One day · Free, mid-range or splurge · Checked against operators’ own pages
One Day in Edinburgh: Free, Mid-Range or Splurge
Find your Edinburgh experience
The loop
One loop covers the day: Edinburgh Castle first, then the Royal Mile down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Calton Hill, and the Scott Monument on Princes Street. The three legs run 33, 22 and 13 minutes on foot.
- Start at Edinburgh Castle for the 9.30am opening; allow at least 2 hours for the main attractions, and book ahead because tickets often sell out far in advance.
- Walk down the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, about 2.5 km and 33 minutes on foot.
- At the Palace, a ticket includes a free audio guide; a stroll around the whole palace took around an hour, and photography is not allowed inside.
- From the Palace, walk 1.6 km and 22 minutes to Calton Hill, whose paved path makes it a short, easy walk.
- Continue 1 km and 13 minutes to the Scott Monument on Princes Street; it is the largest monument to a writer in the world.
| Item | Minutes on foot |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse | 33 |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse to Calton Hill | 22 |
| Calton Hill to the Scott Monument, Princes Street | 13 |
Free
The free day never enters the Castle or the Palace. It uses the open-air Royal Mile, Calton Hill, Holyrood Park and the free National Museum of Scotland.
- Walk the Royal Mile from near Edinburgh Castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse without entering either; the leg is about 2.5 km and 33 minutes.
- In the afternoon, walk from the palace to Calton Hill, 1.6 km and 22 minutes, then on to the Scott Monument, 1 km and 13 minutes.
- Swap any rainy hour for the National Museum of Scotland, which has free admission.
Good to know
- Holyrood Park is free to visit and open 24 hours a day, year-round.
- Calton Hill’s paved pathway makes it a short, easy walk.
| Item | £ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Holyrood Park | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| National Museum of Scotland | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| Total | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
On your own
Suits anyone who wants the walk and the views without paying to enter the Castle or Palace.
With a guide
Skip a guide here; this tier stays outside the paid attractions.
The free day: free, apart from what you eat.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Mid-range: Castle and Palace entries
Mid-range books two paid entries: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Everything else on the loop stays open-air and flexible.
- Book Edinburgh Castle tickets ahead; they often sell out far in advance, especially in summer.
- Go to the Castle for the 9.30am opening most days; give the main attractions at least 2 hours.
- Walk the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in about 33 minutes; the palace ticket includes a free audio guide, and a whole stroll takes about an hour.
- Photography is not allowed inside the palace.
- After the palace, walk to Calton Hill and then the Scott Monument, which opens at 10am.
Good to know
- The One o’clock Gun fires every day at 1pm, except on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.
- Christmas Eve last entry is 3pm. The Castle is closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It opens at eleven in the morning on New Year’s Day.
- A guided tour ticket at the Castle includes a 30-minute tour from a guide and costs extra.
| Item | £ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle, timed entry | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse, entry with audio guide | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| Total | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
On your own
Enough for most visitors; book the Castle and Palace entries ahead and follow the loop.
With a guide
Add the guided Castle ticket if you want a 30-minute tour; it costs extra.
The mid-range day: Castle and Palace entries, booked ahead.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Splurge: add a guided Castle tour
Splurge upgrades the Castle visit with a guided tour ticket that includes a 30-minute tour from a guide and costs extra. The rest of the loop stays the same.
- Book the guided Castle ticket ahead; the Castle tickets often sell out far in advance.
- Take the 30-minute guided tour at the Castle as part of your visit; the main attractions need at least 2 hours.
- Walk the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse for its free audio guide and a one-hour stroll; photography is not allowed inside.
- Finish on Calton Hill and Princes Street, ending at the Scott Monument.
Good to know
- The guided Castle ticket includes a 30-minute tour from a guide and costs extra.
| Item | £ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle, guided tour ticket | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse, entry with audio guide | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
| Total | £0 | ≈ US$0 |
On your own
The self-guided mid tier already covers Castle and Palace; a guide only adds context at the Castle.
With a guide
The guided Castle tour is the splurge: a 30-minute tour and an extra cost.
The splurge day: the guided Castle tour, plus the same Royal Mile loop.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Free day | free | – |
| Mid-range day | free | – |
| Splurge day | free | – |
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Explore Edinburgh Before You Book
Take a virtual drive or walk, then find tours and tickets for the places you like.
Where a guided tour earns its money in one day
A guide earns the fee at Edinburgh Castle, where a guided ticket adds a 30-minute tour. Compare Edinburgh options below.
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Questions people ask
What time should I start at Edinburgh Castle?
Aim for the 9.30am opening most days. Last entry is 5pm April-September and 4pm October-March; the Castle is closed 25 and 26 December. Book ahead; tickets often sell out far in advance.
Can I fit the Castle and the Palace into one day?
Yes. The Royal Mile walk between them is about 2.5 km and 33 minutes on foot. Allow at least 2 hours for the Castle and about an hour for the Palace.
Is Calton Hill worth the walk?
It is a short, easy walk on a paved path, and it sits between the Palace and the Scott Monument: 22 minutes from the Palace, then 13 minutes on to Princes Street.
What is free in Edinburgh for a day?
Holyrood Park is free and open 24 hours year-round, and the National Museum of Scotland has free admission. Walking the Royal Mile costs nothing.
What should I know about the Scott Monument?
It is the largest monument to a writer in the world, commemorating Sir Walter Scott. It opens at 10am; April-September it closes at 7pm, October-March at 4pm.
Plan deeper in Edinburgh
Sources (7)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Edinburgh Castle, Opening times — www.edinburghcastle.scot/plan-your-visit/opening-times/ (checked 2026-09-23)
- OpenStreetMap foot routing -- Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (via the Royal Mile) — routing.openstreetmap.de/routed-foot/route/v1/foot/-3.2009,55.9486;-3.1727,55.9526?overview=false (checked 2026-09-23)
- VisitScotland, 12 Fascinating Things to Do in Edinburgh — www.visitscotland.com/places-to-go/edinburgh/things-to-do (checked 2026-09-23)
- OpenStreetMap foot routing -- the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Calton Hill — routing.openstreetmap.de/routed-foot/route/v1/foot/-3.1727,55.9526;-3.1826,55.9552?overview=false (checked 2026-09-23)
- OpenStreetMap foot routing -- Calton Hill to the Scott Monument — routing.openstreetmap.de/routed-foot/route/v1/foot/-3.1826,55.9552;-3.1958,55.9522?overview=false (checked 2026-09-23)
- City of Edinburgh Council, Scott Monument — www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory-record/1086071/scott-monument (checked 2026-09-23)
- Historic Environment Scotland, Holyrood Park: Plan your visit — www.historicenvironment.scot/visit/all/holyrood-park/plan-your-visit/ (checked 2026-09-23)