Scotland · CASTLES
Ruins on cliffs, keeps in the middle of cities, and houses people still live in. The 15 below pair the great ones with guides worth hearing, and are clear about which prices include admission.
Guided walking tour of Edinburgh Castle with pre-booked entry. Learn Mary Queen of Scots and Great Hall stories, then explore at your pace.
“It was our first time visiting Edinburgh castle and thanks to our tour guide Joe, we had a wonderful day! We got all the facts in and even had time for a joke. Would definitely recommend to friends that are coming to visit.”
Skip the queue at Edinburgh Castle, walk the Royal Mile with a guide, then explore on your own after a 90-minute story-driven tour.
“This was a great 90 minutes with Koffe as our guide! He was an amazing storyteller AND knew all the history and facts! He truly made the experience awesome. It is important to know that you have 90 minutes with the guide and then you can explore wherever you want for as long as you want once the tour is done. It was a great value for the money and Koffe truly helped us understand the important history of the castle along with some fun extra facts too like statues with glorious mustaches. We go on many tours and I would highly recommend this one!!”
Inverness to Skye in one long, guided day, with Eilean Donan Castle, Portree lunch, and iconic viewpoints, plus easy round-trip transport.
“I had a great time! I think my guides name was Ray or Roy, I can't remember exactly, but he had three daughters and was from the area, and was an excellent guide! He was in good spirits the whole time, had interesting stories, and was super memorable!”
Small group Royal Mile walk plus skip-the-line Edinburgh Castle. Explore closes, St Giles, Parliament Square, and crown jewels in 2.5 hours.
“Amazing tour guide and tour, Marina was well informed, so knowledgeable and made the tour fun, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend attending sing this if you are visiting Edinburgh.”
Small group West Highlands day tour from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Inveraray and Oban, with castles and guide stories.
“A very informative tour made more so by our guide. His knowledge of the history of the areas we visited linked with local music and musicians made for a very enjoyable tour.”
Loch Ness cruise, Urquhart Castle ruins, Outlander stops at Beauly Priory and Clava Cairns, plus Culloden Battlefield from Inverness.
“This was one of the tours I was really looking forward to and I think that’s why it felt so disappointing. The tour design itself I found problematic because it was such a slow start to the day. Loch Ness and the castle were great BUT there was too much time here. We did a pretty thorough tour of the castle, but we had an hour where we just sat and did nothing. Then Having lunch and the whiskey distillery back to back meant there was about a two hour time Period Where there wasn’t anything to do or see, especially if you aren’t interested in buying whiskey. In total…”
Full-day small-group trip from Edinburgh to the Kelpies, Loch Lomond, and Stirling Castle, with admission included and plenty of photo time.
“Our guide Willie was amazing and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed the tour of the castle and the quaint little village we stopped in. Good value for the sights we were able to see.”
Edinburgh Castle guided tour with ticket included, skip-the-line entry, 90-minute grounds briefing, then time to explore crown jewels.
“Fantastic with David, we explored a lot, through a blend of knowledge and humour. Great fun, enjoyed thoroughly”
Edinburgh day tour to the Kelpies, Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Forth Bridges, with guided commentary and easy transit.
“We did the trip with Shafiq, our driver and guide from Timberbush Tours. Shafiq was a font of information and he narrated it all with lots of humor. He made us very comfortable and was very gracious throughout. We had a lovely day visiting Loch Lomond, the Kelpies and Stirling Castle, with adequate time for stops including rest stops. I would heartily recommend this tour.”
A small-group West Highlands day tour from Edinburgh with a comfy 16-seat coach, Loch views, and included Doune Castle tickets.
“We wouldn’t have a tour guide by any other name…Rose was fantastic. She was passionate, knowledgeable and entertaining. Her authenticity was very refreshing. The history she told was often not so savoury but she told it truthfully and delightfully. We highly recommend this tour because it touched on all major points of interest: highlands, lochs and castles. Doune Castle was incredible. We also appreciated stopping at points not planned in the tour with an opportunity to take pics of other castles and see the highland coos. This made for a very rounded and colourful experience. And the music Rose played during this tour was beautiful and very suited to this…”
A one-hour Loch Ness cruise with sonar Nessie spotting, indoor and outdoor comfort, plus close Urquhart Castle views from the water.
“Bring a jacket/rain coat. Chilly and can rain at any time!! Enjoyed the cruise and the beautiful scenery.”
A small-group Royal Mile walk to St Giles, Writers’ Museum and Grassmarket, ending with a guided Edinburgh Castle tour and views.
“This was a fun interactive full off facts tour, which gives you a great taste of everything Edinburgh. Plenty of information and questions answered, the tour Guide Paul, was very knowledgeable and really funny kept our attention.”
Castles, lochs, and West Highlands views in one long day from Edinburgh, with Outlander connections and Loch Lomond at Luss.
“This tour was awesome. The West Highlands with the mountains and the lochs were amazing and Steve took us through many roads and showed us many sites. From the majestic Doune and Kilchurn castles to the quaint villages of Loch Lomond and Inveraray, it was a very memorable day. Steve was a great guide - with historical information and great stories and good music. He explained things very well. I would highly recommend this trip and Steve!”
Inverness to Isle of Skye in a small group, with Eilean Donan Castle plus Loch Ness, Portree, and Trotternish Peninsula stops.
“We had a wonderful tour, albeit a long day (about 10 hours — shorter than advertised because of an amber alert owing to high winds and storm off the coast). Our guide, Nick, was excellent — very informative, witty, and knowledgeable. Our transportation was first class. We truly enjoyed a fabulous day — the sites are amazing and awe inspiring. The landscapes are so beautiful. We had a nice lunch in Portree as well. All in all a terrific day.”
Small-group Edinburgh walking tour with **Edinburgh Castle** and **National Gallery** highlights, plus Royal Mile stories and views. 5 hours.
“This is one of the best tours that i have encountered. Although it was raining, Mr James made me appreciate the history and the beauty of the city of Edinburgh. From the old houses to the parks to the museums and the castle. The stories are very interesting and intriguing.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
