Scotland · WALKING TOURS

The 15 Best Walking Tours in Scotland

106 tours  ·  from $5

Old towns here are built for feet and hostile to everything else. These 15 walks cover the Royal Mile, Glasgow’s centre and the university streets, priced by length, with a note on the ones that involve real hills.

Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town - Entering the dark, chilly chambers
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Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town

1.Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,506 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33Our pick

Meet in Edinburgh’s Old Town for a guided walk along part of the Royal Mile before entering the chilly South Bridge vaults. Guides such as James, Louisa, Joshua, Kieran, and Aimee share stories of hardship, crime, witchcraft, and ghostly sightings. Expect uneven ground, tight spaces, and steep steps.

“Great tour that gives a great insight into the history of the vaults as well as being slightly spooky. We couldn't have asked for a better tour guide than Kieran. He was knowledgeable, entertaining, funny and friendly!”

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Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket - Inside the fortress walls for about 70 minutes
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Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

2.Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket

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

Enter Edinburgh Castle with a reserved ticket and spend about 90 minutes on a guided walk through its historic grounds. Guides such as Joe, Raj, Sonia, Valeria, and Jen bring Scottish stories to life, then leave you free to explore the palace, museums, prisons, and Great Hall.

“I would recommend this tour as it covers Edinburgh Castle long and fabulous history. We went with Niamh who is an excellent tour guide, very passionate and knowledgeable with a great sense of humour.”

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Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English - The walk toward Edinburgh Castle
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Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English

3.Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour in English

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,214 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $52

Meet near Adam Smith’s statue on the Royal Mile for a 90-minute English tour led by guides such as Koffe, Steph, Greg, or Graeme. Hear Scottish stories on the walk to Edinburgh Castle, enter with a skip-the-line ticket, then explore the castle buildings independently.

“What a fascinating tour of the castle! Our guide Steph is the best ever…she told us so much about Scottish history, and she made it alive with her story telling skills and passion about for her land and people.”

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Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends - Calton Hill for witch trials and wide city views
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Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends

4.Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,862 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $29

Walk from the Royal Mile through shadowy closes, North Bridge, Calton Hill, and a historic burial ground. Guides such as Niamh, G, Brian, and James bring Edinburgh’s murders, witch trials, body snatchers, and legends to life before finishing at a local pub.

“Not like regular guides tours! Lots of facts and fun! Even our teens enjoyed the tour. Lovely guide!”

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Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh - Forty minutes below South Bridge
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Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

5.Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,183 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33

Meet your guide on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, walk to the vault entrance, and spend about 40 minutes below ground with a torture display, vault history, and ghost stories. Guides such as James, Louisa, Dom, and Aimee bring plenty of humor, though steep stairs and dark subjects may not suit everyone.

“Really enjoyed the tour, Don our guide did a fantastic job with telling the group stories of the dark history of the vaults”

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Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh - The guide makes or breaks the experience
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Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

6.Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,168 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Join Little Fish Tours for a two-hour English walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Guides such as Max, Greg, Angus, Jule, Ben, and Euan mix major sights with amusing tales, local tips, and Scottish history. The route ends within five minutes of the Royal Mile.

“Greg, took us on the tour. He was very knowledgeable and informative. Answered our questions and gave us funny stories along the way. Very recommended”

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The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh - St Giles’ Cathedral and Scotland’s religious upheaval
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The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh

7.The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,813 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $36

Join comedian and Scottish history expert Daniel Downie for a two-hour walk from Monkey Barrel Comedy through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Expect sharp jokes, Scottish vocabulary, castle views, grim tales, adult humor, and plenty of attention from Daniel’s dog, Brahan. The tour is for ages 16 and up.

“Fabulous tour !!!’, Danny is extremely knowledgeable re his Scottish history , delivered with a cheeky humour . Being the only two English on the tour we felt a sense of responsibility for our forefathers invasions and beheadings ….🙈😂. Other nationalities were suitably ribbed in a very humorous fashion too ! (No-one is exempt) . I would highly recommend this tour… I learnt so much about Edinburgh and its history as well as being highly entertained . Hoping to get to the fringe to see Daniel’s show there too … yes he is that good . All round great day . Thank you (Ps not for the easily offended be…”

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Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh - Below South Bridge into the vaults
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Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

8.Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,702 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Join an English-speaking guide such as James, Jordan, Diva, or Darren for a 90-minute evening walk through Greyfriars Graveyard and Edinburgh’s South Bridge Vaults. Expect dark history, cemetery stories, paranormal tales, narrow stairs, and a lively guide rather than theatrical jump scares.

“Jordan was great and kept us engaged through the tour! Great information and stories. Highly recommend!”

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Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour - Usher Hall and the first castle views
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Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour

9.Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,596 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town and Royal Mile for about three hours with an English-speaking guide, in a group capped at 12. Expect castle views, medieval closes, literary landmarks, pub stories, and plenty of Scottish history, with room to ask questions and shape the discussion.

“Lots of fun. Fiona was a great tour guide. She had a fun sense of humor and obviously loves her job. She told us a lot of history and took us on a really good sightseeing tour of Edinburgh.”

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Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle - Small Group Walking Tour - Parliament Square and John Knox House
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Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle – Small Group Walking Tour

10.Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle – Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,523 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $70

Follow Edinburgh’s Royal Mile from Mercat Cross to Castlehill, hearing stories of Jenny Geddes, John Knox House, and Old Town life. Then enter Edinburgh Castle for a 45-minute introduction and free time to explore. Guides such as Craig, Linda, and Nicola are praised for humor and clear storytelling.

“The tour was phenomenal. This is through Mercat Tours, and our guide, Linda, was excellent. So much history and incredible information. The listing when we booked through Viator said 1 hour 15 minutes, but this is a 2.5 hour tour. Keep in mind for planning your day!”

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Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour with Local Guide - The City Chambers, impressive from the outside
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Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour with Local Guide

11.Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,326 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $16Best value

Start at George Square and walk through Glasgow’s historic center to the City Chambers, Strathclyde, Cathedral, Necropolis, street art, and Gallery of Modern Art. Local guides such as Louise, Stephen, Liz, and Gabe add humor, personal stories, and useful advice. Expect an outdoor walk of 1.5 to 2 miles.

“Great tour! Excellent, friendly local guide. Good overview of history of the old town, giving you information on where to spend more time.”

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Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour - The Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny
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Edinburgh Skip-the-Ticket-Line Castle Walking Tour

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

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

Meet near Tron Kirk at 2pm, then walk up the Royal Mile with a local guide such as Alisdair or Charles. Priority castle entry saves queue time, while the 90-minute tour covers Crown Square, St. Margaret’s Chapel, the dog cemetery, war history, and castle stories before you continue alone.

“Our guide, Alisdair, was wonderful! Very knowledgeable and hit all the highlights, and painted an excellent story for the castle. However, it should be mentioned in the listing that this tour does NOT include any inside portions of the castle - only outside.”

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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour - From medieval Edinburgh to the modern city
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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

13.Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,016 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Meet your guide at 10:30 am on the Royal Mile for a two-hour walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Expect stories from medieval Scotland to modern city life, with guides such as Gavin and Urs praised for humor, useful tips, and close attention to the group. The tour ends at Greyfriars Kirkyard.

“This was a great 2 hour tour that hit the highlights and got us comfortable to explore more on our own. Thanks to Gavin, we were cared for, entertained, and left with great ideas on what to do next.”

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Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included - St. Giles’ Cathedral and the Act of Union
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Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Walking Tour – Ticket Included

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

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

Start beneath the blue umbrella on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for a lively walk through closes, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Victoria Street, and the Grassmarket. Your guide then leads you into Edinburgh Castle, with time to explore its museums and roofed buildings independently. Guides may include James, Mark, Paul, Zenon, or Alistair.

“Ben was excellent! Really enjoyed the tour. He was informative, kept things moving and was very likable.”

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Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group - Princes Street Gardens and the National Gallery
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Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group

15.Edinburgh Full Day Walking Tour with Castle Included -Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 676 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $112

Walk from Charlotte Square to Edinburgh Castle with a small group of up to 15. Guides such as Ben, James, and Mark bring Scottish history to life through stories, art, closes, graveyards, and royal drama. Castle entry and guided highlights at the National Gallery are included.

“James made this tour fantastic! One of the best storytellers, he brought the history of Scotland to life for us on our walk around the city. We loved every bit of this experience, and it was all thanks to James! We definitely recommend booking this if you want to be immersed in Scottish history and don’t mind a longer walking tour.”

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