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Paris Toolkit London to Edinburgh
London to Scotland - Edinburgh and the Highlands
London to Edinburgh day tours are possible with a selection of tours leaving from Kings Cross and reaching Edinburgh before lunchtime.
Once you arrive in Edinburgh from London there are plenty of day-trips to choose from to visit the much-loved lochs, mountains, distilleries and castles of the famous Scottish landscape.
Many people want to spend a bit longer in Scotland and book overnight or multi-day tours; and these give you longer to explore beyond Edinburgh, perhaps reaching the beautiful Highlands.
On this page you'll find the best tours in Edinburgh and the Highlands. We also offer a selection of reasonably priced comfortable hotels for your stay in Edinburgh. We list all the top sights in Edinburgh with some ideas for more unusual experiences and days out too.
Scotland tours from London
From 1-day to overnight tours to Edinburgh & Highlands from London.
Day trip tours from
Edinburgh
Day tours from Edinburgh including lochs, castles and whisky tasting & waterfalls.
Things to do in
Scotland
Hop-on bus tours, walking tours and visits to lochs, movie tours, ghost tours & more.
Scotland from London
You can visit Scotland from London in just one day, with a day exploring Edinburgh, including entrance to the much loved Edinburgh castle and a hop-on bus tour, leaving from King's Cross in London.
An overnight tour to Edinburgh offers the same package but with accommodation in a centrally located 3-star hotel and a full free day to explore Edinburgh at your leisure.
For a longer break we also have a fantastic 3-day excursion with train tickets from King's Cross, two days in Edinburgh and a middle day in the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands, exploring the lochs and glens.
For the ultimate in exploration Trafalgar Tours run a fantastic 8-day break covering much-loved famous locations in England and Scotland, including Edinburgh and the Highlands.
Memorable package for a full day out in Edinburgh in one day from London including the castle & hop-on bus tour.
Overnight package: train tickets plus over night in 3* hotel, hop-on bus tour & Edinburgh Castle.
Explore Edinburgh in depth with two full days plus a day in the romantic Highlands. Departure from King's Cross.
Fantastic 8-day tour with Trafalgar Tours featuring stunning destinations in England and Scotland.
Day trips tours from Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a great base to explore further into Scotland. From Edinburgh you can easily take a day tour into the heart of Scottish scenery, witnessing some dramatic landscapes and picturesque castles perched high on cliffs.
No trip to Scotland would be complete without visiting a loch; the famous Loch Ness is available on our Loch Ness Explorer tour, or alternatively Loch Lomond together with the epic Stirling Castle, on the edge of the Highlands.
Whisky tasting tours are always a favourite and this one below also complements the day out with a visit to some of Scotland's stunning waterfalls.
You can also head south, visiting some of the stunning scenery on the Scottish/English borders, with a visit to the legendary Alnwick Castle. Alnwick is famed for its fascinating history and has long been used as a filming location (Harry Potter, Downton Abbey) due to its fabulous architecture and setting.
Loch Ness Explorer
A boat cruise on this famous loch awaits, plus a stunning drive through the Trossachs National Park, the wilds of Rannoch Moor, Fort William with its backdrop of Ben Nevis and a stop at the dramatic Glencoe.
Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle & the Kelpies
Enjoy a woodland walk around the ‘Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’. Explore Stirling with its impressive castle & historical connections including Mary, Queen of Scots & William Wallace.
Whisky & Waterfalls
Explore Scotland's iconic scenery and learn about heroic Highlanders before a lovely woodland walk through the stunning Hermitage. Tour a traditional whisky distillery and sample the 'water of life'.
Alnwick Castle & Bamburgh
A full day out visiting the stunning historical Alnwick Castle together with the picturesque coastlines of Bamburgh. Alnwick has been used in film series including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey.
St Andrews & villages of Fife
Small Group tour visiting the town of St. Andrews, home to Scotland's oldest university and the Old Course. Cross the Forth Road Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife and pass by the coastal villages of East Neuk.
Glenfinnan, Glencoe & Fort William
Head north for the haunting valley of Glen Coe, watch the Jacobite steam train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct (as in Harry Potter films) and visit the charming village of Pitlochry.
5-Day Best of Scotland Experience
Rugged and rural landscapes await on this this 5-day journey through the Lowlands, Northern Highlands, West Coast, and the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and Eilean Donan Castle.
3-Day Isle of Skye and The Highlands
Enjoy views of Stirling Castle en route to Glencoe & Glenfinnan Viaduct and Loch Ness. Enjoy a day on the Isle of Skye and visit Visit Culloden Battlefield and enjoy some local whisky tasting.
Things to do in Scotland
Best places to visit Edinburgh and the Highlands and Islands
Top attractions in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has a lot to offer visitors. The top sights and things to do in Edinburgh include: Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh hop-on bus, The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Vaults, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh Zoo, the Botanic Gardens, Ghost Bus Tours, the National Museum of Scotland and the Scotch Whiskey Experience.
The Highlands, boat tours and spectacular scenery
Outside Edinburgh, the rest of Scotland has incredible attractions for the visitor, including stunning lochs in the Highlands, glens, and castles.
One of the most exciting ways of witnessing this stunning scenery is by boat tour. Boat tours run from several lochs and you can book in advance of your holiday.
The Inner Hebrides including the Isle of Skye are terrific places to explore the wild and romantic regions of Scotland at its most rugged.
Harry Potter Scotland
The Glenfinnan railway experience is not to be missed, especially for Harry Potter fans. The landscape is truly 'Hogwarts'; admire views of Loch Shiel which was used as the "Black Lake of Hogwarts", and of course, the iconic bridge, as seen in the films, where the Jacobite steam train passes.
Scotland of course has other Harry Potter connections. In Edinburgh you can enjoy a fabulous Harry Potter walking tour, visiting many of the famous locations that inspired JK Rowling to create her famous novels.
Harry Potter walking tour Edinburgh
Explore the winding streets and historic alleys that inspired J. K. Rowling to write her novels, plus famous film locations, on this 2-hr walking tour.
Edinburgh Castle skip-the-line tour
Your guide will take you through the different parts of the fortress and tell you its fascinating history, including Scotland’s kings and queens. Includes entrance tickets.
Edinburgh Hop-on bus
Enjoy a City Sightseeing 24-hour hop-on hop-off tour of Edinburgh on board an open-top bus with onboard commentary. With stops at Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum.
Ghost bus tour Edinburgh
Enjoy a ghostly view of Edinburgh from a double-decker vintage bus. Gaze at eerie sites such as Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh Castle, Grassmarket, and the Royal Mile.
Edinburgh Underground Vaults Ghost Tour with Whisky
Follow your cloaked guide into the city’s underground vaults and share haunted tales discovering Edinburgh's dark history over a drink in a candle-lit cellar.
Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
Discover the regal splendor of Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse complex. Explore the State Apartments, see Mary Queen of Scots' historic chambers, the Throne Room, and more.
Edinburgh Zoo
See the UK's only Giant Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo & the largest Penguin Sanctuary in Europe. Home to over 1,000 rare and beautiful animals, the zoo is just a 10-min car journey from the city centre & has stunning views.
Greyfriars Kirkyard tour
Take a guided afternoon stroll through Edinburgh's most famous cemetery and hear surprising historical tales related to the individuals interred within its grounds, including famous & lesser known.
Fort William: Seal Spotting Loch Linnhe Cruise
Explore the beauty of Loch Linnhe on this boat tour & discover seal populations at Black Rock. Learn about the local history, culture, and wildlife of Loch Linnhe from a local guide.
Loch Ness: Urquhart Castle Round-Trip Cruise
Go Nessie-hunting and enjoy stunning views of Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands on a boat cruise from Clansman Harbour to Urquhart Castle and back. With on-board bar.
Glenfinnan tour from Glasgow
Visit Glencoe, Fort William, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct on a guided day trip from Glasgow. See the iconic "Harry Potter Bridge", where the Jacobite steam train passes and the shores of Loch Shiel.
Best of Isle of Skye Full-Day Tour
Fairy Pools in the Cuillin Mountains,Talisker Distillery, Neist Point, Dunvegan Castle, and Fairy Glen all await from this thrilling day tour on the Isle of Skye, the Inner Hebrides, leaving from Portree.
London Edinburgh train - cheap and fast way to Scotland
What is the fastest way to get to Edinburgh from London?
The easiest and fastest way to get to Edinburgh from London is by fast train, just 4 hours and 20 minutes from King's Cross in London.
For fares and timetables use the Trainline website which help you to find the cheapest tickets and offer several ways of getting your ticket, including both paper and digital options.
For overseas visitors, one option is to purchase a BritRail Pass. A BritRail Pass is a pass exclusive for visitors to the UK. It is a single train pass that allows you to travel across the UK as much as you want for a set amount of travel days. It will save you money if you are planning a number of journeys around the UK. If you only want one return ticket between London and Edinburgh it will be cheaper for you to book digital tickets in advance from Trainline from home.
What is the cheapest way to get to Edinburgh from London?
If you want the cheapest way of getting from London to Edinburgh the best way is by National Express bus from London Victoria. The bus will take around 8 hours 40 minutes so you need to be staying a few days to make it worth it. It can be around a quarter of the price of the rail fare, depending on how far ahead you book.
However, it is worth noting that if you book rail fares 90 days in advance the difference between the train fare and the bus fare can reduce a lot. (You have to to look out for selected times, there will be a selection of departure times, all offering different ticket prices.)
It is possible by booking this far ahead to get much lower rail fares that are not much more than the bus fare but take just half the journey time. If you are able to book ahead it is worth comparing your options carefully.
TRAIN TICKETS
Hotels in Edinburgh Scotland
Edinburgh is a very walkable city. All the hotels below are very centrally located, close to the heart of the historic centre with its rail connections.
Hotels vary from affordable family-friendly to spectacular traditional-but-modern luxury experiences. Some offer spa facilities for those who want the ultimate in relaxation. All are reasonably priced.
Leonardo Royal Edinburgh Haymarket
In Edinburgh city centre, less than 500 metres from Haymarket Rail Station, a great value popular hotel with modern family-friendly en suite rooms and a restaurant-bar.
Cityroomz Edinburgh
Located just a few metres from Prince’s Street, in the heart of the historic city, this good-value hotel features free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, city views, and an en suite bathroom with free toiletries.
Edinburgh Holyrood Hotel
Fantastic 4-star hotel just metres from Holyrood Park, with indoor pool and sauna, gym, beauty centre, large bedrooms, marble bathrooms and award-winning restaurant serving local food and bar.
MOST POPULAR TOURS FROM LONDON 2024
VISITING STONEHENGE AND/OR WINDSOR AND/OR BATH
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SPECIAL THEME TOURS
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DAY TOURS BY TRAIN TO LIVERPOOL, PARIS & SCOTLAND
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