What are the most popular first-day activities for sightseeing tours starting in Edinburgh?

Your first day in Edinburgh usually starts with a walk down the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle, which sits on top of an old volcano. Many tours kick off with dinner at places like the Radisson Blu, where you can get to know your group and maybe try some Scottish whisky. As one traveler told us: "the tour guide was phenomenal and made sure everyone had a great time from day one."

Which months offer the best weather for sightseeing tours starting in Edinburgh?

Plan your trip between May and September for the nicest weather, when temperatures are usually between 59-66°F (15-19°C) and you get lots of daylight. You'll likely stay at places like the Mercure Edinburgh Haymarket or Radisson Blu during these busy months. One traveler who went in July said they "had great weather with only one rainy day, perfect for exploring the Highlands."

What type of accommodation can I expect on sightseeing tours from Edinburgh?

You'll stay in nice hotels like the Voco Edinburgh Haymarket and DoubleTree by Hilton. In Edinburgh, you'll be close to the Royal Mile, while in the Highlands you might stay in beautiful old buildings like the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry. One happy traveler mentioned that "the hotels were all centrally located and of high quality, making it easy to explore each destination."

What are the most visited landmarks on sightseeing tours starting from Edinburgh?

You'll see the big ones like Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Stirling Castle, and Loch Ness. Most tours also take you to Culloden Battlefield, Eilean Donan Castle, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct - you might recognize it from the Harry Potter movies. According to one traveler, "the variety of castles, lochs, and historic sites exceeded expectations, with Edinburgh Castle being a definite highlight."

What's included in meal plans for sightseeing tours from Edinburgh?

Your tour typically covers breakfast each day and some dinners at your hotel or local restaurants. You'll get to try traditional Scottish food, including haggis, often paired with whisky at places like the Kailyard by Nick Nairn restaurant. One traveler mentioned that "the included Scottish dinners were excellent, especially the welcome dinner with whisky tasting in Edinburgh."

How much free time is typically available during sightseeing tours from Edinburgh?

You'll usually get 2-3 hours of free time each day, with some afternoons completely open in bigger cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow. If you're staying at the Radisson Blu Edinburgh or Leonardo Royal Glasgow, you'll have plenty of time to explore on your own. One traveler said there was "a good balance between organized activities and free time to explore on our own."

Sightseeing Tours from Edinburgh

See the best Sightseeing trips from Edinburgh, Scotland. We have 67 adventures that range from 2 days up to 24 days in length. The most popular time for tours leaving Edinburgh is September.

67 tours

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City & Culture
Scotland end London
4.0 (1 review)
"This tour provided a lot of sites in the country of Scotland, which were amazing."
Keith, traveled in April
Duration
7 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Stirling, Pitlochry, Culloden, Inverness,Fort Augustus,Loch Ness,Spean Bridge,Fort William,Inveraray,Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park,Glasgow,Lichfield,London+9 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Europamundo
From
US$1,957per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Scotland and Ireland
5.0 (1 review)
Duration
12 days
Destinations
Scotland Northern Ireland Ireland
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Europamundo
From
US$3,245per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Nature & Wildlife
Mull, Iona & Staffa Puffin Experience
4.5 (4 reviews)
"Beaches were stunning and water so clear. Wow!!"
Roy, traveled in June
Duration
4 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Luss, Inveraray, Oban, Isle of Mull,Isle of Iona,Glencoe+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Highland Explorer Tours
20% Off
From $705
US$564per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Road Trip & Self-Drive
Grand Tour of Scotland – 14-Day Journey through History and Beauty (24 destinations)
5.0 (2 reviews)
"The itinerary was very well planned and the accommodations were very good. The hospitality was very much appreciated."
Judith, traveled in August
Duration
14 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Leith, St Andrews, Glamis, Balmoral Castle,Aberdeen,Inverness,Culloden,Loch Ness,Dornie,Isle of Skye,Portree,Glenfinnan,Fort William,Glencoe,Luss,Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park,Glasgow,Stirling,Falkirk+15 more
Age Range
Ages 16+
Operated in
English
Operator
Spirit Journeys Worldwide
20% Off
From
US$5,378per person
Price based on Shared Room
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City & Culture
Scots Irish Tour - 15 Days/14 Nights (35 destinations)
4.4 (143 reviews)
"Everything was perfect. We will remember this tour forever."
Carl, traveled in August
Duration
15 days
Destinations
Scotland Northern Ireland Ireland
Age Range
Ages 9+
Operated in
English
Operator
CIE Tours
20% Off
From
US$5,445per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Scottish Highlands Escape
5.0 (164 reviews)
"I loved Scotland! We made good friends, we just felt we didn't have much time on stops."
Mark, traveled in March
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, St Andrews, Pitlochry, Culloden, Inverness,Fort William,Oban,Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park,Glasgow+4 more
Age Range
Ages 8+
Operated in
English
Operator
Globus
20% Off
From
US$1,299per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Ancient Wonders
Premium Scotland
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Stirling, Stonehaven, Isle of Skye, Portree,Glencoe,Balloch,Glasgow+3 more
Age Range
Ages 15+
Operated in
English
Operator
Intrepid Premium
20% Off
From
US$7,495per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Loch Ness, The Fairy Pools & Isle of Skye
"Very beautiful landscapes and Charlie took us to some wonderful places. I would surely recommend this to anyone who would want to explore Scotland."
Megha, traveled in June
Duration
3 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Dunkeld, The Hermitage National Forest,Pitlochry,Culloden,Inverness,Loch Ness,Fort Augustus,Isle of Skye,Ben Nevis,Glencoe,Tyndrum+9 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Islands
Isle Of Skye
Operated in
English
Operator
Highland Explorer Tours
20% Off
From
US$579per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Outer Hebrides & Skye Explorer - 6 days
4.5 (6 reviews)
"A lovely trip which is well organized. Enjoyed the companionship of the friendly tour mates 😊"
MUI, traveled in July
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Ullapool, Stornoway, Luskentyre,Portree,Isle of Skye,Ben Nevis,Glencoe+4 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Scottish HighlandsNorthern Scotland+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
On The Go Tours
15% Off
From $2,355
US$2,002per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Edinburgh, Hebrides & Highlands - 5 days
5.0 (3 reviews)
"The accommodations were very clean and tidy with a good location to town."
Victoria, traveled in September
Duration
5 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Dunkeld, Aviemore, Ullapool, Stornoway, Uig,Isle of Harris,Luskentyre,Carloway,Inverness,Loch Ness,Cairngorms National Park,Braemar+7 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
On The Go Tours
15% Off
From $2,510
US$2,134per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness
4.7 (123 reviews) award winner
"Wonderful tour, thoroughly enjoyed."
Cathy, traveled in September
Duration
5 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Stirling, Glencoe, Oban, Fort William,Glenfinnan,Mallaig,Isle of Skye,Portree,Loch Ness,Inverness,Beauly,Culloden,Dunkeld+9 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
Isle Of SkyeScottish Highlands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Highland Explorer Tours
20% Off
From $1,199
US$959per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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- Booking needs min. 2 travelers
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Adventure & Adrenaline
Wild Skye & Loch Ness Hunter
4.8 (8 reviews)
"Our bus was reliable, but the driver was excellent at navigating the roads. My husband and I had a divine time."
Ann, traveled in June
Duration
3 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Forth Bridge, Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Culloden,Inverness,Loch Ness,Fort Augustus,Isle of Skye,Portree,Ben Nevis,Glencoe,Falkirk+8 more
Age Range
Ages 18-45
Regions
Isle Of SkyeNorthern Scotland+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Haggis Adventures
20% Off
From
US$579per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Scottish Highland Fling
5.0 (253 reviews)
"This was my intro to a land my dream came through, thank you so much to Globus."
William, traveled in September
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, St Andrews, Pitlochry,Cairngorms National Park,Inverness,Culloden,Dunrobin,Thurso,Orkney Islands,Kirkwall,Skara Brae,Durness,Scourie,Ullapool,Isle of Skye,Mallaig,Fort William,Glencoe,Isle of Mull,Isle of Iona,Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park,Falkirk,Glasgow+20 more
Age Range
Ages 8+
Operated in
English
Operator
Globus
6% Off
From $3,879
US$3,629per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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City & Culture
Scotland and Ireland (Classic, Summer)
4.9 (22 reviews)
"This trip was amazing!! So glad I did it!!"
Emily, traveled in July
Duration
13 days
Destinations
Scotland Ireland Northern Ireland
Age Range
Ages 18-35
Operated in
English
Operator
Contiki
6% Off
From
US$2,225per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Island Hopping
Scottish Islands Grand Tour - 14 days
4.5 (4 reviews)
"The scenery was amazing."
Carol, traveled in April
Duration
14 days
Destinations
Edinburgh, Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park,Inveraray,Oban,Isle of Mull,Isle of Iona,Glencoe,Isle of Skye,Plockton,Loch Ness,Spean Bridge,Inverness,John O'Groats,Kirkwall,Skara Brae,Stenness,Ullapool,Summer Isles,Stornoway,Isle of Lewis,Isle of Harris,Carloway,Luskentyre,Portree,Kilt Rock,Ben Nevis+24 more
Age Range
Ages 16+
Regions
Isle Of SkyeNorthern Scotland+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
On The Go Tours
15% Off
From $6,320
US$5,372per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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