8 Tickets & Entry Passes in Edinburgh to Build a Day Around

1.Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,540 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $51Our pick

Join guides such as Joe, Raj, Sonia, or Valeria for a 90-minute outdoor tour inside Edinburgh Castle. Hear sharp Scottish history, see Mary Queen of Scots’ palace and the Great Hall, then explore museums, prisons, and other buildings on your own.

“Absolutely great experience. Definitely worth the price. Sonia was our guide and she did an amazing job. My whole family loved it including my two teenage boys.”

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2.Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,283 reviews · from $51

Meet your guide on the Royal Mile at 2pm, bypass the castle entry queue, and spend about 90 minutes hearing stories of Edinburgh’s fortress. Guides such as Alisdair add humor and local detail. Afterward, stay inside until closing to see the Crown Jewels, war museum, chapel, and more at your own pace.

“Alasdair was our tour guide for the day. He was extremely knowledgeable and even had some funny jokes. He is a great guy. Edinburgh castle was very interesting and a very nice place. If in Edinburgh you should make a point to see the castle.”

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3.Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour – Tickets Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,211 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $51

Walk from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile into the castle with guides such as James, David, or Laura. In 90 minutes, hear stories of Scottish rulers, see Mons Meg and St. Margaret’s Chapel, then explore the castle interiors independently.

“It’s been very interesting well organized the guide was on time very entertaining and prepared I would recommend this experience and I will use again this service”

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4.Royal Edinburgh Ticket – Hop-On Hop-Off and Attraction Admissions

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,023 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $105

Use three Edinburgh hop-on hop-off routes for 48 hours, with live English guiding on the Edinburgh Tour and multilingual audio on the others. Your pass includes Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse in season, and Royal Yacht Britannia, making it a useful two-day plan for first-time visitors.

“Give yourself a whole day. Everything is worth seeing but can’t be rushed and you have to take into account travel times.”

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5.Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour – Ticket Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 894 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $65

Start on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with guides such as James, Paul, Mark, or Zenon, then follow closes, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Victoria Street, and the Grassmarket to Edinburgh Castle. Your guide leads the castle grounds and history, then you explore its museums and buildings at your own pace.

“Paul was a fantastic tour guide. He had terrific knowledge of Edinburgh's history and presented it with a lot of fun, humour and energy. We'd highly recommend him.”

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6.The Edinburgh Dungeon Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 683 reviews · 1 minute to 2 hours (approx.) · from $20Best value

Enter the Edinburgh Dungeon for a theatrical tour through Sawney Bean, Mary King’s Close, Agnes Finnie, Burke and Hare, and Edinburgh’s ghosts. Live actors involve the audience with jokes, trials, scares, and a final Drop Dead Ride to Doom. Plan roughly 1 to 2 hours.

“Our first trip to Edinburgh! A great kick off to our few days here, characters were great, entertaining and informative I would definitely recommend!”

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7.Palace of Holyroodhouse Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 450 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $30

Enter Holyroodhouse at the foot of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and explore royal apartments, Mary Queen of Scots’ rooms, the abbey ruins, and gardens. Your ticket includes a multimedia guide, letting you set your own pace. Plan about 90 minutes, and allow extra time for the grounds and café.

“One of the best self guided walking tour with headset. Very well organized by palace room or area. Very clear to understand. Can do at your own pace and repeat the information as needed.”

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8.Edinburgh Castle Highlights Tour with Tickets, Map, and Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 362 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $58

Meet your guide by the David Hume Statue on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, then walk uphill into Edinburgh Castle for a 90-minute tour. Guides such as John and Charlotte explain the fortress, St. Margaret’s Chapel, the One O’Clock Gun, royal quarters, and Crown Jewels before leaving you free to explore.

“Our tour was very informative! He was the perfect balance of education and comedy! We would highly recommend!”

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