• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Unveil the mysteries of Edinburgh Castle and get the most out of your visit on this enriching tour! Get to know everything about this magnificent attraction with the insights provided by a local expert.

Destination

Edinburgh, Scotland

Category

Skip The Line Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español

Included

• Entrance tickets
• Private guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 7 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Outside the Scotch Whisky Experience, next to the black drainpipe located to the right when you are facing the building - Edinburgh to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Inside the Edinburgh Castle

   Once you are inside, follow your local host’s insights as you check out the must-sees like the Great Hall and St. Margaret's Chapel, as well as the hidden gems that not many know about. Be part of an enriching tour that will satisfy your curiosity and answer all of your questions!

4. Keep Exploring

   After the time with your host is over, you can either stay inside the attraction and keep exploring by yourself or say goodbye outside the attraction where your host will point out other spots to explore in Edinburgh

5. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Jennifer

(About local Monica)

3 September 2025

Monica was brilliant! We had a fun afternoon exploring Edinburgh castle with her, learning about the castle’s fascinating history, tales of Edinburgh and Scotland. She also gave us helpful travel advice for our departure to the Highlands the next day. Her tour was a special treat. Fantastic historian and storyteller

dw7q4rhwwy Barbara, Miles, Paul & Graham🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

27 August 2025

Laura knew her history and had witty observations.Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly

Intercontinental Hotel, George St.🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Laura)

19 August 2025

Laura was delightful, chatty and informative. A good balance between historical facts and information about Scotland and Edinburgh in particular. We did not feel rushed at any stage - she guided us around the castle, navigating "busy spots" and would answer any questions politely. Great fun! Chris Main, Melbourne AustraliaA Highlight of Our Time in Edinburgh!

Danny🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

10 August 2025

Laura was great. Her knowledge was boundless, and you could feel her passion in everything she said. Highly recommend!Laura was fantastic!

Christine

(About local Monica)

8 August 2025

Tolle Führung, viele Infos, supernette Frau!Ein großartiges Erlebnis!

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

6 August 2025

We had a great tour with Alice at Edinburgh Castle. It is a very popular attraction with many people wandering around but Alice made us feel as if we had the entire Castle to ourselves! Alice is very friendly and full of great stories about the Castle and its history. After our tour concluded, Alice made several nice recommendations of additional things we could explore on our own at the Castle such as The Prisons and viewing the Crown Jewels. We would highly recommend Alice as a guide- she’s great!A Castle to Remember

Gillian

(About local Laura)

3 August 2025

We really enjoyed our Tour of Edinburgh Castle with Laura - she was very personable and tailored the tour to us and our interests. She was open to any questions and was more than happy to stop when we needed a rest. Laura has a wide and varied knowledge of Edinburgh, its history, it's castle and Scotland and she brings this knowledge to life in a sometimes humorous and always interesting way. She was punctual and the meeting place was easy to find. We would really recommend Laura as a guide.Excellent Tour with Laura

Peter

(About local Xavier)

2 August 2025

What a great way to see Edinburgh Castle! Xavier was knowledgeable, personable, and flexible! It was also awesome getting a tour from a fellow choir geek! While there is a structure to the tour, there are also options and I love that we got to see various things that he recommended as well as we were interested in. The castle itself is stunning and gave great views of the city!Fantastic Tour by an Amazing Guide

Jason🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gains)

30 July 2025

Gains provided excellent Castle tour for our family and tailored it to our needs. Great knowledge and experience. Thank you Gains! Excellent guide

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

13 July 2025

Alec gave a really enjoyable tour with lots of tips and information we likely wouldn't have found on our own. We especially enjoyed the bit about the Heart of Midlothian and watching to see who stepped on it and who did not.

Shanna

(About local Alice)

8 July 2025

Alice was an engaging storyteller. We could have listened to her voice all day!Aloce was fantastic!

justine.carbonell0228

(About local Alice)

3 July 2025

Alice was our personal tour guide for Edinburgh Castle. It was a great experience to learn about the history of the Castle in such an interesting way! Alice had a great way of telling the stories behind the beginning of the castle and the different structures within the Castle. I would highly recommend her!Excellent Edinburgh Castle Tour

Rick

(About local Alice)

18 June 2025

Alice did a superb job in touring us through Edinburgh Castle! She is informative, thoughtful, and full of personality. I can’t recommend her enough!Alice is Great!

Alicia🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Alice)

9 June 2025

Alice was able to provide a well-paced guide to the Edinburgh castle (and an extended tour of the Royal Mile). Her story telling skills were exceptional. The history and fun facts came alive with her stories and even we, by the end of tour, were starting to get the timeline sorted of some of the most important Scottish events and people. We were thankful for her tweaking of timings to different parts of the Castle to maximize warmth and dryness on a very wet Scottish day so that we could really concentrate on what was being said and in front of us. Book Alice, you’ll have a great day out. Bad weather? No matter with Alice

Robert

(About local Alice)

8 June 2025

Alice was a wealth of knowledge and provided the background which we found to be amazing. Her ability to communicate the history in a way that made one feel when you left the castle you wanted to find out more about the kings and queens of Scotland. The 2 hour tour was the right amount of time. Strongly suggestThe Castle fact and fiction

David

(About local Monica)

7 June 2025

Monica was simply the best — friendly, kind, and accommodating. She created an extended tour at our request and provided true “local” insights to her hometown. Her communications were excellent. The info was a combination of history, human interest and local insights. A very fun time. Highly recommend seeing Edinburgh through the eyes of Monica. The best

Jim

(About local Laura)

5 June 2025

Laura was great, leading our rambling group of seven on a tour of Edinburgh Castle, and then arranging for us to have a very Scottish luncheon at the Haggis Box Restaurant in the Scottish Storytelling Centre (and impressive and preserved John Knox house), and for then taking us off the Royal Mile to some quieter, more interesting sights. FIVE STARS to Laura for our Edinburgh experiences!!!Sunday in Edinburgh!!!

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

4 June 2025

We had a great tour of Edinburgh Castle with Monica. She customized it to accommodate my bad knee, which was so helpful. Monica told us many wonderfully rich and historic tales that tied the history of Scotland together using the castle as thread. Highly recommend booking With Locals and requesting Monica. I could have spent days listening to her stories of Scotland. Wonderful tour of Edinburgh Castle

Boyd

(About local Laura)

27 May 2025

Laura did a wonderful job guiding us on a private tour of Edinburgh Castle. She helped us navigate the castle a very busy weekend at the castle and helped optimize our time. Her knowledge of history, local culture and site seeing options in the city was excellent. She did a great job of accommodating my hearing loss -making sure I was able to hear the information she was sharing with us. We would recommend Laura for this and any of the tours she offers in the city.Excellent private tour of Edinburgh Castle

Colin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alice)

18 May 2025

We recently had the pleasure of taking a private walking tour of Edinburgh Castle with Alice, and it was nothing short of exceptional. Alice was a wealth of knowledge, not just reciting facts, but weaving together stories with such insight and enthusiasm that the castle’s centuries of history came vividly to life. Her background as a trained actress truly shone through in the way she delivered each tale; every moment felt theatrical in the best possible way, as though we’d stepped into the past. Some of our favorite moments included exploring the dungeons and hearing the gripping, often chilling stories of those who were held there, as well as learning how the castle evolved through the ages, from royal residence to military stronghold and beyond. Alice guided us through each chapter with clarity, passion, and a genuine love for her craft. The tour ended perfectly with the firing of the midday gun, a fitting finale to a couple of unforgettable hours. We highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience Edinburgh Castle in a truly meaningful and memorable way. Alice is a guide in a league of her own. An amazing way to bring history to life

Dan🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alice)

18 May 2025

We had a really wonderful 2 hours with Alice at Edinburgh Castle. Her knowledge of the castle and local history was brought to life by her incredible talent for telling stories. It was the highlight of our stay in Edinburgh. Story time with Alice!

Laura🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

14 May 2025

We had a fantastic experience on our Castle Tour with Alec! He was an outstanding guide—knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the local history. Alec shared fascinating stories and historical insights that really brought the castles to life. He explained everything in a way that was easy to understand and helped us truly appreciate what we were seeing. We walked away not just entertained, but also having learned so much. Highly recommend touring with Alec!

tish🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

5 May 2025

We were lucky enough to choose Alice as our guide for two tours while we were in Edinburgh. She’s a great storyteller, friendly, on time and very professional. Her knowledge of the city and all things Edinburgh are top-notch. Let her show you her Edinburgh and you won’t be sorry that you selected her as your guide.Choose Alice as your guide

Marie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

4 April 2025

Alice was amazing in her ability to keep us captive as she told us all about the comings and goings of Edinburgh Castle. It was so so informative and entertaining!! Highly recommend Alice !! Just so magical and informative

Charles🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

8 February 2025

Exploring the Edinburgh castle with Alec was a wonderful experience and was a highlight of out trip. He is super knowledgable, attentive and has a very warm personality. My wife and I are looking forward coming back to Edinburgh and have Alec show us more of the wonders of the city. The perfect guide

Sonja🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Alice)

9 December 2024

Our tour with Alice was fantastic, she explained us the most intresting storys about the history of Edinburgh, all by heart. It was easy to follow her because she has'nt got a strong accent. We totally forgot to freeze in the cold wind, because her speech was so thrilling and it was like a dive into Edinburgh history. I can totally recommend this tour and would definetely book her again. A dive into the history of Edinburgh!

Margaret

(About local Alice)

30 October 2024

Alice was a fun, informative guide. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with her and would definitely choose her again.Fabulous experience

Suzanne

(About local Svend-Erik)

28 September 2024

Thanks for all the background history etc on the castle & Mary Queen of Scots. We learned a lot and surprisingly had plenty of time. Suzanne Enough time

Mavin🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alice)

7 September 2024

My husband and I booked two walking trips with Alice. First was the 90 minute Kickstarter Tour for the afternoon when we first arrived in Edinburgh. The second was next day’s Edinburgh Castle Tour. Alice was very friendly, informed and entertaining. Alice is a delightful historian, who obviously knows and loves the city very well. She was also able to quickly detour when it began raining and ducked us into the courts, which were of particular interest to us. We would highly recommend Alice to any traveller, who would like to learn more about Edinburgh, hear some interesting stories made even more fascinating by Alice, the storyteller.Alice Makes Edinburgh Come Alive

Kathleen🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Alice)

7 September 2024

Alice was amazing her story telling was so much fun. She was very informative. When next in Edinburgh I would choose Alice again !!Fantastic guide

Mike🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

7 September 2024

This is definitely the way to tour the castle. Svend-Erik did a great job of telling the story behind each aspect of the castle and then gave us time to check out that part of the castle ourselves. Would definitely recommend it!Thoroughly enjoyable!

Katie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

5 September 2024

Terrific experience with Svend-Erik who was super knowledgeable about all things Scotland (at least to us) from a very complicated history with details to keep us all engaged to fun facts about the castle itself. He was very attuned to our interests and adjusted the pace to suit our needs. I'm sure we could have learned much more with extra time but the 2 hrs was really just right--as my brain felt full at that point and I was ready for a rest! Exceptional Scottish history with a flare

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

18 August 2024

Alice was very nice and did a great job on our tour of Edinburgh Castle. Thank you!Knowledgeable guide with theatrical flair!

Jill

(About local Alice)

16 August 2024

We spent the day in Edinburgh with Alice. She is amazing! Her ability to keep us captivated with her incredible storytelling was fantastic! We had 4 in our group and we all said the same thing! I have been on so many tours over the years and I must say that Alice was my favorite! Don’t miss out - book with Alice! She is clearly a professional! Thanks so much for a great day Alice! Alice is the BEST

Denise🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Laura)

16 August 2024

Excellent time spent with Laura. Money well spent. She was punctual and really knew her stuff. Would highly recommend.Edinburgh Castle

Cathy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

16 August 2024

Alice is a true professional storyteller who educates you as she entertains you every step of the way. You will enjoy every minute with this knowledgeable, vivacious guide. She has set the bar high for all future guides we hire. She also is flexible should you want to pop in a shop for a special gift. You won’t be disappointed if you hire Alice.Sign up now!

Marlena

(About local Monica)

1 August 2024

I recently visited Scotland and the first thing I did when I got off the plane was take a tour of Edinburgh Castle with Monica. She is wonderful. I got a comprehensive history of the castle and Scotland’s people. There were so many interesting details. She gave me enough time to explore and answered all my questions. It was like visiting a friend who took me around her city. Monica is super friendly and funny. We talked a lot about the castle as well as other subjects. I felt super comfortable even when traveling solo. This was a highlight of visiting Edinburgh and I was really happy. I also appreciated Monica’s travel tidbits to enhance my experience in Edinburgh. I would highly recommend this tour and Monica to everyone. Edinburgh Castle Tour with Monica

brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

5 July 2024

We had a great time with Laura romping around the castle. She was well informed with the current affairs and ancient history, and plenty to facts and tidbits to keep the family amused. Grand Tour

Susan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

28 June 2024

We enjoyed our tour of Edinburgh Castle with Monica! She was very knowledgeable and shared great stories and history of Scotland as we toured. Highly recommend if you are a history fan! Great tour of Edinburgh Castle

Vanessa 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

17 June 2024

Despite the wind and the rain, we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Edinburgh castle with Alice. She’s a masterful storyteller and was able to nimbly guide us through several hundred years of history and many King James’ with ease! Wound definitely recommend!Wonderful experience

Deborah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

10 June 2024

Sven was warm, welcoming and extremely knowledgeable. It was clear that the unique stories he shared were ones beyond the usual ones and I loved that!Sven is wonderful!

christenpclark

(About local Monica)

7 June 2024

We had the most wonderful and informative tour with Monica. She was so cheery and knew so much about the history of the castle and the overall history of Scotland and England and even stumped my husband who has thoroughly studied the history of both. We wished we had her for other tours that we had done before this one. Fabulous Edinburg Castle Tour with Monica

Maura

(About local Alice)

7 June 2024

Alice was fantastic! She was so knowledgeable and gave facts and information in such a fun and animated way. We learned a lot and had fun. Highly recommend Alice!Castle Tour

Lisa

(About local Alice)

26 May 2024

Alice is a great storyteller! We had so much fun and so appreciated her flexibility when our delayed flights created issues. We loved her enthusiasm and the fact she took us to interesting places in Edinburgh. Thank you Alice! Alice is the BEST

Jake

(About local Svend-Erik)

14 May 2024

Svend-Erik was wonderful from start to finish. He imparted a ton of knowledge we wouldn't have otherwise known. He had great stories, was super friendly, and offered additional advice of things to do after the tour. Loved him breaking into songs to explain things too! Incredible Castle Experience

mweidhaas🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

13 May 2024

Monica did such a great job. She was filled with history and able to answer all of our questions. Thorough and friendly. We were so glad we had her as our guide. Amazing experience

Edward

(About local Xavier)

12 May 2024

Excellent, insightful tour of Edinburgh Castle with Xavier who knew the history inside out and had a great sense of humour to bootFab Xav!

Richelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Xavier)

12 May 2024

We had the pleasure of being guided through Edinburgh Castle by Xavier, who is an absolutely phenomenal tour guide. His knowledge of the castle's history was simply astounding, and he delivered the information with such enthusiasm and passion that it made the entire experience unforgettable. His engaging storytelling transported us back in time, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the rich tapestry of Scotland's past. His friendly demeanor and willingness to answer any questions added an extra layer of enjoyment to the tour. I highly recommend him to anyone visiting Edinburgh Castle; he made our visit a highlight of our trip!Highlight of our trip from the states!

Micki🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

12 May 2024

Monica's sense of humor and her deep knowledge of Scottish history made for a wonderful morning. We loved the tour.Very fun and informative!

Craig

(About local Monica)

7 May 2024

A wet day with an amazing guide. Entry was delayed due to special event at the castle. Weather was abysmal...Monica did her best to provide a great experience. Would highly recommend Monica to all. A rainy day at Edinburgh Castle