Top Edinburgh Arts & Design

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is Edinburgh’s Royal Palace, it is His Majesty The King’s official residence in Scotland and is used by The King and members of the Royal Family for State ceremonies and official entertaining. With 900 years of Scottish royal history, the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the foot of the Royal Mile against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur’s Seat. A visit to the Palace includes the Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots, which were the setting for many dramatic episodes in her short and turbulent reign, including the brutal murder of her Italian secretary, David Rizzio, by her husband, Lord Darnley. Her Bedchamber has been described as 'the most famous room in Scotland. All images credit of Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Combine the magic of Harry Potter with the history of the Scottish borders on this day trip from Edinburgh. Ideal for fans of the world’s favorite wizard, this tour takes you to the coastal town of Bamburgh, home to the impressive Bamburgh Castle, and Alnwick Castle, a filming location featured in both Harry Potter and Downtown Abbey. Tour the historic structure’s opulent rooms—entrance fees at your own expense—before you admire the pretty town of Coldstream, straddling the border of England and Scotland.

The Edinburgh Dungeon is one of the Scottish capital's most-visited attractions, for good reason. The thrilling experience takes you on a wild underground journey through Scottish history that is equal parts terrifying and hilarious. Plan ahead and ensure a hassle-free visit by pre-booking your admission ticket for the Edinburgh Dungeon.

This 'Harry Potter' walking tour gets fans closer to spots in Edinburgh that inspired J.K Rowling’s famous books. Walk past key sites that inspired places such as Diagon Alley, and even see the cafes and hotels where the writer wrote her book series. Your guide knows the quickest ways to get around the city on foot to fit more into your time, as well as fun facts about Harry Potter.

Explore the stunning Scottish Highlands on a full-day excursion that includes Glencoe and Loch Ness. Set out from Edinburgh aboard a comfortable coach to experience some of the area's top sights and attractions. Visit Callander, the "Gateway to the Highlands", learn the fascinating history of Glencoe—a village made famous as a setting for “James Bond” and “Harry Potter” films—and see the world-renowned Loch Ness too.

Edinburgh is known for its dark past, and this evening walking tour is the original one to showcase the city's historically sinister and spooky side. Discover the hidden ‘wynds’ (alleys) and closes of the Old Town as you learn their mysteries and horrors; visit the ghost-ridden Greyfriars Kirkyard; and explore the city’s underground vaults to uncover their spirits and secrets. Your tour is led by a creepily costumed guide.

An Edinburgh bus tour is the perfect way to hear commentary on city sights and get a panoramic overview. This City Sightseeing tour of Edinburgh lets you hop on and off at several strategically placed stops as many times as you like. Board the open-top double-decker bus and travel the entire route, or stop at Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum and many more. Buses depart regularly and tickets are valid for 24 hours from first use.

Take a personalized tour from Edinburgh to Loch Ness on this day trip to the Scottish Highlands. See wooded lochs and tucked-away villages as you journey through spectacular scenery en route to Glencoe and Fort Augustus. Enjoy a boat tour in search of the Loch Ness Monster and traverse the picturesque Cairngorms National Park. Travel in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach with a small group limited to 16 passengers.

See the best of Scotland in one action-packed day on this Glencoe, Loch Ness and the Highlands tour from Edinburgh. Pass Stirling Castle on route to Kilmahog with a guide, then continue through Rannoch Moor to the soaring Highland peaks of Glen Coe. Head along the banks of Loch Linnhe to Fort William and gaze over Ben Nevis — Scotland’s highest mountain. Enjoy free time to explore Loch Ness and learn the famous legend of Nessie! Pass by Inverness, then travel through the mighty Grampian Mountains to Edinburgh.

Journey through Edinburgh’s grisliest tales on a haunted walking tour. Experience the ghastly histories of monsters, madness, and murder that cast a dark shadow on the capital city. Discover the stories and sites of witch trials, pagan rituals, and executions, and hear about local monsters that live in urban myth. Then visit the chilling Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard cemetery to learn about body-snatching and some of the infamous interred.

Delve into Edinburgh’s horrific history on this evening ghost bus tour. With your spooky local guide, visit the city’s most terrifying locations, haunted by infamy and restless spirits! From your seat in a double-decker vintage bus, gaze at eerie sites such as Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Castle, Grassmarket, and the Royal Mile. Throughout the trip, hear anecdotes and facts about Edinburgh’s chilling past, replete with bloody executions, unspeakable tortures, and murder.

Save valuable vacation time with skip-the-line access to Edinburgh Castle on this walking tour. Avoid hours of waiting in line and breeze right inside with your priority admission ticket. Then, listen to your guide's commentary about the Scottish landmark's history as you walk through one of Scotland's most famous landmarks.

Discover the jewels in Scotland’s crown on this 1-day Loch Lomond, Stirling, and Clydeside Distillery tour from Edinburgh. Listen as a guide sheds light on Scottish history on route from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to Stirling. Take an optional tour of Stirling Castle. Head to Loch Lomond in the Trossachs National Park and stroll along the shoreline at your leisure. Finish your day with an optional Clydeside Distillery tour and learn how drams are made.

Discover the best of Edinburgh without the stress of public transit and massive crowds on this hop-on hop-off bus tour. With your 48-hour pass, hop aboard the double-decker, open-top bus for a panoramic sightseeing excursion. Great for kids and adults, your ticket offers five route options with dozens of strategically placed stops. Have the added bonus of free entry to royal sites like Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Edinburgh’s stately streets hide a darker, more mysterious side of the city, rooted in its 18th-century slums, ‘wynds,’ (alleyways), and vaults. This 75-minute tour takes you back in time to this shadowy world, exploring dark cobbled lanes, a haunted cemetery, and underground vaults. As you explore, your costumed guide shares captivating tales of the city’s history, along with stories of ghosts, murders, crimes, and more.

Forget about crowds, schedules or lines! With our company's self-guided experiences your smartphone is your new private guide. Welcome to Edinburgh, the birthplace of Harry Potter! JK Rowling wrote all seven Harry Potter novels in this city and Jule will help you discover that was involved in this incredible story. Walking the streets of this magical place, Rowling undoubtedly took some inspiration from the city which she then used in the Harry Potter novels. On our tour, we’ll be exploring places that may have served as inspirations for places and characters in Harry Potter. In this incredible experience, you'll have the time to stroll around Edinburgh's Harry Potter Trail at your own pace, you'll have the opportunity to take astonishing pictures and enter any attraction you fancy along the way. Please note: when booking, you will get an email with instructions on how to download our app and redeem your unique code (this code is different from your booking reference number!).

Learn about J.K. Rowling and the origins of the 'Harry Potter' books during a walking tour of Edinburgh. See places that inspired Rowling such as the Balmoral Hotel and University of Edinburgh's Old College; locales that shaped the Dementors and Ministry of Magic; and cafes where Rowling liked to write. Your guide is a 'Harry Potter' fan who shares fascinating details about the wizarding world in Edinburgh.

In the picturesque city of Edinburgh, everything makes a good photograph. On this walking tour of the city, learn how to frame and take professional shots on your camera or smartphone from a professional photographer. Get experience in how to create the perfect Instagram photography post. See parts of Edinburgh usually missed by tourists, and follow your local guide to hidden closes, squares and other secret gems.

Explore the streets of Edinburgh on this fun walking tour. As you listen to popular theme songs and hits through your headset, sing along and dance past landmarks like St. Giles' Cathedral, the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh Waverley Station, and more. This is an alternative to the traditional tour groups.

Harry Potter fans—this one’s for you! Discover the places where author J. K. Rowling gained inspiration to write the world-renowned series of books with stops at the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s Old Town, and a very important café. Along the way, enjoy entertaining Harry Potter–related commentary, such as stories about the characters and J. K. Rowling’s life in Edinburgh.

Led by your professional Blue Badge guide, explore the historic streets of Edinburgh and take in the atmosphere that keeps tourists visiting the city year after year. View Edinburgh Castle and walk the Royal Mile to where Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament now sits. Spy hidden closes and courtyard parks, and learn about the vivid history of this vibrant city.

So, you arrive in Edinburgh and want to know all about it. You have 3 choices available to you. 1. Go on a guided tour and see all those sights you read about before you came. 2. Walk around aimlessly hoping that the Gods of tourism will guide you. 3. Go to snikkit dot com and see what like minded locals want you to see about their home. Snikkit dot com will show you everything about a place on a simple, easy to use interactive map. The main sites The history The people But also the small stories, the best pubs and bars, where the locals eat and much much more. This is your tour at your own pace and at your convenience. We have done all the homework for you and found and researched all the stories and facts you need for an enlightening self guided tour of Edinburgh's history, architecture, music, ghosts, murders and culture. Once logged in you are the boss, you decide what you want to see and when you want to see it.

Go on an adventure around the historic cobbled streets of Edinburgh and discover where the inspiration for the world’s favorite wizarding children’s story came from. See where the secret section is in Madam Pince’s library, and use a portkey to travel instantly to the Old Town for a guided tour around the towering buildings and hidden closes. Take all day to explore the city and see places most other tourists miss in their search for the beginnings of Harry Potter lore.