history is well known. But the brilliant guidence fro Melanie (she is Canadian I think) took the experience to a whole other level. Best tour guide Ive ever had anywhere

Perry R

Family

Verified booking

4 days ago

Loved the Hop on Hop off, the audio headphones really made the ride enjoy and informative. Great that you could get off and on multiply times for no additional cost.

Ian L

Solo

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Easy to buy tge ticket online. Reasonable price for seniors. Easy to validate on bus. Audio guide was good but not outstanding. Paper map was helpful and easy to obtain.

Blayne P

Family

Verified booking

Aug 2026

Really enjoyed the tour we hoped on and off along the journey and discovered a few places we would have missed without the tour. The whole family enjoyed the horrible history's guide as well

Katharina M

Couple

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Informative and humorous tour of the castle and other noteworthy places along the Royal Mile. Our guide also admirably navigated the crowds to get us entry tickets, and pointed out further places to explore in the castle after the tour. Great experience!

Combine a 45-minute guided tour of Edinburgh Castle’s exterior with a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass for a flexible city adventure.

Walk the castle exterior with a local English-speaking guide and hear fascinating tales of royalty, sieges, and legendary events.

Explore the Great Hall, St. Margaret’s Chapel, and Scotland’s Crown Jewels at your own pace with the included city audio tour app.

Access the Red Route with 14 stops across the city, hopping on and off at your leisure as buses arrive every 20 minutes.

Learn Edinburgh’s history via a multilingual audio guide, enjoy 360-degree open-top bus views, and visit iconic stops including John Knox House, Grassmarket, and Holyrood.

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Entry to Edinburgh Castle

45-min express guided tour of Edinburgh Castle (outside the castle)

Free time for independent exploration of Edinburgh Castle

Expert local English-speaking guide

Edinburgh city audio tour (digital app)

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

24-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off pass

Access to Red Route

Audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Russian

Horrible Histories' kid's commentary

Headphones

Free kids' tickets

Flexible validity for up to 12 months from your selected date

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Headset and mobile device

Edinburgh Castle internal audio guide (£3.50)

Transportation

Gratuities

These tickets can't be cancelled. However, they can be rescheduled up to 72 hours before the experience begins.

904 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, Germany, Canada and over 33 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Mr K W
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
One of the bucket items my wife wanted to do years ago. All was just right apart from the cold winds. Staff and fellow guests were great and the staff on the bus's were so helpfull espeacilly Murray. We would recommend the visit to the Britannia resturant to anyone, the queue said it all. All the greet and meet staff through out the experience were first class.
Daniel G
Group
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
The castle's amazing history is well known. But the brilliant guidence fro Melanie (she is Canadian I think) took the experience to a whole other level. Best tour guide Ive ever had anywhere
Ian L
Solo
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Easy to buy tge ticket online. Reasonable price for seniors. Easy to validate on bus. Audio guide was good but not outstanding. Paper map was helpful and easy to obtain.
Perry R
Family
Verified booking
4 days ago
Loved the Hop on Hop off, the audio headphones really made the ride enjoy and informative. Great that you could get off and on multiply times for no additional cost.
Diana L
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
The buses were very punctual and on schedule. All three of the itineraries were interesting with numerous stops. I really enjoyed our experience

Enjoy a day of convenience with a guided tour of Edinburgh Castle paired with a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass.

Getting started

Meet your castle guide at the location listed on your voucher for check-in. Walk to the entrance together, with security and entry handled as part of the group flow. For the bus, show your voucher to the driver to collect your ticket before boarding.

What to expect

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Explore Edinburgh’s most famous fortress with a guided tour of the castle exterior, giving context and orientation before exploring the interiors independently.

Features

Guided walk: Discover key viewpoints and learn the castle’s role in Edinburgh’s royal and military history.

Independent exploration: After the tour, explore highlights such as the Great Hall, St. Margaret’s Chapel, and Scotland’s Crown Jewels at your own pace.

Audio tour: Extend your city exploration with the included Edinburgh audio tour app.

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Make the most of your day with a flexible 24-hour pass along the Red Route. Stay on for a full loop or hop off at any stop to explore landmarks and viewpoints, then rejoin when ready.

Features

Flexible sightseeing: Hop on and off at 14 stops across the city, including Grassmarket, Holyrood, and John Knox House.

Multilingual audio guide: Learn Edinburgh’s history and stories with commentary in multiple languages.

Panoramic views: Enjoy 360-degree perspectives from the open-top double-decker bus.

What to bring

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Bring a valid photo ID, as it may be requested at the entrance.

Download the audio app before arrival to avoid network issues. Scan the QR code on your voucher to access the Vox City app and city map in your preferred language.

Carry earphones for the best audio guide experience.

What’s not allowed

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Large luggage, bags over 30L, and suitcases are not permitted inside the castle.

Pets are not allowed.

Drones are prohibited.

Roof access may be restricted in poor weather conditions.

Accessibility

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

The castle is not fully wheelchair-accessible due to uneven terrain and steps around the grounds.

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Edinburgh buses are fully wheelchair accessible.

Wheelchairs must not exceed 70cm wide, 120cm long, and 135cm high. Contact the provider if unsure.

Only one wheelchair can be accommodated per bus; if occupied, please wait for the next one.

Additional information

Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Guided tour takes place outdoors; interior buildings are not included.

Stops are determined by castle authorities and may vary.

Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Arrive 10–15 minutes before your scheduled start time.

If the castle is unexpectedly closed, Holyrood Palace tickets may be offered if available.

Meeting points may vary; confirm in your booking.

The Honours of Scotland (Crown Jewels) will be closed from January 12 to Easter 2026.

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Children aged 3 and under travel free, but child tickets must be added at checkout.

Well-behaved dogs are allowed onboard.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.