Tours, guides and itineraries
There’s a new story to discover around every corner at Edinburgh Castle.
To make sure you don’t miss any, we offer some great ways to explore this Scottish icon, including some suggested itineraries you can follow if you prefer to explore at your own pace.
Itineraries
Stories fill every nook and cranny of this Scottish icon. Hear its extraordinary history come alive in the words of those who know it best. Your ticket includes this optional guided tour of Edinburgh Castle.
Tours set off at least every 30 minutes in summer and at least every hour in winter, depending on the availability of guides. Tour duration is approximately 30 minutes. Please note, tours are occasionally unavailable as a result of poor weather conditions.
| Season | First tour | Last tour begins |
| April - September | 9.45am | 4pm |
| October - March | 10am | 3.10pm |
There’s so much to see at the castle, and our knowledgeable and experienced guides can steer you towards the best bits. They will be happy to share their favourite stories and answer your questions too.
Join a tour
Go to the meeting point, which is through the Portcullis Gate, past the audio booth, where there is a clock on the right telling the time of the next guided tour.
Our brand new audio guide features the voices of four time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, celebrated TV and movie actor Bill Paterson and Outlander’s Andrew Gowar. Let them take you on a journey and learn about the castle and the people and events that stand out most in it’s fascinating past.
You can hire an audio guide in one of a range of languages from the audio booth for a small charge.
Audio guides are available in Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Spanish.
| Ticket type | Audio guide price |
| Adult | £3.50 |
| Concession | £2.50 |
| Child | £1.50 |
20% discount
for Historic Scotland members and Explorer Pass holders. Audio guides are subject to availability.
Our souvenir guide can help you to get more out of your time at the castle – both on the day or before and after your visit. Full-colour and full of detail, it brings together all of the best stories about this iconic Scottish stronghold.
You can purchase your souvenir guide when you buy tickets online. Just show your e-voucher when you arrive to collect your guide. You can also buy your souvenir guide from any of our shops on arrival at the castle.
Souvenir guides are available to buy in, Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Spanish