As Scotland’s fascinating capital, Edinburgh has plenty to see and do no matter what your interests are. Located just under 3 hours from the port in Cairnryan by car, the city is perfectly accessible as part of your trip, and these top tours in Edinburgh are guaranteed to tempt you to visit.
Harry Potter Magical Guided Walking Tour
See Edinburgh through JK Rowling’s eyes as you take a magical guided walking tour around the city that inspired her famous series of Harry Potter books. During this tour, your local guide will lead your small, intimate group around the places that gave JK Rowling imaginative ideas about how Hogwarts and her well-known characters would look. Places of interest include Tom Riddle’s grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard, and Rowling’s golden handprints which are located outside of the City Chambers.
This tour will help you to find out whether you’re a pure-blood, muggle or squib, and you’ll be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses. Throughout this magical Harry Potter walking tour, you’ll answer Harry Potter trivia as part of an audio-visual quiz which will give you the chance to show off your knowledge, and win points for your house. Although no filming took place in Edinburgh, you’re sure to leave this walking tour feeling like you’ve spent two hours walking through the pages of the books.
Underground Vaults Tours in Edinburgh
Head below the streets of Edinburgh that thousands of people walk along everyday on this Underground Vaults Tour. Beneath the city’s Old Town, your costumed guide will tell you tales of the vaults and their different uses over the centuries. Since the early 18th century, this underground network has seen the persecution of witches, murders, and many other ghastly things that you’ll learn all about as you wander through this dimly-lit space. Many people have passed through these vaults, including when they represented squalid living conditions full of disease, and they have been named by Most Haunted Live as one of the scariest places on earth.
There are a number of upgrades that you can make to this one hour tour which will give you some added extras, including hearing numerous paranormal tales and ghost stories, and visiting the torture exhibition where you’ll find out how all of the creepy apparatus was used.
Scotch Whisky Experience
Spend 50 – 75 minutes discovering all there is to know about Scotland’s most famous product during this Scotch Whisky Experience. Travel through the history of this traditional tipple in a whisky barrel car ride, before taking part in a sensory discovery of Scotland, including exploring the different aromas that are linked to Scotch Whisky. Following this, you can enjoy a tutored dram experience where you’ll be able to taste one whisky (or Irn Bru for those under 18), and will be given a crystal tasting glass to take home with you as a souvenir.
This Scotch Whisky Experience will also take you to the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection, which is the largest in the world. Here, you’ll see almost 3500 different bottles, which are sure to fascinate any whisky fan. This tour can be upgraded to a gold package, which will mean that your experience is completed with 4 Scotch Whisky tastings in the McIntyre Gallery, and you can find your favourite with the help of tastings cards and advice from knowledgeable guides.
With so many fantastic tours in Edinburgh to enjoy, book your Larne to Cairnryan ferry crossing and start planning your fun-packed trip today.
